Coexist

As an interactive designer I am always intrigued to see how businesses and people brand themselves on the web. This is especially intriguing with political candidates. The visual aesthetic of their web presence is critically important to their public perception. There is a huge difference in the way the remaining candidates have chosen to portray themselves. So let's examine what these people are saying with their websites (on their visual quality...not their politics).

John McCain
John McCain has a dark and ominous site complete with a black and white flag. The eye is overwhelmed with a cluttered information structure that serves only to confuse the viewer. On the positive side the identity system is successful in relaying his military experience. His tout area feels very fresh and portrays the candidate in a positive light. However, the tout doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the site.

Hillary Clinton
This site is so busy and disorienting, I have no way of interpreting the messaging. The background is trying to be soft and feminine while the site retains none of those qualities and feels overly aggressive. I believe it was supposed to be an intentional juxtaposition but it only serves to magnify the lack of clarity. Also the image of the candidate is eerily missing from the site structure.

Barack Obama
Simple, clean, refined, and sophisticated. The background feels like it is relaying his message of change and hope and is also connected to the rest of the site. The open space makes the viewer feel more relaxed and allows the viewer to navigate the site unencumbered. The color is both rich and soft and the rotating tout area always feels fresh and beautiful.

I think these sites are a major component in the presidential race. They prove how important aesthetic quality are in defining the viewer's perception.