Urban Outfitters Blog Gets Local, Sets Online World Record

Get Guinness on the phone. The Urban Outfitters blog has the LONGEST bottom scroll bar. Ever. It helps highlight the 23 different windows of content OU serves up for its fans.

As Brandflakes for Breakfast points out, it’s a great way for the retailer to connect with its customers.

Their blog has done a tremendous job of appealing to this nationwide audience, and providing value. All while making a very local connection.

At a quick skim, readers can identify posts related to the store nearest to their neighborhood. Readers can learn about store promotions and events, sure - but also cultural events that are happening in the marketplace. Using tags, a visitor can quickly sort through the posts and view only events, art, music, etc. Urban Outfitters have become local 'cool hunters' for each of the markets where their stores are located. They're providing actual value to potential clients, having nothing to do with the consumer products they sell.

And I’m sure the design is, er, designed to turn heads and generate posts like this one. But I can’t decide if I give the design a thumbs up or thumbs down for all the same reasons. Yes, I realize I may not be the urban hipster UO had in mind when they designed it.

What’s your take on the design? Armano, Hallet, I’m looking at you.

UPDATE:  Josh Hallett shares his design insight on the horizontal scroll from hell. David Armano didn’t answer my request. Probably because he was an SOB last week. In fact, I wouldn’t even call him a blogger anymore.

tags | Urban Outiftters

Comments

[Mike Keliher]

I think it works. It will inevitably get bad-mouthed by all sorts of lame-o folks who can't say anything but "It goes the wrong way." But I like it, and functionally, it works.

[Paul McEnany]

I don't think I'm 16 year old hipster enough to really dig the blog. Maybe if I get a lip ring I'll like it more. :)