A tribute to the icon of online

You clicked to view this article. You will click to close it. How many times will you click today? The digital age is centred on the power of your index finger. And this is exactly why Stonewall+, the digital marketing agency, has launched a tribute to the most underrated online interaction – the mighty click.

The site, www.stonewall.co.za, pays homage to an icon that has been around since the birth of the World Wide Web. Amazon and Yahoo!, the rise of Google, Twitter, Facebook and Bing: What would they be without you and your clicking finger?

Visitors to the tribute site will find their groove on an album that pays respect to the icon. The vibe was created by the turntable legend, Sibot, a man who respects the click. The flipside of the album features the corporate artistry of Stonewall+. It is a showcase of the services and portfolio of work that has won industry acknowledgment and respect thanks to – you guessed it – the click.

“Online consumers take the click for granted", says Ben Wagner, chief executive officer of Stonewall+ Digital Marketing. “Oh, the shame. And then there’s the abuse. The click gets the blame for taking users to sites that don’t provide the content they’re looking for. Or worse: sites that are poorly designed or hopelessly broken.

"At Stonewall+, we’ve learned how critical it is to create online environments that encourage a positive clicking experience. For us, the click is not a thing we absentmindedly do. Click is a persona. Click is the user. That means understanding clicking power. Knowing what spurns a finger to click and encouraging it to view content or interact with online advertising are the attractions our clients require. This is what we have built our business on,” he explains.

Adam Whitehouse, creative director at Stonewall+ Digital Marketing, continues: “Whether it be an e-mail campaign, viral video, microsite, Google search, mobisite or interacting with a rich media banner, the click should be a conscious choice – not an idle tap, never a lazy peck. We’re all about creating energy, enthusiasm and excitement. We only create sites that generate positive clicks. Observing this tribute unfold… it has been so beautiful. I think I’m going to cry.”

The managing director of Stonewall+ Digital Marketing, Jacques Nel is equally passionate. But he didn’t shed a tear. “Come on, guys. It’s embarrassing that nobody has taken a stand and applauded this underappreciated stalwart. Web agencies, bloggers, corporate website owners, microsite builders – how much longer are you going to milk the click without an acknowledgment of gratitude? Well, we’re making a stand. This tribute is the least we can do.”

Are you feeling it? Pay your tribute at Stonewall.

About Stonewall+ Digital Marketing

Stonewall+, the digital marketing agency, serves world-class companies and marketers such as Anglo American, Aspen Pharmacare, brandhouse, Checkers, DStv, Exclusives, General Motors, Graham Beck Wines, Investec, MTV, Nashua Mobile, Neotel, Nedgroup Investments, Nepad, Nestle, Old Mutual, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sea Harvest, Shoprite, Siemens, Unilever, Red Bull and Vodacom.

Stonewall+ Digital Marketing engages with clients to effect change on a strategic level first, before creating user-centric experiences that build brands and transform the way in which people interact with them.

Founded in 1997, Stonewall+ Digital Marketing has been highly acknowledged for broadcast and interactive projects locally and internationally, while it has been published in three international "Taschen" publications.

With offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, Stonewall+ makes it possible for businesses around South Africa, and the world, to strengthen their brands in the digital and online environment.