Visit project

• Visit JLA website at www.jla.co.uk

Creative

• Website design
• Flash Design
• Email design
• UX prototyping

Development

• Flash video
• CMS integration
• Bespoke CMS modules
• XHTML/CSS
• PHP/MySQL
• XML
• Legacy systems integration
• AJAX programming

Analysis

• Google Analytics
• Email Send Stats

Objective

JLA appointed Catch Digital as its digital partner in 2008 after a hotly contested 12 way pitch. JLA required a complete rethink of their digital marketing to cement them as the UK's No.1 bureau, and this started with a brief to rethink and redevelop www.jla.co.uk.

With JLA's talent database reaching some 6000+ in numbers, showcasing their wide reaching range of talent was the key aim. The website needed to clearly capture and communicate JLA's brand offering and deliver a great online experience.

Solution

With JLA's back office software system taking care of their talent database, invoicing, live briefs and CRM it was imperative our solution integrated seamlessly with this. We adapted the Catch CMS to integrate with their legacy system, run through FileMaker software. Utilising a new 'traffic light' system, JLA are able to have updates from talent biographies, categories and fee bands published live on the website at the touch of a button, imperative when you are managing the details of over 6000 artists and speakers.

With so much content at our disposal the idea was to create a resource online for each individual artist which goes far deeper than one photo and an exhaustive biography. Bespoke modules were added to our CMS to enable the management of YouTube video, Wikipedia content and Amazon affiliate links and to manage the thousands of downloadable hi-res images and in-house video content.

Result

The site was initially showcased at JLA's Real Variety Show in front of 900 talent booking, decision making professionals to great acclaim. With an email campaign devised, designed and sent to kick start the interest we launched the site featuring an initial 800 entries including over 100 new names - with a "Google Suggest" style search facility, Speaker Q&As, Client Comment pieces, a huge resource of new video clips and downloadable high-res stills, full updated biographies, "Amazon-style" alternative suggestions, external links and details of Speakers Breakfasts and other JLA showcases - including footage from September's Real Variety Show.

Catch continue to work with JLA on Phase 2 of the project including "MyJLA", a password-protected area to manage enquiries, and the "Feedback Forum" - the first ever space for event professionals to share opinions on talent.