no website theory
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- must_dash0
is clever direct marketing annoying phone calls and emails?
- BIGGESTDOGINTHEWORLD0
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sounds like a "This online thing will never catch on" type, doesn't get the internet and doesn't want to so pretends other things are better.
- kezza_20
I've done a hell of a lot of interviews recently and I must say your friend has a point...
I think a website is needed, but it wants to be edited and quick to scan. To many are just dumping grounds for everything some one has ever done.
But I do get cool little PDF's though now and again that show work and explain what they've done and how, and im much more receptive to that.
problem you'll find is getting the emails or names.
- skt0
if showing your best work to a potential employer is likely to damage your chances of getting the job direct marketing probably won’t help.
- whatsup0
i think that idea is interesting. however, the work that you do show should be tailored to the client, or company's needs. So if you have to show good type and still be able to show awesome and superb type afterwards as part of "your game" then you'll be bad ass.
However, if your good type was not so good because you were holding out, then you risked a job.
- at the same time, if you show your best, you should be able to do better afterwardswhatsup
- mydo0
i get sent CV's and portfolios every day, you'd be shocked at the shit i get. web designers with no website, print designers who send shitty photos of stuff. Your friend is almost right but a retard at the same time. I would say an employer/CD is just going to make a snap decision. 1 webpage with 5 pieces on is enough. from that you can tell. but those 5 pieces should be the most amazing stuff you've ever done. Then you call to see if they got it and ask if you can come in for a chat, as you're "really interested in their company, and would love to meat them!". Then in the interview you can show the back up work behind the pieces.
i reckon anyway.
- mydo0
"if showing your best work to a potential employer is likely to damage your chances of getting the job... "
that's it just there. you didn't even need to finish the sentence :)
- Spookytim0
I have long felt there is something in this way of thinking and I know of a couple of creative studios that literally have no online presence at all and do really well, even now in these hard times. It intrigues me how they do it, but there is definitely a reverse psychology at work.
There is a whole new super-premium range of brands that are totally invisible on the internet. You could google them and come up with nothing, and assume therefore that they don't exist.
I did some speculative branding work in 03 for a men's super-luxury clothing & accessories brand called Holbrech that was going to launch in 05. I assumed it had never happened, but it did, and they exist, albeit with a different name, but they show up nowhere online, nowhere at all. They are fierce about keeping that way too as their perceived uberexclusivity relies on them being invisible to the hoi polloi.
They actually research their exclusive customers and invite them to inspect the goods. All done by post. Insane, but it works for them. Rich people don't want to buy stuff that's lying around on the superhighway.
- Spookytim0
"Then you call to see if they got it and ask if you can come in for a chat, as you're really interested in their company, and would love to meat them!"
LOL... “meat them”.
Can I come in and meat you Mydo? I'll be discreet.
- nothing better than a discreet meating. see you at 9.30 my desk..mydo
- mydo0
spooks, this Holdbrech company. there really is NOTHING on the internet about them. not even something to say they are a registered company. or that someone famous wore something from there. not mentioned on any blog or otherwise. is that really true?
- mydo0
until tomorrow that is, and googling holbrech will now index QBN. you've ruined it for them.
- lukus_W0
A website is only really good if it's going to build up yr kudos. Although it's a bit nauseating - it seems that designers need to concentrate on building up their own 'brand' if they want to go far. I guess something like a blog is good for web-developers / designers, because it shows what you think about and what you do - I don't know if this applies so much to graphic design?
If I was an employer - I'd basically look to a site to back up what I what I'm told in an interview / get a bit of background info. In that sense the site is only really going to be backup material. Proves you exist and that you're legitimate I guess?
- but the site comes first. before you even get the interview
mydo
- but the site comes first. before you even get the interview
- Spookytim0
When we were doing the branding work with them (which was paid work but was only speculative / exploratory work to help them explore/define their brand) they were thinking of Holbrech and two other names... all the names were heraldic family names from old Europe. In the end they went for one of the other names but even if I was to tell you what it was you still wouldn't find it online unless you did a fairly deep business-based search.
They are Swiss/Lichtenstein, privately owned by a family who are already major owners of luxury brands.
People who get those fancy Vertu mobile phones and the top flight consierge service are sent a catalogue for example, likewise people pre-ordering the Aston 177 are receiving them at the moment.
I haven't seen a catalogue but they are, apparently, insanely good.
- Its like a whole new 'web' of communication via mutual support between true-luxury brands.Spookytim
- I can also reveal that the art director/studio responsible for their work is under contract NEVER to...Spookytim
- showcase the work it or enter it into awards. They are well paid but can never show the work to anyone.Spookytim
- TELL MEEEEE/mydo
- Spookytim0
What pisses me off about illustration is that its necessary to have 5million pieces of work on your site just to compete with all the other illustrators out there. Even agents have an insane amount for each of their artists. Its really depressing.
- 23kon0
I like the sound of the PDFs that Kezza gets.
Anyone can have a website full of loads of work that "looks" really good and appealing but it might not actually have any commercial value - just something done to look nice - with no substance behind it.
Showing some choice projects, from sketchbook to final pieces is a good idea. That's what employers/colleges are more interested in really when you go to the interviews. THey'll ask you to talk through the projects rather than just looking at the finished articles.