Is This the Most Bare-Bones Site in Advertising?

Who needs all the slick design and other bells and whistles that come with agency sites when a simple, standalone search engine will do? Well, that’s the gospel according to New York-based shop Darling, which has launched its new site that features just the agency name and a search box on its homepage. Besides taking minimal to another level, there’s a method to this agency’s madness as Darling’s strategy is to emphasize “pull” not “push” in regards to content and let visitors’ interests, not the host’s, drive the exchange of information. But are they being a bit too presumptuous in thinking that people are that interested in Darling to begin with?

Whatever the case, there are replies to predictable search terms like “news,” “contact” and “about” but the site also features “Easter eggs” in which you get answers to terms including “stupid” and “shit.” Yes, there are replies to those words, just give it a whirl. Currently, there are about 50 transparent pages housed on the Darling site with the number expected to blow up to 250 within a couple of months. We guess it’s a good way to kill a minute while we’re scarfing down lunch.

 

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