These idioms are expressed visually in frame-by frame animations dominating the Microsoft Office for Mac 2008 Web site, http://www.firstbornmultimedia.com/websites/150_mac_office/index.html. The experience is playful as the moving illustrations guide the user to the Office suite of programs. For example, a boy chasing numerals is literally "running the numbers" as he leads the user to Excel for Mac's new chart-building tools. A girl holding up the giant word "it" is literally "taking it to the next level" and ushers the user to Powerpoint for Mac's New SmartArt Graphics. A man pushing a dolly carrying boxes labeled "goods" actually "delivers the goods" by hopping in a delivery truck guiding us to Word for Mac's New Publishing Layout View. And a boy standing on a ball is "on the ball" and bounces the user over to Entourage for Mac's My Day Tool, an organizer which lets you map your day and manage your appointments.
Upon arrival of each new application, the user can choose to view a demonstration or movie. A Demo shows the new software at work. For example, click on Demo to see New SmartArt Graphics: a list becomes a colorful sequence array, a roster becomes an organization chart, or a numbered list awakens as a simple process diagram. Or click on the movie and be enterained by another playful illustration.
Firstborn Multimedia http://www.firstbornmultimedia.com/ partnered with ad agency McCann San Francisco, http://www.mccann.com/ to create the site, whose animations were drawn by British illustrator Mr. Bingo http://www.mr-bingo.org.uk/index.php?/latest/microsoft/. Through his animations, the concept of commonly used workplace phrases in transformed into a clever, non-linear digital experience.
There is energy in the site as shown by the bustling characters. They are all deliberate in their efficiency, just like the product they are selling, Microsoft Office for Mac. The fact that they are cartoons demonstrating the expressions in a corny, but clever way immediately engage the user to interact with the site. The typography is casual and receptive and the bright color palette, copying the Office-colored applications to give recognition, is breezy. Lastly, the realistic sound effects continue to make the site come alive.
No comments:
Post a Comment