The Caravan Project - and others in the design world - take note and support the NO!SPEC campaign

Earlier this month I posted a bLog-oMotives entry about the launch of the international NO!SPEC crusade. The mission of the campaign is to educate the public about speculative, or 'spec' work. The target audience includes those who use creative services, as well as creative professionals (designers, photographers, illustrators and those in marketing and branding). NO!SPEC 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.

Since the announcement of the cause, designers around the world have been informing businesses, organizations and individual designers about NO!SPEC. In some cases such introductions have been in the form of educating others about the fact their "design contest," call for design submissions, or request for unpaid work as a condition of possible hiring, is in fact "spec" work.

One such situation was that of The Caravan Project. According to their web site, "In early June 2006 a crummy looking Caravan will have been transformed into a beautiful piece of graphic design. It will be used as an art gallery for people to display their work, and will travel around Sweden during July 2006." The Caravan Project is made up of three designers - Petter Johansson, Magnus Berg and Fredrik Öst - all with a great passion for design, art and music. I want to compliment Frederick Ost for engaging in a positive dialogue with Cat Morley, Project Manager of NO!SPEC, in regards to how their original call for participation constituted "spec" work. The Caravan Project members worked with NO!SPEC to revise their request into a much more ethical design project procedure. I applaud their willingness to take another look out how their project was being conducted and make alterations. I urge other designers to support The Caravan Project and their promotion of NO!SPEC. When you visit the TCP web site you will see their support in the form of the graphic posted above.

Other business and organizations are also taking note of the purpose of NO!SPEC and responding in a very positive manner as well. Please take a look at the latest NO!SPEC Advocacy Update to see the results of the work being done by design industry professionals on this issue. A special thanks to Carmen von Richthofen, Executive Director of The Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario (RGD Ontario) for her work on the update. If you've got a few minutes, take the time to contact those now promoting the cause of NO!SPEC. The personal efforts of those involved in this campaign are making a difference.

Check out what other designers are writing about NO!SPEC through links posted at Designers Who Blog

© 2006 Jeff Fisher LogoMotives