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Thread: this client is driving me nuts...

  1. #1
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    this client is driving me nuts...

    http://www.server-space.co.uk/urban/graphics/index.htm

    Could you guys do my a favour? I have a client that wants a site for a range of male grooming products. He wants to target 20 somethings who are into no fuss, trendy, urban, high quality grooming products and lifestyle.

    I have put together about a dozen mockups and none of them are being chosen. Could you tell me which of these you like or maybe which design elements work and maybe should be brought together.

    Here I am on a Flash site and I had wanted to do the whole thing in HTML. Would they listen though!!!?

  2. #2
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    whats with the dudes nose on the chin version?????

    lol

    O.K. seriously, I like out of these if I have to chose from these, logo ba?? the first logo choice.

    Honestly though I have to be honest I can't really get into any of these styles.

    Secondly your client should narrow your demo graphic a little for you 20 something's with no fuss no muss doesn't really do that.

    Cheers
    AK
    Yeah Yeah, It was someone
    else... I swear I didn't do it, and that goes for me too!

  3. #3
    FK's official coffee addict gasbag15's Avatar
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    If you're going to target an audience like that, you're going to need something professional looking, clean and hard cut.
    You don't want to have many bright colors or obscure navigation.
    Try and do something alittle less artistic, maybe try thinking inside the box.
    Use softer color transitions (meaning don't make a bright green go to white).
    Just generally make it professional looking and your client can't say no.

  4. #4
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    You don't want to have many bright colors or obscure navigation.

    Thanks for the comments. To be honest I was looking for something a lot more straightforward. The mockups are in chronological order and I was a lot more IN THE BOX in the earlier stages. The client is fixated on having a diagonal navigation scheme. I originally did the whole slanted thing to force them into the GRID one that I liked the best. So much for that!

    Of those so far, which is your favourite, i.e. what is the direction I should go. This has taken months and I feel like I am going around in circles!!!

  5. #5
    Perverse Futurist villain2's Avatar
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    I'd go for something very minimalistic and stylish.

    Think:
    White page with a full person photo (guy) in stylish clothes and stylish hair ... perhaps a few red chairs or cushions (ie. crap from Ikea) kind of fuzzy in the background and in the top left or bottom left the logo and a pic of the bottle, some sales text beneath it.

  6. #6
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    nice music

    villain2

    Hey, great music on your site. Very William Orbit. Did you make it yourself?

  7. #7
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    i would recommend picking your clients brain a bit more before you go any further, from the looks of it your time is already been exhausted, so asking rather then creating seems to be the drug of choice from this point on

    PS: although you have 12 designs, there are very simliar, maybe try something completely different, maybe without a contained border

    goodluck, i have been there before!!

  8. #8
    Designs for food ZeroInspiration's Avatar
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    I really like the grid and shaving one the most the grid one feels very stylish to bad about the client not thinking so.

  9. #9
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    Well,actually I see 4 versions of the site and 3 of them are just modified,I think that the logo RB is the most successful version from the others,I don't know how to say it but something's missing in that,I don't know why,it just seems uncompleted,maybe you have to add something more with a little more of a swing(if you know what I mean something a little more loose in your mind,"outside of the box" ;P )good luck.
    The lions sing and the hills take flight. The moon by day, and the sun by night. Blind woman, deaf man, jackdaw fool. Let the Lord of Chaos rule.

  10. #10
    Perverse Futurist villain2's Avatar
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    Platinum Loops baby

  11. #11
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    this sounds incredible frustrating for you. Is this a client that you can speak with face to face or is this work being telecommuted? If you can meet with the client face to face, I would suggest doing so and bring a bunch of hand drawn sketches. You can get ideas down quicker with pencil and paper, and since the ideas won't look so finalized, it will be easier for your client to say, "Ok go lets go in this direction."

  12. #12
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    I had the same problem and here is what I learned:
    Someone is ALLWAYS in control...if you show him 12 mockups he is in control...he is thinking "this guy will do anything I want!". If you are doing this for a business then think of it like one.

    If someone says to Donald Trump and says I want an apartmen that for 20-something men I am sure he would first want more detail and second after showing about four ask for more input.

    I would take a look at sites people in that demo like. Look at car sites...nike...maxim grooming site (with Carmen Electra)...Z gallerie. Those all hit that demo.

    Finally you should be documenting these hours and charging him. If he does not like it. Pull a Teresa Hienz and tell hime to "shove it!"

  13. #13
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    sorry previous so poorly written pulling a 20 hour work day...at the tail end

  14. #14
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    thanks for that advice

    I know what you mean. They are a pretty good client actually and this is the second time around I am designing for them. I think the problem this time is that we have no deadline so they have all the time in the world to keep making these tiny little changes. We were all set on the green and white stuff then all of sudden it wasn't the thing and they wanted something different again. I think I will need to inform them that there will be cost implications. I originally estimated for an HTML site and it turned into a Flash one and I need to make them aware of the increase in workload.

    As ever I value your comments.

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