[Project Closed] Flash/gif ad banners - software product - $450 - Deadline: 7/1/2005

[snowtide]

(Admin code added by Michael - R07606842)

Snowtide Informatics Systems produces PDFTextStream, a Java component library that extracts content from PDF documents. PDFTextStream is typically licensed to large corporations and other software developers for use in enterprise-level applications.

We are planning a new marketing initiative to start next month, and we need a few ad banners. I'll first cover the basics, and then go over some ad copy for everyone to get started with.

Existing Elements
The logo for PDFTextStream and Snowtide Informatics are both available in the attached zip archive, and can be seen in action on the web at http://snowtide.com. The PDFTextStream logo is an animated gif that we believe captures the fundamental purpose of the product quite well. We want the animated logo to be included in the banners, unless there are filesize issues, in which case using the final state of the animated gif logo will be acceptable.

General Style
Our primary customers and the people we're looking to click on the banners are software developers and technical managers. We are therefore looking for a professional, attractive look, with high-impact presentation. Nothing stuffy, but nothing too over the top either. If possible, try to take the clean lines presented by the website (http://snowtide.com) as a starting point.

Unless someone convinces us otherwise, the Snowtide and PDFTextStream logos should be visible throughout the duration of the ad. The Snowtide logo should almost be a footnote; PDFTextStream is the focus here, and its brand should be the most prominent by far. The text 'snowtide.com' should be centered just below the Snowtide logo in a grey, sans-serif font.

We would like to roll the banners out to multiple sites, so ensure that your designs work well on light and dark backgrounds. Examples of target sites where the banners will be placed include Java Developer's Journal (http://javadevelopersjournal.com), JGuru (http://jguru.com), JavaWorld (http://www.javaworld.com), and The Server Side (http://www.theserverside.com).

Fonts
Remember: professional, high-impact, attractive. Contemporary authoritative feel.

Banner Sizes
We are looking for banners in the following sizes:

336 x 280
300 x 250
468 x 60
728 x 90
120 x 600
160 x 600

Deliverables should include one banner for each of these dimensions.

Formats
We are looking for each banner size to be rendered in two formats:

Flash and/or Animated gif
Static gif


We absolutely prefer that all three formats be available; this would result in the deliverables consisting of 18 files (one each of flash, animated gif, and static gif for each of the 6 banner sizes listed above). In particular, since we will want to make minor ad copy changes, etc., without going back to the well, getting flash source files as part of the deliverable is greatly desired. Please indicate with your first entry whether you are capable of delivering flash content.

Content
Here's the 'script' we've come up with. Many of you likely have some experience in writing effective marketing-ese, so you are welcome to advise on modifications to polish what I'm providing here. This language may change some as the contest progresses and we see what does and does not work design-wise. (The text in italics are notes, and should not be included in the designs.


Enterprise-class pure Java PDF text extraction:
Punch up this list -- maybe by making each item transition in in some smooth but attention-getting way

5.7x faster than the nearest competitor This is obviously a big deal -- if this one can be emphasized without killing off the rest of the bullet points, that'd be great
Thread safe
Highly scalable
Seamless Lucene integration

Focus on PDFTextStream logo while keeping ad copy in view
Reveal button-looking thing that is labelled 'Learn more', with a rightward arrow


You can imagine that we'll want to change up the list items depending on what we want to focus on on particular sites -- that's why having some kind of modifiable source file is important to us.

Contest Process
Pick any banner size to start your conceptualization; as we get entries that we like, we'll ask for samples in other sizes and/or formats.

But, most of all, try to surprise us!

Thanks,

Chas

Founder
Snowtide Informatics Systems, Inc.
[Admin edit]Files can be found here (http://www.designoutpost.com/forums/showthread.php?p=157015)[/edit]

[snowtide]

Have any designers decided to attempt entries for this project?

If not, please give me some feedback on what I can do to make the project more attractive.

- Chas

[SecretAgentRege]

Hey Chas,

I worked this up today. It's in Flash format, and I can create it as a animated gif, and modify it to a static-gif.

I am someone who will be able to deliver flash, and graphic, content for you.

So, here we go, this is just testing the water. It's taking your clean-boxes look of your website. I've worked with the 468 x 60 banner because I find that this is one of the toughest to fit a lot fo information into, especially static.

PDFTS 468 x 60 001 (http://www.rg3entertainment.com/work/DO/HTML_pdf_468 x 60_001.html)

Let me know where we can take it from there. I'll take your comments and apply them to a new banner dimensions as well!

Thank you,
Rege

[snowtide]

Rege: That's got a nice feel, you're in the right direction. Some notes:


The text 'Enterprise-class Java PDF text extraction' should be the first on the scene -- that's the real bait
We really like the pulsing of the bullet points as they appear, as well as the diagonal wipe on the boxes when they appear
Remember the call to action ('learn more, with the arrow'), and the footnoted Snowtide logo (once the PDFTextStream logo and bullet points show up, they shouldn't go away -- maybe slide or scale to make room for the call to action though)
The boxes are interesting, but perhaps a little too bold -- maybe make them gray?


FYI (this is for everyone!), if you run into real estate difficulties, feel free to drop the 'Thread Safe' bullet to make room; it's definitely the least important.

Thanks Rege!

[snowtide]

Hi all:

Could everyone who is planning on making an entry please post indicating your interest, so I can know if I've got a dud contest here?

Thanks,

Chas

[Christian]

I'll post something soon

[Michael]

Project closed due to lack of interest.