Help me find out who designed our competitors' websites?
January 28, 2010 12:39 PM   Subscribe

How can I find out who designed a particular website?

My company needs to update our website. We have twelve principle competitors. Their websites all appear to be somewhat similar in design. While I am sure it is unlikely they have all contracted with the same design firm, we are interested in contracting with at least one of their web designers.

I realize that almost anyone can create a similar looking page based on the available source code for an existing page, but my boss wants to know who designed the existing pages. Period. Can anyone help?

Here are some examples, but not all so I don't give away who we are!
AIMCO
Colonial Properties Trust
UDR
Avalon Bay
Camden Properties Trust
posted by jefficator to Computers & Internet (10 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
"my boss wants to know who designed the existing pages"

Who meaning the name of an individual or who meaning the name of a web design firm?

I'd imagine large companies wouldn't have a single person who designs their entire site.
posted by dfriedman at 12:41 PM on January 28, 2010


They are all coded very differently, so I don't think they are the work of one shop. The Colonial one looks like it is by these people.
posted by spilon at 12:46 PM on January 28, 2010


Ben Juneau's portfolio includes the UDR site (Found by googling "web design portfolio UDR").
posted by mbrubeck at 12:49 PM on January 28, 2010


Use the contact form on the websites in questions and ask? I doubt you'll get a response from them all, but some people might be kind enough to respond.
posted by dchrssyr at 1:00 PM on January 28, 2010


> I realize that almost anyone can create a similar looking page based on the available source code for an existing page

It's not just code, there is also a considerable amount of graphic design that goes into most web sites.
posted by ReiToei at 1:12 PM on January 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


Avalon Bay: http://www.primarydesign.com/results-news.php
posted by iscavenger at 1:19 PM on January 28, 2010


Oh and here's Colonial Bay
posted by iscavenger at 1:22 PM on January 28, 2010


Or Colonial Properties Trust. It's been a long day...
posted by iscavenger at 1:22 PM on January 28, 2010


Response by poster: You guys rock! Thanks for the help!
posted by jefficator at 2:30 PM on January 28, 2010


Why not ask them? I imagine something like this would work:

"Hey, I really like the design of your website - was it done in-house or externally? Could you get me the contact info if it was done externally?"

You don't need to disclose who you are, you could be any random joe looking at web design.
posted by jpeacock at 2:34 PM on January 28, 2010


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