Earlier this year, I received an inquiry from an employee at NEON Films asking for help building a Squarespace website for an upcoming project. As a fan of NEON's film catalog, I was thrilled to collaborate with them on creating a marketing site for an undisclosed film.

During our initial meeting, we explored key elements of the project:

Aesthetic

Design

Budget

Purpose

Timeline

After an hour-long discussion, it was clear they envisioned a site that felt like a mid-to-late 90s detective's blog—a forgotten relic of the web recently unearthed. This would be an in-universe marketing piece, a nostalgic ARG. I loved the concept.

Piecing everything together, I suspected the project was tied to LONGLEGS, the upcoming Nicolas Cage horror film already generating significant buzz. Recognizing this as a rare opportunity to contribute to a groundbreaking campaign, I crafted a plan.

Following our discussion, I proposed two critical adjustments:

Skip Squarespace: The platform’s modern design features, like responsive layouts and hamburger menus, would clash with the immersive 90s aesthetic.

Embrace Retro Coding: To maintain authenticity, we’d build the site entirely with mid-90s HTML, including table-based layouts and vintage styling.

These recommendations resonated with NEON, and their enthusiasm validated my approach. As they say, "The Devil is in the Details."

To prove the concept, I built a demo site showcasing the vintage aesthetic, complete with period-accurate HTML. Even if someone inspected the source code, they’d see nothing but tech true to the 90s.

The demo convinced NEON that I understood their vision, and we quickly finalized the contract. Over the following weeks, we refined drafts, iterating on their ideas until we arrived at a final product everyone was excited to unveil: www.thebirthdaymurders.net.

The finished site featured:

Tiled backgrounds

Classic folder icons

Static, table-based layouts

To drive traffic, NEON placed a cryptic ad in the Seattle Times:

And just like that, the internet lit up.

Once the site launched, its popularity soared. Analytics showed millions of visitors, dozens of articles were written, and thousands of users speculated on social media about the site’s hidden secrets.

This viral success contributed directly to LONGLEGS’ record-breaking release, making it NEON’s highest-grossing film to date.

The campaign’s impact didn’t end there. NEON submitted the site to the prestigious CLIO Awards, and I was thrilled to learn that The Birthday Murders won a CLIO for Microsite/Website.

This project reinforced some key principles:

Design with Purpose: Effective web development combines technical skills and creativity. Understanding a project’s goals and enhancing them through design is crucial.

Anticipate User Behavior: Knowing ARG enthusiasts would scrutinize the source code led me to use 90s HTML, adding an extra layer of immersion and authenticity to the site.

Communicate Constantly: Regular updates and clear communication kept everyone aligned and fostered a positive working relationship. I provided screen recordings for updates and made myself available for Zoom/phone calls as needed.

If you’re looking for a creative partner to bring your next project to life, reach out at www.42digital.xyz or email me directly at sam@42digital.xyz.

Until next time,

— Sam