Prestons website consists of both images and text. The main images drawn to my attention are: a red eye to show RedMammoth who is/ are the producer (s) / designer (s) of this website. Alongside that, is a picture of one of the latest models of BMW, the BMW x5, which is silver. Due to the fact that Prestons also deals with the sales of MINI, there is a picture of a silver MINI. Prestons also deals with Hillendale Land Rover’s; this is shown on their homepage, which is illustrated with a picture of the latest model of Landrover’s which is the Range Rover Vogue. The last of the images on this webpage is a Platinum Privilege card, which represents group information. To show what each image is there is an arrow pointing to each image and besides each arrow in the font Arial, size 9.5; it says what each image is representing in grey text. Beneath each image, there is a contact number for each link which is being represented by each picture except for underneath group information. There is a symbol for a telephone next to each contact number.
The numbers are in the font Arial size 12. The largest piece of text within this homepage is PrestonsGroup which is again written in Arial but size 16. The font Arial has been used all throughout this homepage. The slogan “EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO” is written beneath PrestonsGroup in uppercase lettering, size 12. Prestons address is shown in white size 11. The rest of the text within this page is also in white. Beneath the address written in size 12 is the email address of Prestons. There are four different columns for the different purposes of this homepage i.e. a column for BMW, a separate column for MINI etc. No particular colour scheme has been kept throughout this homepage except for the images of the cars which are all silver, and each of the four columns are coloured differently. The RedMammoth column is in red, the BMW column in light blue, the MINI column in grey, the Hillendale landrover column in green and the group information column in dark blue. In each column there is a brief note as to what each one links to, for e.g. in the RedMammoth column in uppercase lettering, size 14 it says LINK TO WEBSITE. Next to each note there is a symbol to show what each note represents i.e. next to where it says LINK TO WEBSITE there is the following symbol,
In the BMW column there are three different symbols one is a tick to show the link for approved used BMW cars, as follows;
the second is the following symbol ;
to show that it is a link and the third is the following symbol;
which represents Adobe Reader which is a package, which links from this website to explain the brief note written next to it. In each of the three columns of the cars there are the three symbols which I have mentioned above. Each heading of the brief notes are written in bold, size 14 and the text is similarly size 14 but is not bold. There is a note saying CLICK to view, this is also written in size 14 but CLICK is written in uppercase lettering. All these features are the same in each column except in the group information column. There is a symbol of a shirt to show the link to the gifts available at this website, and there is an arrow to show the link to a competition run by Prestons. In the same column there is the logo of the package Adobe Reader, with a note alongside it explaining what it is and why it is needed within this website. The headings within this column are the same as the others except the brief notes are in size 10. At the bottom of the page on a black background it says © PrestonsGroup 2004 and RedMammoth Productions Ltd © 1999/2004 in size 12.
Layout
The layout of this homepage is what gives Prestons a professional company image. PrestonsGroup is written to the top left of this webpage, along with their slogan “EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO “. Alongside, this is the address of the company. This is 1.7cm apart from the name of the company. This homepage consists of five columns, each with its separate heading. The first four columns measurements are 4cm x 12cm. The final column measures 9.5cm x 12cm. This webpage consists of five images these images have been stretched to fit to the width of each column which, as I have already mentioned is 4cm, however, although the final column’s width is 9.5cm the image within this column is still 4cm. Each image’s measurements are 3.5cm x 4cm. Each column’s heading is left aligned along with the symbol of an arrow. All the text within each column is left aligned along with each symbol next to each brief note. Beneath each image there is rectangle measuring 1.5cm x 4 cm which contains a contact number, which is left aligned. Beneath these rectangles there are the rest of the columns. These columns contain text which is all left aligned. There is no lined spacing between each sentence. In the three car columns there is a rectangle in each of them beneath the sentence LINK TO WEBSITE measuring 1.5cm x 4cm. Beneath all five columns there is a sentence saying PrestonsGroup 2004, this is left aligned. Right aligned there is a sentence saying RedMammoth Productions Ltd.
Purpose
Having looked at this homepage carefully the purpose of this website is to advertise the sales of Prestons motor vehicles. It is also used to enhance Prestons company image as do almost any other websites. Prestons website is used particularly to advertise BMW, MINI and Hillendale Land Rovers; these are the cars Prestons deal with. Prestons homepage is also advertising the producer/ designers of this website RedMammoth. It also informs others of its offers and it clearly indicates on it’s homepage of its whereabouts. Again, this is used to enhance the company image.
Evaluation
After careful examination of this homepage I have come to the conclusion that Prestons website clearly informs others of its company, and it’s widely available offers. This is done by the use of eye-catching images and the use of not too much text which would clearly ‘put-off ‘the viewer/ reader. The producer/designer has used a wide range of colours which makes this website more eye-catching than others.
Improvements
After evaluating this homepage I have found that even though there are many features which portray professionalism there could still be many improvements. Firstly they should remove the three rectangles in the three columns as I find that there is no need for them as they look different to the rest of the columns, and they should have a particular colour theme as it would give the company a professional image. This homepage has potential; however these minor improvements would enhance the current company image.
