UKNM: Re: UKNM Digest V1 #217

[Dorian Spackman]

In response to John Braithwaite


My initial e-mail was not meant to be a rant, things seemed to plunge to the

depths very quickly.


I am actually writing in this time in support (mainly) of what you say. The

point that I had originally tried to put across (slightly vehemently,

slightly humorously) was that this list does sometimes suffer from a bias

towards the graphical end of the market. A world without Flash and various

other apps would be very boring indeed but only where it is applicable, as

you say.


I have certainly not tried to "puff out my chest". I'm not from Mars,

although sometimes it feels like it! I lay no claim to tnm being the best

e-commerce developer in the world. However, I do care about what my clients

get for their money (I don't publish my list of clients, Neil, because I

don't choose to) and also about the fact that some companies are being sold

solutions that are mis-matched to their requirements.


A site that utilises Flash discreetly to enhance the business messages being

put across is a great deal better for it but as you say, a site that

utilises flash alone, I would say in the majority (note- majority, not all)

of cases, is not doing justice to the power of the web. This is, after all,

the UK Net Marketing list and marketing is a word that is often misused.


Should marketing not be a way of creating interest in a product or service

and driving it towards a sales channel. If it is possible to place the sales

channel alongside the marketing messages online, is this not more desirable

(in most cases, I know there are exceptions) than driving someone to a phone

number or retail outlet on the high street?


That's all I wanted to say


Cheers



Dorian Spackman

Business Development Director

Terra Nova Media Ltd.

doriansterranovamedia [dot] com

+44 (0)1784 410035

+44 (0)802 796468

www.terranovamedia.com


Terra Nova Media - The Digital Frontier


> Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 10:04:07 +0100

>

From: John Braithwaite <JohnBGBGdirect [dot] com>

> Subject: UKNM: Flash Fun or Content Commerce?

>

> I have seen so many rants on this list about 'Flash this, HTML that', so

> many people who should know better niggling, whinging and puffing out

> their chests in a manly way (yes, it does seem that it is one of those

> 'Mars' things!). Ludicrous 'my way' attitude and 'our agency is better

> than yours' comments.

>

> It's a shame.

>

> Flash and HTML can both work successfully on a site - either alone or

> together, but is that enough? Why use one and not the other? It seems,

> currently, that there is a simple equation to this issue:

>

> Use Flash if you haven't got anything to sell directly through the site

> and are not a content-based organisation (it's also good around baths

> and sinks). Use it especially if you are a business that needs to add

> 'difference' or 'life' without really offering anything unusual of

> thought provoking (apart from, perhaps, your professional services). Use

> it as a web design agency - after all, like the ad agencies, 70% are

> competent, 20% are poor and 10% are the best, but extortionately

> expensive (but you all offer, essentially the same thing, you just doll

> it up in different ways). Use it to get the 'coooool' reaction to your

> site from the surfers. Use it if you are Macromedia.

>

> Use HTML if you are an e-commerce site or if you have content that

> speaks for itself. Use it when you don't need to blind people into

> believing that you offer something different - because you do! Anyone

> think that this is misguided?

>

> Which sites are the successful ones? (mostly HTML, and for good reason!)

>

>

> John B


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