# Ocean Marketing vs Penny arcade, seen this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 29, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712 "2011-12-29T12:25:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/41 "2011-12-29T22:28:48Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > Yes, the guy was a dick in that email chain. But did PA really need to make this public? They barred him from PAX, and they could have contacted the company and forwarded them the emails, which would probably have gotten him fired. I’d say he blew his chance to keep this out of the public around the point that he threatened to sic his 125-man PR team on smearing and destroying Penny Arcade. Moral of the story; don’t let your mouth write a check your ass can’t cash. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/42 "2011-12-29T22:33:24Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Also also - the current PA comic on the situation: > [Real Talk - Penny Arcade](http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/12/28) Bah, this shit is interrupting Semen Week. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/43 "2011-12-29T23:17:00Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’d say he blew his chance to keep this out of the public around the point that he threatened to sic his 125-man PR team on smearing and destroying Penny Arcade. Moral of the story; don’t let your mouth write a check your ass can’t cash. The Penny Arcade guys are not people I’d care to mess with, and not just because I find them entertaining. They’ve managed to build a multi-million dollar charity and two major conventions with their fandom. They stumbled into a substantial amount of power–power that they have, thus far, used mostly for good. And yeah, I count this case as good. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/44 "2011-12-29T23:33:24Z")
Everyone should know of how [influent the Penny Arcade guys are](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/06/23) on the internet. Well, Mike, anyway. This guy got what was coming to him, and every statement I’ve seen from him since has only further convinced me of that fact. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/45 "2011-12-29T23:54:23Z")
I absolutely love Gabe’s Grinch-face in that strip… ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/46 "2011-12-30T02:17:26Z")
That is a whole lotta stupid to be contained in one human. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/47 "2011-12-30T03:26:05Z")
I want to say at the outset that the customer was absolutely in the right. But with that said, why do people bother trotting out the whole “you’ve had my money interest-free” argument? Someone holding your $100 for 2 months has basically robbed you of zero dollars of interest. Doesn’t make it right, of course, and it certainly robs you of liquidity, but the way people swing the interest stick makes it sound like they have secret savings accounts with 10% yields. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/48 "2011-12-30T05:20:03Z")
> [@ReticulatingSplines](#): > > But with that said, why do people bother trotting out the whole “you’ve had my money interest-free” argument? Someone holding your $100 for 2 months has basically robbed you of zero dollars of interest. I don’t think it’s so much that people feel they are out the whatever the interest would be calculated at, but more this is a large part of the rationale behind the idea that you aren’t supposed to charge the customer until the product actually ships. You don’t want to allow companies to take 5,000 orders and then use the money to manufacture or secure the product. “Hang on… it’s coming… Just a couple months…” ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/49 "2011-12-30T05:42:25Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > Also also - the current PA comic on the situation: > [Real Talk - Penny Arcade](http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2011/12/28) I really hope that PATV got footage for a Fourth Panel on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/50 "2011-12-30T05:59:03Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > You don’t want to allow companies to take 5,000 orders and then use the money to manufacture or secure the product. Sure you do. This is precisely how [Kickstarter](http://www.kickstarter.com/) works. It just needs to be apparent to the “investors” what the setup is, and what the risks are. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/51 "2011-12-30T13:03:41Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Sure you do. This is precisely how [Kickstarter](http://www.kickstarter.com/) works. It just needs to be apparent to the “investors” what the setup is, and what the risks are. But that wasn’t the case here. I feel sorry for the company that makes the Avenger Controller. It doesn’t sound like its a big firm. And it does sound like its a good product. But here: [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114993-UPDATE-Ocean-Marketings-Former-Client-Disowns-Shady-PR-Firm](http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114993-UPDATE-Ocean-Marketings-Former-Client-Disowns-Shady-PR-Firm). Particularly entertaining is the quote fro their new PR guy: > [@](#): > > “We have to move forward and take care of Avenger’s customers. I can’t worry about the fact that there isn’t a bus big enough for me to throw Paul Christoforo under. The internet did that for me. I think they set him on fire too.” ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/52 "2011-12-30T15:42:48Z")
He’s now allegedly [refusing to turn over control of the Avenger email accounts](http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/114994-Ocean-Marketing-Attempts-To-Extort-Former-Client). This just gets better and better. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/53 "2011-12-30T15:57:27Z")
I feel bad for everyone who has to deal with this, inside N-Control and as customers, but this is highly entertaining to watch. ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/54 "2011-12-30T16:23:18Z")
I loved the first Facebook comment on that story: _Is it just me, or does anyone else think Paul Christoforo should be on **Jersey Shore**?_ ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/55 "2011-12-30T16:35:10Z")
> [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](#): > > I loved the first Facebook comment on that story: > > _Is it just me, or does anyone else think Paul Christoforo should be on **Jersey Shore**?_ Yea, I was thinking the same thing. He does seem to be a “type”. Overly aggressive, self aggrandizing, really eager to turn even slight perceived insults into prolonged pissing matches, etc. I think thats why this is so funny, when you meet that type of person, while your rolling your eyes its sort of funny to imagine what they’d be like in some sort of job where intra-personal communication is important. Say like marketing. Now we know. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/56 "2011-12-30T16:45:04Z")
Rather - Is it just me, or does anyone else think Paul Christoforo should [del]be[/del] _wash up_ on the Jersey Shore? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/57 "2011-12-30T17:04:02Z")
My favourite comment so far (and I can’t remember where I saw it): “He’s Brucie from GTA IV come to life.” ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/58 "2011-12-30T20:33:39Z")
What a trainwreck. Buddy has apparently been holding @avengercontroller email accounts “hostage” and threatened his successor, according to [this reddit thread.](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/nw1vm/ama_the_guy_who_replaced_paul_christoforo_and_is/) > [@](#): > > The first day, I told him that if he chose to speak to the press and speak on behalf of N-Control, that all bets were off. He has done that countless times now, and he’s been more than warned, and I honestly believe that he doesn’t realize that he’s doing it. In that early chat, he told me “don’t you fucking threaten me! You don’t know who the fuck you’re dealing with! I will do things to you that you cannot imagine, they are so fucking bad! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M CAPABLE OF!” […] > > Because of how GoDaddy works, that old account retained all of the email addresses and their master control settings (forwarding and so on). He has continued to respond to customer emails from his personal GMail account and lied to me repeatedly about doing so. He [pretended](http://kotaku.com/5871400/cut-paul-oceanmarketting-christoforo-a-breakhe-probably-just-has-roid-rage/) to be another representative of Avenger in a response to a question about Ocean Strategy, saying that the whole thing was “blown out of proportion,” [using an e-mail address that is clearly his](https://twitter.com/#!/OceanMarketting/statuses/29347322141). He also uses this e-mail address on a 'roid monkey forum. “Need Help and Advice Im Weak!! ( Comming Off Test Cycle )” Awesome. I had guessed he had meth-head personality, but I guess 'roids make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/59 "2012-01-01T04:07:45Z")
Hah, I like this exchange from that reddit thread: > [@](#): > > ``` > Paul played stupid > > ``` > > Not so sure he’s just playing there. > > Right. He does it professionally. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2012, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712/60 "2012-01-01T11:35:25Z")
Seems he changed his twitter account again: now he is @OceanDeepSea [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ocean-marketing-vs-penny-arcade-seen-this/607712.md?page=4)