Native in Colour
Storytelling beyond words
Since its launch, Native 2.0 has emerged as the most sought-after integrated asset on news.com.au. However, the native templates have presented certain challenges that need to be addressed to meet the evolving market expectations.
One of the key demands from the market is for more overt brand integration within the native content. To address this, we are embracing a new approach that emphasizes enhanced brand integration where appropriate. By strategically weaving the brand into the content, we create a more cohesive and impactful experience for the audience, fostering a deeper connection between the user and the brand.
Additionally, the market now demands sophisticated storytelling techniques. We understand the power of storytelling in engaging and captivating audiences. Our team is dedicated to crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers on an emotional level. By leveraging creative storytelling elements, we elevate the native content, ensuring a more immersive and memorable experience.
Furthermore, we have observed that content featuring interactive components receives significantly higher engagement rates. To leverage this user preference, we are incorporating interactive elements into our design approach. This user-centric design not only enhances the overall user experience but also encourages active participation and meaningful interactions between the user and the brand.
In line with our commitment to excellence, we prioritize bespoke solutions tailored to the unique needs of each brand. We believe that a personalized approach ensures the most impactful and authentic representation of the brand, fostering a true exchange between the user and the brand.
Through these strategic shifts, we aim to create a more engaging and interactive experience for the audience, while effectively integrating brands into the native content. By combining enhanced brand integration, sophisticated storytelling, user-centric design, and a bespoke approach, we are confident in delivering exceptional results that captivate audiences and foster a meaningful connection between users and brands.
Mandatories:
Interactivity: Aids engagement
Content: Must empower the reader
Transparency: Must have a clear relationship with the brand
Design: Premium always
Personalisation: The user is always in control
Share-ability: Provide value through humor, opportunity
During the development of the brand new product, we encountered several challenges that required careful consideration and proactive solutions. These challenges primarily revolved around managing internal stakeholders' expectations, addressing practical issues related to bandwidth monitoring and download times for interactive assets, and ensuring cross-platform functionality, especially on mobile devices.
One of the initial challenges we faced was establishing design parameters to effectively manage the expectations of internal stakeholders. As a new product, it was crucial to align the design vision with the goals and objectives of the stakeholders, ensuring their needs were met while maintaining a consistent and appealing user experience. Through open communication and collaboration, we worked closely with the stakeholders to define clear design parameters that guided our development process.
Another significant challenge was related to practical considerations, specifically monitoring bandwidth and download times for proposed interactive assets. Given the increasing demand for interactive content, it was imperative to strike a balance between providing engaging experiences and maintaining optimal performance. By carefully monitoring bandwidth usage and optimizing download times, we ensured that the interactive elements provided a seamless and enjoyable user experience, without compromising the overall performance of the product.
Furthermore, cross-platform functionality, particularly on mobile devices, was a key concern that needed to be addressed early in the development process. Mobile usage has become pervasive, and ensuring a consistent and user-friendly experience across various devices was crucial to delivering premium content. Our team diligently tested and optimized the product to ensure compatibility and responsiveness across different platforms, ensuring that users could access and engage with the content seamlessly regardless of the device they were using.
By proactively addressing these challenges, we were able to define the design parameters, optimize performance, and ensure cross-platform functionality, all of which contributed to the creation of a premium product. Through effective collaboration, strategic decision-making, and meticulous testing, we successfully navigated these challenges and delivered a product that exceeded expectations in terms of design, performance, and user experience.
Close collaboration between the design and development teams played a vital role in the successful creation of prototypes for the new page design, featuring premium content. These prototypes were presented to shareholders, providing them with a tangible vision of the final product.
By working closely with the development team throughout the process, we ensured that the design translated seamlessly into a fully functional and premium product. This collaborative approach enabled us to address technical considerations early on, resulting in a product that could be consistently delivered on time and within budget.
To support the sales team in effectively promoting the product to clients, we designed a robust deck of interactive components. These components showcased the features and benefits of the product, allowing the sales team to present a compelling and engaging proposition to potential clients. Additionally, we provided designers with wireframes of rich media components, examples of content, design parameters, and guides to general best practices. This equipped the design team with the necessary tools and resources to create visually appealing and impactful content that aligned with the brand's vision and objectives.
Recognizing the need for skill development, we provided training to team members on applications like After Effects. This enabled them to create the required content efficiently and effectively, ensuring a consistent and high-quality output.
Through this comprehensive approach, we fostered collaboration, empowered teams with the necessary resources and knowledge, and facilitated the creation of a premium product. The prototypes, sales deck, wireframes, and training initiatives collectively contributed to a cohesive and streamlined process, resulting in a final product that exceeded expectations in terms of design, functionality, and delivery.