Communication Arts Magazine announces the deadline for their Tenth
Interactive Design Competition--January 15th, 2004.

INTERACTIVE DESIGN COMPETITION
Enter the most prestigious design competition for interactive media,
the tenth annual Communication Arts Interactive Design Competition.
Any interactive project created for digital distribution on the World
Wide Web, CD-ROM, interactive kiosk or handheld device is eligible.

Selected by a nationally representative panel of distinguished
programmers, interface designers and creative directors, the winning
entries will be published in the September/October Interactive Annual
of Communication Arts and on our web site. Seventy-five thousand
copies will be distributed worldwide, assuring important exposure for
the creators of these outstanding projects.

Submission guidelines and FAQs can be found at:
http://www.commarts.com/CA/magazine/comp/

To download an entry form go to:
http://www.commarts.com/CA/download/...nteractive.pdf

best piece of advice I've ever received...

"Don't enter awards competitions. Just don't. It's not good for you"



joel.


"Communication Arts" <beckif@commarts.com> wrote in message
news:a1092b07.0312091407.5554c2f0@posting.google.c om...

joel -

"best piece of advice I've ever received...'Don't enter awards
competitions. Just don't. It's not good for you""

In the past I would have given serious consideration to that advice -
which is part of Bruce Mau's "Incomplete Manifesto for Growth" (
http://www.brucemaudesign.com/manifesto.html ). Today I think it's
hogwash. Each competition offers the possible opportunity for
promoting yourself via press releases with a "win." Others present
the "winning" entries in books that are then sold internationally.
Since 1995 my work has been published in over 65 design books and my
work is doing the marketing for itself on a daily basis. A great many
clients, from around the world, come my way introducing themselves
with "I was in my local bookstore and saw your work in a book..." A
designer does need to choose those competitions that will be most
beneficial to their own efforts.

Here's an article I wrote about the topic:

http://www.creativelatitude.com/arti...r_winning.html

- Jeff


Jeff Fisher
Engineer of Creative Identity

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com

yes, for "winners" that is great...
for "losers" what does it mean?

that one should see the winners work and try to emulate that?
it won, it must be better...

competitions like these do not encourage the growth of our
industry toward communicative solutions in graphics design.
they encourage our industry towards narcissistic complacency.



joel.
___________
joelfrijters.com

"Jeff Fisher LogoMotives" <logomotives@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:dcdb5cb5.0312100525.7e1ec6de@posting.google.c om...

In article <yeFBb.1180$aF2.209429@news20.bellglobal.com>,
"kungfufrijters" <joel.frijters@removetoreplysympatico.ca> wrote:

well... if the objective is to successfully market oneself, hurray for
contests. They are not nor should they eve be considered a bellweather
for 'new'.
It took me a few years, but I finally clued in that buying the CA annual
every year was a waste of money. I think if you buy annuals for
'inspiration' you should do so only once every three years since the
'market' factors that drive the awards generally take that long to
regurgitate something approaching 'fresh'.

Great for promotion - but not much else. (Kinda like every other 'award'
ain't it?)

:-) Well said.

There very few awards that actually mean anything to anybody. Further, the
majority of awards books and competitions purporting to show "the best" are
cover-to-cover junk and mediocrity.

Dan
http://www.FreelanceWorkshops.com





"kungfufrijters" <joel.frijters@removetoreplysympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:yeFBb.1180$aF2.209429@news20.bellglobal.com.. .

But the marketing value of your work shown in such a book to the prospective
client is far greater than anything else, IMHO. It's kind of an opportunity
to put your foot on the door, so to speak.

I've seen it happen! It's kind of weird, but it certainly works!

"In Love, War and Design, everything's allowed"... or whatever...!

:-)

--
Pepe
Milano, Italy

Pepe wrote:


Let me just say this about that, Pepe.

Someone who orchestrates their life to be in as many "award" books as
possible with the stated agenda of promoting their business is inefficient
beyond belief. It's like needing to turn left at an intersection but (for
whatever reason) they just haven't learned how. So they turn right, because
it *seems* easier and at least they're moving. Trouble is, they're moving
away from their intended target.

So they turn right at the next intersection, and right again at the one
after that, then right again. Still no good. So they drive through the next
intersection (because they've decided they can't turn left!!) and turn right
at the next intersection. Then right, then right -- a-ha!! Now they're
finally headed in the direction they originally wanted to go.

Some people apparently *like* making seven right turns in order to go left.
They hold it up as a true accomplishment.

Call me crazy, but when a new designer is trying to get his/her career off
the ground and asks me if s/he should spend time and money on the "seven
rights make a left" method of promotion, I tell 'em "no." Then I show them
how to make a clean, simple left.

Dan
http://www.FreelanceWorkshops.com




"Giuseppe Carmine De Blasio" <gcdbX@libero.it> wrote in message
news:br7v49$eg75$1@ID-121762.news.uni-berlin.de...

"Dan" <Dan@FreelanceWorkshops.com> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:B6MBb.430086$0v4.20505547@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
OK.

Sorry, I'm slow... I can't picture the analogy... why is it so?

I understand what you're saying, Dan; I just can't see why participating in
contests makes it an ethernal right turn... but of course, I'm not a
designer either...

Well... I think I need less work and more coffee to fully understand this...
and 15 years less of age wouldn't hurt either!

Geezzz... I'm oooooold...

:-)

--
Pepe
Milano, Italy
PS: I'm not desagreeing with you, Dan... but looks like today I'm not fully
up to the task of comprehending the written word...

Pepe wrote:

Because it's 11 at night in Milan :-)

Try this one:

I need a client. Do I search for a contest/awards book/design competition;
get my entry(ies) ready for submission; fill out the forms; write checks for
entry fees; put 'em in the mail and wait........Okay, I am accepted,
yea!!......wait for publication; write a press release noting my
"accomplishment"; print those; address envelopes; stamp those; mail those;
email them for good measure.......tick-tock, tick-tock.....wait for these to
get published (and pray that they will)......oh good, someone picked it
up.....now let's hope the phone rings (c'mon! c'mon! I've invested a year in
this already!!)

OR

Do I just pick up the phone and call a prospect?

See what I'm saying here?

Dan
http://www.FreelanceWorkshops.com





"Giuseppe Carmine De Blasio" <gcdbX@libero.it> wrote in message
news:br83vp$fn0t$1@ID-121762.news.uni-berlin.de...

Dan wrote: "There very few awards that actually mean anything to
anybody. Further, the majority of awards books and competitions
purporting to show "the best" are cover-to-cover junk and mediocrity."


In regards to the first part of Dan's statement: An award can mean a
great deal in the form of personal validation to the designer who
needs a little encouragement when the going gets tough. An award does
sometimes mean a potential client will take a second look at your work
when shopping for designers. Awards mean possibly being considered as
a source of illustrative elements by magazine editors and book
authors. An award can be an introduction to bigger and better things
in one's career. An award ALWAYS means a lot to a client. If awards
had so little meaning I'm not sure why some of the largest firms in
the world would even bother submitting work, except for the fact that
awards do translate to marketing, which often brings clients in the
door and that means a lot to most businesses.

Admittedly, a lot of the award competitions out there lead to the
publishing of "cover-to-cover junk and mediocrity." That's why I
mentioned that designers need to seriously consider some of the
competitions prior to submitting work. Do your research. The "award
for purchase" competitions are everywhere. Awards themselves are an
industry that feed off of the design business. A designer needs to
know exactly what they personally expect, or want to gain, from the
"chance" at winning an award.

A principal of an ad agency once told me his firm did not enter design
competitions because the awards were judged only appearances, not the
actual success of a designed pieced. Having previously judged
competitions, I realize very few awards programs base judgements on
designs on anything other than the personal biases of the judges
viewing the work. In most cases the success of piece is not, or can
not, be measured as a criteria for the award. (I do think the PRSA -
Public Relations Society of America - actually has a program of
judging their awards based on documented success). Until the system
of award competitions does change, I do think designers should
consider the possibility of awards as part of the marketing program
for their business. For me personally it has been much more
successful and cost-effective as a form of marketing than advertising
in the Yellow Pages, other print advertising and direct mail. When
someone in Ireland, Germany, South Africa or Japan (audiences I could
not reach through more traditional advertising methods) picks up a
book in a local store and contacts me with a job as a result of seeing
my work, the method in my madness does have some validity as a
marketing tool (for me) - and it may not work for everyone else. It
is just another option to consider.

- Jeff

Jeff Fisher
Engineer of Creative Identity

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com

in article yeFBb.1180$aF2.209429@news20.bellglobal.com, kungfufrijters at
joel.frijters@removetoreplysympatico.ca wrote on 10/12/03 9:31 PM:

Simply that for whatever reason, specific judges have decided that the work
was less appropriate to be selected as the "winning" entry in that
particular competition. No more, no less.

As long as you enter a competition with this perspective in mind, you really
have nothing to lose [but perhaps the entry fee...] and the potential to lay
claim to whatever status / prizes / CV blurb is appropriate.

For the record however, I am certainly not claiming competitions to be
"fair", uninfluenced by a variety of relevant politics, or necessarily
worthy of entry. That decision is ultimately up to the individual and
precisely what that individual would stand to gain from it.


Substitute "better" for "more appropriate to the competition" and you have a
whole new approach to the analysis of a "losing" situation ...

Just because there is a "winner" does not necessarily make the other
entrants "losers". There are more reasons than "winning" to enter a
competition ... some quick ones that spring to mind:

* Building a profile
* A deadline to motivate and be productive towards
* Sideline opportunities such as potential sale of work etc.
* Getting the creative juices flowing by tackling a tangible challenge
within your area of expertise.

Are you with me here?


I cannot speak for this competition specifically as I know next to nothing
about it. However, just as you are more than entitled to the opinion as
above, I believe your statement to be a little too sweeping to be
conclusive.

Granted, many competitions are run by corporate or governmental bodies with
access to appropriate funding and by this token they are more than likely to
have their own agenda for such a venture. ["you don't get something for
nothing"?]

It is for this reason though that I restate the importance of any
competition being entirely relevant to the entrant and what they may stand
to gain from it.

If you feel this [or other] competitions stifle your creativity ~ fair
enough. For others however they may be a creative stepping stone to
appropriate accolades for their talents.

Just food for thought

--
dave.jeavons
www.houseoffu.com
making.everyday.interesting.

Hmmm...has anyone posted that entering design competitions is THE only
way to market one's business, or the ONLY option a designer should
consider. No. It's simply one element of a on-going marketing plan
involving a variety of methods to bring work to a designer. Each
person needs to determine what promotional efforts work for them in
soliciting clients. I have not made a cold call to a prospective
client in over ten years. However, I don't discount that as a valid
method for other individuals to get work. It's simply one I don't
choose to put into action. Other methods are much more effective for
my own business efforts.

- Jeff


Jeff Fisher
Engineer of Creative Identity

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com

I agree with you... but who in the world would do that as the sole form of
marketing? Certainly not somebody in his/her right mind...

I still think that winning awards is an excellent form of marketing for the
prospective client, specially in the *shopping* phase. And subdually(sp?)
somebody that looks for an "award winning designer" to help him with his
business, is willing to pay an "award winning price"... which is good for
both parts. That means that the client wants quality and it's willing to pay
for it. Excellent!

I think that Jeff Fisher is a good example of what being published can mean
to a designer.

But to somebody that's in the "start-up" phase, nothing can beat a good ol'
cold-calling round; which is an excellent training in dealing in accepting
rejection, and going for that golden 10% that brings business in...

MVHO, of course.

--
Pepe
Milano, Italy

Agreed!

The best way to get business in this business is by reputation and personal
contacts. Every measure you take that builds your brand is therefore good.
Be it competition or phonecalls.
I try to target specific client groups instead of shooting wild. Therefore I
dont enter competions or get a phone list with 300 companies (the old
quality vs quantity thing). That is my positioning though and is not for
everyone. Someone has to fill the other places on the positioning map too...

/Tomas

--To contact me please mail to tomas dot holm at rodem dot se.--

I'm gonna throw my hat in the ring...

Awards have their place, but they do not impart any credibility, only the
fact that other designers think your work looks "designerly" or "award
worthy." Like the Oscars, a design award is based soley on the subjectivity
of the judging panel with a pinch of popular opinion.

I have never had a client ask me what awards I have won, only if I will
provide effective designs for them on time and on budget (or below budget,
if possible!) In the end, are we working to please other designers or our
clients? I think awards please other designers. Doing actual work, doing it
well and on time pleases clients. I would rather concentrate on the latter.

I would just as soon have the award come to me as a result of my serving
clients to the best of my ability rather than seeking them out as a pr
opportunity--and I don't have to pay for it! PR can be manufactured, just
like an award.

Cheers!


--

Nathaniel Flick
please reply to: nat at flikworld(dot)com
or reply to this newsgroup


in article a1092b07.0312091407.5554c2f0@posting.google.com, Communication
Arts at beckif@commarts.com wrote on 12/9/03 2:07 PM:

Giuseppe

Como estai, paisan? (hope the spelling is correct here!)

I would have to disagree with your 10% analogy--it's more like 1-5% if you
are cold calling. Believe me--after making 200 calls and receiving one job
from it 6 months later, I would not call that great odds.

It's difficult, but not impossible still. Face to face and through current
contacts are definitely the most effective ways to get new clients.

Cheers


--

Nathaniel Flick
please reply to: nat at flikworld(dot)com
or reply to this newsgroup


in article br9f8v$psj8$1@ID-121762.news.uni-berlin.de, Giuseppe Carmine De
Blasio at gcdbX@libero.it wrote on 12/11/03 2:01 AM:

It depends on how you make the list of prospects to call. If you do your
homework well, you can even go higher than 10%; mind you.

I put 10% just to illustrate the point I was making it... it varies with the
product you're promoting, services, your own telephonic technique, your
interlocutor... there are tons of different variables! Anyway... normally
you get better with time... until you don't cold call anymore because you've
got the word out and clients come to you steadily...

At that point of time, you mostly blow it almost everytime you take the
phone... but you don't care 'cause you can't have more projects lined up
'cause you can't deliver on time anyway... then you make the next setp,
which is to get another designer to help you... which takes you to the first
step again. You start to cold calling again because you need more work to
justify the other designer's salary... and so goes on and and on ad
nauseum... or get hit by another "New Economy" bubble burst... and start all
over again...

:-)

HTH,

--
Pepe
Milano, Italy

Jeff wrote:

consider.<<<

Jeff, you write as if it is the only option that exists. You not only give
the "awards and press release" spiel to designers struggling to get their
business off the ground, but also to fairly experienced designers who need
to replace a recently lost major account; both here and in the About forum.

When someone asks for a crust of bread, it's just bad form to refuse them
the bread and then brag about the extraordinary feast you enjoy on a daily
basis. A feast that, by your own admission, takes years to obtain.

I understand that it makes you feel good to wax on and on (and on) about
your hundreds of industry awards -- you apparently *still* need the constant
validation. But that kind of self-indulgence in no way helps the designer
who needs to land new business quickly -- or even within the next twelve
months.

Dan
http://www.FreelanceWorkshops.com




"Jeff Fisher LogoMotives" <logomotives@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:dcdb5cb5.0312102135.7ea67043@posting.google.c om...

Agreed..



Well put.