Electric makes some pretty cool shades. They cater mostly to street culture, action sports cool kids and their brand is hot. Iphones are really cool. Iphone applications are even cooler. The screen allows you to really get some interaction out of the experience and have some fun. So when I picked up this article on Freeskier magazine yesterday announcing the new Electric Visual iphone app, I zoomed right away to itunes to pick it up. Even if it cost me 5$ I would buy it. But it was free, even better!
Bottom line: I was prepared to write a post about how much I loved their new app. Unfortunately I am really disapointed. Iphone applications are supposed to be fun, interactive and unique. Think of Seth Godin's Purple Cow. The wow effect. Something to talk about with friends and show off. A memorable experience. As an example, on a recent biking trip a friend showed me his Iphone Star Wars Lightsaber application. Wow. A great viral tool to promote their game The Force Within. The lightsaber app is a purple cow. I downloaded it and convinced several users to pick it up. You should download it too, one should always have a lightsaber at hand.
The Electric Visual app on the other hand is a 1995 brochure website. It features the fall lineup of shades, the latest news, their ad campaign, a dealer locator and a contact Electric function. Arghhhhhhh. They are seriously shy of an About Us page that would make the circa-90's web alive again. The one thing that made them cross over in the Youtube realm of interactive was a short video featuring skateboard icon Bam Margera driving his Ferrari to the skatepark. Mad props to the art direction, it's got urban lifestyle branding all over it and it works. But inside an iPhone app, you're shooting blanks with just a video and a brochure. A dealer locator? The ad campaign? Come on!
I would have loved to praise their initiative in being the 1st lifestyle company out there coming out with a good app. I love the brand, love what they do, their product and their 'tude. But this was weak. Please make it better. Make something fun out of this opportunity to connect with your users.
Radu!
ReplyDeleteWe read you loud and clear. When we launched that app we were the only company in our industry to have one. We did it with limited resourses and it was more or less an experiment. We are in full force building a brand new app as I write this. I think once you see it you'll be excited. We are we'll aware of your mentioned concerns and have fixes for all of them. The new app will launch in the first paert of 2010. Stay tuned and Rock the Volt.
Thank you,
Electric
Hey Electric!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for dropping by!
I want to give you props for your comments. getting out there and following up on social media, especially when it's not necessarily stellar reviews is hard, and you guys rock for doing it.
You guys were groundbreaking in the industry when you came up with the app and indeed I didn't mention it. Great initiative of getting out to market and innovating. I downloaded the update and I'm psyched to pickup the new one in 2010.
I was kinda harsh with the review above, but was honest. And I really respect you coming here and telling me you're listening. Mad props.
There is soooo much happening with mobile apps now I know you are gonna kick some ass!
You rock!
Radu "Volt" Zmeureanu
Graphics are particularly important when it comes to choosing an iPhone application.
ReplyDeleteIf you got hooked with iphone 4 then you would definitely love iphone5. It's got more features and exciting applications ready for download.
ReplyDelete