Cyber-Duck creates new website for European Union

The ’What’s in it for me?’ site, which launches this summer, was commissioned by the EC after the popularity of a similar booklet in 2007.

Cyber-Duck was appointed in January after a public tender was issued to seven consultancies. The EC was impressed with Cyber-Duck’s strategy proposals, especially suggestions to test the site with focus groups, says Antonia Mochan, head of media at the Representation of the European Commission in the UK.

Mochan says, ’Historically, the EU’s websites have been approached as an archive for information – almost an electronic bookshelf. We wanted to change this and make the new site interactive and easily updateable.’ Cyber-Duck has created a new logo for the site, which features the Union Jack and the EU’s blue and yellow colour palette.

Cyber-Duck plans to expand elements of the logo for the site’s icons. Cyber-Duck managing director Danny Bluestone says, ’We didn’t want to just create an electronic version of the brochure. It needed to be more engaging, with lots of multimedia.’ It will feature an interactive map of the UK so users can find out what the EU is working on in their area.

It will also include a section that earmarks controversial topics. Cyber-Duck production director Matt Gibson says, ’The page will debunk myths about the EU, including the ridiculous, such as a ban on curved cucumbers, and the ones that people actually worry about.’