Explore the finished product here:
The Mission
I was approached by the lead singer of a local band, the Eight Track Players, to create a digital space where they could advertise their services and manage bookings. The turnaround time was 2 weeks to create something classic, functional and true to the brand the Eight Track Players were trying to build.
The Process
The first step for this client was to determine their brand identity. Who was their audience? What image did they want to portray? What were their competitors doing, and how could Eight Track Players do it better? The band had an existing logo, but a redesign was deemed necessary in conversations between myself and the client. They had commissioned someone for the previous logo years before, and the look was outdated and dysfunctional. The new logo had to be simple, scalable and strategic.
To start, I created a four panel logo design test with differing typefaces, weights, styles and imagery. Did they want to convey something playful or vintage, like styles 1 and 4, or something more basic, like logo number 3? What about a logo that immediately conveyed the nature of the brand, with musical insignia like number 2 or number 4? In discussing with the client, logo number 3 became our winner.
Logo Number 3 conveyed the image the band was trying to create: strength, refinement and clarity.
Creating the Website
The Eight Track Players official site was created through WordPress. The client was consulted on a number of templates and color themes to help them decide what appealed most to them, and what would balance fun and functionality for their customers.
With these suggestions in mind, the client gravitated most toward palette number 3. Most of the venues they played were bars and local venues; they wanted to match the vibe of the places they were most interested in playing. Heavy fonts and dark colors were preferred to convey power and presence.
Features
In order to make the website more accessible for the variety of potentially interested customers, an accessibility toggle was added for website viewers to customize preferences for their individual needs. Options for customizability include font size, contrast levels, cursor size, and more.
For convenience, a Contact Form linked to the client’s email and social media pages allows customers to book directly through the website. In accordance with heuristic standards, the Contact Form fields actively engage in error prevention by alerting users to the possibility of incorrect email formatting through visual cues and a prompt alert for format correction.
Insights
This project was a lot of fun to complete. Unlike anything I had worked on previously, working directly 1:1 with the client provided more flexibility, greater communication and more opportunity to play around with design. In order to complete the project, I researched using a combination of reference examples to establish my understanding industry expectations, as well as client requests. I learned what users need and what they expect an entertainment vendor to provide.
Broken down to its simplest components, the Eight Track Players website allows prospective customers to learn about the band’s members, work experience, music capability and view past performances. Instituting a guided booking process helps customers get in contact with the client in any way of their choosing; through direct form completion, phone number, email or social media outreach. The Eight Track Players website as a finished product balances aesthetic and function to deliver a user experience grounded in usability research.