Water on the web

1st Year, Number Four

San Benedetto and Ferrarelle

» Versione italiana

For this first look at the web sites of companies, organizations and agencies that are concerned with water, the choice fell on Ferrarelle and San Benedetto, who everyone knows already due to their bottles.

Graphics

The two sites resemble each other a lot, utilizing soft and subtle colors (light green, blue, and white) clearly referencing the packaging of their products. The idea, in sum, is the same: a horizontal bar with a principal menu to consult. San Benedetto appears more complete: there are three menus, the second and third of which are arranged above and below the main one, with a drop down menu to make the consultation more pleasing. In Ferrarelle's site, instead, there is a preference for the transparent effect in the flow of different lists. A very good choice.

San Benedetto plays a introductory video before entering the site, with many persuasive jingles. A risky choice despite the fact you can change the volume, evidenced by the ability to turn the music off.

Content

San Benedetto developed a work of quality, a mass of content that conveys completeness. Every category is represented: from products to the history of the agency, from special initiatives to areas dedicated to communication and the media. Everything is enriched by the presence of video content and slides, as well as an area dedicated to downloading files. Ferrarelle's site is a little faulted: there is little content available, even if those present are essential and well placed on the screen. The menu on the right proposes some high profile initiatives of the business.

A final note: In both cases, the sites are missing a map of the site, a tool not always indispensible, but that has, however, to be available to the user in every situation.

Navigation / Interactivity

The site of San Benedetto permits a greater and better navigability on the part of the user. The drop down menus offer with simplicity and clarity all of the possible contents to consult, opening and leading quickly to the page desired. It happens, nevertheless, that you find yourself in dead ends without knowing how to return. On the sufficiency of Ferrarelle: the site is very static. It is easy to move around, but also quite boring. It is missing a bit; it does not go into depth. Navigating is rapid and efficient, even if the time to open some pages is too long and at times can be aggravating.

The interactivity with the user-consumer is the Achilles' heel of both sites; in San Benedetto there is a link to find contacts, but the information given is scarce. The same holds for Ferrarelle, where some information for contacts or requests does not exist.

At a glance

Like communicative impact, the challenge is concluded with a balance. The colors are fine, the graphics are substantially similar and are very orderly. The reader can quickly understand what and where to find that which is more interesting. All this is true if you exclude the introduction present in the site of San Benedetto. In the case where it is included, in fact, the first impression would be stronger and involving thanks to the jingle and animation.

The faces vary from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 5:

	Graphics	Content	Navigability / interactivity	At a glance
San Benedetto
Ferrarelle

Final Judgement

The comprehensive evaluation awards the same to both sites. Perhaps San Benedetto has a little more thanks to the richness of content and to a greater attention for satisfying the expectations of the navigator-consumer.

We throw an invitation to you readers: send us your judgments. Visit and examine the sites and tell us what you think of it, or even point out things we can analyze for the next time. We will publish interesting comments and opinions.

For comments and suggestions:

(translated by Justine Levesque)

» Versione italiana