Website Ethos

Pepsi, IKEA and Dove all have very different websites and products they’re trying to sell.  It’s clear that they have different target audiences and that they develop their websites accordingly.  I looked at Pepsi and Dove first.  Pepsi’s website is loud, and I mean that literally.  When you open the page, some video about the X-Factor starts playing.  My immediate thought was that Pepsi must not expect people to be at work when they visit the Pepsi site because that kind of noise is distracting (and annoying, if you want my honest opinion).  Because of this, I can assume that they’re trying to look fresh, creative, and attractive to young people.  The page is littered with references to social media, music, and culture.  They want to appear fun and appealing (which is literally their explanation for adding color to some products).  They’re also upfront about a lot of things for the sake of establishing trust as a product.  They have pages discussing allergens, beverages of theirs that can and cannot be sold in schools, and their nutritional information and ingredients are listed clearly in easy-to-print pages.

Dove’s website is similar to Pepsi’s, but it clearly addresses a different audience.  It has a pretty simple look to it: soft colors, clean lines and easy organization.  It lacks a lot of the dramatic animation of Pepsi’s website.  It’s pretty clear that Dove is trying to appeal to women.  They want to appear friendly, down to earth, but motivated and inspired. Dove talks about its mission to inspire confidence in other women through real-life role models.  They want to establish trust; they want customers to feel that Dove is on their side.  They talk about beauty myths in one of their articles, clearing the air about what ingredients are actually harmful (and casually mentioning that, of course, their products are free of these ingredients).  Through videos and “fun” articles, Dove talks about the science behind their products, giving customers more reason to trust the product. 

IKEA’s website is very different from the other two in the sense that it is more blatantly an online store (Pepsi and Dove simply direct you to suppliers).  There aren't really articles that give opportunities to hear the real “voice” of the company, but it is still evident that they are trying to send a message about what kind of company they are.  IKEA projects the image that they are simple, comfortable, and they make life easier.  They have helpful online chat assistance that is easily available at the top of the main page.  Things are clearly sorted by departments and product types.  They want customers to feel relaxed and at home.   IKEA even offers specials to those who are a part of the IKEA “family,” as if we’re all a bunch of people who have camaraderie through the bargains we find and the fantastic rooms we’ve created through shopping at IKEA.