Creating work for your portfolio question?

[D_Rod]

Hello All,

I am new to this forum.

I am currently working on my portfolio, and I wanted to know if I am creating my own project, lets say a brochure, can I use a real company name that already exists? Meaning I am using the name but creating my own logo and designed brochure. The company has no idea that I am doing this, but it is just for my portfolio which will be on-line as well.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[uncle carbunkle]

if you're creating ficticious logos and ads for a fictional company, why not make up a name, too? you may get in trouble...probably not because i doubt the company will ever know. i don't know the legal implications. better safe than sorry - i'd hate to be sued by starbucks or someone with way more money and lawyers than i have...

also, if i were interviewing you and i recognised the company name, i'd wonder. maybe i'm a moody cow, but i think if you're going for a creative position, you should demonstrate creativity! :)

so, my two cents: ixnay on the igbay amenay. make up your own. then, you can call it a case study and take credit for EVERYTHING. it'll look good on you!

luck, welcome to the gdf, and post your project! i'd love to see it! :)

...Ruffa' dan ruff, tuffa' dan tuff...

[D_Rod]

Yeah, I don't think anyone will ever see it either. But maybe it is better safe than sorry. The fact is, is that I had actually started designing something for them about 3 years ago, but it was more like a proposal. They loved the designs, but basically, they wanted to get something for nothing. Even after I had offer many suggestions on cost saving options. I didn't get the account, but I did have a great designed brochure.

So I will have to come up with a name that will suite the design of the brochure.

Thanks.

[uncle carbunkle]

well, i've designed things for people and they've never used it. in those situations, i'll use the work in the portfolio (if it's appropriate for the client i'm showing, AND if it's a SUPERsweet piece), and just called it a case study. in that circumstance, it's easier to say that you designed it and xyz whatever. don't ever badmouth another client, but a good piece of design is a good piece of design no matter what the circumstances. basically, if that were me, i'd show the piece but you have to be able to explain it and talk nicely about the other non-client. does that make sense?

post it!

:)

...Ruffa' dan ruff, tuffa' dan tuff...

[Liam]

yeah, well what i am doing for my portfolio at first is , logo's websites, business cards for me 'ice design' then i can work on other websites, maybye about my interests, and i am sure they will give me a lot of projects when i am in college ;)

[ liam ]

http://www.ice-design.ws/v5_HeaderSmall.gif

http://www.ice-design.ws

[reuber1]

In the case of making up companynames as opposed to using existing companies, I've had people tell me that if you need to "make up" work you should use existing companies because a) It's a "real" company that you need to apply a "real" solution to, which shows that you can solve problems and b) By making up your own companyit mightbe seen as setting up an ideal scenario for yourself (which is usually the point with making your own work). These are two pretty extreme points but I've heard this from somewhere and it might be worth noting.

[uncle carbunkle]

making note that it's a case study will help you more with your credability than anything else. i'm sure people will understand you using an existing name/brand for your purposes, as long as they don't think you're trying to snow them into believing that they actually used it.

...Ruffa' dan ruff, tuffa' dan tuff...