After much hullabaloo about a short lived book cover design contest on Freelance Switch, Collis Ta’eed chimes in to share his opinion regarding the practice of businesses hosting design contests as a way to get cheap/free design work. I tend to agree whole heartedly with what he is saying, designers are tradesmen like any other, and our time is just as valuable. Sure, we often design during time off, but that is for our own enjoyment. Much the same way a mechanic likes to fiddle with his car on the weekends, you would walk in to a garage and offer up the carrot of hope that if he fixes your car he’ll gain world renown for doing such an awesome job that people will be beating his door down. My final word hear is that Ifs and Maybes don’t put food on the table and a roof over your head, so don’t fall into the trap of giving it up for free.
God, I know! Everyone wants something for nothing. Examples I’ve personally been around in just the last month or so:
I’m having a contest to design my (website/avatar/company logo etc). If you win, there’s no money, but it will be a lot of exposure for you!
Hey, I really love your band! You guys remind me of Mike Patton! I’m having a party, and I’d love to have your band play. I can’t afford to pay you, but it would be a lot of exposure for you!
And this just today:
I met with the publisher of XXXX XXX XXXXX magazine (Omaha mag) a few days ago and he is putting on this huge 10 band shin-dig…free food and wine, etc. in XXXXXXber. He is looking to book the bands. He has about 4 bands already. It is not a paying event though for the bands but it should be huge exposure for all of them.
Well, guess what, then: I’m going to have a music festival later this year, and I want to give every member of the audience a gift bag to go home with that includes free copies of every local magazine. There’s no money, but it will be a lot of exposure for you!
Argh.
The sad truth is that you probably could get a lot of magazines to go for that since they don’t really make money on unit sales. Their business model is based entirely on advertising revenue.