Imagine Advertising (Pty) Ltd

Websites in South Africa have evolved into serious business as bandwidth has increased. Until a couple of years ago they weren't taken too seriously and the bulk of the development was conducted by website design companies and like specialists. The problem is that they operate in an 'online cocoon' and are unfamiliar to advertising and marketing across all media types.

At Imagine Advertising we look at the broader marketing landscape. Our proposals are often interlinked with other media types, dependant upon our research or media recommendations. It's rarely one of the other, but often a combination.

We understand the basics i.e that a website needs to looks pro and function seamlessly (We subscribe to online best practice). But more importantly websites need to generate capital and create serious influence for a brand. They are the shopping window to your business, not just your brand. They need to display the very best that your business or brand can be. They need to be your ideal 'concept' store.

We create small and large websites. Some for very small budgets and some e-com sites for large FMCG's. In both we spend a lot of time upfront defining the purpose, expectations and scope of the project. We develop an online strategy, usualy with creative examples and linked to an ad/promotional campaign, before we start the creative execution.

Most of our websites are linked to annual advertising campaigns that generate leads via online advertising, SEO and traditional media.

Design creates an emotive response. It speaks in the 'current' visual fashion language of the day. Design, like fashion, moves on, and all brands need to 'keep up' or they may lose contact with their consumers.

For us design is not about 'wow, look at how awesome', but 'wow, let me buy it!'

At Imagine Advertising we use photography to do much of our design. Overt design simply attracts too much attention to itself and not the product. The product is always the hero, and we feel design should do everything it can to put the product on a pedestal. A lot of design these days create awesome pedestals but show little of the product or more importantly, highlights the product benefit.

Design's purpose is to sell. It is not art. It is about telling the visual story of the product benefit, in the language of the day. Nothing more. Nothing less.