aquent site redesign-spec work
- Started
- Last post
- 173 Responses
- monkeyshine0
Hey Nic et al,
I understand your upset and anger...Friday I was so pissed off. But...I think when someone steps forward and admits they are wrong (even if it's because they underestimated how many cages would be rattled by their actions) it is more fruitful to be open and encourage a dialog. Everyone makes mistakes. A famous designer (whose name escapes me right now) once said that if we never allow ourselves to make mistakes, to fail, then how can we ever succeed?It was a really stupid mistake but a mistake nonetheless. This incident touched on something that we designers are very sensitive about and subjected too time and again. There is an opportunity here to emphasize the value of design and educate.
- Agreed...but why should we have to educate a company who's business is built around design?Lt_Jack_Hammer
- that is exactly why you should. they aren't going away and their business model is about representing designers.monkeyshine
- This was not a mistake, it was complete miss understanding of the design industry and it's values.roundabout
- not sure I understand the difference between a mistake and a misunderstandingAquentminister
- monkeyshine0
I also recommend everyone go to Aquent's Facebook page and express your concerns.
- Lt_Jack_Hammer0
And, let me add...
Judi, clearly what you've demonstrated is a widespread ignorance within Aquent as to the industry you supposedly represent. If it was just 1 employee in 1 office then maybe it could be viewed as a rogue situation...but, clearly, with you jumping into the mix and offering your stinky stinky poop of an attempt at convincing us what Aquent pulled was in any way, shape or form okay it shows us just how out of touch the employees of Aquent really are. The sad thing is, I really don't think you guys had/have any clue as to just how out of touch you really are.
- design_bitch0
fuck sakes. i'm so sick of people dragging down our industry as it is. how is it that we rid the world of these wal-marts of design??
- the wal-mart effect, ratherdesign_bitch
- Ethics and morals... something too many people are lacking these days. And poverty when people are desperate for a buck they do work on a whim.Iggyboo
- ukit0
I wrote the following:
Matthew -
Design contests on their own are not a threat to the profession, but sites like 99designs certainly are. Sites like these push a model where everything is spec work-based, and in doing so they devalue the price of good design.
I don't think anyone would be offended if you had simply offered a contest on your own site, although it might seem somewhat incongruous coming from a company that supposedly has access to thousands of the best creative professionals. However, the use of 99designs certainly seems to be an endorsement, explicit or implicit, of their business model and practices, and I think that is what people find so offensive. Not only that, but the fact that you put a $500 price tag on designing the homepage of a major company, at a time when many of us are pushing hard to convince clients of the value of our services.
For those of us who work hard as freelancers in this industry, the devaluation of design is obviously a huge threat to our ability to earn a decent living. Aquent's use of a website that is so diametrically opposed to those interests, is I think what has surprised and angered so many people.
You can bet that discussion of this will continue on QBN and other design bulletin boards. I would hope that you would reconsider the value of having this contest given that it may affect the view that many have of Aquent and what they are doing.
- bigtrick0
In the end though, Aquentminister is just a savvy businessman - he is just trying to get the most done for as little money as possible, which is what he is paid for. The suckers here are the ones who entered the contest. *They* deserve our attention much more than Aquent. Hopefully all of them are design neophytes who do not yet realize what they are doing to their own industry - cutting their own legs out from underneath them.
:(
- Lt_Jack_Hammer0
One final thing...a tip (a wee bit of advice for you)...you're not going to outsmart or trick the peeps on this site...so, I wouldn't waste anymore of your time trying...we're too smart for you.
- lorac770
Thanks, Matt.
- PixelHustler0
Did anyone notice the contest was withdrawn? Did we win?
- ukit0
But is he savvy bigtrick? Before this happened I had a somewhat positive view of Aquent. Now, I certainly don't. I'm not sure it's such a brilliant move to jump out there are do something that undercuts your brand and public image, among the people that your business depends on.
Not to mention the fact that they may not even get a decent homepage design out of it when all is said and done.
- yeah i guess you're right ;)
bigtrick - there is a good chance that we will not get a usable design from the contest. i think that there are a lot of problems with the approachAquentminister
- this approach, but, like I said, we were experimenting. I, for one, am learning a valuable lesson from this whole conversationAquentminister
- yeah i guess you're right ;)
- dog_opus0
You guys definitely made the right choice. Design is truly dead if we allow it to be robbed of the integrity, character, and respect that so many worked hard to bring to it.
- design_bitch0
well put, monkeyshine. i think i'm also more encouraged now by the fact that there were so many assertive people here and also helping me feel not so alone in the constant battle of designer v. client and just defending the design community in general.
makes you kind of wonder about the other issues we are capable of changing by voicing our opinions.
here's to you, the designer (and other creatives of course).
- +1 . I was so encouraged, amazed and proud of my peers. We stepped up and made a difference. :)monkeyshine
- cannonball0
Dear Aquent,
Maybe I was a bit harsh with my last posting. I meant it in jest. I know you want a new website and all, and I'm not about to do any real work for you ever, but since I'm an insomniac and jetlagged at my grandma's house I thought I'd toss you a bone with a littl ebit of a site audit.
1) Like a real estate agent finds people homes, you are finding people livelihoods. Take a look at some of the better real estate sites out there. They have pictures of homes. You should have pictures too! Like say... pictures of places people work at through you guys!
2) People looking for talent might come to your site from time to time. Your services section is comparatively tiny and on the bottom right of the site... right next to "industry experts videos" leading me to think... what the hell do these people do? (and in a bad way)
3) No one's reading your blog right now except disgruntled designers and maybe some pals. Collapse that into the navigation. Having that list there means you have to keep updating it with innane rambling to look like you are doing stuff.
4) Throw your talent some props. Feature them on the home page. Champion them. Maybe each person in your database can design a "skin" for the home page, and featured designers will have their designs take over the home page (or as much of it as you like). This creates incentive for people to properly fill out their profile (and please stop asking me how often I use software in the profile).
5) If you want to "crowdsource" properly, cross-reference and link that database of designer profiles into a community. I don't mean give each designer a blog and an itunes playlist. Make the functionality around careers. Places for feedback. Other designers might like to work with each other, and agencies like hiring teams. Track how easy it is for designers to get to a job. Its a potential for tons of data that you can mine for later use. I don't need to tell you that.
6) Axe the dot com orange. It's cliche. If your brand manager insists on keeping it then fire him. He's cliche.
7) "Rate this page" Get rid of this, no one cares.
8) Maybe make.. I dunno... 2 sites? One for hiring agencies, and one for the talent? Why muddy up the communication by mashing it all together like you have it now
9) Training? I though you were staffing talent. You mean they still need training through AGI? Put this somewhere else.
10) Greet me. I get to the site and I feel like I'm in a lobby. I should feel like I'm having my hand shook by someone who knows me.
There, I'll stop at 10. There's probably a lot more but I'm gonna play some tetris.
- OSFA0
I sincerely don't see anything wrong with it, in fact, I am in the process of building a site similar to the one in question, but not for designers...I'm doing it for doctors and lawyers. I still can't come up with a name for it, but once I find the 'winner' I'll pay him $500 to sue this fucktard....
- "99 Lawsuits?"ukit
- nah...needs to be more dramatic...OSFA
- 99 dramatic lawsuits?monNom
- that is the second time in a month that I have heard the expression "fucktard" - strangeAquentminister
- Haha @ osfaslappy
- trooper0
Re cannonballs post above - ive quite a bit of experience in designing recruitment sites so...
4. sounds great but to be honesy many recruitment firms dont care about candidates once theyre placed so sounds good but in the industry theres just no incencive as the fees been paid by then
8. 99.9% of people visiting the site will be candidates so i think the site should be focused thus (check krop) - unfortunately 99.9% of recruitment firms still think theyre trying to attract new clients - a thing websites just dont do (except krop lol)
- Dont the best recruiters have returning talent? I'd wanna milk that cash cow for as long as possible.cannonball
- one difference here is that many of these placements are temp/freelance gigs so recruiters do care about returnmonkeyshine
- Josev0
What the fuck. It's worth noting that Aquent has a relationship with the AIGA too.
- I'm writing the AIGA.Josev
- no kidding. you'd think someone would have put a stop to thisdesign_bitch
- Aquent is an "official sponsor" of the AIGA. I doubt the AIGA will do anything to rock the boat.Josev
- sintaxera0
Matt, I really do think you made the right decision on this one. A lot of us obviously do not view these contests in the same light that you do, but I feel safe assuming that Aquent had no ill intent by starting the contest. It was a good move to confront the angry mob head on and not shy away from the criticism, and an even better move to cancel the contest. Thanks for listening to the community and ultimately making the right choice.
I could go on and on, but I think I'll just let it end here....
- MrDinky0
Aquent's equity is the designers on the roll call who works its clients.
1. why not hire someone with in Aquent's list?
2. as information proliferation increases, the clients will go to these contest routes rather than hiring Aquent.i think i am too late now
- OSFA0
well mates, I think our job here is done....
shall we go on to craigslist now??
- design_bitch0
looks like Aquent isnt the only one: http://vaiomygraphicsplash.com/D…
the pot is bigger, but no better
- muahaha.. celebrity judge is Lauren Conrad on that one. Good god.bogue