Warning: This web site may cause drowsiness...

One of the questions I am most frequently asked is why I don't comment on the design of a web site. The main reason is the subjectivity involved. I can wax lyrical about the sites I find aesthetically pleasing but when you take a peek, you may feel like reaching for the bucket! Both opinions are valid, there's no argument to be had. It's just a matter of taste. One man's meat is another man's poison as the saying goes. But it's time to break with tradition. I am indulging myself this week - just call it an early Christmas present to myself!

Before I reveal the site of the week, I should point out that here are reasons why sites don't always use the technology available to produce smooth transitions, quirky animations or sophisticated navigation systems. The technology in question is called Flash and it is brilliant for making visually interesting web sites but it's rubbish when it comes to search engine visibility. If you want, or need, your site to appear in the top ten sites listed on the search engines then you need to revert to good ol' HTML, the programming language used for most web sites.

If you are lucky enough to be creating a web site that doesn't need search engine success, then you can throw caution to the wind and indulge your designer fantasies. Horlicks have done just that. And I love it.

This site invites you into a world of peace and tranquility - a visual blanket - warm, cosy and complete with teddy bear and tiny fire flies to help you to navigate the site. All is created to suggest a restful evening and a good night's sleep. What better way to promote the reputed benefits of Horlicks?

The only visual reference to Horlicks is the mug by the bed and even then, there is no logo. With useful tips on achieving the perfect slumber, the site keeps its intention clear. The product is promoted by association and it's done with the kind of expertise that makes it look easy.

I have only one criticism. The graphic indulgence has been taken a little too far and jeopardizes the usefulness of the site. When you are invited to read the scientific research in the nocturnal field, just four lines of text are visible. To read the whole article, you have to keep scrolling via the 'down' button. If I am reading a long article, I like to be able to see a good chunk of it on the screen, I don't want to have to scroll after a mere glance. It's annoying and detrimental to the visitors' enjoyment of the site.

Saying that, the site is still a gift to the eyes and has some lovely touches. The teddy bear holds the secrets to a good night's sleep. Just click on him and the room is lit by little fairy lights and each light reveals a tip that may just be the difference between four and forty winks. Everything from sex to essential oils is included in the list. One tip that I find particularly useful is writing a quick list of everything on my mind - well, not everything, just the things that might disturb my sleep. Once these are out of the way, I can let my imagination run wild until I fall into a deep sleep. And I have never had a cup of Horlicks in my life!

Unfortunately, it seems that all the sleep tips in the world will not help us. After looking through all the facts, advice and scientific research on the site, you may stumble on a little footnote from satirist Max Kauffman, "the amount of sleep required by the average person is about five minutes more". My alarm clock will vouch for that!

Night night.

http://www.horlicks.co.uk/

Jacqueline Alexander

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