Two agency websites that will get you thinking

Part of my day job involves connecting with other agencies to explore potential partnerships, and as a result I see a lot of agency websites. While most, including our own, following a proven yet fairly standard structure and layout, every now and then I come across agencies who are deliberately throwing out the rulebook and trying something radically new.

Here are two that impress, and at the very least got me thinking. I may have quibbles with usability, but it’s hard to argue with their daring and originality.

BooneOakley.com

A Charlotte, NC firm that build their entire site in a series of papercraft and sketch animation-style videos hosted on YouTube. They got a bunch of coverage back in June, but I stumbled across them again this weekend. Navigation can be a bit tough to get used to, but definitely unique, and why not just outright embed your whole site on the world’s most popular video sharing network?

Modernista!

I love the idea – showcase your agency largely by showcasing how the rest of the world sees you, through social links (Twitter, delicious, YouTube, etc), and then have your old site, minus the blog, essentially just be a navigation overlay on top of a SERP. Neat trick, though it broke at least a couple times when I tried to access it.

Both are a nice change from the Flash-bonanzas that still pass for most agency sites these days. Are there any other truly unique or inventive agency sites you’ve come across?

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3. Why no single type of agency will own social media