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Flash Leads to Poor Online Communications

DH | October 17, 2010 | 1 Comment

New York graphic/web designer Nicholas Patten (@nicholaspatten) wrote recently on Twitter:

“It still amazes me how big agencies are still using Flash… Do they not know mobile is the future?“

Patten is absolutely right … mobile is the future, and most mobile devices (iPad, iPhones, Blackberrys, etc.) are not Flash compatible.

Northrop Grumman's Flash-driven empty home page, viewed on iPad.

Big creative, PR and ad agencies love to sell clients on websites chock-full of Flash features. It’s in their bag of tricks – like tossing a handful of glitter in the air to make clients gleeful with “ohs” and “ahs.”

For the agencies, selling Flash helps jack up the cost … and profits … for online projects. Yet, in the rush to connect with audiences … many of whom are online through mobile devices … Flash is increasingly outdated and incompatible.

Take, for example, Northrop Grumman, the big defense contractor. They advertise programs through online news sites, like The Washington Post, that link to Northrop’s home page where nothing of substance shows up when viewed on an iPad. Northrop’s key message is just a blank, gray box on the site.

I believe many agencies push Flash on understandably less than tech-savvy clients who trust alleged agency expertise. Perhaps the agency is knowingly only selling glitter in return.

On the other hand, maybe Patten is correct in suggesting that some agencies just are not be all that savvy themselves about today’s evolving online environment.