Does anyone else think the 'countdown' B&O Beosound 5 site is very poor? If the new product is going to be anything approaching a revolutionary, cutting edge product then you'd think the site would reflect this.

Take today - Day 6 for example. Same boring display and the message "Imagine if you could touch digital music".

I have a message for B&O. I don't need to 'imagine' that concept, I achieve it on a daily basis with my iPod touch.

I do hope it improves and begins to generate what's needed for a new product launch - anticipation, expectation and excitement!

Yes I'm sure you're correct, but most pre-launch advertising campaigns attempt to generate some excitement about the new product. I'm not talking about 'seeing' the product. For example, I appreciate the revolving circle is indicating the circular control of the product, but  all I'm saying is give the site some 'wow factor!

Imagine you were a consumer who had heard nothing about the new product ( in stark contrast to us Beoworlders!) and you viewed the 'countdown' site, would you really be stirred into excited anticipation of the forthcoming new product?

The site is indeed ultimative boring, left it after seconds.
It should be made this way ,that every day instead of a boring message like "Imagine this or that"
a part of the BS-5 could be revealed. Every day another small design detail and part of the menu-interface. only small parts. Till the launch date every parts are revelead to the crowd.
So someone would visit every day to see a new revealed part...
Or at least ....let the visitors play just on some 3D Bs-5 wheels in flash-mx to create the animated circles and to get used to the wheels....

http://google.com/insights/search/#q=Beosound%205&cmpt=q

I agree with you Tomaz, that's exactly what Porsche is doing with the Panamera, much more exciting!

Concerning the  'imagine' xxx, firstly I do not need to image anything as I can do everything today with my iPod/Airport Express... And secondly : this sentences seems to come from Samsung adds!!!

For all my rabid defense of the products, I'll never defend marketing or advertising. This website is ridiculous. Our main website is ridiculous. I can't believe that they can be so creatively successful in one area and so bereft of talent and understanding in another. Thank god the actual product is great.  

...but if they had a great web site with all the information we needed and so good forums we wouldn't have... Beoworld!

wtlc2zpx:

...but if they had a great web site with all the information we needed and so good forums we wouldn't have... Beoworld!

Not true - there would still be us old duffers wittering on about vintage product and refoaming speakers etc.

TripEnglish:

Our main website is ridiculous.

Finally someone : ) I've been thinking about this ever since it came online. And I think it's a very important point.

Frankly I don't really care about the BeoSound 5 microsite and its lack of excitement and/or suspense, etc... It's a mini site and as it was with the Aston and Serenata one, I'm sure it will look decent and be offline quickly.

But the real problem is the main site. Mainly there is no sense of luxury, no indication whatsoever that this is the home of a high-en brand or even more, B&O. There's no B&O's magic. It looks somewhere in the lines of a low-end brand, a bad web store, or some forum/fan site or a lifestyle portal ( albeit in black : )... I can't really explain it in words, but I think you get my point. And I don't know where the problem is, because the previous versions of the site had that covered to some extent ( although they were bad on other areas ). And of course, there's the horrible "music". I think Alex pointed out that's it's actually Garage Band's stock files. I think that says enough. There should be no sound at all, but if you HAVE to have it then use something subtle and easy on the ears. The only example ( of the music ) I can think of right now is the Zepto Helios microsite. And even that can be pushing it.

The products should be displayed in a much sexier, elaborate way - this grid view is just not something a company of their league/reputation should have. Every piece is different, amazing and beautiful and it should be displayed like that.

There are of course some exceptions, mainly the recent ( and from what I remember the last year's one, too ) "Seasonal Inspiration" banner on the main site, which is better than the rest, but again, they destroy it with the horrible sound effects.

I would gladly design them a new site, pro bono. Without hesitation. Like Trip said, something that is as great and as lovely as the products they make, in their colours and textures, something they deserve, well actually, something that is mandatory for a company like them.

I hope this makes any sense, it was written in, well, fury : ) 

Totally agree!

Horrible thought - what if the website is written/maintained by their Software Engineers?

Have you all noted the countdown clock very carefully on www.beosound5.com ?

As of 19:30pm UK time tonight the countdown clock showed 7 Days 16 Hours 30 minutes

Given that the formal product launch is on Tuesday 11th November in Copenhagen, do we have the correct countdown ?

gorissek:

But the real problem is the main site. Mainly there is no sense of luxury..

Plus, it hasn't changed in years. Maybe that's my perception, but I can't remember a different B&O website and I've been buying B&O since 2004. It might have improved, but structurally it's the same?

As we're so passionate - and B&O are aware of this - why don't they ask their users for ideas towards a new site? Hell, they could throw in some decent kit for the best design/concept! What's £15K of B&O kit to B&O for a fantastic design?

kokomo:

I have a message for B&O. I don't need to 'imagine' that concept, I achieve it on a daily basis with my iPod touch.

Isn't the irony here that we *can't* touch our digital music as the Beosound 5 doesn't have a touch screen? It's wheel based..

LMAO well after working for ISPs and runnign web design houses am STILL waiting for B&O to offer me a job - yes they have my cv.

HAH it's their own fault for not employing me, but I recall from experience it's a tough line between internal expectations, corporate identity, potential of a site created by programmers (always doomed) and the graphic dept not being too creative. Then again if you go too creative you miss the entire point fo the website and frighten people off as they just don't get the creative bent.

It's what it is, a flat utilitarian product brochure, nothing more nothing less

benjnz:

LMAO well after working for ISPs and runnign web design houses am STILL waiting for B&O to offer me a job - yes they have my cv.

HAH it's their own fault for not employing me, but I recall from experience it's a tough line between internal expectations, corporate identity, potential of a site created by programmers (always doomed) and the graphic dept not being too creative. Then again if you go too creative you miss the entire point fo the website and frighten people off as they just don't get the creative bent.

It's what it is, a flat utilitarian product brochure, nothing more nothing less

Flat being the operative word there  - totally flat!

Puncher:

Flat being the operative word there  - totally flat!

 Although saying that I do have to give them a BIG 10 out of 10 for pullnig out all the stops on their Xmas gift animation and jingle this year - NOT! LMAO

OI punchy, would you start the Wednesday intimidating thread please, it's Wednesday here already - come on sharpen up bro

Why in the world would anyone want to leave Auckland for Struer ? 

You are truly fortunate and blessed: You live in one of the most beautiful cities ( and country ) in the world. Lush Green = New Zealand versus Rainy Grey = Denmark. You think NZ has high taxation ?  Wait until you work in Denmark or Scandinavia.

Unless Lee were to open a New Zealand branch of Lifestyle AV you could manage, I'd stay put and enjoy it.

Day 7's 'Imagine.......' is a real gripper!

woooo, did anyone notice the awesome animation that one can now do on the launch site.

You can make a magical circle rotate or not, spriral into infinity, and change speed and color, AND you can send it as an email.

 Wait, this reminds me of something.....(wait a few minutes)....there it is! my screensaver does exactly the same thing!

sorry but this is utter rubbish and completely pointless and lackluster. I got really excited by the new bits, and got bored of it within 25sec of playing with it. 

 

I registered to recieve information about a month ago. So far, nothing. Indeed, most companys would sent you emails to highten your expectations, update the (micro-) site an so on.

We will make sure the Beoworld page is informative and useful!!

I agree - the pre-launc site was quite poor: on a mac it did not work in Safari. It did not work in firefox 3.0 ... only when I tried Opera I at least was able to see all gimmicks ... does that remind anyone of the B&O site when launched ... LOL