We created Eko Square after I came back to the US in March 2023 with the singular goal of creating opportunities for the amazing Africlectic creatives to offer creative solutions to amazing local minority small businesses in the US who, far too often, are under-served.
In short, we’ve been on a crusade to spread creative Africlectic dopeness across the world, starting right here in Central Ohio and folks, for the last 5 weeks, we have had the privilege to collaborate with the incredible folks at Black & Black Enterprises to do just that for Mr. Jeff Gilliam and the team at First Friday’s!
About First Friday's
For over 27 years, First Friday’s has established itself as a premier destination for live entertainment experiences. With an impressive record of hosting more than 450 captivating events, First Friday’s has showcased the talents of over 2,700 performers and exhibited the works of over 300 visual artists. Partnered with numerous local and national brands and agencies, their events consistently sell out each year, attracting a staggering annual attendance of over 15,000 enthusiastic patrons.
The venues themselves are nothing short of spectacular. Nestled within Central Ohio’s most exclusive spaces like Bluestone, COSI, and the Columbus Museum of Arts, these sought-after settings serve as perfect stages where guests can immerse themselves in exceptional Black Entertainment through live music performances, fashion runways, culinary delights created by acclaimed local chefs, art exhibits that showcase unparalleled creativity from emerging artists to masters in their craft – all culminating into unforgettable evenings filled with pure enjoyment and cultural richness.
The Challenge
Despite First Friday’s impeccable offline success, it was immediately evident that there was significant room for improvement in terms of its digital and online presence. To name a few front-end deficiencies, not including SEOs and functionality, based on our preliminary observations:
- There was a noticeable lack of brand identity, as there were no logos or favicons anywhere to be seen, not even on their Instagram page.
- Furthermore, the website lacked basic features such as a menu, making it difficult for visitors to navigate and find relevant information.
- Calls to action were scarce throughout the webpage, and featured sections did not even have clickable links.
- Another issue was the absence of an internal payment gateway, hindering First Friday’s ability to receive payments and gather valuable attendee data.
- Conversion prioritization was also lacking; event features had no clear calls to action, and there were no newsletters or a strong presence on social media platforms aside from Instagram.
- Sponsorship sections also suffered from this lack of direction by omitting any calls to action for potential sponsors. On top of all this, the overall presentation and content felt static and uninspiring – users had little incentive to interact with the website due to its basic user experience design.
Our Approach
Recognizing this need for enhancement and growth in the virtual sphere, First Friday’s gave us the task of redeveloping their website, and inventing an umbrella brand to accommodate their various ventures under one roof. This is how FACE 614 was birthed!
We embarked on this project with a clear vision – to create a digital manifestation of First Friday’s grandeur. We aimed to design a platform that would entice potential attendees by showcasing glimpses into past events’ splendor while igniting curiosity about future ones. Collaborating closely with Black Black Enterprises, we were confident in our ability to deliver an immersive digital expression of FACE 614’s essence and opulence.
Our initial focus was on establishing a new brand identity and platform capable of engaging multiple stakeholders across various ventures. From event attendees and vendors to performers, sponsors, and organizers, we sought to unify communication channels.
While aesthetics played a significant role in our approach, we also prioritized user-friendly functionalities that streamlined information dissemination, payment processes, CRM integration, and conversion points – all while maintaining an air of elegance
