How do we rate a web site? Our monthly e-pinion rates web site features and effectiveness on a number of criteria, using a scale from 0 - 5. These scores are represented by "Surf Boards", with five full "Boards" being a perfect score: = 1.5 = 5 (perfect) The average of all criteria is the site's overall score rounded up to the nearest half, as displayed next to the company's name at the beginning of the review. The sites are rated on the following criteria: Design Usability Branding & Message Content Customer Support Special Features Search Engine Friendly Interactivity Privacy / Security Is there a web site that you would like to see reviewed in the BUZZ e-pinion pages? Send us an email with the web site address, and tell us why you chose them!

e-pinion - Issue #10 web surfer's review:

www.snapple.com - 4.5

Design - 4.5

The design of this site greatly enhances the user experience with vibrant colors and moving images, which is appropriate for a site that is geared more towards entertainment and brand awareness than information. The introduction flash piece grabs the user's interest and entices them to browse the different pages on the site. The layout on all of the interior pages is constant, with the addition of a different Snappleton "town citizen" on each page, bringing individuality and creativity to the different sections of the site. The interface does not stretch to fit the browser size; however, it does remain visually consistent across different browsers.

While there are a lot of graphics on the introduction Flash piece, it downloads immediately using a cable connection. During the loading process, the user's interest is enhanced by an additional Flash program.

Usability - 5

Navigation: The flash introduction allows you to enter the different sections of the site and an effective navigation bar is present on the interior pages. The "Info Center" provides a creative site map -- by putting your mouse over a particular building, you are informed of its description and can link to that specific page.

The navigation bar stays consistent on the left hand side of each page. The color scheme also remains the same on each page, with a different character introducing each particular category.

Cross Browser Compatibility: The site looks and acts the same across browsers.

Branding and Message - 2

Cross-branding between radio and TV commercials should also be used with their web site. The familiar Snapple logo appears in the proper colors on each page of the site; however, their slogan "Made From the Best Stuff on Earth" is nowhere to be found! By failing to use this popular message they decrease their competitive edge.

Content - 5

The introduction Flash piece of "Snappleton" introduces the user to each part of the site. For users with a specific purpose, this interactive map directly connects you to your preferred destination; however, for web surfers like myself, I was presented with a flood of choices and was not sure where to start. But the content is creatively named and may entice a visitor to browse each page.

The Drinkmart provides a useful summary of all Snapple products, including new and retired flavors, dream-a-drink contest information, and flavor feedback. "Bob's Hall of Snapple" contains an art gallery, gifts, and information about "Tea for Life" - the benefits of drinking tea. The Snaplex Cinema allows users to view past and current Snapple commercials using Quicktime or Real Player. Additionally, this is where users can play the Snapple "Real Facts" game from the bottle lids. Is that fact you're reading really true!

Updated news events, contest winners, and press releases can all be found at the News Shack. The Best Stuff Shop provides an e-commerce system for purchasing various Snapple items. The system is simple to follow and works effectively. Snapple FAQ's and the Town Map, mentioned earlier, can be found at the Info Center. Here you can also learn more about each Snappleton Citizen. The Job Shack has information about careers at Snapple and provides a link to the Snapple Beverage Corporation to inquire about job opportunities.

Finally, Snapple Worldwide is helpful for Snapple fans across the globe - users can find distributor information from Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa.

Customer Support - 3.5

You can email Snapple, get the mailing address and phone number, but a point and a half gets deducted for not making this information more visible from each page. You have to go to the Mail Shack (not the first place I thought to look) to find contact information.

Special Features - 5

The Real Facts game provides a lot of information that is not customary of many websites - an interactive map of Snappleton, commercials, an art gallery, contest information, etc. The use of Flash makes this site not only enjoyable and memorable but worthy of telling friends. The special features and the large amount of content ensures that site visitors will return again and again; thereby increasing brand awareness.

Search Engine Friendly - 3.5

There are no meta tags or keywords found when viewing the source of any of the Snapple pages. Points deducted for this...But when searching for Snapple using the Google search engine, several different links appear that take a user to the official Snapple web site. A link to a Snapple race game is in the top ten results - why isn't there a link to this from the Snapple site? Is this an outdated section of the site?

Interactivity - 5

The opening Flash piece is this site's trademark use of interactivity. As mentioned, several features on the site continue this trend. The interaction of the user and the site enhances the user experience and encourages them to return back to the site to further enjoy the options available.

Privacy/Security - 5

Privacy. A link to the Privacy Policy is provided on the map on the homepage, the town map in the Info Center, and on the bottom of every page on the site. The policy is broken down into general policies, personal data, additional information collected automatically, use of cookies, and use of IP addresses. An email address is provided for those who have additional questions about the privacy policy.

Overall Score - 4.5

Snapple.com scored a total of 4.5 out of 5 possible surfboards. Overall, this site is user-friendly and enjoyable. Our staff professes they are in the "frequent-surfer" category, particularly to the Real Facts page. The use of Flash, creative design and the ability to easily navigate this site encourages the user to click each link to see what else they can experience. To earn a full five surfboards, the site could have included the well-known Snapple slogan and a more direct path to contact information. All in all, this site proves that an effective use of Flash can peak the user's interest, create an enjoyable experience, and result in improved profitability for any business.

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