4 ms·

It's an impressive software demo, but actually the worst contact form I've ever seen. The "win screen" is rather tasteless as well. It tells me I probably don'

It's an impressive software demo, but actually the worst contact form I've ever seen. The "win screen" is rather tasteless as well. It tells me I probably don't want to contact them after all.

applecore 13y ago
Dark Igloo is a company that specializes in branding. If you don't want to contact them, you probably wouldn't have been a client of theirs anyway.
- TheZenPsycho 13y ago
  Well if i were a beer or cigarette company I probably don't mind abjectifying women to sell product, sure. But if I'm a branding company, maybe I don't want to limit my client base to beer companies.
  - Jacqued 13y ago
    Don't you think this is an overreaction ? I mean, it's far reaching to see anything more than a cute retro reference in the win screen. On the other hand if you're a branding company then your clients will probably demand aseptic and overly neutral work anyway so you might as well start by your own branding I guess
    - TheZenPsycho 13y ago
      Uhm... what? what NES racing game featured a girl wearing nothing more than a ribbon/snake? How does referencing that help to sell your marketing skills? How is it anything other than tasteless ugly bro culture? I enjoy naughty pictures as much as the next dude, but I can recognise that there's a difference between a professional context, and a "locker room" context. I don't think that's overreacting. It's just noting that these guys don't seem to know what they're doing, and are likely to ruin my brand by tweeting something awful under my banner.
      - kawsper 13y ago
        Bubble Bath Babes was a unlicensed NES game that had nearly the same image in their game: http://cdn-i.dmdentertainment.com/funpages/cms_content/17206/header10.jpg http://cdn-i.dmdentertainment.com/funpages/cms_content/17206...
      - Jacqued 13y ago
        I think I agree with you on some level. In a classic professional context, I too would deem a naked girl picture highly inappropriate and unwelcoming to women. However, an agency's website can be a somewhat informal place. Depending on your audience, mildly inappropriate stuff is useful to show that you are different and not for everyone. If you look at the website as a whole it seems to make sense here. I think this is more an emanation of a vintage geekish culture than some "bro culture". I guess I'm just very tired of people always getting on their high horse when something might be offensive to somebody. Some things are worth being indignant about, but most of the time it's just not worth it and diluting your point. It's the kind of thing that makes me defend things I'm against just because I dislike exagerated self-righteousness.
        TheZenPsycho 13y ago
        something different about them like, they will ruin my brand with immature casual jokes about rape? Please understand, I'm not pointing this out because I'm outraged or offended. I'm pointing this out because this is a contact form meant to attract customers. this is business. their business is marketing and branding, and the message they're sending with their website is that they are tone deaf, when it comes to what is appropriate for broadcasting a general audience. Appropriate in the sense of: Can I trust these guys to take care of my business's image? For me the answer is a resounding no.
      - CosmicShadow 13y ago
        Just because it's old school, doesn't mean it has to reference Nintendo! Don't forget computers and arcades had games too! Anyone remember that old 4 player monster truck arcade game? It had women dressed in a similar fashion when you won and I'm pretty sure a few other racing games did as well, it just went with that genre. They were even quite animated! When I saw her pop up I instantly laughed and thought it was perfect because it's exactly what I'd expect based on my rough memory of old arcade games. If I actually viewed their site content first, I would have thought it was even more fitting, I mean look at their stuff! Regardless of what you think about the professionalism or sexism of it, they picked a reference and followed through on the full shebang perfectly, and that's what sells it, the complete well thought out package. They nailed the joke. The bonus that made it even funnier is the nostalgia surprise. I wasn't expecting the woman because I hadn't remembered those games in years, but when it popped up I went damn, that's SO how those games were! I can't believe they did that shit back then! My next thought was I gotta hire these guys and learn more. I hadn't even seen the rest of the site yet. They know their audience and they seem to do a great deep dive appeal to them. These guys feel like they'd be polarizing, which is a better place to be then most the marketing companies out there. Use at your own risk. These guys seem awesome, and you seem to hate them, but here we are talking about them. Doesn't a 1980s video game joke out date bro culture by like 25 years? I know what you are trying to say, but it just feels like a stretch given the context. The 1980s is kind of their thing. They have a match book with a naked women as a portfolio item for god's sake! Nothing here is screaming bro. Not all branding companies work for clean, tidy tech companies or insurance companies, some work for people who want attitude or character, you've found one of those. It's clear you are dealing with actual artists and creatives here, ones with an actual passion in what they create, that's a big damn plus.
  - marquis 13y ago
    I'm female and found the image ironic, in the sense that it references the games I used to play in the 80s waiting for my fast food order. In the right context I think a half-naked body works quite fine. And this context is ironic, and clearly so. I also like the tune "Roxanne" because nostalgia.
    - girvo 13y ago
      You're not allowed to say that. Us straight white males need to be offended for you. Sigh...
      - TheZenPsycho 13y ago
        I actually don't see it as a "feminism" issue. I'm not being offended on behalf of women. I would equally find a pile of poo at the win screen, or a pair of "Truck balls" on the envelope/car just as tasteless. Not offensive. just stupid immature gags that only appeal to teenage boys. But I guess we're in dog whistle territory if I don't express immense JOY at a naked woman being depicted in a business context. If groaning at a dorky pun or a poo joke or a naked lady makes me a feminist white knight so be it.
        marquis 13y ago
        Agreed. You can't account for taste, but you can also not be offended personally by it. I see their contact page as a question of taste more than morality.
  - _mhr_ 13y ago
    It's worth noting that their Facebook page has a cover photo of a woman in a bikini, so it appears that they are actively trying to restrict their client base. This is their wholes strategy.
JamisonM 13y ago
The win screen featuring a naked woman was off-putting, they write on their website that they are hiring "Eskimos" and I guess they think that is funny or edgy and cool or something.
- CosmicShadow 13y ago
  They are called "DARK IGLOO"
Theodores 13y ago
I remember how difficult it was to put your initials in the high score table with a joystick with 1980s arcade games. This is the interface they should have emulated to make the form true to form. There was no facebook, twitter or email client software back then. Priorities being priorities they should have a regular contact form with hidden javascripts to submit IP address (so you can geolocate the enquiry), time spent on site (to see if punter is serious), stuff about someone's computer (so you know if they have money or browse on a phone) and so on. After the form you then get to play the game...
MarkTee 13y ago
The top speed is also 420mph. How clever.
jlas 13y ago
Agree. It's bad design. The user wants to contact you, not play a game.
sergiotapia 13y ago
>The "win screen" is rather tasteless as well. It tells me I probably don't want to contact them after all. Oh look! It's another north american "women are offended!" sort. How's that koolaid tasting?
pnathan 13y ago
Yeah, the Win Screen is a little... ehhh. Something I would have expected from a business targeting the "adult businesses" market. Which it doesn't look like they do.

It's an impressive software demo, but actually the worst contact form I've ever seen. The "win screen" is rather tasteless as well. It tells me I probably don't want to contact them after all.

applecore 13y ago

Dark Igloo is a company that specializes in branding. If you don't want to contact them, you probably wouldn't have been a client of theirs anyway.

TheZenPsycho 13y ago
Well if i were a beer or cigarette company I probably don't mind abjectifying women to sell product, sure. But if I'm a branding company, maybe I don't want to limit my client base to beer companies.
- Jacqued 13y ago
  Don't you think this is an overreaction ? I mean, it's far reaching to see anything more than a cute retro reference in the win screen. On the other hand if you're a branding company then your clients will probably demand aseptic and overly neutral work anyway so you might as well start by your own branding I guess
  - TheZenPsycho 13y ago
    Uhm... what? what NES racing game featured a girl wearing nothing more than a ribbon/snake? How does referencing that help to sell your marketing skills? How is it anything other than tasteless ugly bro culture? I enjoy naughty pictures as much as the next dude, but I can recognise that there's a difference between a professional context, and a "locker room" context. I don't think that's overreacting. It's just noting that these guys don't seem to know what they're doing, and are likely to ruin my brand by tweeting something awful under my banner.
    - kawsper 13y ago
      Bubble Bath Babes was a unlicensed NES game that had nearly the same image in their game: http://cdn-i.dmdentertainment.com/funpages/cms_content/17206/header10.jpg http://cdn-i.dmdentertainment.com/funpages/cms_content/17206...
    - Jacqued 13y ago
      I think I agree with you on some level. In a classic professional context, I too would deem a naked girl picture highly inappropriate and unwelcoming to women. However, an agency's website can be a somewhat informal place. Depending on your audience, mildly inappropriate stuff is useful to show that you are different and not for everyone. If you look at the website as a whole it seems to make sense here. I think this is more an emanation of a vintage geekish culture than some "bro culture". I guess I'm just very tired of people always getting on their high horse when something might be offensive to somebody. Some things are worth being indignant about, but most of the time it's just not worth it and diluting your point. It's the kind of thing that makes me defend things I'm against just because I dislike exagerated self-righteousness.
      - TheZenPsycho 13y ago
        something different about them like, they will ruin my brand with immature casual jokes about rape? Please understand, I'm not pointing this out because I'm outraged or offended. I'm pointing this out because this is a contact form meant to attract customers. this is business. their business is marketing and branding, and the message they're sending with their website is that they are tone deaf, when it comes to what is appropriate for broadcasting a general audience. Appropriate in the sense of: Can I trust these guys to take care of my business's image? For me the answer is a resounding no.
    - CosmicShadow 13y ago
      Just because it's old school, doesn't mean it has to reference Nintendo! Don't forget computers and arcades had games too! Anyone remember that old 4 player monster truck arcade game? It had women dressed in a similar fashion when you won and I'm pretty sure a few other racing games did as well, it just went with that genre. They were even quite animated! When I saw her pop up I instantly laughed and thought it was perfect because it's exactly what I'd expect based on my rough memory of old arcade games. If I actually viewed their site content first, I would have thought it was even more fitting, I mean look at their stuff! Regardless of what you think about the professionalism or sexism of it, they picked a reference and followed through on the full shebang perfectly, and that's what sells it, the complete well thought out package. They nailed the joke. The bonus that made it even funnier is the nostalgia surprise. I wasn't expecting the woman because I hadn't remembered those games in years, but when it popped up I went damn, that's SO how those games were! I can't believe they did that shit back then! My next thought was I gotta hire these guys and learn more. I hadn't even seen the rest of the site yet. They know their audience and they seem to do a great deep dive appeal to them. These guys feel like they'd be polarizing, which is a better place to be then most the marketing companies out there. Use at your own risk. These guys seem awesome, and you seem to hate them, but here we are talking about them. Doesn't a 1980s video game joke out date bro culture by like 25 years? I know what you are trying to say, but it just feels like a stretch given the context. The 1980s is kind of their thing. They have a match book with a naked women as a portfolio item for god's sake! Nothing here is screaming bro. Not all branding companies work for clean, tidy tech companies or insurance companies, some work for people who want attitude or character, you've found one of those. It's clear you are dealing with actual artists and creatives here, ones with an actual passion in what they create, that's a big damn plus.
- marquis 13y ago
  I'm female and found the image ironic, in the sense that it references the games I used to play in the 80s waiting for my fast food order. In the right context I think a half-naked body works quite fine. And this context is ironic, and clearly so. I also like the tune "Roxanne" because nostalgia.
  - girvo 13y ago
    You're not allowed to say that. Us straight white males need to be offended for you. Sigh...
    - TheZenPsycho 13y ago
      I actually don't see it as a "feminism" issue. I'm not being offended on behalf of women. I would equally find a pile of poo at the win screen, or a pair of "Truck balls" on the envelope/car just as tasteless. Not offensive. just stupid immature gags that only appeal to teenage boys. But I guess we're in dog whistle territory if I don't express immense JOY at a naked woman being depicted in a business context. If groaning at a dorky pun or a poo joke or a naked lady makes me a feminist white knight so be it.
      - marquis 13y ago
        Agreed. You can't account for taste, but you can also not be offended personally by it. I see their contact page as a question of taste more than morality.
- _mhr_ 13y ago
  It's worth noting that their Facebook page has a cover photo of a woman in a bikini, so it appears that they are actively trying to restrict their client base. This is their wholes strategy.

JamisonM 13y ago

The win screen featuring a naked woman was off-putting, they write on their website that they are hiring "Eskimos" and I guess they think that is funny or edgy and cool or something.

CosmicShadow 13y ago
They are called "DARK IGLOO"

Theodores 13y ago

I remember how difficult it was to put your initials in the high score table with a joystick with 1980s arcade games. This is the interface they should have emulated to make the form true to form. There was no facebook, twitter or email client software back then. Priorities being priorities they should have a regular contact form with hidden javascripts to submit IP address (so you can geolocate the enquiry), time spent on site (to see if punter is serious), stuff about someone's computer (so you know if they have money or browse on a phone) and so on. After the form you then get to play the game...

MarkTee 13y ago

The top speed is also 420mph. How clever.

jlas 13y ago

Agree. It's bad design. The user wants to contact you, not play a game.

sergiotapia 13y ago

>The "win screen" is rather tasteless as well. It tells me I probably don't want to contact them after all. Oh look! It's another north american "women are offended!" sort. How's that koolaid tasting?

pnathan 13y ago

Yeah, the Win Screen is a little... ehhh. Something I would have expected from a business targeting the "adult businesses" market. Which it doesn't look like they do.