Web site comp
mbennett (26 pencils) | Tue, 2005-10-04 21:00
Hey guys. I am going to be redesigning a web site for this company and I have a rough comp to post for critique. This company is kind of known for their fun bus designs and want to portray a bit more of a "road trip" feel to their site. Their slogan is "We make getting their half the fun", and they want to reflect that a little more. I've gotten off to this start, but I feel it's just not quite hitting the mark. Let me know what I can do to achieve my goal. (By the way, I know their logo looks like Coca Cola, but I can't do anything about that right now) Thanks a lot.
Their original site can be viewed at www.classiccharter.com
A larger version of the comp can be seen at http://www.vtdonline.com/classic/classic.jpg
Commenting on this Image is closed.
Obviously a huge improvement on their existing website. I like the overall feel to the site. I like the header graphics, i would suggest that you look your typography on the content areas of the mockup, you have a couple of different font styles going on there.. Try making the text on the mockup consistant, use the typeface that you had for your navigation and your headings, for your content but obviously a couple of pt smaller :)
I would also put the footer, inside of your page design instead of sitting outside the graphic.
nice job overall, and yea, that coke logo hehe, well it works :D
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Online Portfolio - in progress
jammindesigns.com
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Goo
Thanks, Jammo. I always have to force myself to drop font sizes down. Eventually, the site will be done in css and I'll have a text size switcher (If I can figure it out). But I see what you mean, it is pretty big for the comp.
Some of the elements have been pulled from the brochure to try to create somw consistency. (See thumbnail on comp).
That logo drives me nuts. It is very hard to work with. We have tried to get them to change it, but it would cost a ton of money to do new graphics on 40 charter busses. We're just stuck with it for now.
Text size switcher
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/relafont/
theres a load of ways to do it... just google for them. Alistapart.com always is the best place for css i've found.
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Online Portfolio - in progress
jammindesigns.com
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Goo
If I may, I'd suggest a few things: In this case the user audience. I am quite sure half of the user audience is not as techno savy as we designers are, or we think they are. So I would change the Mailing List Section. IMHO nobody wants to sign up, we're all getting 'signed up' everywhere these days. So I suggest that you make this a question that has the answer 'yes' before they click on it. Like "Would you like to receive discounts?" If you inlcude a form the you could add something like "Then, just type your emai address below and click 'Contact me'". Or something along the line.
The same with the brochure. In my past experience I have encountered way too many people in 'power positions' that you would assume had such savyness when they couldn't use it (pdf) at all or knew what it did.
Just someting to think about, hope it helps.
However, for a downloadable brochure there would be no other more suitable format. Are there any computers that /can't/ open a PDF these days? The user doesn't have to know what a PDF is, as long as they can open it.
As for the site design, I love it. Definite improvement over the current design. Very clean and crisp. I think the idea to mimic the brochure is good.
Yeah, there really isn't any way to get the brochure across other than a pdf.
For the mailing list, they want to build up a database so they can send out emails when they make Vegas runs or whatever. Meant more to sell single tickets on tours. I'll have to work on that.
I guess what I am most interested in is the overall feel of the comp. I find it hard to balance a soft feel with crisp lines, if you know what I mean. I'll post some revisions when I get the time.
I think this is well done, definitely not ground breaking or anything but it seems like a good example of keeping client needs in mind. I agree the logo is problomatic, but not much you can do about that. I like how the photographic elements break out of the grid, gives it a little more life.
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Ian
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Ian