Mega ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky has a new beta Web site. Seemingly free form and unconventional in its design and construction, the site has a definite order to it. It even comes with its own informal instructional video — although I don’t think it needed one.
There are streaming Twitter feeds, news stories, commercials, related “bubbled up” items and more stuff to see and do than I have time to watch or write about. Long story short, this site is sticky. I probably spent 45 minutes reading, watching and clicking. Think about that. Isn’t that what we all want from our own sites or those we create for others?
Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the depth of content or clients CPB does. And it doesn’t hurt that their commercials are usually funny or controversial enough that they pop up on YouTube on a regular basis. We should all be so creative.
And that’s exactly where I am going with this. Just as they do in many of the ads they create, the Crispin Porter + Bogusky boys broke all the rules when creating their new site. It is anything but formulaic. But I bet it will be copied ad infinitum and ad nauseum. It’s inevitable. And it’s a shame.
Because I don’t believe CPB is telling us this is the way to do it. I think they are saying don’t be afraid to break the rules. In fact, make your own rules. That’s what ad agencies are supposed to do. Or so they claim. And some day, maybe ad agency clients will demand it from us. After all, CPB’s site is just that: THEIR site.
I wonder if any of their clients are bold enough to let CPB do something as innovative on their behalf. One can only hope. For all of us.
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You nailed it….its not about copying their innovations but about being innovators ourselves.