Work for spec and spec work.

I came across this petition-thing on not doing work on spec sometime ago, and that got me thinking about spec work and work for spec.

What can I say, as a business practice, I do not do work on spec. I believe it to be a bad business practice. If you’re going to ask an artisan to do something, you should pay for it. Otherwise you are not serious and you are not behaving respectfully (toward the artisan).

On the other hand, I managed to win some since projects using spec work in my portfolio. Spec work has always been a controversial topic. Does it count for something? Is it ok for a mid-career person to have some or a lot of spec work in their “book”?
As a Creative Director I worked for at Saatchi & Saatchi in LA said to me once “clients will always stop you partway to genius, with spec work you can show future employers/clients that you can get there…” which is what people want to see.

Good work is good work, no matter if it’s “spec” or “for real”, work on spec…don’t do it…

Design for the other 90% (click here!)

While not an industrial designer, I still strongly believe that people in the design field should use their talents to help repair the world (at least once in a while). While watching a recent ABC World-News-Podcast I came across an item about an exhibit called: "Design for the other 90%" which talked about how very simple industrial design is helping the developing world. This is a well worth your time, so please click on the links below to find out more.

Let's use our power to help the world...


http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3322068


http://other.cooperhewitt.org/

Some new thinking at apple.com

With the onset of the WWDC yesterday, Apple has finally lunched a redesigned web site. The old look has been there for about 5 years which underscores the difficulty in doing a face-life to a major company website.

This new look reveals a lot about the thinking at apple with regards to the company and how it delivers its services. First off, there is only the logo the words Apple" do not appear next to the logo. This is not new thinking per se at Apple, but to see it on the web site this way made me think, “I guess these guys are not afraid of dumb people”. So much of web design (that is done in the main stream caters to the lowest common denominator).

Next with redesign comes some rethinking of the categories on the site which clearly illustrates what many of us who follow apple knew for a while – the ipod/itues and iphone business are growing.

What’s pretty cool is these sliding tabs on the right hand side that move up or down depending on what info you’re looking for. Apple is using a lot of the new technology that web2.0 is based on, and is taking a lot from the functionality of itunes. Which is interesting in the sense that this is not a top down thinking but a down up one. In other words the brand as a whole is influenced by one product and not the other way around. There is nothing wrong in this way of doing things; philosophically it is somewhat of an eye opener.

All in all in is so to speak “a day late” but it is most certainly not “a penny short” good going…

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I'll know it when I see it

"I’ll know it when I see it!"

That is what the client said to me, yes you’ve heard right: I’ll know it when I see it. I waned to scream, literally stand up grab him by the shoulders, shake him up and explain to him in no uncertain terms that he is the biggest idiot I have ever meat. BUT I DID NOT.

Nevertheless, what is this “I’ll know it when I see it” business what happened to a creative brief some guidelines, something, anything. I guess when you are salaried it can work like that, but still it’s maddening.

On the other hand unlimited exploration is very clearly a great thing, but I don’t thing it overshadows the frustration of not knowing where you are going, and if you’ll ever get there.

So, have you ever heard that? And what did you say in response?

Advertising as a Mirror of Society

I have been thinking a lot lately about the connection between what a society (any) produces in terms of its advertising, and that "product" says about that society. For example, a society filled with macho men and vulgar behavior, will it produce, vulgar advertising and design?

More on that as it becomes clear... to me that is

And in the beginning

Sitting at the intersection of design (graphic) and commerce, I find myself wondering (out load) about where is this all going. In a time when graphic design in merging rapidly with advertising (my first love), amidst news that advertising is really dead, I begin this blog wondering (again) where is this all going to.

What are they going to be teaching in design schools in a decade and what would the needs of the industry be. Are you going to have to be an Art Director + Graphics Production Artist + Code Engineer + moviemaker to make it as a design professional?
Or is there another version I have not considered. I think it is safe to say that the answer to these questions is yet unknown, but some hints will; I am sure come up as we continue.

Welcome! Hope you can visit again