Deconstruct relaunches Panasonic’s European Web offer

Panasonic is this week relaunching its European web platform, with the help of Deconstruct.

The London-based digital media consultancy has taken two years to design and develop Panasonic’s new on-line platform, as well as produce digital brand guidelines for key European markets.

Deconstruct won the project on the basis of an existing seven-year relationship with Panasonic, having developed three previous iterations of its European platform and guidelines throughout this time.

The newly-devised platform has been designed to consider both the increased amount of consumer electronics bought on-line, and to address Panasonic’s increased focus on Web sales.

According to figures from Panasonic, traffic to all its European websites has increased by 20 million users within the past two years, with predictions of 40 million by the end of 2008.

Kevin Holloway, Deconstruct’s account director for Panasonic, explains that the motivation behind the project was to ‘put everyone on to the same platform to ensure greater consistency, as well as ensure better usage of shared marketing material’.

‘It’s also easier from a maintenance and updating point of view,’ he adds.

One of the key differences between the last iteration of the website and the current one, Holloway explains, is the development of product category ‘destinations’ to give product managers more control and communicate more effectively with their target audience.

‘We developed the product categories as mini-websites within the site, so that product brands have a more distinct identity and come alive,’ explains Holloway.

The product catalogue was previously treated as one major body, without any visual differentiation between product brands.

Consumers can also contribute blogs, reviews and podcasts, which will build content over time.

The new site also offers improved cross-selling between accessories and related products.

For further details, visit www.panasonic.co.uk.