“Left Vs. Right” — how do you measure success?
Posted on February 8, 2008
Filed Under Effective Websites, Flash
Patrick’s behind the desk on the left with a blue background and Britt’s on the right with red. They’re waiting for me to ask a question or suggest a topic. Finally she starts flossing.
“Don’t do that here,” he says.
He looks straight out at me. “Please type something.”
It’s Left Vs. Right, a clever, good-looking Flash site promoting Microsoft’s Live Search. You can type in a topic and if it has any relevancy at all to the current political scene in the US, Patrick and Britt will have some witty dialogue in response. At the same time, you’re presented with a selection of more prosaic and useful search results in three categories—”Web”, “Images”, and “News”.
As a Flash developer myself, I have some idea of the amount of money, time and effort that goes into a site like this. All too often the result is not as usable nor as satisfying. Many, if not most, of these sites are little more than a parlour trick. You visit, you try it, and if it’s better than most, you pass on the URL to your friends and co-workers. Then you move on.
Left Vs. Right is good, but is it worth the investment? Beyond the design and technical development, there was considerable investment in copywriting, performance, filming, etc. I wouldn’t dare to guess, but they must have had one hell of a budget. Ultimately however, I don’t find myself terribly encouraged to use Live Search as a result.
On Left Vs. Right your topics have to be “political”. I entered “live search” and they obviously didn’t have anything prepared.
Britt takes the lead with, “If we told you that, we’d have to kill you.”
“And that’s not really our policy here on Left Vs. Right,” continues Patrick.
“Yet.”
“We could make some calls though.”
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