CONNECTIONS: New media choice: Sony

It is one of the few websites in mainland China that actually catches a designer's eye. It makes you think: "Ah, it's a Sony".

On first impression, it is an interactive portal page leading into the world of Sony.

Highlights include a clear navigation at the top of the page, featured sections of the site highlighted in flash, a sophisticated ticker displaying news and promotions of various channels, a drop-down menu with shortcuts and even a member-login. Overall a very positive look and feel.

Now, after clicking down into the content, it gets a bit confusing. The user is greeted by Sony Electronics, Sonystyle, Sonymusic, Sony Pictures and Sony Explorascience, each with a totally different style and in different browser windows. All of them have different levels of creative excellence and more or less user-friendly navigation.

Explorascience and Sonystyle seem to be the more sophisticated sites, with Explorascience offering a true interactive experience, featuring ongoing exhibitions and events in their Beijing facility.

Sony Pictures is somewhat technical and does not provide the emotional touch you would expect. Sony Electronics features some interesting minisites but has no real creative concept.

The bottom line: While its web effort seems to involve too many decision-makers with too many creatives at hand, Sony China is on a good track towards a real online brand experience.