Time is money in the development game.



Which is why Sydney-based application development firm DDX - specialists in Flash technology solutions - created the first cloud computing-based rich media production and management platform for Flash Platform development, production organisation and ongoing project management - all within a SaaS model.

Named ‘The GLU Platform', creators Sasha Merzliakov and Ricky Chong say it need only save designers and developers one hour a month to pay for itself, a serious return on investment.

The innovative idea sprang from the number of common features the DDX team found themselves developing as a preferred Flash development house for other Sydney agencies.

"Typically, many Flash sites and campaigns we were developing had common features, like registration forms, galleries, blogs and banners," explains Ricky. "We started thinking we could make development time quicker for agencies if these commonalities were "pre-packaged".

Searching for a Flash content management system (CMS) to present these on a modular level, however, proved more difficult. "Most existing CMS drive HTML not Flash websites. We haven't come across any that would be flexible enough not to restrict the creative designs."

Already the GLU Platform is proving popular with freelance developers and agencies wanting to deliver sites quickly to maximise budget. Feedback from users is that the GLU Platform is delivering time-savings of up to 50 per cent, with major brand users including MySpace, MTV Networks, Cadbury, and Toyota.

Saatchi & Saatchi leveraged the GLU Platform to power Cadbury Dairy Milk Glass and a Half Full Productions Eyebrow Me! campaign, utilising its User Generated Content ("UGC"), Moderation and Content Delivery features through Flash components.

The Cadbury Eyebrow Me! campaign included an application whereby website visitors could upload a photo of themselves, and a friend, and have this automatically superimposed into Cadbury's 'Eyebrow Dancing' television commercial. Click here to view the commercial.

The application also included the ability to send the superimposed video creation to a friend, and a public gallery for moderated user submissions. By leveraging the GLU Platform Saatchi & Saatchi were able to:

• Save on the production cost associated with building a custom management system for the campaign
• Quickly and easily moderate user submissions throughout the duration of the campaign
• Have GLU Platform components customised and seamlessly integrated without compromising creative
• Localise regional versions of the campaign quickly whilst retaining management control under a single account
• Rely on a solid rich media management and delivery platform throughout the campaign's success.

"Put simply, using GLU was extremely easy and intuitive," says Christina Sultana, digital producer, Saatchi & Saatchi. GLU has a wide range of features and functionalities that make content management simple. It was quick, effective and assessable. The team at DDX were beyond outstanding and always available to provide support when required. We felt confident that if any issues were to arise this highly commendable team would be able deal with them swiftly."

The Cadbury Eyebrow Me! application integrated with the GLU Platform for the following key requirements:

Uploading, moderating and displaying user generated content: the GLU Gallery Module. For User registrations and management: the GLU Registration Module. Send-to-friend functionality and management: the GLU Form Module

"GLU offers a range of benefits, from enabling Flash developers to produce more sophisticated content managed websites and applications easily, to minimising backend development requirements and increasing project profits," says Ricky. "Most importantly, GLU empowers Flash developers with a range of features that can enrich their projects without driving up cost. GLU is so simple to integrate with, that if you can use a button component you can use all GLU components."

GLU also delivers assured quality. "The pre-built components have been created by RIA specialists. GLU has a proven commercial track record built on world-class infrastructure. Thanks to its SaaS delivery model, every developer can benefit," adds Ricky.