Canadian designers offer support

The Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) has taken a strong stance against design competitions that include speculative work where designers are not paid for the work. The Institute of Communications & Advertising, the Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario, the US Graphic Artists Guild and Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations), all advocate against these practices.

With SAA's call for tenders a month ago, the issue of unpaid pitching in the design industry once again raised its ugly head. SAA's tender process involved design agencies having to pitch their ideas and executions for free. think, the SA Graphik Design Council, has always had a firm stance against free pitching as it believes it undermines the design profession - a view set out in an open letter to SAA by the industry and signed by over 27 agencies who refused to participate in the tender.

'Another course of action'

The GDC has confirmed that these practices hurt both the client and the designer, and in the long run, damage the economy. The GDC recommend that companies which are looking for speculative creative follow another course of action. Decide which designer is right for a project by reviewing portfolios of previous work, looking at the designers' qualifications and experience. Interview a few select candidates and test their understanding of the needs of the project. If the client still feels creative work is needed in order to make a final decision, pay each participant in accordance with the value of the work.

The GDC letter continued: "To get the most value, the client needs to invest time with a firm that is properly briefed and is consulting with the client so as to develop a strategic, well researched design solution. Speculative competitions do not serve the client well and often lack a researched assessment and critical strategy which develop through the design process and the relationship built between designer and client.

"Spec work is a serious issue for designers. The GDC Code of Ethics prohibits our members from participating in speculative competitions for work where each participant is not provided compensation in accordance with the work. Members can be sanctioned for participating in this type of work under our Grievance Procedure. We offer clients consultation on the design process and ask that they eliminate the request for concepts from their proposals so that members can participate in the work," the GDC letter concludes.

Previously published on Bizcommunity.com on this topic: SAA pitching process criticised by industry.