Tag Archives: BrainSpark Media

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area Mobile Site Launches on Opening Day

Posted on October 20, 2009 by | 1 Comment

It’s been a busy summer and fall on a number of project fronts. This time of year also marks a big push for one of our favorite clients, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. In the annual “Race to Open“, the folks at the Basin have been working hard in preparation for opening day. In addition to preparations on the mountain, the marketing team along with their AOR, Adrenalin and BSM have been jamming on a few projects in anticipation of the 2009-2010 ski and riding season. First steps included the implementation of a website face-lift. Even more exciting was the release of A-Basin.mobi, a version of the website optimized for mobile devices.

A-Basin.mobi | Get Your Snow On The Go

A-Basin.mobi | Get Your Snow On The Go

The project was on-track for mid-October, the anticipated target for opening day at both A-Basin and Loveland. When the race escalated following early snow fall and colder conditions in the high country, opening day was moved to October 9th. The night before, final preparations were completed and the mobile site was deployed. Site traffic immediately swamped the mobile site and is increasing by the day; so far so good.

While some aspects of mobile technology are simplified to balance the range of mobile browsers in use, the challenges transparent to most reside behind the scenes. To streamline content management, BSM’s development team integrated the mobile site with a pre-existing content management system (CMS). This resulted in an upgraded CMS that enables A-Basin content owners to manage content in one source, but deliver to both the main and mobile site versions. Another priority in doing this was to add the necessary customization to tailor the delivery of content to mobile device users but not interfere with the user experience for main site users. Pretty slick if you ask me…

Other aspects that few will appreciate is the detection and routing of users to the appropriate site, based on browser. Arapahoe Basin is now promoting a mobile-specific URL, A-Basin.mobi, but has long-standing URL’s that had to be dealt with. All existing domains were re-wired to direct users to the respective site version, based on browser detected. Also cool, in a nerdy sort of way.

In the end, a big win for all involved, including you the next time you’re crawling in I-70 traffic and jonesin’ for pow. In addition to Snow Conditions and Web Cams, the mobile site also features Runs Open, Events, Season Passes, Tickets, Media and Contact information.

We welcome feedback too, so let us know how it works for you or if you have suggestions for future releases.

See you on the slopes.

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Props to 21c: Derby Town’s Hippest Hotel Rated #1 in the US

Posted on October 17, 2009 by | 1 Comment

BSM sends big congrats to client and friends, 21c Hotel for being voted #1 in the US (#6 in the world) in Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for 2009. This is a deserving honor for a spectacular hotel which features an equally stunning contemporary art museum, 21c Museum, within the common and surrounding areas of the property and a 5-star restaurant, Proof On Main, right next door.

21cHotel.com | Louisville, KY

21cHotel.com | Louisville, KY

In 2007, BrainSpark Media designed and launched their multi-site web presence and continues our working relationship with 21c Museum Hotel to date. The award-winning websites provide a glimpse of the unique properties, yet still do only moderate justice to just how cool this place is.

Check it out if you ever find yourself passing through Louisville, KY. Well done 21c, from Denver, CO.

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Mobilization Wish List

Posted on October 6, 2009 by | 4 Comments

BSM is currently working on 4 different mobile web site projects and find ourselves wondering why more web entities don’t have mobile site offerings, considering the number of users that are increasingly using mobile devices as their primary web browsing tool.  Perhaps it’s user demographics or budgetary issues, but the reality is that it can be quite feasible to deliver mobile-friendly content. Following our internal discussion on this topic, we’ve asked ourselves a question and are curious how others would answer this,  so here goes…

Of the many web sites you frequently utilize, which one do you most strongly wish was mobile-device friendly?

Responses so far range across the board and include banking sites, favorite take out dining joints, ski resorts and pediatrician offices. While the technology for mobile web sites is neither new nor overly complex on a basic level, we’ve seen a surge in client interest surrounding mobile devices as the technology rapidly evolves and our on-the-go world seems to be doing more while on-the-go.

We welcome and thank you in advance for your feedback.

PS – In an effort to drink our own Kool Aid, one of the 4 projects currently in progress is a mobile web site for BrainSparkMedia.com, coming soon to a mobile web browser near you.  Cobbler’s kids…but it’s finally underway.

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IMA Awards: BSM wins Best in Class for TopSchoolInc.com

Posted on August 28, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Interactive Media Awards have been announced; BrainSpark Media wins Best in Class for TopSchoolInc.com, in the Computer Software category. (Sweeeeeet!)

TopSchoolInc.com | 2009 IMA Awards, "Best in Class" | Computer Software Category

TopSchoolInc.com | 2009 IMA Awards, "Best in Class" | Computer Software Category

The Interactive Media Awards™ recognize the highest standards of excellence in website design and development and honor individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievement.

Created by the Interactive Media Council, Inc. (IMC), a nonprofit organization of leading web designers, developers, programmers, advertisers and other web-related professionals, the competition is designed to elevate the standards of excellence on the Internet and offer winners a boost in marketing and exposure. IMC serves as the primary sponsor and governing body of the Interactive Media Awards™, establishes the judging system and provides the judges for the competition.

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10 Things You Might Care About

Posted on July 18, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Anything more than 140 characters these days seems to compete with everything else going on.  For this reason, we have a new approach.  We’ll continue to share selective specifics on projects and other happenings under the hood at BSM, but in the spirit of the micro – blog we present 10 recent highlights of potential interest. Since we last met, in chrono order…

  1. Clothes to Kids of Denver: BSM will be providing pro bono  social media consulting and supporting services for our friends at CTK of Denver.  A fairly new entity, they’re doing great things in the Denver community.  Check them out at www.clothestokidsdenver.org. This may be the inspiration to clean out your closet or storage area and donate some “gently used” clothing to a good cause. Stop kidding yourself, those jeans will never fit you again.
  2. The Thriller’s Gone: perhaps you’ve heard, but since our last update we lost the king of pop.  While the passing of MJ and the details surrounding his lifestyle are more sad with each report that surfaces, is this really all that shocking given what we’ve come to learn about his world? Nonetheless, the world was moved by this man and we take a moment of silence and throw down this tribute to an incredible talent, like him or not.
  3. MHS Conference 2009: BSM recently completed the annual round of enhancements and redeployed this year’s conference registration system for McKesson Health Solutions. Registration is now underway.
  4. RIP, Charlie’s Finest Angel: while the media moon walked right past this story on the same day Jacko died, we want to note that young men who grew up in the 70′s will never be the same. I’m fairly certain I still have my red swimsuit poster tucked away somewhere in storage.  Need to find that, but if not, it’s selling like crazy in re-print now.
  5. Mobile Envy: Erin got an iPhone but I only upgraded my Blackberry. At least I have a camera now…
  6. Speaking of Cameras: BSM is pleased to reunite with PENTAX Imaging for a multi-part packaging design project for 3 new Gameseeker scope products. First layout shipped to printer this week in fact, and two more kick off next week.
  7. Home Field Advantage: once again, the AL defeated the NL in the 2009 MLB All-Star Game. The Cleveland Indians continue to break my heart. Sigh…
  8. Where IT’s At: BrainSpark has partnered with IT experts, Syn Ack Fin, to provide network upgrades and ongoing support services for BSM HQ.  These cats know their stuff and help us sleep better at night.
  9. World Sign Associates: BSM is pleased to kick off a new project for WSA, to design and construct a micro-site for sales promotion focused on membership benefits. Coming soon to a browser near you.
  10. And That’s The Way It Is: Sadly, these things do seem to happen in 3′s. Just today we learned that news legend Walter Cronkite passed away at the age of 93. At least we still have Katie Couric.

In retrospect, the new approach did not make this easier afterall. Until next time, good to catch up.

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BrainSpark Media Featured in The Denver Egotist Daily Column

Posted on June 8, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Today we learned that our work was recently featured in The Denver Egotist as a daily column. We are big fans and appreciate the recognition, endless insight and humor and for helping Denver suck less, daily. Thanks y’all.

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Smashing Magazine’s “Web Design Industry Jargon: Glossary and Resources”

Posted on May 26, 2009 by | 3 Comments

So I continue to find myself spending a portion of my days on Smashing Magazine since I discovered it via Twitter a while back.  Not sure who they are, but they clearly get it. In a world full of posers and content recyclers (which I’m clearly doing here) this site is a great source of information on all things Web. Among the gazillion Twitter bits, RSS feeds and other industry sources I subscribe to, this site continues to rise to the top of my daily info-intake / skim / delete or read / share routine.

In addition to sharing this great resource, this particular post was of interest to us as a good source of information for our own customers. While we pride ourselves in speaking plain English with our clients, and occasionally poke fun at those who abuse the biz-buzz-word-bingo (shh, don’t tell), there are some fundamental terms that are helpful for any player on a web site project to understand, or at least be familiar with. The folks at Smashing Magazine have done a fine job capturing the basics, and then some, in this post Web Design Industry Jargon: Glossary and Resources.

I learned a few things too and have already bookmarked this URL for future reference when working with new clients.  The process can be overwhelming but this cheat-sheet of sorts can help even the tech-savviest customer.  Understanding the lingo may very well OPTIMIZE your project experience, further help you MONETIZE your project OBJECTIVES or MAXIMIZE your chances for ROI on your next web design project.  :-)

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BrainSpark Media Named as a Webby Awards Official Honoree

Posted on April 26, 2009 by | 1 Comment

This award is the latest among many awards won for GeoEye.com

DENVER – BrainSpark Media, a Denver-based interactive agency, has been recognized as an Official Honoree of The 13th Annual Webby Awards for the GeoEye Web site in the Science category. BrainSpark Media has won three additional Web site awards for the GeoEye site, www.geoeye.com, including a Technology Standard of Excellence WebAward from the Web Marketing Association, a Silver W3 Award from the International Academy of the Visual Arts and a Silver Davey Award also from the International Academy of the Visual Arts.

“To be recognized by the Webby Awards is a tremendous honor for our agency; one we’re proud to share with our client, GeoEye,” says George Gastis, president, BrainSpark Media. “The project was a significant collaborative effort that included 15 + immediate project team members and spanned nearly a year in duration from start to finish. We’re all very pleased with the end-product and it is fitting that we’ve achieved this recognition given the level of effort and time invested to execute the project as planned.”

The GeoEye Web site project consisted of three primary phases: 1) strategy and visual design, 2) information architecture, copywriting and content development, and 3) site construction, application development and usability testing. The project team first conducted extensive research that included surveying dozens of internal and external GeoEye stakeholders, reviewing industry and market research and analyzing historical site traffic. The results and findings provided the strategic foundation for all project phases that followed, with the ultimate goal of designing the new site to better serve the needs of GeoEye’s target audiences: customers, employees, investors, media and the general public.

The Webby Awards is the Internet’s most respected symbol of success. The 13th Annual Webby Awards received thousands of entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. Webby Awards are awarded in over 125 categories. The Webby Awards Official Honorees are Web sites and interactive applications that demonstrate a standard of excellence and signify an outstanding caliber of work. Out of the nearly 10,000 entries submitted to the 13th Annual Webby Awards, less than 15% are awarded the status of Official Honorees. For more information about the Webby Awards, visit www.webbyawards.com.

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ABOUT GEOEYE
GeoEye’s products and services enable timely, accurate, and accessible location intelligence. The company is recognized as one of the geospatial industry’s most trusted imagery experts, delivering reliable service and exceptional quality imagery products and solutions to customers around the world. GeoEye has developed an advanced information technology infrastructure for collecting, receiving, processing and distributing imagery information products and processing services to the U.S. Government including the national security community as well as international governments and commercial customers. These products serve applications including defense and intelligence, precision mapping, on-line mapping, infrastructure development, planning and monitoring, and environmental assessment. The company collects tens of millions of square kilometers of imagery per year with its existing satellites and aerial assets, which includes GeoEye-1, the world’s highest resolution commercial imaging satellite. The company also provides support to academic institutions and non-governmental organizations through the GeoEye Foundation. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, GeoEye is a public company listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol GEOY. It maintains a comprehensive Quality Management System (QMS) and has achieved company-wide ISO accreditation.

ABOUT BRAINSPARK MEDIA
BrainSpark Media (BrainSpark, Inc.) is a Denver-based, award-winning interactive agency dedicated to helping clients optimize their online presence for tangible results. We blend project experience, keen analysis and a versatile process to formulate the right strategy for each project. This intelligence drives tactical yet practical design, fused with technical know-how to create user experiences that build brands and boost business performance. BrainSpark Media is respected in the industry by a variety of clients including McKesson, 21c Museum Hotel, PENTAX Imaging, GeoEye and Arapahoe Basin Ski Area.

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BrainSpark Media Blog
Twitter: @BrainSparkMedia
Facebook: BrainSpark Media
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BrainSparkMedia

Media Contact:
Amie Cavarra
Cavarra Consulting
303-358-5452
amie@cavarraconsulting.com

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Splish Salon featured on 9 News: “Small business startups in a tough economy”

Posted on March 4, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Greetings y’all.  It’s been a while. 

Adapting like the rest of the world but keeping busy with fun projects and exciting new business opportunities.  We’re pleased to see a steady rise in business activity since the New Year, both internally and outside our immediate world.  Smarter, better, faster…more with less…sharpen pencils…bootstraps or [insert your favorite economic cliché  HERE].  Following the much-anticipated and adequately-hyped business slowdown heading into 2009, we’re still alive, recharged and optimistic as the year progresses.  Dare we say, “excited”? 

Coming up for air presents the opportunity to share some good news about BSM client and friends, Splish Salon.  Splish founder / owner, Matt Walsh, was recently interviewed by 9 News in Denver regarding small businesses operating in tough times.  Good stuff and congrats to Matt and his team.  Watch the video

Until next time…

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SFO Rated “The Worlds Top 10 Airport Web Sites” | Yahoo! News

Posted on December 30, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Congratulations to SFO, The M-Line (AOR / Design) and Hatton Point / BSM (Design Production / Web Site Development) for this recent recognition by Yahoo! News.

FlySFO.com

> Read Article

> Visit FlySFO.com

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