WEEK TWO MERCER

http://perezhilton.com/

One of my favorite websites to visit is PerezHilton.com. This celebrity gossip website might be a joke to many, but Perez Hilton certainly communicates a message to his readers on a continual basis! The first thing you see on the website is the wordmark, which is bright pink and, to me, resembles the Hollywood hills letters. This wordmark really does fit in with the website, which calls itself 'Hollywood's Most Hated Website.' Perhaps a graphic designer wouldn't appreciate the design of the wordmark but I really do think it matches exactly what Perez Hilton is! I like the wordmark for this site because it shows the flashiness of both the site AND Perez Hilton himself, who is incredibly flashy and well-known. The flashiness is further displayed with the simulated photography flashes on the corners of some of the letters. It really draws the reader to the top center of the page!

The body of the website is in a sans serif font which lends itself to pretty easy readership. It's a good thing the website uses a simple font for the body because the rest of the site is pretty busy- lots of hot pink, lots of repetition of the letters in the wordmark, and lots ads on the sides. Hilton puts names, places and other important details in bold pink for users to click on. Instead of using the traditional blue hyperlinks, he has his readers click on hot pink links which further promote the outrageous and flamboyant attitude of the site.

The site itself is really comprehensive for users. Immediately they are given the opportunity to give tips and suggestions to Perez Hilton. There is also an easy way to search for posts from any date in the history of the site. Furthermore, there are links to other websites related to Perez Hilton and his online streaming radio. His website also provides connections to many social media outlets.

Overall, despite the reputation of PerezHilton.com, the website really does function well for the purpose of the site. Although it's not the most attractive design (in my opinion) it really does catch my attention and it really is readable enough for the audience. The communication with the audience really does work, since the main message (celebrity gossip details) is really conveyed well. He has an incredibly popular website with tons of readers, and I think he has done a good job designing it to fulfill his reader's expectations.