Carhoots

A branding and web design project for a clever, impartial car review portal.

Project Information

Categories: FMCG

Released: 01/01/2012

The internet is awash with car reviews from biased manufacturers and car magazines. Carhoots wanted to put the consumer in the driving seat, empowering car buyers by providing them with an impartial source giving them access to real time consumer reviews pulled from social media.

Zen was presented with the task of developing an ‘on the pulse’ website that would use various social media channels to provide consumers with impartial online car reviews from real people, in real time. The website was to act as a fun and creative portal for car buyers, sellers and enthusiasts, encouraging and facilitating engagement between these groups as part of an online community.

Zen developed an innovative website that incorporated sleek design, distinctive custom imaging and an array of social media feeds to stimulate engagement and give consumers a unique way of making more informed car-related purchase decisions.

Powered by social media, the site pulls automotive information from a number of social networking sites, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, presenting the various feeds on one page. The user can then browse each feed, known as ‘Hoots’ and choose which ‘Hoot’ they wish to view, reply to or store on the users own personal ‘Hoot Board’.

The site also allows users to advertise their cars for free and be contacted by potential customers through social media.

By combining real-time, social interaction with simple delivery, the website helps Carhoots to encourage customers to engage with one another as they buy and sell automobiles. Three quarters of potential car buyers spend an average of three months researching a car before they actually make a purchase; Carhoots empowers these consumers by giving them the ability to filter valuable, real time information to suit their needs.

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