New York-based interactive design and development agency Gelo Factory was hired by online publisher Peter Rojas and tech writer Ryan Block to launch a brand new technology site called gdgt.com. The site serves as a one-stop destination for consumer electronics fans and developers to share ideas and get the latest gadget-related news and information from across the web. Rojas, co-founder of the hugely popular technology sites Engadget and Gizmodo, and Block, a leading tech critic and former editor-in-chief at Engadget, tapped Gelo Factory from a shortlist of agencies vying for the project. Having previously partnered with Rojas in the online music site RCRD LBL, Gelo Factory was selected for its expertise building robust websites and creating customizable online experiences aimed at broad user communities. Gelo Factory's team of developers were ideally suited to the challenge of creating a seamless user experience for the site's rapidly growing audience.

As the lead development agency, Gelo Factory worked closely with gdgt's founders to create a full suite of interactive tools that enable members to connect with one another through their gadgets. The site is heavily user-generated and community oriented, featuring content submitted by passionate gadget fans and developers as well as a host of technology experts from across the gadget community. Gelo Factory implemented a number of key features, including a scalable, custom framework that includes includes an editable product database, user discussions as well as a blog and personalized profile pages. Achieving this required the agency to integrate large amounts of data and custom-developed applications into an easy to navigate interface.

“Gdgt is all about providing you with useful, contextual information — both from here and around the web — to help you get more out of the products you already own, as well as help you discover that next great gadget to add to your collection,” explains co-founder Ryan Block. “We hope that gdgt will be the last personal technology destination you'll need, and the place to call home for you and your gadgets."

Drawn to our work for the Yaris SXSW campaign, Nike headquarters in Oregon reached out directly to Gelo Factory to create a promotional site for Nike Bridge Runners NYC– a group of devoted, New York based runners who gather each week to traverse the 5 boroughs via the city's major bridges. We set out to capture the runners' pioneering spirit as well as their unique NYC surroundings with a design inspired by the city's skyline and the iconic 1970's film, the Warriors. To achieve this, we worked closely with Nike's marketing department to implement a set of interactive features that would enhance the Bridge Runners networking capabilities and improve outreach to potential members. Our Nimba CMS allowed each Bridgerunner to create a profile page where they could upload photos, share personal histories and view upcoming excursions. In addition, we created a interactive map utilizing the Google Maps API that allowed organizers to plot new run routes which could be shared and previewed by the wider group.

The brainchild of Peter Rojas (Engadget, Gizmodo) and Downtown Records (Santogold, Mos Def), RCRD LBL is an online network of independent labels, artists and blogs serving up a steady menu of new and exclusive music. With a mission to provide artists with a platform to distribute free content directly to their audiences while sharing revenue from ad-sales and sponsorships, RCRD LBL needed a development team who would take an innovative approach to bringing this exciting idea to pass.

Drawn to our experience building music websites and our shared passion for the downtown New York music scene, RCRD LBL found an ideal partner in Gelo Factory. With dozens of writers, labels and artists adding new music, photos and blog posts each day, RCRD LBL required a rapidly scalable system to accommodate its fast growing catalog and artist roster. To differentiate it from other music sites, Gelo Factory sought to develop a unique media player and customizable widgets that would enable users to embed RCRD LBL content across the web.

Gelo Factory conceived and developed a number of stand-out features that combined innovative technology with an iconic and visually striking design aesthetic. Utilizing Drupal and Nimba CMS, we built a powerful back-end tool that allowed new content to be added to the site consistently and easily. In addition, we developed a proprietary widget framework wrapped in the Clearspring container that allowed users to embed their favorite content on various platforms, from blogs to Facebook profiles to iGoogle dashboards.

Since its successful launch in late 2007, Gelo Factory has maintained a close working relationship with the RCRD LBL family, conceiving and implementing various new features to further enhance the site’s position as one of the most compelling destinations for music on the web.

Drillteam Media, the marketing arm of the internet retailer Insound, sought to build brand awareness of Toyota’s new line of Yaris subcompact cars with the SXSW festival audience. As a title sponsor, Yaris tasked Drillteam to expand their presence at the festival beyond standard on-site signage and promotions with a fun and interactive online campaign. Drillteam turned to Gelo Factory to conceive and execute a digital strategy for the Yaris SXSW site that would make a memorable connection with the thousands of indie-music fans who flocked to the festival each year.

Our challenge was to create a website that not only promoted the Yaris brand, but did so in a manner that truly enhanced the festival experience for the SXSW audience. To achieve this, Gelo Factory encouraged Drillteam think big in order to generate innovative interactive tools that would allow users to engage with SXSW performers and better navigate the dozens of daily festival events. This strategy required us to utilize the latest web technologies to develop an interface that would allow staff to manage and update the site directly from the festival.

Gelo Factory applied an out-of-the box approach to create a live online campaign that featured new content for the duration of the 2006 festival. The Yaris SXSW site allowed users to create personal profiles, download mp3s, subscribe to indie-music blogs and keep track of their favorite artists and upcoming events, all managed by our Nimba CMS. The most popular feature of the campaign was the "yrItinerary" widget, which utilized Google Maps to create custom itineraries of upcoming events that could be embedded on blogs and on users’ Facebook pages.

The Yaris SXSW site was so widely used during the festival that Drillteam brought Gelo Factory back on board in 2007 and 2008 to develop even more robust festival sites. We created additional features for the site such as an added SMS feature to the yrItinerary widget, which sent text message reminders of upcoming events to users’ cell phones.

A longtime managing editor at GQ Magazine approached Gelo Factory with a concept for a user-generated celebrity interview website that would allow fans to engage directly with top-name actors, directors and other well known personalities. Called Uinterview, the idea was to invite users to pose questions via video to a different celebrity guest each week who would in turn respond to the best submissions chosen by the site's editors. Gelo Factory came on board early in the company's development as a technology partner to bring this concept to life.

Due to Uinterview's initial success, increased usage and widespread popularity, the founder of the celebrity gossip property chose to work with Gelo Factory again in the latest redesign and relaunch in order to further stimulate user-generated content on his site and maximize visitor engagement.

In order to generate maximum traffic and attract their target audience, primarily women in their 20's and 30's, Uinterview required a technology solution that would allow editors to regularly update content and a design that could compete with other celebrity magazines and websites. In order to achieve this, Gelo Factory sought to create a flexible content management system that could drive weekly videos as well as celebrity news and gossip to the appropriate areas of the site.

We implemented an enhanced version of our proprietary Nimba CMS to drive new, additional dynamic content -- including videos, thumbnail images, photo galleries and text. In addition, we successfully integrated Ooyala, a premier video content delivery network, to allow for seamless video content management. Users also have the ability to submit blog posts and user-submitted reviews allow fans and critics alike to share their opinions on current publications, popular music, and films. Gelo Factory implemented a seamless login and registration solution that utilizes Facebook Connect and other open login solutions and allows users to publish activity to Facebook, Twitter and other popular social media platforms. Gelo Factory also took the lead on the art direction, creating the new look and feel of the site and building a strong visual identity to support the Uinterview brand.

Our tailored-to-spec CMS solution has allowed Uinterview to reach a wide audience with new and highly engaging content each week. Since its inception, Uinterview has garnered several high profile advertisers, built strong loyalty among its user base and achieved online media recognition from The Huffington Post for its exceptional content. It has also developed a relationship with AOL Popeater, a leader in celebrity news/critical reviews of popular world media.