Shameless arrogant self promotion or a genuine heartfelt appeal?
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- Dodecahedron0
Its definitely a self-serving way of padding your folio and getting some exposure. Seems to be trendy thing these, I'm not so sure its that bad a thing but it puts a bad taste in my mouth.
- Its better than doing some noncommissioned corporate re-brand just to show offDodecahedron
- 20
i don't understand the hate-on for designers making stuff to benefit charities. why is it so bad that they gain a little something? is it better to do nothing and donate nothing, or to create something and donate something, and reap some reward also?
just because an act generates some self-gain, does not make it a selfish act. it's like saying mother teresa is no good because she was building karma points for heaven.
i also hope that everyone that commented in this thread against these designers went and donated $100 to doctors without borders.
- http://www.doctorswi…akrok
- I agree, 2. So what if it gets the designer attention? It's attention that the designer designs for a cause. No harm, no foul.monospaced
- Dodecahedron0
well I personally just said it was self-serving but not that bad. thats not hate its realistic. It puts a bad taste in my mouth like a lot of people because its definitely not 100% genuine.
- SteveJobs0
2, how would you feel if you saw someone set up a stand outside the hospital near the disaster location to sell these posters?
the point is, everyone has different levels of sensitivity to something like this. and since it's possible one's deeds and intentions aren't necessarily in agreement, these matters are not that black and white.
- yes, not all black and white - i wanted to illuminate the black side with a little light.2
- georgesIII0
Are you donating blood?
- yakismaki0
I guess I've had my question answered then
- uan0
1) I think it's uneasy because of the money involved. if it would be just to express the designers solidarity or to raise awareness of the cause it would be very ok.
2) It's also uneasy, because most of the designs presented are weak. like tweets from photoshop.
- georgesIII0
I'm sorry, I'm always a little bit too cynical,
blood giving was the first thing that popped in my mind when I saw the design, I got the flag of japan and everything but maybe it is the minimalist approach that didn't work with me,
You should maybe try to dirty it a little bit or make a ragged edged to the circle, something that gives the emphasis on fracture instead of blood.- it's not his designmonospaced
- this is not a critiquemonospaced
- Miguex0
Let's just put the design aspect aside, like it or not, lets just focus on the action performed by an unknown designer to collect funds.
Maybe whoever is doing this is a nice person and wants nothing other than to provide a means to help, but...
When it comes from an unknown designer, you can't help to think there's that dark side of a person trying to cash into the tragedy just to put their name out there.It's different if the person is already famous, and is using their name to attract hundreds/thousands, etc to donate money (while the intentions might be the same, at least you think, well this person is already known so is not that bad).
It's tough, to be honest if an artist I liked and respect did something like this, I would be buying the product hands down, but there will probably be a selfish reason on my end of "I'm buying that because I like it, the charity thing is just a bonus".
I guess you can't really try to do good things for others without feeling guilty for some sort of selfish reason right?
- from a distance, giving money seems like the only noble optionmrghost
- Known or not, always need to vet someone asking for donations.hellobotto
- mrghost0
2,
the core of the problem is not that the designer stands to gain publicity or even money in exchange for their works in reference to an event. If the event is a team winning a championship game or a world record being set, etc. In this situation I think that a commemorative design is appropriate.
the problem is that the event is recognized internationally recognized because of its tragic nature. Like I said earlier, the number of deaths cannot be counted yet. To profit from this is shameful. To create a fucking t-shirt that celebrates it is embarrassing.
A proper memorial is in order and the people of Japan will be the ones to create it.
two words can surmise my feelings: too soon.
- sry for the typosmrghost
- yeah too soon. A lot of people arn't sensitive to the reality of these situations.Dodecahedron
- yakismaki0
It's not something we've created just something stumbled across. It's not about blood donation at all. It's just something a designer did possibly as a bit of a piggy back on the disaster? I don't know, it's a sensitive debate
- I totally get that it may raise further funds, I'm just questioning the angle.yakismaki
- autoflavour0
see, this works for me.
doesnt cost money to produce, but yep, they raised a million- for those who don't know what zynga is - isn't this veiled advertising?timeless
- monospaced0
In my opinion, whenever design can do something like raise money for victims of a disaster it's a good thing. I still can't understand why this makes you uneasy. Of course the disaster is being used to raise money, to raise money for no other reason (with that design) would be unethical.
- Again. confirming my cynicism but thought it might be an interesting discussion.yakismaki
- you haven't really proposed a valid counter argumentmonospaced
- what's wrong with charitable fundraising?monospaced
- yakismaki0
@monospaced you are of course right. I'm climbing off my high horse now
- monospaced0
^ aaah, BUT, the product (aka tshirt) is the online gambling. It is a vehicle for their promotion of the charity. Believe it or not, someone was paid (or not) to create all the materials behind it. This is the equivalent of designing the shirt.
I totally understand the points being made that the whole thing is a bit disgraceful, but honestly, it's necessary. The spread of information takes many, many forms, including that of a t-shirt and a website. The vehicle for the promotion is the only major difference here. That's the point I'm trying to make.
- gambling = gamingmonospaced
- "Gamers can contribute by buying designated virtual goods ..."monospaced
- from what i understand, the product already exists and they are just redirecting cashautoflavour
- also do you really expect any of these tshirts/posters to raise 1 million dollars?autoflavour
- 20
@mrghost:
i think the sooner the better, actually. calls to action now are more likely to engender a charitable response than doing it a month later. i feel like any profit gained from this (in the form of another portfolio piece, say) is only a side-effect of having gotten people to donate via selling posters. yeah, it would be shameful if you sold a bunch of posters and only donated a fraction of your profits, but if you are donating 100% of your profits? i'd give you a pat on the back and say good on ya.
i don't think it's shameful or embarassing to be making stuff on the subject. it's already on everyone's minds. not sure i'd wear a shirt with a bandaid and a big red spot on it, myself, but selling such an item i think is all right.
@uan:
yeah, a lot of those designs are weak sauce ):
- i agree that people need info on what has happened. but do these designs provide that?mrghost
- they seem mostly to be shallow references in order to gain publicity via proximity to the eventmrghost
- the opposite of info... even the video footage that shows the chaos is more helpful than these shirts and printsmrghost
- hm, i don't think their primary function is information dissemination.2
- i think that their primary function = enticement to buy them and thereby donate a little.2
- its a pity that people need a reward even for such a minimal effort.mrghost
- yakismaki0
In terms of designers/artists/illustrators raising money for relief, Mr. Bingo did this when proceeds from prints of his work went to Haiti. http://www.creativereview.co.uk/… This was work he already did, not created in inspiration of disaster. I don't know, maybe I just find it in bad taste.
- I am as ever, ready to be shot down of courseyakismaki
- I don't understand why you have a problem with design actually helping the world. We LIVE for this, no?monospaced
- I don't have a problem with design helping the world... oh god, I just wanted to share and discuss why it made me and my colleague react in this way. I am open for opinions and knowledge to be shared. I never said I was right.yakismaki
- Peter0
I can't see the pic on your site.
But hey, any help count. Overused motifs or not. It's not about the design anymore (which just might be a little doubtful for a designer to admit). Perhaps to settle things with yourself you compare it to buying, say, a shell with a painted on face by a poverty-struck kid. Nothing you place on the mantle but the kid will appreciate your purchase none the less.
I slapped something together like it an hour ago for a Japanese company that asked me to volunteer. It was extremely corny but if it works it works.
- randommail0
If I spend $20 on ordering a poster or t-shirt, how much actually makes it to the relief organization? After production costs and shipping costs, and if ALL profits go to charity, maybe $8-10?
FFS, just give the full $20 to the Red Cross.
- but what about my portfoliocannonball1978
- you mean $12timeless