SurfPark
03-28-2008, 01:05 AM
I know we've discussed spec work and its evils ad nauseum on this forum, but there is rarely a chance to see the whole process in the wild. I found this gem at GFXcontests.com (sounds like a winner, huh?).
http://gfxcontests.com/showthread.html?t=339
In the thread, the client is asking for a logo for their cupcake web site. The thread is dated from 2006, but the process it evokes is pretty much what we are still contesting to this date...spec work.
I thought I'd cite this example, because we often debate the fine line between a graphic design contest and spec work. I think most agreed that a true "contest" is held for work that's already completed. Any contest that requires you to create totally new work is considered spec work.
Some key elements to notice in this example:
Crazy deadline: It was posted on May 3rd and asked to be finished by May 15th (at 11:59 PM, strict! *whip crack*). 12 days from start to finish...10 without weekend.
Flat fee dangled like a carrot. $200 flat.
Unlimited revisions. The client requests multiple revisions from people she's not obligated to pay. There were over 13 thread pages!
Full disclosure. Although this "contest" has ended about two years ago, the archive remains for everyone to see. This company has the world knowing what they paid for their brand, how they decided it, and who made it.
Bad decisions. Since this post is over two years old, you can see how the client's company stands today. Their link is in the first post. Their current logo is not the best of the submitted entries, nor does it really serve the purpose of the business. The client went on instincts based solely on colors and ignored other marketing aspects of the brand.So what can we learn from this example? First, we have to realize that this is spec work. We've had the "them and us" arguments that basically states that only amateurs participate in this work while professionals avoid them. I think its fair to say that with schools churning out so many graphic designers per year, there are more amateurs in the marketplace than ever. Many people are not a teenagers with a hacked version of Photoshop, but actually struggling designers trying to make ends meet. Education shouldn't be the only dividing line between an amateur and a professional...ethics should equally considered.
A designer that doesn't know their hurting their profession by participating in spec work typically is too fixated on money and fails to realize the clients they obtain through spec work will continue to expect deeply discounted rates for the life of the client/designer relationship. These are clients no one wants to have. These are clients that are not willing to spend money to create their own brand...which should foreshadow their business' success. There is an economy of sale that many small business owners tend to deny. Not all Fortune 500 companies started with Fortune 500-priced logos.
I also wanted to use this chance to mention that any site that mentions the terms "design" and "contest" in the same breath is on shaky grounds. Design is about solving a problem. To start working on solving a problem for which you may never be conpensated for is a risk. You may put a lot of work into something and have no return. If you honestly don't care about return, then I'd suggest you search for a local non-profit organization. At least those people will not be lining their pockets with the problem solving, design work, or effort you're putting forward.
http://gfxcontests.com/showthread.html?t=339
In the thread, the client is asking for a logo for their cupcake web site. The thread is dated from 2006, but the process it evokes is pretty much what we are still contesting to this date...spec work.
I thought I'd cite this example, because we often debate the fine line between a graphic design contest and spec work. I think most agreed that a true "contest" is held for work that's already completed. Any contest that requires you to create totally new work is considered spec work.
Some key elements to notice in this example:
Crazy deadline: It was posted on May 3rd and asked to be finished by May 15th (at 11:59 PM, strict! *whip crack*). 12 days from start to finish...10 without weekend.
Flat fee dangled like a carrot. $200 flat.
Unlimited revisions. The client requests multiple revisions from people she's not obligated to pay. There were over 13 thread pages!
Full disclosure. Although this "contest" has ended about two years ago, the archive remains for everyone to see. This company has the world knowing what they paid for their brand, how they decided it, and who made it.
Bad decisions. Since this post is over two years old, you can see how the client's company stands today. Their link is in the first post. Their current logo is not the best of the submitted entries, nor does it really serve the purpose of the business. The client went on instincts based solely on colors and ignored other marketing aspects of the brand.So what can we learn from this example? First, we have to realize that this is spec work. We've had the "them and us" arguments that basically states that only amateurs participate in this work while professionals avoid them. I think its fair to say that with schools churning out so many graphic designers per year, there are more amateurs in the marketplace than ever. Many people are not a teenagers with a hacked version of Photoshop, but actually struggling designers trying to make ends meet. Education shouldn't be the only dividing line between an amateur and a professional...ethics should equally considered.
A designer that doesn't know their hurting their profession by participating in spec work typically is too fixated on money and fails to realize the clients they obtain through spec work will continue to expect deeply discounted rates for the life of the client/designer relationship. These are clients no one wants to have. These are clients that are not willing to spend money to create their own brand...which should foreshadow their business' success. There is an economy of sale that many small business owners tend to deny. Not all Fortune 500 companies started with Fortune 500-priced logos.
I also wanted to use this chance to mention that any site that mentions the terms "design" and "contest" in the same breath is on shaky grounds. Design is about solving a problem. To start working on solving a problem for which you may never be conpensated for is a risk. You may put a lot of work into something and have no return. If you honestly don't care about return, then I'd suggest you search for a local non-profit organization. At least those people will not be lining their pockets with the problem solving, design work, or effort you're putting forward.