Getting Shafted
In the past few years I’ve run across numerous sites advertising contests of their own or from some partnered website promising fabulous prizes and glory to the winner and runner-ups. Fabulous prizes and glory can be pretty sweet, but take heed and always read the terms and conditions (or privacy policy, or whatever they call their legal guidelines) of the contest you are thinking about entering. If you don’t, you can’t hold anyone but yourself responsible if you end up getting shafted by whomever runs said contest. By shafted, I mean there’s some clause in their terms and conditions that says something along the lies of “All submitted designs become the property of ______. By entering the contest, the submitter signs over all intellectual property rights of their entry to ______.” or something equally evil and underhanded.
There seem to be two type of contests, one is usually pretty legit, the other, well, you should definitely check out their terms and conditions:
1) Contests held by creatives, for creatives.
2) Contests held by businesses, for creatives.
The contests held by creatives’, often design communities, purpose is to shine a spotlight on the winner and let them receive the attention that they deserve which is so hard to attain these days. Usually, prizes are minimal, maybe some cash, maybe a t-shirt or a print, the real prize is the attention generated. The contests held by businesses’ purpose are usually stated right up front, but generally that’s a facade to cover up real truth, which is these contests are held to get these businesses some cheap design work. By holding a contest they figure they can drum up a lot of designs to choose from and just select the best from the lot. The prizes for this type of contest are pretty large, but definitely much less than it would cost to hire a designer and have them produce a quality design.
Now, who wants a chance at winning fabulous prizes? And who wants to be exploited?
Lesson of the day: Be careful what you enter, and read the fine print.
Monday the 28th, 8:27 pm
But, isn’t this benefiting the business and amateurs? If amateurs want media attention and business wants to save money, isn’t this a great way?
Tuesday the 29th, 12:25 pm
Well, I doubt you’d get much recognition by entering and winning some random companies “design our logo & letterhead” contest. But it really depends on what company is running the contest so you really have to weight your options.
And sure, it’s also great way for businesses to save money, but all they’re really doing is taking advantage of the amateurs, then the amateurs get used to working for peanuts, and then when they decide to solicit work they price everything as low as their used to, thus perpetuating the whole amateurs under-cutting professional designers thing, which is actually really hurting the industry these days when everyone and their mother can find a pirated copy of Photoshop and call themselves a graphic designer. But that’s a whole other rant in itself.
*sigh*
Tuesday the 29th, 3:38 pm
mm.. I have actually, no problem with people (especially kids) who find pirated copies of Photoshop. I think they are brilliant. Of course, it is hurting the industry, but who is actually going to pay for a thousand dollar application. (Yes, education, but everyone hates the idea of using a “Educational software”; it might be just me, but it just sucks.) I don’t have a problem with kids or adults who call themselves a graphic designer. They can call themselves whatever they want, they’re just not at a level to be officially recognized as a professional graphic designer.
As for designing advertisements, and such; aren’t all of us eventually have to go through things that we are largely disadvantaged? I guess it’s part of life.
Wednesday the 30th, 3:01 pm
I use some educational software, like FCP, doesn’t bother me none. Especially since all the the big-name educational software doesn’t have a single thing different in it when compared up to the non-edu version, save the “Educational” tacked on the end.
But I’ll save my breath since this comment is just getting into stuff that’s old hat.
Sunday the 10th, 12:10 am
Stunning site and work. I came across your site from your xanga, on which one of my subscribers commented. Keep up the good work, esp. the photography! =D