Immersive Site? Maybe. Rip off? Yes.

Check out this immersive mobile phone site for the Norway telecommunications company Telenor.

The site uses video as the main navigation tool for the user. Click on certain characters to discover the featured handsets or click on the teen rockstar (showcased in a boring introductory video) to smash up the room.

A site like this would have been quite costly to produce. In the end, the navigation helps one of the most saught after metrics for advertisers - time spent. More time spent typically indicates that users are more interested in the site (or have just left their computers running).

That being said, the site falls short because it is - well - boring. As interesting as it is to navigate with video, the pay-off's of each click need to live up to the inital hoopla of the overall setting. Linking through the larger product page after 2-clicks is more of a lunch-bag let down than a reward.

One of the top sites that uses video navigation is the 1366 microsite for Stella.

Stella was able to create not only a navigational experience but also a neat advergame centered around the journey of creating the perfect beer. The site recently came second in the CMA Digital awards - mostly due to is unique style and functionality.

And, as you'll see, each click takes you deeper into the site - with new videos, games and challanges.

Thanks to pantyboy22 for the Telenor link!