Questionnaire:
1.) Recently, myself and James entered 10 awards between us for D&AD and YCN. This has possibly had a slightly negative impact on our Final Major Project's as we have not spent as much time on them as other people on our course who entered one or none. We felt that it is our last chance to win student awards so we wanted to give ourselves a good chance. Tutors have told us a number of times to be wary of spreading ourselves too thin on each entry by doing so many. We were advised to focus on one or two and make them entries better. However we feel all of the entries had a chance of winning so we worked them all up and sent them off.
Do you think we approached this in the right way or would you agree with my tutors? What are your thoughts on the subject of student awards?
Well...you made the right decision for you at the time based on your future ...one of the things I learnt in the first few years was about not being able to do everything and having to make choices...some right...some were wrong. Some force you to be strict on yourself...like when you have 1 day left before a pitch and you’ve a head full of ideas and which one do you pick to run with because you can’t and shouldn’t make them all...you have to be strict and only do the best one. Equally you shouldn’t go for the easy one.... 1 day left and the best idea is a 12 foot tall giraffe or whatever.... Well go ahead and make it even if it seems like a bit of an impossibility. But 10 awards seems like a tall ask to do a great job on all of them and the thing that suffered was your FMP. Guess you have to work out what the consequences are to your choice. If you are confident you put some great ideas into the awards then I’d say that’s a good choice. Having awards to your name is great when touting your book and not many people will ask what your FMP mark was!!! If you win nothing and get a crap mark then ouch but you learnt something. And anyways...you have a good great book to show at your final show.
2.) I am of the opinion that good ideas should be put ahead of the design of anything. I did my dissertation on this subject and found out a lot about products and advertising doing their job well rather than just looking nice.
How much emphasis do you think should be put into an idea with relation to the design and why?
Both should be brilliant. But then the idea can be the design of it. Depends what it is really...eg product design...the idea is usually an innovation in the design. However... A great idea not so beautifully designed is far more satisfying than just a beautiful looking thing that has no substance. Depends what it is really...if you were designing a toothbrush...yes some new innovation idea would be great...but so would just a really funky looking design. If you’re talking more like an ad...I usually find the beautiful ones without an idea instantly gratifying but soon forgotten. The ones with an idea as well last. It’s an idea that connects us...engages us...finds empathy with us.
3.) I have now done a number of work placements at various design/ad agencies which I feel has helped me adapt to the industry. It is a much faster pace and more of a challenge to be in an actual workplace.
What do you think about the importance of placements and what are the benefits/disadvantages of having placements in your agency?
They are crucial to you. Gives you sense of reality...and hopefully excites you about your future.
For us...occasionally they are a drag if the student doesn’t throw themselves at it 200% and you end up just finding stuff for them to do...but if you find a great student then its fun and it reminds you what got us doing this in the first place ...makes me want to do just ideas and no meetings ha ha.
4.) Pitching is obviously a big part of an agencies work these days. I have been involved in a few pitches and it's a good feeling when you win but I think it would feel like a lot of wasted time and money if you were to lose.
Do you agree with this system or do you take part in the pitching process out of necessity?
It’s necessary to continually proactively hunt new business. But also to service your existing clients as if they are new ones. New customers cost more to get than keeping old ones so never forget to treat them as special as the first day. There are occasionally fixed fee based pitches but these are rare. Sometimes remuneration based pitches with costs covered but only if you win. Most are win or lose out...so you just have to win more than lose...and win the big ones ( and some smaller ones if they look good on your client list so add their own value ). You just have to be careful what you go for and ascertain the cost of success/failure. Pitches can easily cost thousands and thousands if films involved and man hours are high. Its alright thinking you can do all the work in house but you still need to cover salary. Some of this is absorbed but your overall business plan must include a budget towards new business.
Re how it feels – like all things in life –the best ever feeling if your effort pays off and the worst if it doesn’t...but that just proves you put your all into it and that’s the only way to tackle a pitch. They are part of our business. However, more and more we will win business on reputation ( credentials pitches) and menu costing. So a potential new client can see what you have done/won, maybe expect a point of view on their business, and know exactly what its going to cost them.
5.) I have been working as a freelancer recently and have run a small business the past couple of years which has helped me learn to deal with clients and sourcing web coders and signwriters etc.
Apart from being a source of income, do you feel that it is worthwhile during studying to get involved in real work and start to interact with other businesses. Do you think these skills can be important in helping you get a job?
Absolutely...real experience is invaluable. Helps you understand how people’s jobs interlink in the chain from idea to finished production. Helps you negotiate and hit deadlines. But importantly...it can teach you the importance of responsibility...taking that leap of faith with a supplier, with your client’s money but at your risk, and make damn well sure its your responsibility it turns out perfect as you want it.
Re job seeking it definately gives you a head start...its the difference between hiring someone from scratch and training them everything and being able to give them a brief on day one and let them get going.
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