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September 23, 2009

Creative (& Terrible) Web Sites

I’m going way out on the limb here (okay, maybe not so much) and state for the record that most web sites are absolutely terrible – and it’s not a case of being unable to afford a good one. (You can put up a perfectly serviceable, informational web site in about an hour with free software.)

Why oh why do sites continue to be so godawful? Doesn’t “everyone” know the basics by now? Apparently not. Creative is still winning out over effective.

Latest example, Carly Fiorina’s “Coming Soon?” campaign web site, “Carlyfornia Dreamin!” What? What? Am I buying a swimsuit or a senator? (This also immediately reminds me of the Showtime series, Californication…probably not what the creatives were aiming for with Carly.) Apparently, her campaign was in a hurry to get something up ahead of the CA GOP convention.

I know from the cutesy “creative” images that she’s the opposite of Boxer – It’s Day & Night; It’s Dogs & Cats; It’s Good & Bad: It’s Carly Vs. Boxer.

But, what I can actually do when I’m at the site? I can be added to her email list. I can contribute. I can give her all my info to “get involved.”

What I can’t do is: find out why I should want to be added, contribute or get involved. I (still) have a lot of respect for Ms. Fiorina, despite her clumsy missteps in “supporting” McCain in the last election. (WIth friends like that, you don’t need enemies…) And, I think she was unfairly fired from HP. However, she really should hire a true web pro to do her site. Simply slapping up a site (red background???) with a bit of flash and the Facebook and Twitter logos (Ohhh, look she’s cool!) doesn’t a political campaign make.

Related Posts:
Why Does Campari Even Have A Web SIte?
Five Signs You Should Fire Your Creative Agency
Don’t Hire An Ad Agency To Do Your Web Site
Four Red Flags When Hiring A Web Developer

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