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Web-site smackdown: R/GA vs. Modernista!
—Posted by Brian Morrissey |
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For all the flack some of the Modernista big wigs took for not being personally involved on social networks, its hard to not see how unique and interesting their site is compared to R/GA, Organic or every other digital agency that claims to understand social media. The bottom line is that Modernista are the only ones who are actually using it while R/GA is basically building a flash site with more video. Just goes to show that just like their clients, too many of these agencies are afraid to take a real chance.
Posted by: Dan | Apr 11, 2008 10:41:32 AM
Make the logo BIGGER!
Posted by: Fornya | Apr 11, 2008 11:40:31 AM
There is nothing wrong with the RGA site. It's just really, really boring. It looks like someone didn't invite visual designers to the party.
Posted by: JP | Apr 11, 2008 2:51:03 PM
I wonder what would happen if people started updating Modernista's wikipedia profile with their client losses, lay-offs, internal "dirt", etc. Or if people started commenting unfavorably on their work that's posted to Flickr (virtually all of which have 0 comments). Would Modernista leave it all up their for their key audiences to find?
Just because you know what social media sites are popular, does not mean that you get social media... How is modernista using their content (or their profiles) to build connections/relationships? They aren't. Those sites are not the place for the content they've uploaded. To me, this is completely unauthentic pandering: "look at us, we get digital! We have stuff up at the same sites the kids are using!!!"
Posted by: JB | Apr 11, 2008 3:12:40 PM
Modernista threw a cold bucket of water in the face of agency websites screaming "we drink the cool aid!" There is a middle ground; a truly Web 2.0 website where the scream turns into a sustainable conversation and the innovation doesn't overshadow the dialog.
Posted by: Dean Whitney, Digitas | Apr 12, 2008 8:27:37 AM
I don't know...an agency that 'gets' social media is better off showing the successes it's had using on behalf of its clients, rather than using it as a vehicle for its own self promotion, no?
You know that old riddle about the two barbers that live in a town, one with messy hair, the other with a great haircut? Which one would you go to?
Posted by: Ian Schafer | Apr 12, 2008 5:27:17 PM
Dan wrote:
"For all the flack some of the Modernista big wigs took for not being personally involved on social networks..."
I suspect you're referring to the early post on their Facebook page that reads:
"Well, impressed at first, until I see that Lance Jensen does not appear to have a Facebook page at all, and Gary Koepke, if it's the right Gary Koepke, has a "?" for his photo, and zero friends.
Gary has a bare-bones Linked[in] page with 17 connections, Lance has less info and 11 connections.
Neither of them have a blog. Gary did do one guest blog post last year on AdWeek's AdFreak blog.
Don't get me wrong, Modernista! has done some great traditional work that I really admire, but this "company website as 2.0 filter" looks a lot more like a stunt, than like an agency that "get's it" or is involved in Web 2.0 technology in any real way."
I wrote it, and I stand by it.
Modernista's website is all gimmick. They will change it within less than a year (probably 6 months). Guaranteed.
R/GA's website has legs. It will remain and grow for the next few years, as their last site did. In the digital space, R/GA is the real deal.
Posted by: Chris Grayson | Apr 13, 2008 7:19:16 AM
Modernista! site did exactly what it was intended to do. Build buzz and get people talking about the agency. Bravo to the team who developed.
RGA site looks like every other cookie cutter agency site. Quite lame.
Posted by: Blinx | Apr 14, 2008 9:36:19 AM
Hey all: Lance From M! here. thanks for all your comments. Personally, i didn't know i was in an web page smack down or i would have dressed appropriately. The critics are right, I am not a personal 2.0 guy. Jesus, it's 8pm and I am still at work with 2 hours easy to go, so forgive me for not twittering away. And no, i am not on face book. I am embarrassed about the way my face is aging. WTF! as you crazy kids say. Look, here's the deal. It was a great idea. We had to do it. And we will promise to get better at it. We never claimed to be anything other than trying to do our best. And we don't look at our current site to promote our work. We use it to recruit people who might like to work at a place that doesn't focus group the shit out of it's own "work" And yes, when we get bored with it, we will take it down. So. What?
Posted by: lance jensen | Apr 14, 2008 8:30:40 PM
It looks like a wireframe with splashes of red. Nice work IA dept.
Posted by: Edward | Apr 15, 2008 8:20:16 PM
First off - good or bad, looks like R/GA used the same visual style guide created for Nike on their new website.
Second - Oh, the good ol' website template - navigation at the top, marquee in the middle, the 3 modules at the bottom with the latest news.
Personally, I am not a big fan of an entire site basing on Flash. There are a lot of ways to build great online experiences with HTML and bits and pieces of rich media throughout. R/GA is itself a great agency and the people within the organization definitely "gets it". Yet, their redesigned company site is simply disappointing.
Posted by: Ashley | Apr 15, 2008 10:12:36 PM
Can any of you critics even get hired at these 2 agencies esp R/GA? if so, post your online portfolio and lets critique that.
Posted by: mike | Apr 18, 2008 3:58:37 PM
this is gay
Posted by: | May 14, 2008 5:25:24 PM
