Why Flash was never the reason for doing Flash websites.

Every few days I’ve a discussion with someone on Flash, the problem with Apple’s touch devices and the future of interactive websites. Seriously guys, Flash is already dead. But this isn’t a big deal, as long as you just don’t depend on specific technologies and focus on ideas and concepts.

I’m running an digital agency called LOOP and we’ve done Flash websites for leading brands around the world since 2004. We’ve done online games, microsites, rich media campaigns and other great stuff, and we all loved working with Flash. I’ve been a fan of Flash for a long time. But it never was about the software itself. It was about the enhanced possibilities to create emotional and interactive websites. It was about the options that Flash gave us when projects have been about branding, engaging target groups and bringing brands and products alive.

It never was about technology. It was about great projects.

So now, Flash has been a great software to build impressing digital campaigns and websites for a long time. And beside some small and nearly nonrelevant tools there have not been any alternatives to Flash. That was probably the reason why every animated or interactive website was just called “Flash website” for a long time. The basic decision before starting a project was if the clients wants a Flash website or not. But in fact, the question should have been if the client wants an animated, emotional and interactive website to generate engagement, brand awareness and impress the target group or if the project is about informing users on specific topics with a clear structured and probably content heavy website. And based on that decision the final technology for the production should have been selected. Are we going to do an informative communication approach or is it about the ultimate emotional brand experience?

Read More

Great ideas are worthless without execution.

I’m meeting up with lots of creative, talented and inspiring persons in my daily life. They all have ideas, some of them have passion and just a few finally are really doing innovative things. So sometimes I’ve to ask myself if it isn’t just a loss of time to talk about ideas as long as they’re not executable?

In general I’m sure that talking about ideas, exchanging creative thoughts and thinking about future possibilities is important, inspiring and one of the best things creatives can do after work. Nothing better than having some inspiring hours with friends and colleagues for instant brainstormings.

With collective creativity and the right people around you, it will be possible to come up with brilliant flashes of insight or even the so-called “big idea”. But it’s not just about coming up with big ideas, it’s about converting them into reality. That’s what we call innovation. That’s how new business models, start-up’s and impressive things get invented. So when great ideas came up, the consideration of possible and realistic ways to execute them should not be disregarded.

Brainstorming is quite sexy, but execution is just hard and time consuming.

The best ideas and most creative thoughts are nothing more than hot air if you have no idea how to transform them into reality. And having the basic idea isn’t the hardest part of doing innovative things.

Read More

Why I started my own blog.

I’m thinking about starting my own blog for a while already. The reason for that is simple. I’m one of these people with probably too much passion for something. I want to do awesome things.

Read More