Web site design has been pushing the envelope for some time. In my research (read: surfing) I’ve come across some compelling sites that are delivering a variety of information in some very unorthodox ways. Sometimes it’s useful, sometimes it’s trivial. One category of sites I’ve come across is the genre I would consider simply “fun.”

These sites that I consider fun are sites that take a non-traditional approach to delivering their “information,” often a fairly loose term. But they challenge the visitor to explore the site—to search every nook and cranny for tidbits they might not realize were there at first blush, and that they probably didn’t know they needed to find. At the end of the trip, you probably aren’t that better off for having combed the site for every last tidbit, but you probably had a good time getting there and were challenged to think differently about how you find information on a Web site.

Check out these two examples…and have “fun!”

- Chris

Is our life being homogenized with global brands that preclude any localized discovery? On a recent business trip to San Francisco, I felt like my travel experience was Del as if I had just taken a trip to the local mall (which fortunately JH doesn’t have).

Effective brands offer a level of trust and security as we travel. Obviously all those passing travelers offer lots of impressionable eyeballs, and why not expose your brand to them. Upon exiting the BART train I was deluged with Microsoft’s promotion of Vista, almost buying every square inch of the Powell Street terminal. For a second I thought I had arrived in Vegas at the Consumer Electronics show, not in the financial district of one of America’s most cultural cities.

As I walked the block-and-a-half to the Marriott, identified by it’s signature architectural facade, the only thing that stood out in the fog was the glowing white Apple logo from their store on Stockton Street. I had traveled all this way and not experienced one thing related to San Francisco (BART excluded – it rocks) that was local in nature.

So, do we want our lives consumed by large branded experiences where we are told how these products will help us feel, travel and live? Well, to each their own, but to live an engaged life means you forgo the obvious and look for the experiential opportunities in your environment. On my next trip I think I will challenge myself to not patronize any large brand that is not regional in nature to that locale and actually take in some local culture.

The best part of returning home and the only thing that stood out in leaving the airport was a local sign—a reminder of why living in JH allows us to not become a homogenized American.

– Latham

Circumerro announced today the launch of a new product and corresponding company division: Circumerro Video creates custom, authentic video for view on the Web. Web video has fast become a powerful communications and marketing tool, allowing businesses to quickly create and brand a trackable message to which viewers can directly respond. Circumerro Video is currently producing videos highlighting communities, businesses and products for its clients; specifically, business profiles and real estate video tours are proving popular tools for clients on the Locale and JacksonHoleTraveler Web sites. Web video is an approachable medium for advertisers and customers alike and works well for a variety of messages including fundraising, advertising, public relations, product launches, movie trailers and much more. Sample videos are available at www.circumerrovideo.com. According to Circumerro President Latham Jenkins, “Web video is a compelling medium that tends to be spontaneous. It delivers an authentic style that makes an emotional connection with the viewer, resulting in higher conversion rates and customer retention for advertisers.” Circumerro Video provides all professional services associated with video, from production to hosting. All video is shot in High Definition HDV and presented in the new standard 16:9 (widescreen) format. No additional media players or downloads are needed for viewing Web video from within e-mails or on Web sites. Circumerro’s proprietary Web marketplaces drive a high volume of viewers to its videos, in addition to posting on YouTube, Google, MSN, AOL, Yahoo and other sites. The Savannah Morning News (Savannah, Ga.) recently featured an article on the community profile video of the Ardsley Park neighborhood in mid-town Savannah created by Circumerro Video and featured on LocaleSavannah.com. Locale.com and Circumerro Video are playing a lead role in bringing new technologies to advertisers and their customers. According to Jenkins, “One of Locale’s clients, Lowcountry Real Estate in Beaufort, South Carolina, received almost 30 views of their video per day in February. This is an incredible impact on prospective real estate clients any time of the day or night.” Jenkins added, “It’s a 24/7, 365-days-a-year marketing tool,” Michael Pruett of Sotheby’s Real Estate in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, attests to the effectiveness of Web video: “I am a firm believer that a video showing will set me apart from other realtors. It allows buyers to get to know me on a personal level—it makes an emotional connection and adds tremendous value to my listings. Circumerro’s video production team walked me through the process from start to finish and put together a professional video that I am proud to be a part of.” Circumerro Video’s packages start at $995 for 30-second spots and range up to $3495 for premium packages featuring 3- to 4-minute spots. Standard projects are shot, edited and posted within two weeks. Custom packages are available. About Locale Coastal, mountain or desert, Locale features properties and valuable information about community, culture, and economies in exceptional places to live. Locale is “The On-line Marketplace for Lifestyle Real Estate.” For more information visit www.Locale.com. About Circumerro Based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Circumerro is comprised of Creative, Publishing, Video and Stock Photography divisions. Circumerro’s team of creative, passionate and strategic thinkers approaches each project with one goal: provide best-in-class communications tools and services to push your business to higher levels of success. Circumerro publishes Locale.com, JacksonHoleTraveler.com, Rendezvous and Homestead. Circumerro: “Taking You in New Directions.” For more information visit www.circumerro.com.