aquent site redesign-spec work
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- Dancer0
This gets my vote for "Most Interesting post of the year". I missed it all but have spent the last hour reading it all.
Everyone has made some very valid points, if not repeating each other quite a bit. I never saw this as an "experiment" how is it experimental, it can only be damaging... He makes out that this is also a contest... well why didn't Aquent post this "contest" on their own site and post ads in the design press with a worthwhile prize – instead of plugging 99designs.
Matt created an interesting discussion and I applaud him for coming on here to defend it. I fear Aquent are licking their wounds and now trying limit the damage this may have done.
I hope that freelance designers pull themselves from their books in protest of Aquent's behaviour.
- Dancer0
From their site:
http://blogs.aquent.com/thetalen…
SorryI'm sorry we freaked out a bunch of people in the design community by running a contest to redo our homepage. There might have been a right way to do this thing, but we didn't do it the right way.
The discussion that unfolded on QBN and elsewhere brought out a lot of strong feelings and raised a number of issues. I'm still sorting through them, but the one that's gotten to me is this:
While some people don't like us and never did ("i've always hated Aquent" was one profanity-free way of putting it), there are a number of people who view us as a company that "gets it" and, at least to a certain extent, as a partner who is on the side of designers and the profession. These folks were more than let down by this contest - they were hurt by it. In their eyes, as they wrote, it was a "slap in the face."
To those people in particular, I apologize.
A wise man once said, "People care more about bad feelings than they do about bad outcomes." I believe that the discussion this has generated, and our response to it, will ultimately have a positive effect on the "outcome" front.
I'm hoping that this apology is a step in the right direction on the feelings front.
- calculator0
damage already done
- Peter0
Not my style to kick people while they're down.
But the service I recieved from Aquent were...subpar.
Anyways, still appreciate their salary- and marketsurveys.
- Who am I kidding. I am actually wearing my steelplated pointy kickingshoes already...Peter
- and I'm feelin' it, PeterHAquentminister
- ukit0
Gotta say, I'm encouraged by how people here asserted themselves over this. If we don't fight to protect our own interests, who will?
Anyway, yeah, it was an interesting thread.
- uncle_helv0
I guess $500 buys you a lot of shit attempts at a homepage!
- ********0
so, who won the contest
- They canceled itukit
- may the force be with you, qbn.********
- ********0
to be honest i have'nt read this thread [hvnt got that much time]
but can we assume that http://99designs.com is a right off website ?
- PonyBoy0
lol@$500... must be nice to consistently steal from poor students who know no better...
:(... fuckers
- jevad0
"There might have been a right way to do this thing, but we didn't do it the right way."
'MIGHT' have?! No mights about it - there is a clear right and wrong way to approach something like this and they though - wrongly - that being cheap and stupid about it was good enough!
The most unprofessional approach to something like this by a company purporting to support the freelance community that I have EVER seen.
- The response posted on that blog makes me SO MAD. More 'whoops we got busted'...jevad
- ...than 'oh shit...we fucked up...we're really sorry.'jevad
- Oh, shit, we fucked up, we're really sorry. MattAquentminister
- ********0
Bloody hell this is a sad situation, I never thought I would see a company like Aquent go down this road. It's an insult to are industry?
- ********0
I propose this: everyone who got shafted in the canceled contest gets to think of ways that Aquent can make it up to the design community. It's a contest that those who submitted get to brainstorm on... Think: ways Aquent can re-engage with their talent pool in a meaningful way.
- This will piss off the copy writersmtgentry
- What copywriters?********
- ********0
I for one will not be using Aquent. It appropriate to think that Mat, and the the business model used by him is only interested in making money and has no real interest or understanding of the design community on a professional level. Very embarrassing for Aquent, and the design business as a hole.
- trooper0
ive blogged with all the links on one page http://markrushworth.com/templat… theres more to it thaan just the 99design site and the aquent blog!
- You should add links to the AIGA website and mention that they're major supporters of AIGA.Josev
- Also, it's worth mentioning that they, Aquent, do get some value form that relationship. AIGA gives them some legitimacy (or has) within the creative community.Josev
- legitimacy within the creative community.Josev
- 23kon0
bottom line:
recruitment agencies and agents are all just fuckin' sharks out to hit as many targets as they can and fill their bank account with money youve sweat for!yes they are handy if you are lazy and cant be assed trying to actually look for work yourself.
back to my first point ... fuckin sharks!
i got paid off from a company years ago, half an hour after id been told i was being let go (and i hadnt told anyone) i gets a phone call from not one but two agencies. madness eh?
they can locate blood from miles away!
- 23kon0
so yeah this doesnt surprise me they are running this greedy-ass comp
- ********0
AQUENT: "we haven't got as clue what it is you do, and don't even give a shit, but hey, maybe we can get you a job or something somewhere. For a fee."
- Josev0
What has surprised me about this is that, typically, important post topics get picked up and moved other forums. This seems to have only stayed here on QBN.
- OSFA0
Contest is cancelled... so what??? That's it? They'll get over it?
I don't think they understand the kind of damage and bad rep acquired. Wonder if the marketing 'genius' that truly came up with this awesome plan still has a job.