Designing A Web Site Where The Cool People Shop
Posted by Martin Wessel on Tue, Nov 09, 2010
Last month I talked about how to design a Web site using stores in a mall as a model and broke them into roughly three categories:
- "Don't you wish you were cool enough to shop here?"
- "You'd look so cool with this stuff!"
- "See what all the cool people are doing!"
Let's take a look at the first type of site, but let's first be clear that this doesn't just apply to eCommerce sites. As with the stores, this type of site tries to set a mood and impression while communicating a message.
Information Site: The Marine Corps
For example, take a look at the Marine Corps home page. We all know how the Marine Corps has branded itself over the years, and the home page of the site certainly supports that branding. The dark colors give a hint of danger and intensity while the subtle red white and blue of the menu ties back to the service to the United States.
Because it is such a well established brand, most visitors to the site will have some idea what it means to be a Marine but the organization has chosen to highlight a particular aspect of what it means to be a Marine. With slogans such as "Destined to Serve", "The Ultimate Challenge", and "Essential to our Freedom" the site is trying to appeal to those who want to be part of an elite unit.
eCommerce Site: J. Crew
J. Crew is a higher end clothing manufacturer and works to create a mood with their Web site as well. In this case, however, it's casual chic with a dash of young and hip. Various parts of the site design contribute to this effect, starting with the overall color palette. The very clean white background with narrow, screen width rules provides the hip, while the pastel colors, young model, and the items displayed all add the young and chic feel. Even the phrase "Mine all Mine" adds that sense of self entitlement that gives permission to enter the site and shop.
What it means for your site
What interesting is that both the example sites use a very focused home page with a single large banner (that may or may not rotate) to give plenty of room to create the mood. This approach also makes it very easy for a visitor to see the site and quickly grasp the feel.
This design choice isn't for every site. Large online stores, for example, would have a hard time creating a feel around any specific brand. However, for an informational site or an e-commerce site with a specific demographic or specialty products, this may be a great choice to encourage a visitor to stay and even make a purchase. After all, everyone likes to feel like they belong!
So, would it make sense for you to use a "Cool Person" site? Let me know what you think!