RE: UKNM: money / drain

[Robin Edwards]

On Wednesday, September 01, 1999 4:34 PM, Edd Dumbill [SMTP:

eddusefulinc [dot] com

]  wrote:

> To my mind, there's a good reason why there aren't any FMCG sites of any

> use -- few users would ever want them.


Hmmm, the old "FMCG's should stick to sponsoring content" argument pops up for 

it's six-monthly spot. A site we produced back in '98 for a well known drinks 

brand was hugely successful in all areas - not only in terms of the number of 

visitors, good PR, top awards etc (the client's own measures of success) but 

also in the depth of the user sessions on the site. Visitors did truly express 

a "relationship" with the brand (through emails and messages on the bulletin 

board) and a staggering amount of loyalty. This is backed up by some sessions 

of up to 4 hours, with people not just reading stuff and playing the games, but 

feeding content back to us. Repeat visits to the site were also incredibly 

high. What other media could give that level of brand exposure (and it wasn't a 

subtle logo in the corner!!) for that length of time for that kind of money?


Whilst some people here may question the value/point/interest of FMCG branding 

sites the facts can stack up very nicely for the FMCG companies. This is not 

some blind ignorance on their part, where they have ignored all other avenues 

(content sponsorship etc.) but *reality* - creating a 

hugemonsterinteractivemultimediabandwidthfest can easily provide better 

bang-per-buck than TV for the brand, and more fun and entertainment for the 

user.


Anyone who says, "Yes but the sites are boring, the games are silly and who 

cares how the product is made anyway" has presumably not had experience of 

running such a site. There are literally millions of people on the web who 

*are* interested and entertained by them. As with all things there are good 

FMCG brand sites, and there are bad FMCG brand sites.


Robin


--

Robin Edwards

Clockworx Design Limited

T: +44 1543 252370           F: +44 1543 420761

E:

robinclockworx [dot] co [dot] uk

     W: http://www.clockworx.co.uk/ 

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