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Say “No!” to spec

NO!SPEC is an organization with a mission to educate the public about speculative, or ‘spec’ work:

Our target includes those who use creative services, as well as creative professionals (designers, photographers, illustrators, writers and those in marketing, branding and advertising).

It also serves as a vehicle to unite those who support the notion that spec work devalues the potential of design and ultimately does a disservice to the client.

The site is filled with information and articles about how doing creative work for free completely devalues not only one’s work, but their entire profession. The site is heavily-weighted to graphic design, but most of the information applies to all creative professionals. NO!SPEC

  • http://stormsillustration.com/ Patricia

    I haven’t looked at the site yet, but wanted to make a comment about doing spec work. Overall, I would say no to spec work, but I think there can be certain situations where I might relent. A couple years back I was approached by a publishing company to compete for an illustration job. It annoyed me a bit that I wasn’t offered any pay for doing 2 colour samples, plus I ended up not getting the job. BUT. My work was on file with them, and about 6 months later I got a paid job with them, and now conintue to do work for them, off and on.

    So I would say 99.9% of the time, don’t do spec work, but keep an open mind, depending on the offer.

  • http://stormsillustration.com Patricia

    I haven’t looked at the site yet, but wanted to make a comment about doing spec work. Overall, I would say no to spec work, but I think there can be certain situations where I might relent. A couple years back I was approached by a publishing company to compete for an illustration job. It annoyed me a bit that I wasn’t offered any pay for doing 2 colour samples, plus I ended up not getting the job. BUT. My work was on file with them, and about 6 months later I got a paid job with them, and now conintue to do work for them, off and on.

    So I would say 99.9% of the time, don’t do spec work, but keep an open mind, depending on the offer.

  • Gigammee

    I agree with the site’s point. I am 100% against spec. But I’m not going to put a NO!SPEC logo on my site, only to have it lead to posters that say BITE!ME and SPEC YOU! If someone approached me with an “on spec” job, I would politely inform them of my reasons for declining… maybe they legitimately do not know the deeper reasons as to why working on spec is unacceptable.Plus, they are clients, after all. I think the campaign would be good for students and educational settings, though.

  • Gigammee

    I agree with the site’s point. I am 100% against spec. But I’m not going to put a NO!SPEC logo on my site, only to have it lead to posters that say BITE!ME and SPEC YOU! If someone approached me with an “on spec” job, I would politely inform them of my reasons for declining… maybe they legitimately do not know the deeper reasons as to why working on spec is unacceptable.Plus, they are clients, after all. I think the campaign would be good for students and educational settings, though.

  • http://www.comingupforair.net/ Matt

    Patricia is dead right in my mind.

    The site is a brilliant idea though – and will hopefully raise awareness about the pitfalls of spec work to young and emerging artists. Perhaps it should be called, “Be careful of SPEC!” … I guess that’s not as catchy.

  • http://www.comingupforair.net Matt

    Patricia is dead right in my mind.

    The site is a brilliant idea though – and will hopefully raise awareness about the pitfalls of spec work to young and emerging artists. Perhaps it should be called, “Be careful of SPEC!” … I guess that’s not as catchy.

  • http://brettlamb.com/ blamb

    I ran across the site a few months ago and it’s annoying. The issue is worth promoting, but they do it in an irritating, dogmatic manner … now I feel like taking on some spec projects just to piss off those idiots. They sound like ex-addicts … I imagine the site creators did a lot of spec work at some point , that’s the best explanation for their hard line.

  • http://brettlamb.com blamb

    I ran across the site a few months ago and it’s annoying. The issue is worth promoting, but they do it in an irritating, dogmatic manner … now I feel like taking on some spec projects just to piss off those idiots. They sound like ex-addicts … I imagine the site creators did a lot of spec work at some point , that’s the best explanation for their hard line.

  • http://jeope.blogspot.com/ Jeope

    Put spec work in the context of any other profession – ludicrous as it may sound – and you will see just how demeaning the process can potentially be. So what if the tone is hardline? It takes a strong message to reverse the course of a (sadly) standard – and heavily misguided – business practise.

  • http://jeope.blogspot.com Jeope

    Put spec work in the context of any other profession – ludicrous as it may sound – and you will see just how demeaning the process can potentially be. So what if the tone is hardline? It takes a strong message to reverse the course of a (sadly) standard – and heavily misguided – business practise.

  • Mike

    Too bad most of their posters suck and their logo is dumb. Maybe if they had someone spec it out for them before they saw it…

  • Mike

    Too bad most of their posters suck and their logo is dumb. Maybe if they had someone spec it out for them before they saw it…

  • JohnJohn

    Here in L.A. bands and DJs play for little to no compensation in the clubs. so are they doing spec work? It seems from the web site that spec work happens more in graphic design. is that the case?

  • JohnJohn

    Here in L.A. bands and DJs play for little to no compensation in the clubs. so are they doing spec work? It seems from the web site that spec work happens more in graphic design. is that the case?

  • Cooker

    Spec work is more common and has different possibilities in some industries. E.g. Film scripts are often written on spec, but they sometimes are purchased: e.g. “The Salton Sea” and “Panic Room” were spec scripts. One started a career, the other netted the guy millions.

    That said, the practice in graphics is deplorable.

  • Cooker

    Spec work is more common and has different possibilities in some industries. E.g. Film scripts are often written on spec, but they sometimes are purchased: e.g. “The Salton Sea” and “Panic Room” were spec scripts. One started a career, the other netted the guy millions.

    That said, the practice in graphics is deplorable.

  • http://jessehora.com/ JESSEHORA.COM

    Spec work is a necessary evil, get over it…its a good thing to dislike like but in the mean time do some spec work to get your name out and when your respected enough you wont have to think about it. Period, no spec work on my site hahah

  • http://jessehora.com/ JESSEHORA.COM

    Spec work is a necessary evil, get over it…its a good thing to dislike like but in the mean time do some spec work to get your name out and when your respected enough you wont have to think about it. Period, no spec work on my site hahah

  • m00nwater

    I disagree that spec is a necessary evil.

    Would you ask a mechanic to show you how they would put your brakes on your vehicle? Would you get a boob job from a few doctors until you found the one that you liked the best? NO.

    So why is it too much to ask that a PROFESSIONAL gets paid to do what they do? In my opinion, the real problem is the over-saturation of people in the world calling themselves designers just because they know how to use a few menus in Photoshop. It’s these people that are undermining the true designer’s ability to charge what they should be for jobs and simply designing poor quality stuff.

    An article of merit:

    http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23924

  • m00nwater

    I disagree that spec is a necessary evil.

    Would you ask a mechanic to show you how they would put your brakes on your vehicle? Would you get a boob job from a few doctors until you found the one that you liked the best? NO.

    So why is it too much to ask that a PROFESSIONAL gets paid to do what they do? In my opinion, the real problem is the over-saturation of people in the world calling themselves designers just because they know how to use a few menus in Photoshop. It’s these people that are undermining the true designer’s ability to charge what they should be for jobs and simply designing poor quality stuff.

    An article of merit:

    http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23924