Comparative Media Analysis

Site: http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/mustang/launch/

One of the most intriguing technlogies that is changing the world of the internet in my mind is Flash. Flash is narrowing the bridges of media and bringing on a whole new world of digital convergence. A web design group that I follow and leads the design in Flash websites is 2advanced.com. 2advanced.com has a large portfolio but for this exercise I focused on the Ford Mustang Website.

The website integrates through the use of Flash a commercial like feel. But unlike a commercial, content-wise, the user is able to select what information he or she wants to view and in what order. In the sense of a television commercial, the technical contraints limit the selectivity and order of content from the viewer but the flash presentation does not. The content selection extends to the sound and even the motion of the vehicle. As you hover your mouse over the car, an engine-start sound plays and if you click on the vehicle, it speeds away with a dust special effect left behind. The user has total control of what scenario he or she wants to create in conjunction with their imagination.

The medium of the internet also implies a more personal connection. Culture wise, and to a certain degree the design of a computer, limits how public a computer screen is. Many users who use a computer and might come by the Ford Mustang website might be doing so in private and in result, experience the website for themselves. On the other hand, a television commercial is more of a public event. Unlike television, the user who's experiencing the promotional piece online has the option of repeating the special effects to their desire... resulting in increased self-gratification.

Not sure exactly where I'm going with this, but overall I believe that Ford is hoping that this cross-mix of media, the level of content control provided, and the increase of self-gratification will result in increased sales.