Embracing print-on-demand technologies, Keds, in partnership with Zazzle, launched an entirely new section of their corporate website devoted entirely to creating completely customizable shoes.
Working within the confines of an incredibly rigid Content Management System (CMS), the design presents an image of an "artist's studio," and communicates feelings of creativity, spontaneity, and playfulness.
Produced while employed as an Interactive Designer at mediumbold.
Responsibilities included Visual/Interactive Design, Social Networking/Brand Development.
The site's Content Management System only allowed for very specifically-sized content modules to be placed into already-existing promotional areas. Information was re-architected and streamlined, helping to simplify the browsing experience, prioritize important content, and better segment supporting material, effectively redesigning the site without modifying the underlying code.
Guest artists selected from amongst the Keds staff, the fashion world, and the customer base, are showcased in an interactive Flash module. Privacy and security concerns — a major user dropoff point for Keds — were addressed directly by prominent placement of logos for trusted, secure internet transaction services.
The Keds Studio page uses a quick Flash animation to illustrate the easy, step-by-step process used to turn a blank white Keds shoe into a user's very own custom creation. Guest artists promotions are continued from the frontpage.
A grid of featured designs and inspirational textures is displayed, allowing users to see what's possible, start their own design with a pre-created custom shoe template, or, where applicable, simply purchase the featured customized shoe.
Much like Keds, Zazzle provided a rigid template for branding the Keds Studio within its custom shoe creation creation service.
The "feel" of the Studio is not lost, helping the user be more comfortable with the necessary off-site transition.
The Keds Studio was launched alongside an extensive Social Networking effort. Templates for popular social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace were redesigned to showcase the Keds Studio and present a consolidated brand presence.
Common Social Networking features such as downloadable widgets, discussion boards, and photo albums all help Keds to interact with it's core audience and promote upcoming deals, special offers, and exclusive content.