(re)introducing DLO.com to Best Buy

 

If you have an iPod or iPhone, there's a good chance you've seen or even own an accessory made by Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO). We've been working with DLO since 2005 to make sure their brand stays fresh and consistent online.

In our latest effort, we've been working closely with their creative and marketing team to reskin the 4 year old website to match their latest product packaging designs.  We launched the site Monday morning just as the new packaging was made available to customers at Best Buy stores, nationwide.

Check out the new look at www.dlo.com (and be sure to check out DLO's new packaging and products at your local Best Buy!)

Okatie Legacy Plan Charrette

Gary Collins of DWLC describes the project goals.SLANT recently took part in a unique cross-discipline design competition for the town of Bluffton, SC that was organized by our friends at DesignWorks, LC.  The competition centered around an area of Bluffton known as the Okatie Headwaters which has become an under-planned and disorganized entry point for the town in desperate need of some design attention.  From the town planners:

"It is my hope that we can use this process to generate ideas for this unique and special place that lies on the edge of Bluffton, which will lead to reformed codes, updated master plans and a more engaged design community in the shaping of our townscape.  We may also find a burgeoning land preservation strategy as well that can build on conservation efforts already underway in this area.  This process may also help us discover some new financial tools and resources for implementation."

Slant was happy to contribute insight into issues surrounding community identity as well as human interaction with and without technology in order to garner public involvement.  Other members of the team included land-planners, architects, attorneys, developers, conservationists and community activists.

Hope to hear some good news about this soon!

Members of the team try to look interested in what Gary has to say.Creative Intelligence, in action.

Update on 2010-06-02 15:07 by Lauren

The collaborative submission won the Town of Bluffton's "Mayor's Merit Award" - our team won the competition!

More info here.

Freshfields Village got fresh with us.

And we're so glad they did!

A quaint little village at the crossroads of Kiawah and Seabrook, Freshfields Village was struggling with a website that just didn't match up. They wanted a site that would drive visitors to their merchants, while also spotlighting the community events that take place there. 

So, SLANT set out to build a site that allowed people to truly experience and explore Freshfields Village...all without ever stepping away from the computer.  The result?  Ta da...a fresh new look that is getting "twittention."

"Freshfields Village has a new, MUCH improved site up. TG! Check it out http://freshfieldsvillage.com." - CHARLIE, via Twitter, 10:04 a.m. Oct. 28.

Experience Freshfields Village online here, then be sure to take a trip out to experience it for for yourself!

 

Penelope Peapod & Shiloh Pitt

So we had our first foray into the crazy world of instantaneous PR last week. Client Penelope Peapod called us out of the blue in a frenzy.  People Magazine had published a picture of Shiloh Pitt (BrAngelina's daughter) toting a Penelope Peapod doll in the Tokyo Airport.  They wanted to capitalize on the exposure like....right now.

So we put our heads together and called our friends at Brand-Aide.  Within 24 hours, there was a plan of action in place and two days later, there were press releases flying all over the place to all the major outlets.  The client was pleased with the blinding speed of the whole project. I think I blacked out during the process...

Thanks to the pros at Brand-Aide for helping us out!

Philips DLO HomeDock HD

SLANT's handywork in the realm of Graphical User Interface (GUI or "goo-eee", as fellow geeks would say) is being met with pretty impressive critiques. DLO's HomeDock HD was released to the public back in November and SLANT was responsible for designing and developing the unit's Graphical User Interface.

SLANT was asked to completely overhaul the system's GUI to make it dazzle when connected to HD televisions and to make it more user friendly in general. After about 4 months of designing, tweaking, and documentation writing, the final designs were baked into production units and on the shelves at Best Buy nationwide as of October.

Reviews are coming in from notable tech blogs and review sites complimenting "the nicest-looking on-TV menu system yet attempted by a third-party developer for the iPod." (as quoted from iLounge.com)

Lots of people don't know that User Interface/Experience design is something SLANT has been known for since it's inception back in 2002. Starting with interactive CD-ROMS (remember those?) and award winning flash websites that focus on unique user interface and navigation designs.