Thoughts on Modernista ’ s Website and the Future of Ours.

There's been so much talk about Modernista!'s new ultra-web 2.0 website (or lack of a site at all). It's taken me a while to get around to discussing it, but here goes...

Take a moment to visit Modernista!'s new site.

So basically, what the site is doing is using all the tools that exist at the web's disposal to turn people on to the agency.

Honestly, most of it works like a charm. I really do like it, even though the problem with using search results to provide information is that so many people have been commenting on Modernista!'s new site, that most results are talking their own site launch rather than the work they do for their clients (which is a narcissism problem that plagues many creative agencies out there, and search results only shine a light on that).

Max Kalehoff provides a really good overview of the site today over at MediaPost.

The thing with this site though, is that while it does a great job of talking about press and showing off stills and bookmarks, it doesn't tell me about strategy. Or case studies (everyone always asks me for those). Maybe it's because we're also a media agency, but there's got to be a way to tell the agency's story with personality, without going completely ethereal or puking Flash.

We're working on a new official site for Deep Focus, and are going to be doing some interesting things with it. Believe it our not, we've had the same site design for about 4 years. Hey -- it's been really busy around here.

Stay tuned for an official launch announcement, but hats off to Modernista! for getting us thinking about official agency websites again.

In the meantime, if you've got ideas for us to use for our website, just let me know. I'm listening.

Comments

[Tim]

Thanks for the praise, Ian. We hear you loud and clear. Part of the problem with losing your site is losing your voice - and we're working on having an outlet for that soon.

Tim Blount
Interactive Art Director, Modernista!

[Eric]

Ian,

I'm not entirely sure it *doesn't* display their strategy. With all of the evidence out there that users are pulling more content to themselves (as well as creating it), rather than going to a "destination" site, I think Modernista!'s strategy is loud and clear.

This concept to me is extremely well done, as it is the agency's job to understand the marketplace so that their clients can benefit from it. That strategy for Modernista! is being illustrated in spades.

[Matt]

Perhaps the siteless site isn't the best fit for an agency, but I think it can be of great advantage in other industries... I applaud Modernista for spurring us to think differently about official websites in general (not just "official agency websites").

[German]

Congratulations to Modernista! for taking the concept first invented by Jung von Matt further!