The Design Industry Pirates

image: 

I suppose with every industry you get cowboys and pirates, those who set out to deceive the customers and clients with mis-truths and reputations. I don't think the creative industry is exempt from this, however it seems the real cowboys lie and work within our own ranks. As an established studio in Derby, we like many others have years of experience to call upon for projects and business goals, this does not automatically qualify you for greatness, but does stand you in good company. This is not say an industry rookie is inept and not worthy of company, on the contrary the ideas and creativity of a green employee often exceeds those of the established team members.

When it comes to projects in the current economic climate where cost is more of factor than any other influence, what will happen if these bedroom based agencies, or out sourcing based agencies continue the under-cutting and price reduction techniques and methods they use. Allow me to explain - I will go on record, my time at work is charged to clients at £350 per day, I earn a wage that reflects my skill-set and I can provide a life for myself and my family, I am a skilled and experienced employee, and the business is able to sustain its running costs, software licences, overheads etc. Now, what about the agencies charging £100 a day or less, what about their employees welfare, what affects are these having on our industry, are they even using pirated software?

For starters they are driving down costs which will ultimately destroy themselves, but what about the work they produce, the age old saying you pay peanuts you get monkeys. The web is packed with awful websites, both in terms of design and functionality, websites that have the same negative effect on the business they claim to support as they agencies impact on their own industry. Needless to say the next generation designers are becoming familiar with main stream applications, (I know of at least 10 people who are proficient with Photoshop that don't even work within the creative network), but familiarity does not breed success. We all loose out of by the impact of these cowboys, they are the equivalent of the pikey landscapers, the bodge it and scarper builders.

The mass of clients we work for of course range in their business ethos, for some cheap and cheerful will do, but it is those who in a few years will no longer be a business. A sheer lack of expectation or knowledge is a dangerous client, a lack regard such clients is a lethal agency.

In conclusion, if you are looking to commission any kind of creative project, if the agency cannot include any plausible suggestions or creative input, stay away.