Experiential Websites

I did a bit of research on experiential websites. Here's few that set good examples for what I'd like to accomplish with this project:

Because

Grolsch Beer

Eric J

Concept #1 - Additions to the Pub Concept

Over the break. I did some further exploration of the each of the concepts. I found that with the Icecream menu and patterns concepts, I was struggling to connect each concept to my portfolio. On the other hand the pub concept seems to have multiple directions and a stronger experience factor for the viewer.

The idea would be to start the home page as a typical English street. As an example, I've attached a pen and ink painting of Cirencester, England by my grandfather. The viewer would move through the street and go into pub #1, the Garnet Rose, pub #2 the Fox & Hound, or pub #3 the Yellow Bell. Each pub has it's unique features that I would relate to my portfolio.

Garnet Rose - Branding

Fox & Hound - Typography

Yellow Bell - Marketing

Here's some possible directions that I need to further explore this week to create an experience within each pub.

Concept #1 - Pub or Pub Signs

The 60's postcard/photo idea wasn't working, so as I brainstormed further I remembered that "English Pubs" have always something I've enjoyed. I remembered that pubs tend to have these really cool signs, usually hand painted. There's loads of history around those signs (talking about early branding). The pubs themselves these traditional identifiers like the dark wood beams and posts, dark wooden furniture, crazy patterned carpets, interesting embossed wall paper, funny looking locals, various of beers (stouts, porters, and lagers) on tap, local cat, distinctive wall hangings, pub food (meat pies, plowmans lunch, roast and mash, etc). I decided to explore this concept further.

First option:

Use the sign of the pub as the entrance. Access various parts of the portfolio through the various parts of the pub (man, dog, beer levers, carpet, dart board, etc.)

Second option:

Use the sign to enter the site and then use the beer levers to access the various parts of the portfolio.

A third option I explored was creating pub signs for each part of the portfolio:

Concept #2 - Ice Cream Truck/Dickie Dee Menu

I was exploring brands that I've been loyal to, since I was a kid (of the 70's). I remembered the ice cream truck, with its distinctive tune, that would bring people running out of their homes and gardens on a hot summer day just for a treat. There's always a positive memory about this experience, so I thought it might be interesting to use the menu and draw people into the various parts of my portfolio.

Concept #3 - Pattern Exploration

Here's my third concept. This one was fun, because it was an exploration of famous patterns and finding ways to merge/integrate them into one design because, marketing and design together consist of the overlapping and merging of multiple elements. I thought this could be incorporated into the home page where the viewer could run their curser over the patterns. The curser would change indicating that you can click on a particular pattern and move into the portfolio pages.

Viewers would then move into the various portfolio areas. Notional thoughts are:

Early Concept Ideas

From the brainstorming here's some early concepts:

1) Plant/flower - I hate to lose or kill a plant. If someone gives me a plant, it's important to me to keep them alive. Have a plant in a pot grow as more projects are added to the portfolio. Designs, marketing, sustainable work, and feedback from clients all represent the things that help this plant grow into a healthy blooming plant. Watch it grow theme.

2) Paisley pattern - with the love of textures, colours, fabrics, etc, use the simple paisley to represent various parts of the porfolio. Perhaps the paisley grows into other famous patterns like argyle, tartan and so forth to represent various parts of my work whether marketing or design focused.

3) Moped/Scooter Diaries - link to my love of vintage Europe. Best mode of transportation to get around in European towns (Italy, Greece, etc.). Could it be the Moped Diaries?

4) 60's vintage torn pieces of a photograph or postcard (sepia/faded colour) pieced together for each part of the portfolio that come together as one picture (one part from Zambia, England, Canada, Greece)

5) Outfits: Try one on! Select an outfit to represent parts of the portfolio (casual, business, formal).

More Brainstorming