Erlend Wilhelmsen

Why you should never have an intro on your site

When you visit a Web site, you always have a reason for doing so. For example, you want to get something done, such as ordering a product, or just find helpful information. For reasons I cannot comprehend, some companies, such as this one, just have to make it harder for you to get things done. Why do companies continue to put Intro or Splash page on their sites?

Cingular raising the bar

Have you seen the "raising the bar" advertising campaign from Cingular? It's a decent advertising campaign, where "raising the bar" refers to improving the quality of reception. I'm a Cingular customer in Santa Monica, California. I barely have coverage in my house and when I walk on Main Street (!) my coverage is spotty at best. I recently visited South Beach in Miami and my Cingular phone didn't have reception 50% of the time! Dear Cingular, it really is a bad idea to promise something you can't keep. This is marketing 101. I'm sorry to say your advertising spending is 100% wasted on your customers on Main Street.