JUXT Interactive

Juxt Named as Finalists in the 2010 PRO Awards

eric — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:33:20 +0000

Two projects for Coca-Cola, Sprite Slam Dunk Fan Faceoff and Sprite Step Off, have been named as Finalists in the 2010 PRO Awards, put on by Promo Magazine. Both Sprite Slam Dunk and Sprite Step Off claimed two of the four spots as Finalists for the “Best Web Based Promotion” category. View all nominees at http://promomagazine.com/pro_awards/

Sprite Slam Dunk Featured in Adobe’s Customer Showcase

eric — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:56:52 +0000

Adobe has just posted a feature on JUXT’s work for Sprite in the Customer Showcase section of Adobe.com. The showcase seeks to highlight “best of breed” uses of Adobe software in the development of web experiences, in this instance, the Sprite Slam Dunk experience on NBA.com.

Web Designer Feature

eric — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:36:09 +0000

JUXT is featured in the latest issue of Web Designer Magazine, a leading design publication out of the UK. Purchase the issue at http://www.webdesignermag.co.uk/blog/web-designer-170-on-sale-now/

Awards

eric — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:34:38 +0000

The Interactive Media Awards has bestowed Outstanding Achievement awards on two JUXT projects: GSX The Threshold, the alternate reality game that JUXT created in conjunction with No Mimes to for Cisco; and Sprite Slam Dunk, the immersive experience inside NBA.com.

Sprite

eric — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:21:30 +0000

JUXT redesigned and relaunched Sprite.com, highlighting Sprite's new partnership with hip-hop artist Drake. The site features music by other up-and-coming artists highlighted in the Sprite Spark Music Project on Facebook, as well as details about getting involved in the Under the Cap program which rewards customers who purchase a Sprite and text in a cap code with free mobile content. Visitors to the site can also watch current TV commercials in the Sprite Screening Room.

Cisco Global Sales Experience

eric — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:30:35 +0000

Working with Parent company George P Johnson, JUXT helped Cisco transition their annual global sales meeting from a real event to a virtual one. JUXT took on the challenge of making a secure virtual event for 19,000 busy sales people from around the globe effective and entertaining. Our focus was in developing and executing an engagement strategy that would compel the audience to become deeply engaged in the content, reinforce teamwork and deliver a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Please see the GSX Case Study to learn how we made this happen.

Road Trips and Guitar Picks

eric — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:05:49 +0000

Are you ready for the road ahead? In 2010 JUXT partnered with George P. Johnson and financial service provider Country Financial to create tripsandpicks.com, officially titled Road Trips and Guitar Picks. The site provides an exciting way to invite music fans and others alike to start thinking about their financial future and receive an enhanced concert experience. At launch, the program offers 30 concerts by music stars Jason Aldean and Jewel and features a Road Trip Prep Quiz, Interactive Driving Challenge, and Downloadable Roadie Pass for those who plan on attending a concert. You can also get custom Wallpapers, Avatars, and other artist-related Downloads.

SXSW 2010

Brian Jeremy Kupetz — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:49:40 +0000

JUXT will be attending South by Southwest this year and we are scouting new talent. We are specifically looking for Flash Developers, Project Managers, and Engineers. View our current job openings here. If you will be attending SXSW this year follow @juxtinteractive on Twitter for updates so you can find us.

A Better LA

eric — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:53:40 +0000

JUXT was honored to be chosen by A Better LA to redesign their web site. Founded by former USC football coach Pete Carroll, A Better LA seeks to make history by creating large scale change in the inner city. The new web site provides a powerful communication platform for the internal team at ABLA, and will be an instrumental tool in spreading the message, recruiting volunteers, and saving lives.

User Experience and the Use of Metaphor

Brian Jeremy Kupetz — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:37:31 +0000

The breathless announcement of the iPad and its revolutionary promise were a bit at odds with the accompanying demonstrations. Interestingly, Apple chose to communicate the iPad’s abilities by showcasing just how closely the experience aligns with what is already familiar to us, leaning heavily on the iPhone experience and introducing new concepts by using very literal visual metaphors. The ibook app, for example, was presented as a bookshelf, and turning pages in a book was invoked by a swipe that curled and turned the page. In my mind, this announced the tablet as a device aimed squarely at casual computer users, and suggested that the innovation was actually in successfully porting familiar “analogue” experiences into a digital space. It also brought to light a tried and true method for addressing an audience: using metaphor as a way to communicate utility in an interactive experience.

There is certainly nothing new in this, as the very foundations of our computing experience are built on the metaphors of a desktop, folders, files, etc., but the passage of time and the inevitable bloat of features abstracted the experience to a point where the core metaphor became only loosely applicable. However, a quick survey of recent mass-market innovations in UI reveals an emergent trend: Guitar Hero, the Wii, and multitouch interfaces all rely on easy metaphors (some more literal than others) and return the user to a more familiar place.

The lesson to be learned from this is to understand that effectively engaging an audience may be accomplished by choosing the right metaphorical experience. This can only be a productive strategy if the core metaphor is respected throughout the development of an idea. It’s helpful to remember that the way that an idea is sold to the client is probably a good way to sell it to the audience. It is also important to know when to innovate, but understand when innovation abstracts the experience from the metaphor. Maybe “keep it real” is meaningful advice after all.