What Is Your Take On CrowdSpring and Spec Work?
Not too long ago I wrote an article on using CrowdSpring for a design project. Here are the arguments:
Pro:
You get a lot of options both good and bad and It’s very cheap ($150-$500 for a logo)
Con:
Artists work for free hoping to win the project?to get paid and lack of real?strategy
As a client of CrowdSpring what are you concerned with? Nothing? As a designer why do you work for free? Give me your thoughts.
I stand firm on the subject. We get paid for our work. We never work for free. When asked to do spec work from any prospect I thank them for their time and nicely let them know we’re not a good fit. It’s not a relationship that is worth having if you have to work for free, in my opinion.
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December 16th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Scott, you already know I’m a fan of Crowdspring for uncomplicated projects. I just paid $200 for my new logo.
I know a lot of designers are raising a stink about not doing spec work. I understand their position. In the real world, they are worried about getting taken advantage of by clients just looking for ideas. That happens occasionally. Here is the difference with CrowdSpring: The buyer puts up money up front. Someone is going to get paid, the designer with the best idea.
The thing is this, if a designer doesn’t want to participate in spec work, fine. But don’t howl and whine about Crowdspring and denigrate designers who do participate. When it comes down to it, they’re just giving people what they want. And if they don’t, they will fail.
December 16th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Well I think it brings the industry down as a whole. But you’re always going to have people that will work for free so it’s a usless fight. But designers should value their time and ability.
So much goes into a logo, so the entire process is really just a subjective pretty picture contest. But if a company goes out and does the proper research, comes up with a unique brand identity and positioning and then hands it off, maybe, just maybe you’ll get lucky.
We just lost $150,000 web project because of my refusal to do spec work. Money well lost in my opinion. I’d rather have fewer clients that respect what and how we do things versus someone looking for a free lunch.
To each their own. It’s what keeps our world spinning round and round.
December 17th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
It’s definitely a challenge in the industry. We don’t do spec work — we never have — but we’re coming across more and more companies who expect us to, especially in this market. We’re sticking to our guns and I think we’re better for it.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I have to agree with Jay, we at GeniusRocket crowdsource video content as well as logos, graphic design, and copy. We make every effort to minimize the risks to the artists, such as having a track record of 100% payout to selected artists, a storyboard round where artists can submit ideas before they actually begin work on them, and we promote the continued relationship between our clients and artists beyond the project on GeniusRocket.
Yet, the fact remains that the risk is too great for many artists out there. We try and bring potential clients from across the globe to our community. In many cases these are clients that the vast majority of our creative artists would not have the opportunity to work for otherwise. For example, clients like Heinz, Pepsi, and SXSW aren’t typically opening up to the general creative community for marketing and advertising development opportunities.
As far as I can tell there is no way for companies like Crowdspring and GeniusRocket to remove all risk to the creative artists that choose to work in a crowdsourced model. We can only try and bring as much potential work to them that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to compete for.
December 18th, 2008 at 6:42 am
The artists that use your service are undervaluing themselves, that’s the point. If you have 70 people all competing for the same $150 logo “jackpot” then 69 of them have just worked for free. They participate so shame on them. But shame on the clients who make the other 69 work for free as well. I don’t like the message that sends.
I need a new house built. Do I get to hire 10 builders and then only pay for the one house I like? Not if I want to live to see tomorrow. Can you go out to dinner, order 3 meals and pay for just the one you like? Not unless you want to wash dishes.
Why do people think spec work is any different. Your ideas are your product, don’t discount them for the hope of being paid. I would never use any service like this because I truly value an artists time and creativity, but that’s just my opinion.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:22 am
Does it really matter? Even before the web, there was always somebody willing to do spec and always somebody willing to do a logo for beer money. I charge between $1,500 and 2K for a logo. I recently had a client who went to a logo service and in the end came back to me at my rate.
The way I see it – those who use those services are not and were never my market. They want a great price not a great solution. You’ll never convince someone who is dead set on getting design at flea market prices, that they are not getting quality – they don’t care.
Those designers who do the work are a business like any other. They address that niche.
The only thing else I’d like to say to those designers is that they are working harder not smarter. For every $2,000 dollar logo I do, they must do 4 or 5 logos to make the same income. I don’t as a policy do the good logo and two ugly sisters routine either.
February 18th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Don’t forget about that wonderful Crowdspring agreement. The client and crowdspring benefits, because even if the client doesn’t choose you design. Crowdspring gets full rights to the design. See their TOU specifically #9. Great stuff.
February 18th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
@Jay Ehret
Funny Jay you talk about overpriced designers, but these same crowdspring clients looking for cheap logos. Then they whine when their customers run to Walmart for the lowest price.
February 18th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Dusty – a correction to your comment – crowdSPRING does not get full rights to the design. Those rights are limited – and necessary for us to display the design on the site, among other things. You’ll find analogous language in virtually every single serious marketplace on the Internet.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:55 am
@ Jay, there are good and bad designers. The Mona Lisa probably cost a dollar to actually paint but it’s intrinsic value is priceless. Same applies for a logo. The designers on Crowdspring will most likely be very junior or desperate for work. Included in that bunch of people will be some diamonds in the rough. Personally I think anyone that uses Crowdspring is exploiting their talents but the designers agreed so they bring it on themselves. I iknow none of my designers would ever participate because it is way beneath them on all levels.
@ Ross – You’ve exploited a great niche. Don’t be ashamed or try and defend what you’ve done. You saw an opening and took it. There are many companies that don’t value or understand the importance of a logo and you’re supplying that target audience.
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Wow, where to start? I never work on spec but I will spend time (or some will say waste time) educating a prospective client who wants me to work on those conditions, I feel not only committed to dig my heels on the issue of “no spec” but also I’m committed to educating those who don’t see how wrong this practice is.
Just the other day I talked with someone who wanted a website for $50 or less, I sensed this within 1 minute of our phone conversation but kept the conversation going, I believe we should, if we have the time, educate, educate, educate!
The bottom line why clients think like this (and this is only my opinion based on these conversations) is that design is ultimately a product we sell, but a product they (or we for that matter) cant see, and they relate it to buying a car, why pay if I cant drive it?
They do have a point but NO SPEC is a stronger point!…..just dont burn any bridges folks, they may “see the light” someday when they have a big time VC in their back pocket!!