This is a good time to check in on the eight remaining teams and see what kind of design and marketing are being used to push their Playoff campaigns.
Let's take a look at each team's website in no particular order.
1. ATL Falcons -
It's always interesting to see what a team like the Falcons is doing to push Playoffs because they have not been accustomed to this level of success in recent years. You can certainly tell at first glance that they are very hyped on their accomplishments. They have their 2012 Playoffs logo flanking each side of their website background and another one centered above the top stories section. They have also included the title "2012 NFC South Champs" in their sites masthead branding above the global navigation. Also, notice that they brought in some sponsor logos to position next to their Playoffs logo in the banner. It is always a good idea to nod to your best partners in the post-season. Overall the repetition of the Playoffs logo three times over could possibly be a little too obvious.
2. Houston Texans
The Texans site looks like business as usual for the most part. The only mention of Playoffs is subtly placed with in the schedule/ upcoming games banner and also in the background art. A retail push for Division Champs gear is also prominently placed at the very top of the screen. The Texans have a nice website, and the playoffs logo on the very far right of the background graphic is nice also. It would be much nicer though to have it placed somewhere on the site where it is easier to see.
3. The Denver Broncos -
The Denver Broncos have a beautiful background graphic on their site. The mountain scape behind the intense images of players make a really powerful statement on the homepage of the Broncos site. Playoffs are incorporated into this background image which is a solid move, making it not overly hyped, but nicely acknowledged and deliberately placed. Again, like the Texans site, it is similarly hard to find.
4. San Francisco 49ers -
The San Francisco 49ers are the first team so far to have an actual marketing campaign surrounding their Playoff push. It is called the "Quest for Six." There are two main banners on the home page that link to a landing page for the Quest For Six Playoff campaign. The one at the top of the page is even written with a hash tag in order to tie in to the teams social network presence. Once you click over to the Quest For Six landing page you are given instructions on how to participate with the movement on your personal social network page, with in your office and around town. This idea is reaching fans, friends, coworkers, and fellow citizens through action items. This campaign has every reason to be a huge success, as long as the team does their job and keeps winning, of course. Well done 49ers!
5. Seattle Seahawks -
Well, there is not much to say about the Seattle Seahawks homepage in regard to Playoffs push. In fact, I'm not sure if Playoffs could possibly be any more non-existant then they are on the Sea Hawks site.
6. Baltimore Ravens -
The Baltimore Ravens have a well done Playoffs hype video take over the site upon arrival. The video features motivation from Ray Lewis and ends on this very nice graphic promoting the upcoming playoff game. The video has two buttons available at all times so you can skip or chose to never see the video play again. Once you have seen the video you can find Playoffs coverage in the site's top stories area. Video is often the best way to make an emotional impact on the web. Emotions are high right now for Baltimore fans and this may have been the best way to reach them.
7. Green Bay Packers -
The Green Bay Packers site has almost nothing about playoffs on the homepage. Except for this 3rd top story about what needs to be done to beat SF. I did not read the article but I am sure it was well written and thorough.
8. New England Patriots -
If you didn't know by now I will go ahead and tell you that the NE Patriots are not afraid to plaster logos all over their site. I suppose Playoffs are all the more reason to do so. I do not, however, see much posted in the homepage graphics about Playoff hype.
So there you have it. Out of all 8 teams I think its easy to single out Baltimore and San Francisco as the cream of the crop. They are putting in work to make the most of the elevated excitement and inflated site traffic numbers of the post-season.
What do you think?
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