Content is King, but…

This is a piece from the 10 guidelines for Kickass World Class website making.

Very often, I ask myself some questions and challenge the most obvious answers — things we take for granted and build them as rules. This time I got me thinking about content and what it means as the “King” of our projects.

We can all recall those “Content is King! Long live the king” statements around the web. There is a lot of good stuff around here, but also a lot of crap, we can get easily misinformed by overlooking a couple of details.

I’ve been looking around, analysing my favourite digital pieces and trying to really understand what makes them special to me. Execution seems to be the first thing but, along comes content.

I took in consideration some talks, colleagues feedback and random posts within the community. I quickly realised content has been misjudged for quite a long time.

I still believe content is top priority when building digital experiences, but…

What does “Content is King” really mean?

First and foremost: a container as “content” is not worked content so, a simple pretty image is not gonna cut it. That Hero section with pretty snickers (you know the brand) with Nimbus/Futura Bold headline might look great, but we can also see that as a lazy trendy Design solution - just letting you know.

Do not get me wrong. I have nothing against that approach (I happen to do it myself), but since we are talking about World-Class work in the creative business, standards and details matter more than usual.

Creativity needs to be addressed properly and if you are rethinking the content, at least let it be part of the navigation. Make it interactive and discoverable.

There is a curious talk about content-related creative approach by RESN, where Simon Jullien says “we built the container around the content” and that kind caught my attention. What does he mean by that? He means something like “perverting” the web.

The idea of perverting the web lives within the terms of rethinking and redefining the “norma” and highlights the content we are working on/with. Suddenly, the content becomes your voice, it’s the story itself — instead of a shuttered piece of it.

If you consider the previous statement somehow confusing, then you might be asking “Why should I care and why is this important? Good question.

Old Spice campaign by MediaMonks is a great example about content being the story itself — told and shown in a weird, unexpected, funny way.

As creative people, we are always in for a new approach, awesome solutions for the problems and goals we are brief with. In my terms, and regarding the purpose of these guidelines, avoiding the misconception of content-as-king will allow you not to fall into the template trap — boxy, unflavoured, boring layouts (loved by average clients and hated by excellent designers).

But why do we usually jump into quick, lousy solutions? Why do we think in a boxy way most of the time?

Thinking boxy is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you play with the boxes.

That is the thin line — almost invisible — that blurs the creative horizon. We know it’s our fault, we are comfortable with easy picks and experience-based decisions, the ones that make us look like silly experts. Fuck that. Either you decide on easy picks or you go beyond what’s expected from you.

Please note these ideas are all debatable, of course, and as previously explained “I don’t own the truth” — so please don’t even get mad at this post.

This project for G-Star made by Cartelle is a fine example about unconventional navigation, where content assume a physical role in a 3D environment. That’s the beauty of it. Cartelle didn’t think inside the box and made products float around.

Examples like this allow us to “think digital” and challenge our boundaries — if they even exist. So think about it. When trying to keep up with new channels, new technologies and techniques you have no other chance but experimenting at that level. G-Star campaign could have been adapted to Virtual Reality seamlessly and the content would still be relevant — mostly because of the 360 approach for content. This is also adaptation. Not by catching up, but by putting yourself in a position where creativity reigns and allows you to shift with the industry demands.

We are talking about world-class website making and top level creativity as a guide to execution. I get inspired by these people, they make me believe there is space for a creative angle in every brief. Take that as a reference and don’t fear being crazy or odd about the things you aim for. If your references are basic, your work won’t be nothing but that.

This is my take on content. What’s you position about it?

(read the other posts on 10 guidelines for Kickass World Class website making)