Designing Local vs. National
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- dMullins
An arts museum/institute (non-profit) in my area just did a big overhaul of their materials. Most obvious of all was that they had rolled out a brand new logo. The logo ended up being designed by Pentagram, while the other stuff was created locally. There has been a lot of disappointment expressed in our area about this, especially at the $50,000 price tag for the logo design which they could have gotten much cheaper by keeping it local and doing business with more talent in their own backyard.
So agency owners and creatives all over are blogging their hearts out about this redesign, and my first though was, "Who really cares?" Successful design is successful, regardless of whether it's homegrown or not.
Then I read a snippet from this agency owner that made me take the issue a little more seriously than that: "Creative contributes thousands of dollars of services to organizations that can’t otherwise afford first-rate marketing and design. In 2010 alone, [our agency has] provided $50,000+ worth of services which is tough on the bottom line, especially for a firm our size. Of course, it’s our choice to help organizations who need help. But it is disconcerting when a local nonprofit organization with a reasonable budget for creative services (a rarity) chooses to go outside the community when there are so many capable and nationally-recognized firms right here who are struggling in a down economy. As one of my award-winning design colleagues said, ‘Shoot, we’d have done it for half that.’ ($50K according to the article.) Even more important, the dollars would have stayed in our town. (Never mind the message it sends that our town is devoid of creative talent (over 30 firms the last I heard))."
So who do you blame? Do you blame the arts organization for taking their brand outside of our area for services from a major agency like Pentagram? Or, do you blame the creatives and agencies in our area for not having the caliber of work, or mass appeal, to get the job in the first place?
My personal feeling is that all of these people are being real whiners, yet I am able to sympathize with the idea that keeping it local accomplishes (1) growing the repute of the agencies in the area, (2) growing the business of the local economy in general.
Should non-profits feel obligated to stay local? Or is everyone in an uproar over nothing? Also, why in the world do agencies feel so inclined to give work away for free all the time?
- bored2death0
Sounds like everyone has a good point.
But you didn't give the museum's side of the story. I'd be interested to hear why and how they ended up at Pentagram.
- dMullins0
Fair enough, b2d. Here's the lowdown.
The arts organization I mentioned is affiliated with a larger arts organization, an SVA -> College of the Arts sorta situation. Pentagram has done some work for the CotA organization, and so there is already some tie there. Plus, Colin Forbes (a Pentagram founder) lives in our area, and I believe that helped forge this bond. Michael Beirut was already doing the College of Arts identity here anyway. Plus, let's not forget to mention getting an identity from Pentagram for $50k is a great deal. The owner of the arts org also "get it"—you walk into his office, and you'll find "Pentagram Papers" sitting on his bookshelf.
The problem that I am having, is you've got all these agencies railing against taking the business out of the local market, but then you go look at their portfolios and you see 50% of their work is from outside markets, so they are essentially pillaging OTHER markets. Talk about hypocrisy.
- bored2death0
I also thought that there might be a fair amount of free publicity when you get an identity done by Pentagram. Ya know, like, the word gets out about it. There's a certain amount of prestige that gets attached to it.
I understand everyone's view. Hell, I've worked at corporations that went outside the company to get work done when they had a perfectly capable creative department internally... it's insulting and hurtful.
- dMullins0
^ Don't even get me started on that last bit! We just acquired a new client 2-3 months ago and have been busy on some catch-up work for them, since they were without an agency for a while. Well, we haven't even started on the web re-design yet, and just this week there was a marketing meeting where the client brought designs to us that she had outsourced to another creative. Boy, let me tell you we were all PISSED.
- dMullins0
Manscaping > design issues.
- d_rek0
It sounds like it was probably a matter of being connected to Pentagram rather than it being a practical solution. The owner already being familiar with their work and probably having forged contacts with them took it as an opportunity to get great work from a great agency (subjective, I know.)
Also, what is the perception locally of creative businesses? It could be that they're seen as arms and legs for a certain segment of local commercial business and not necessarily the best fit for an arts-related institution.
I'm sure there were a lot of factors that helped inform their decision to go with Pentagram. Maybe a better way of looking it would be not to be insulted that they asked someone else to do the work but that they brought a large, internationally recognized organization's work into your backyard?
- d_rek0
Also... and here's something to consider:
Having met several owners / directors of local arts-based organizations (artists collectives, museum directors, gallery curators)
I can say that these people, for the most part, believe that they and their organizations are much bigger than their localities. In their eyes the things they bring back to their localities are what enriches their communities.Now, coutner arguement:
The local public rarely sides with this perspective. Often they will look upon those organizations with disdain for not supporting local artists / arts businesses.Again, there is most certainly two sides to this story.
But personally... I might get a little excited if Pentagram were to do something in my backyard. But that's just me :)
- dMullins0
^ I'm with you. It's a fun little thing to debate. Ultimately, I think the idea that Pentagram's working on stuff for a great arts org in our area is fuckin' cool, and all these other people crawling out of the woodworks are haters.
- SrSamaurai0
can someone summarize this post for me? too much to read. thanks
- melq0
Part of our company's philosophy is that of corporate responsibility, which includes supporting our community. We have initiated and maintained non-commercial projects that specifically benefit those in our region. We support charitable causes through donated services, time and money.
So, when I read a press release that so-and-so local organization went to an out-of-the-area agency for work they could get locally, does it piss me off? You're goddamn right it does.
Interestingly enough, in the last two occurrences of this, the work was performed for free and the results were less than stellar. Which makes is hard to be pissed that someone didn't come mooching free services.
In the end I think there are two parts:
1) Many people think the best work comes from afar.
2) If you can support your local business economy, you really should. These are the people creating jobs for your friends, neighbors and families.
- dMullins0
Fair enough melq. I definitely agree that there is value to keeping work within your immediate locale. I think that my issue really lies with the fact that people are publicly railing against this arts org, and in a way it ticks me off that so many people are willing to jump the gun and make an assumption without having any idea what is going on behind the scenes.