Don’t Do Spec Work
I got this email today via this blog:
Hey Ian,
Hello,
We are [redacted], a design your own custom quality skateboard company. We are contacting you because we thought your readers might be interested in our Third Thursday monthly design contest that we are starting. We have run successful design contests in the past, but wanted to bring it back to a monthly thing with different themes. Every month will involve a new theme and each winner will receive a $100 cash prize as well as their design printed on a skateboard deck. Each winner will also receive a spot in the new limited edition Third Thursday shop creating a ongoing catalog of winners and representation for those artist. Details can be found here [redacted], but if you have any questions or would like any further information or [redacted] materials please feel free to email me back.
Best, – [redacted]
My reply:
Hi [redacted] –
On one level this sounds like a cool way for artists to get their work seen and maybe make a couple of bucks. On another level, you’re asking artists to work on spec, and that’s not cool. Everyone has to make a living, right? If you have a bunch of people submitting their art and you only pay the one that wins, everyone else worked for free. That works out pretty sweet for you, but not so much for everyone else. As a creative professional, I can’t support this contest – getting people to compete to get paid for their artwork is part of the reason it’s hard to make a living as an illustrator. Threadless basically does the same thing for t-shirts and lots of people go for that, so you’ll probably do well with this initiative anyhow, but I’m going to have to politely decline your suggestion that I do free advertising for your contest to maybe get paid.
– Ian
This is such a great example of how creatives are reduced. I don’t think it was the company’s intent to be so debasing – particularly because there’s an entirely successful business model already established that’s all about ripping off artists.
But this is an example of why I abhor contests. There should be a law disallowing any “Hey Creatives,show us what you’ve got!” contest for participants beyond the age of 6, because that’s pretty much the age at which we stop believing that it’s an honour to work for nothing.
Seriously, a hundred bucks? Jesus wept.
Yeah, that it was only a hundred bucks made me cringe, too. I know how much time goes into making an illustration the size of a skate deck and I think that as a creative specialist I’d like to make more than minimum wage, thanks.
I think the thing a lot of people forget, especially when they are starting out, is that if they do a job for free because it’s fun, it’s good exposure, or whatever someone doesn’t get paid… and then a few years later when they are trying to make it as a professional there’s a whole new crop of recent graduates willing to work for free for the exposure or because it’s fun.
I forget who it was that said it originally but it bears repeating – we live in Canada. You can die of exposure.
I had a couple contests on my site years ago, during which point I accumulated a pile of newsletter subscribers and royalty-free music. I never ended up using any of it, but it taught me that a lot of people will come out of the woodwork to invest their time when there’s a perceived reward at the end of the tunnel.
Well yes, XDude, many people will do that – and it’s kind of pathetic. Gameification isn’t just effective in marketing, it appeals to people on a very basic psychological level. The problem is that if you work for free, it’s creating a market reality that can be taken advantage of – in this case eliminating the need to hire illustrators or graphic designers because people will submit designs to a contest. I am sure many of these same people struggle to find decent jobs or freelance work and can’t connect the dots.
Hey, I diggit. Your response was excellent, and I think it’s great to stand up for the industry you love. Your response may have fallen on deaf ears, or it may have planted a seed in someone’s brain. Only time will tell.
Let’s pretend you had the ability to send a message to every single person on Earth who has some graphic-design capability. I think the majority of them would still choose the opportunity to make a quick $100 and get some exposure by flipping a bit of stock imagery. Heck, if I were cash-strapped enough I might seriously consider it myself.
With that said, the value of all things across the planet are going down. Websites. Music. Movies. Everybody’s entitled, and everybody wants it all for free. Personally, I think these are growing pains – we will, one day, eventually, move towards Roddenberry’s utopian no-money society. One day it’ll actually be OK to do stuff simply because I like it, and not have to worry about feeding my family.
While I appreciate your angle, “flipping a bit of stock imagery” means you’re not only working for free, you’re out of pocket for the cost of the stock graphics. You’d be better off buying a lottery ticket if you just want the excitement of losing money on a contest.
Also, the assumption that stock graphics stand even the faintest glimmer of a chance of winning against original work by any illustrator worth their salt is comic at best.
That aside, when the cashless society comes, then sure, we can just work away at whatever we feel like without having to worry about paying the bills – but I don’t see any hoverbikes or robot servants yet, either.