Interactive Annual 14:
Four Seasons Private Residences Bora Bora
“An impressive balance of experience and information. So appealing.” —Michael Lebowitz
“Fast-loading, full-screen video of Bora Bora, beautiful sound design and an intuitive navigation is the next best thing to being there.” —Gabrielle Weinman
Situated between the South Pacific and a tranquil lagoon, fifteen private residences, inspired by local tropical architecture and built to the exacting standards of the Four Seasons, offer the ultimate in luxurious living. The homes present a rare ownership opportunity in one of the world’s most exotic locations; and this unconventional Web site reflects the unique nature of the real estate offering. Rich, full-screen video simultaneously focuses on the unparalleled natural surroundings and engages potential purchasers seeking privacy, security and a slower pace.
- Development took twelve people four months.
- The goal was to sell the fifteen private residences for ten to fifteen million dollars each.
- The site contains a 39-image gallery, 19 short videos, 17 3-D rendered images, 6 sketches and 8 floor plans.
Did you learn anything new during the process?
“The Web site, which is a valuable tool for the sales team, was part of a targeted promotional campaign. Interestingly, the final direction of the site is quite different from what was first planned. We knew we wanted to showcase Bora Bora with beauty and lifestyle imagery and sound but there was much more ‘marketese’ build into the original design.
“After viewing the hd footage and photography from the shoot, we stripped away everything that to us was over-designed and let the imagery do the work. The site offers very little distinction between the design (the container for the video) and the content. Mingled so well, the site’s a truly authentic and experiential offering that entices people to find out more about the project.
“Our design strategy paid off handsomely: Between July 1 and February 28, 68,000 unique visitors experienced the site. Considering there are only fifteen residences for sale, the results have been way beyond expectations.”
George Giampuranis, creative director
Philippe Meunier, chief creative officer
Dave Roberts, art director
Tony Babinsky/Genevive Cardinal/Daniela Roberts, writers
Hue Web studio, programmer
Christian Ayotte, Flash programmer
Valérie Picard, graphic designer
Jordi Ventura, information architect
Frame, editor
Claudia Roy, producer
Christina Reinards/Mathieu Therrien/Annie Verrier, project managers
Lightroom, video director
Apollo, music composer
Boogie Studio, sound designer
Sid Lee (Montréal, Canada), project design and development/ad agency
Thierry Barbion, TB Promotion, client