Clashing fonts, grainy images, design mishmash, counterintuitive navigation, copy that reads like it was written by a twelve-year-old…Bad websites are easy to spot. And decent websites are a dime a dozen. But what of that rare beast–the truly exemplary website? A great brand website is stylish, intuitive, and consistent. It draws the reader into a story. It educates. And it has a little something extra, something special. Here’s our picks for five websites that will impel viewers to linger, learn, and remember.
Loudpack
Loudpack is a longstanding California cannabis brand. The website opens seamlessly into a video of the company’s process–from clone to consumer. Instead of narration, we get chill yet trippy music that invites the viewer to zone out on scenes of employees harvesting, processing, and packing Loudpack weed. Small details create a sense of transparency and trust–a grower carefully checking on a plant and workers hand-trimming buds. Props for effective use of “show, not tell.”
Puffco
Puffco makes vape pens and other high-tech consumption devices. The most impressive thing about this website is the exemplary quality of photographs. Drop-down visuals afford gorgeous and amazingly clear images of each product, and some of the individual product pages are truly epic, with video content, illustrations, stats, and cool breakdowns of components.
Cann
Cann is a heavy-hitter in the cannabis beverage realm. As the viewer scrolls, bubbles rise, pastel colors shift, and images pop into place. Short and bold phrases and quotations deliver Cann’s messaging, and even the dreaded “find a product” section is stylish and functional. Our only complaint is that the “Learn” page trades style for substance and doesn’t provide much in the way of detailed information. But overall this website is pretty, original, and tells a compelling brand story.
Sparc
Sparc is a California cannabis brand with deep roots. And the website effectively tells that story, building credibility with a detailed yet erudite timeline. But Sparc isn’t just about brand education–it also provides a great guide to cannabinoids and product categories. This site does put substance over style, but the substance is legit and effectively draws the viewer deeper.
Calexo
Calexo is a quick-onset THC beverage brand. Their web design is so innovative that it’s difficult to describe. As you scroll down, blocks of color bloom and shift while images pop. And the design is as intuitive as it is unusual. Drop-down options allow the viewer to easily access detailed information while cruising through an exciting visual experience. If this is where web design is going, we’re here for it.
