Every once in a while, The Distillery finds something done quite right. For example, if your firm is determined to use rehashed TV commercials as its online multimedia content, then let Hardee’s show you how to do it–put them on TV! Even The Distillery cannot complain when such a novel approach is taken. Look and learn.
Beyond that, we find a wealth of other engaging content. Register to win a Harley-Davidson–in return for your e-mail address and future spam. You’ll find Paris Hilton’s phone number. (Not really, I suspect.) Play games, either Burger Time or Burger Invaders. And, there are dollar-off coupons for a couple of Hardee’s food products.
In sum, Hardee’s has a superb, engaging, and content-rich site. The firm is clearly in step with its fairly wide range of target audiences. You’ll find a little something for everyone, and all done quite well. Congratulations to a firm originally from my own home state of North Carolina. (One more thing as a lesson for others–pay attention to the little sounds throughout the site. Although many are just barely audible, they make a huge perceptual difference.)
Home page: Hardee’s
Michelin
Thursday, 6 July 2006; 16:50I learned a great deal from touring the Michelin site. First, there is the history of Bibendum, the Living Tire (non-multimedia) — Michelin’s well-known spokesman. (I never knew he actually had a name.) Then there is the equally well-known Michelin Guide, which began its publication in 1900 with a bold declaration on its very first page: This guide has been launched with the new century and will last just as long. Overall, I must say Michelin has one of the finest corporate web sites I’ve seen, even when there is no multimedia content.
But let’s get back to The Distillery’s real focus — multimedia. We discover Michelin in video where we find videos about The [Michelin] Groupe, Bibendum, Products and Innovation, and Michelin TV commercials. The first of those links leads directly to video content and the others to pages with two or more video clips. You might especially enjoy the silent and early-1900s animation of Bibendum’s birth from a stack of tires. After that, head on over to the North American Virtual Newsroom where you will find pages and pages of video clips. Wow! And again not multimedia, but one does find the expected map or two at the site, also.
Now on to the fun stuff. Let’s play Michelin [Formula 1] Pit Challenge. I initially found the game a tad confusing, so I’ll give you a hint. After clicking on each member of the pit crew, one must then click on the tires and give one to each pit crew member. After that, it’s pedal to the metal! And although the game is simple, it’s still quite fun. It may even keep those aging brain cells from dying off too quickly, or so says current research regarding such tasks.
And last, but certainly not the last of everything one will find at Michelin’s site, is its revolutionary Tweel. Now that’s something really different. I can’t wait to see them on the highways. Talk about double takes!
Oops, I missed something I would like to include for now (but we’ll return one day) — multimedia at the Michelin 2 Wheel web site. Yes, Michelin’s site seems to go on forever with goodies. As I said, it’s one of the nicest corporate web sites I’ve seen to date. Kudos, Michelin.
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