Project Title:
PopularFront SNOWDAYS

URL/Distribution Method:
http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays

Project Duration:
July 1. -November 1, 2004

Project Team/Contributors:
Laurence Bricker - Strategy/Creative
Mike Keefe - Technology
Eric Kassel - Design Director
Nate Clark - Senior Developer
Jamie Gehrlich - Senior Developer
Chris Barrington - Project Manager
Jay Roloff - Developer

Project Summary:

SNOWDAYS is self-promotional brand initiative for Popular Front Interactive. The current evolution of the piece allows the user to effortlessly create a snowflake (no two are alike), add a personalized message, and send it to a friend, or multiple recipients as a greeting or communication. The friend receives an Email that notifies them that a "flake" has arrived. They can view the flake, respond to it, create their own flake, and continue the cycle. Users are now able to view multiple responses (the site has been dubbed "blogging with snowflakes") to their flake or a friends, and download and print the snowflakes in multiple formats. All million+ snowflakes exist in the data base, are searchable, and are would all eventually fall from the "sky" if you took the time to view them.

1. What was the purpose of the project?

Create an innovative, differentiated greeting for clients and friends that exemplifies Popular Front's unique capabilities with respect to elegant user experience, user-generated content, and delivering a compelling, engaging, Flash-based rich-media experience that captures the audience's imagination and compels them to make repeat visits and forward to friends and colleagues, creating viral buzz worldwide.

2. Measurement for success?

# of participants and repeat users, anecdotal research, industry recognition and awards, online buzz, and a frequent "deal-closer" in new business presentations. Create a community online.

3. Target users/audience (demographics, abilities, needs/goals)

For the "kid" in all of us. Anybody and everybody who can use a "mouse" and make a flake. Friends, family, and clients. Ideally smart marketing VP's of Fortune 500 companies who recognize break-through, compelling interactive experience design.

4. Desired user experience for each?

Experience a fun, innovative, community-building contemplative online environment that is easy to use and impossible to screw-up. Gives them a sense of ownership and commitment to the site. They feel compelled to check frequently to see if others have responded to their snowflakes, or made them new snowflakes.

5. Project parameters or constraints?

None. We were the client. Only limited by existing technologies ability to deliver on our vision. We will continue to evolve the site indefinitely as technology improves.

6. Processes and methodologies used by design/development team?

Popular Front deploys an intuitive proprietary approach to experience design that attempts to achieve perfect balance among content-design-and technology to achieve a user-friendly, effective online experience.

7. Results/response to date? (sales, visit duration, etc.)

Nearly 1.2 Million snowflakes produced and available for viewing on the site. Incredible differentiation in online industry. At least 2 YAHOO user groups have been created "around" the site. Multiple awards and reviews. MACROMEDIA site of the day. Has created a committed, sometimes addictive online community.