450 aesthetics
Story
Overview
Breaking the mold of dental website design in an artistic and cultural epicenter.
- Multi-session Photo & Video shoot
- Multi-session Photo & Video shoot
- Website Design & development
- Website Design & development
Dr. Brian Baliwas and Dr. Adam Miller first crossed paths in college while working at the same restaurant – long before either of them had even considered a career in dentistry. Their journeys into the field were both nontraditional and after earning their degrees, they ended up working together at the same group practice in San Francisco.
Once there, they found themselves teaming up with a celebrity dentist who was going through some challenging health issues at the time. He was keen on bringing in partners to continue his legacy, and not long after, due to some unfortunate circumstances, the responsibility fell to Dr. Baliwas and Dr. Miller.
After meeting Josh Scott at a conference, Dr. Baliwas kept an eye on us. He had spoken to other companies about his vision for 450 Aesthetics Dental Group’s website, only to be told his ideas were “crazy” or that they couldn’t deliver what he was looking for. That’s where we stood out. He was excited to collaborate with marketers who embraced his ideas and were simply willing to listen to his needs.
Dr. Baliwas wanted to break the mold of what a dental website could be. He envisioned 450’s site as a reflection of the whole San Francisco vibe (food, culture, landmarks) to weave his practice into the fabric of their community – making it more than ‘just’ a typical dental office.
They were also clear from the get-go that competing in SEO, especially in a building with 165 other dentists, didn’t appeal to them. Instead, they wanted their uniqueness to stand out, and to show potential patients exactly who they were to let that authenticity attract the right crowd.
There was an immediate sense of trust between all of us as we ventured together into the uncharted territory of lifestyle dental websites.
Caroline lohrey, account manager
In this article
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The background
WHAT ACTIONS DID YOU TAKE TO PREPARE FOR THIS PROJECT?
A sitemap was created to confirm all the unconventional pages were laid out correctly from the beginning, like the one dedicated to local hot spots. This really paid off during the content session because it allowed us to actually visit some of these cool places to capture photos/videos.
We even coordinated with a winery to ensure they had an unforgettable experience during our visit, which turned out to be another amazing location for content.
HOW DID THE STEPS DIFFER FROM OTHER PROJECTS?
We typically don’t create a site map for StorySites, but this was crucial in the planning phase to make sure we were staying true to their vision before their site was actually written.
We also had a Creative Call specifically for video with Dr. Baliwas, Dr. Miller, and our lead videographer which isn’t something we usually do, but was necessary to make sure our concepts matched the vibe they were going for.
Caroline Lohrey, account manager
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The Setup
WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE CONTENT SESSION?
Absolute fire. Not only did we deliver the top-notch dental content we’re known for – we also mixed in a ton of stunning shots capturing the essence and beauty of San Francisco.
We went all in with a video camera strapped to the doc’s chest for a first-person POV of sterilization and executed a whole bunch of other unique shots we don’t typically get the opportunity to capture.
Caroline Lohrey, account manager
COULD YOU WALK US THROUGH THE DESIGN OF THE WEBSITE?
They had a clear vision of what they wanted and communicated it so effectively to us.
I absolutely loved the approach of keeping the text minimal and leaning more towards the artistic side. It was refreshing to focus on the bigger themes, steering away from the nitty-gritty details of dentistry that people can sometimes gloss over.
Carl Blunt, Copywriter
I felt like a chef that had access to the freshest, most amazing ingredients to prepare a beautiful, delicious meal with no limits to the art and creativity.
I chose a minimalist approach on design to let the assets, such as photography, video and copy stand out.
Attention to the “small” details, such as typography and use of negative space was key to the design.
Janet loos, art director
Really, the whole project felt like a love letter to San Francisco.
I think when we set out to create something as unique as 450, it was really our first foray beyond just making typical dental videos. Looking back, the real challenge was proving we could bring more to the table. The extensive prep we put into pre-production was key – that’s when we started feeling more confident. Having them green-light all our ideas and video outlines weeks before we arrived meant we just had to show up and do our thing!
This content session proved that snapping cool photos and footage of the tech, office, and patients isn’t everything. It cemented the idea that people love personal stories. I mean, who wouldn’t want to choose doctors who are so deeply involved in their community?! They aimed to create fun videos that revealed more than just their professional side, but their personal interests.
Drew Hawley, videographer
This site had a lot of firsts from a development perspective – line-drawing animation on the headlines, video loops in place of static images for video thumbnails, scrolling text marquees and fun slide-over effects.
Those bits of magic sprinkled throughout the site make it a very memorable experience for visitors and speak to the practice’s sense of individuality and attention to detail.
Venturing into new territory always comes with its technical hiccups, but honestly, this project felt like smooth sailing. What really set it apart was working with clients who craved something unique and creative, yet fully trusted our team and our creative process to bring their vision to life.
Joe HoHMan, development
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the launch
WHAT DID WE DELIVER?
A StorySite unlike any other, just like Dr. Baliwas envisioned.
Every aspect is timeless and shines in personality and style. The incredibly stunning videography and photography of San Francisco paired with a simple, elevated design creates a seamless scrolling experience that truly captures your heart and attention. Our team poured their heart and soul into this project and this website continues to be a standout for inspiration for many other clients.
WHAT MADE THIS PROJECT UNIQUE?
Dr. Baliwas and Dr. Miller wanted the focus of 450 Aesthetics to be more on the community they’re a part of – not just the services they provide. In fact, they don’t even have a services page on their site!
Instead, we had full freedom to showcase their lifestyle content and included a ‘Faves’ page dedicated to their favorite local spots in San Francisco.
They also cared more about the overall user experience than their search ranking, which meant we could go all out making their site look amazing, distinct, and full of creativity without having to cut corners for SEO.
DR. Baliwas, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH S8E8?
In a world where 99% of dental websites look the same, the Studio EightyEight team helped us develop something unique…something that told OUR story. Working with them, from start to finish, was fun, efficient, and memorable!
Dr. Brian Baliwas, 450 Aesthetics Dental
Your Story Is Worth It.
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