Topic #3 – Design Team Calls – what do you think?
August 23, 2006
Design team calls – I think these have gotten to the point where they are SOMETIMES just publicity campaigns for a website/vendor and the team itself has no real meaning or value for the artists who participates (meaning OK, so you win some free product, so what).
The amount of work I see some people put into their entries for these calls – geesh!
What are your thoughts on DT calls? Good, bad, ugly – spill yer guts.
I’ll wax poetic about this later – tonight I’m sick. 
Entry Filed under: Uncategorized. .
13 Comments Add your own
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <pre> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed
1.
pink1492 | August 23, 2006 at 2:12 pm
I’m ok with the contests as long as they are fair. I think it is a good way for people to get excited about the product except they might be sick of it by then end of the contest.
One problem though might be that people enter even when they don’t love the product, they just want to be on a team so they’ll apply.
One more thing, I don’t like it when they ask what other design teams you are on, like it matters. Do they only want people that are on 10 other teams because people know them? I would think picking a person that can dedicate all their time to you would be more appealing than someone who was pulled in a lot of directions.
2.
Colleen | August 23, 2006 at 2:59 pm
I think it’s all in good fun…as long as you keep it fun and remember that DT calls and contests are also a marketing tool for a site to sell more stuff and get it’s name out there to increase their customer base. I have also heard a lot about DT calls that are really just a reason to add some friends to the DT…so the decision is already made before even one LO is submitted…and I’m sure that’s true in some cases…I’d like to hope that’s the exception to the rule.
My personal ‘rules’ (which does get broken every now and then…lol) about DT calls and contests is if I already have the stuff…and I can do LO’s with pics I haven’t used yet and have been wanting to scrap anyway… I will give it a shot. I never assume I will win or get on a DT…I do it because I like having a purpose and a goal when I sit down to scrap…and I love having a deadline….it just adds to the fun of scrapping for me.
3.
4021 | August 23, 2006 at 6:32 pm
I dunno, I think for the most part they are more marketing campaigns than real design team searches. Especially the ones where you have to submit using their products. One of the recent ones was really tempting for me because I love the company, so I planned my layouts and bought the stuff to enter. Then I kicked myself in the arse for being sucked into their sales gimmick. If I really want to be on their team, why didn’t I apply before a contest came along? I did end up with some great pages, though. Usually, however, I steer clear of them.
I would love to know ahead of time the pay scale for the teams: why is that such a big secret? because less people would enter if they knew they were looking at a ton of work for next to no pay? and the point is to have the highest number of entries possible because all those dt hopefuls are buying your product?
4.
Anonymous | August 23, 2006 at 9:00 pm
My biggest complaint about DT Calls–whether it is an store or manufacturer–is that the DT members all seem to be the same people over and over. It’s tough as a “no name”, not published, scrapper to land a gig. I know that there have been times that I wanted to submit to a DT call only to change my mind because I heard “so and so” submitted for it. I know that with name recognition comes alot of “pressure” to submit stuff but I’m just saying a scrapper who wants to “break” into this industry is under a whole lot of pressure too.
5.
Jillian | August 23, 2006 at 9:49 pm
Ditto to what #4 said.
Especially for the manufacturer calls. Some people are on like 4-5 different mfr teams. I honestly don’t see how that is not a conflict, especially at trade show time.
I’d love to get on a good team and work hard and push myself to do the best work I can, but I don’t even try because you can almost predict who the winners will be before the call even goes out.
6.
A. | August 24, 2006 at 8:01 pm
honestly, I don’t mind them at all. I just wish they would use proper terminology. it’s a design team CALL. not a contest. Making it a “contest” puts too much importance on it and isn’t really what they are doing. These companies (whether sites or manufacturers) are putting out an employment ad and they slap the word contest on it like being invited to be on the team is akin to winning a new car.
7.
Just Scrap | August 25, 2006 at 5:47 pm
A – You are exactly right. And if it IS an employment opportunity – don’t you think that people should know up front what compensation is for thier work – before they waste time on applying? And is it fair or even legal to require applicants to purchase certain products in order to apply?
8.
Jennifer | August 28, 2006 at 1:17 pm
It certainly is legal to require the use of product in a mnaufacturer’s contest – just look outside the SB industry for proof of that. Most cooking or recipe contests require use of the manufacturer’s product.
As for the original question, I think many are done for publicity and marketing, in addition to needing designers to create fantastic samples. It is a brilliant marketing strategy, and one that has been proven to work effectively.
9.
Anonymous | August 30, 2006 at 6:16 am
I think the work that get turned in for DT Calls are in the same league as those turned in to contests such as CK’s HOF or Memory Makes’s Masters. I find it challenging to be “innovative” enough without feeling as if I am “borrowing” certain design styles. Take for instance the whole buttons in the layout. I have always used buttons in my layouts or cards, but Elsie has taken that design concept into a whole different field and I know if I turn in a layout even using that concept (using buttons to frame the main picture) it wouldn’t be original.
10.
Anonymous | September 5, 2006 at 5:49 pm
What I would love to see is a broad range of talent and techniques that are chosen for the DTs. I do agree with #4 – it’s getting to the point where you see more and more of the same people selected to DTs. Why is that? Wouldn’t you think that manufacturer’s would need to diversify the range of talent showcasing their product?
Please understand – this is not sour grapes, because I have never submitted anything to a DT call or contest – it’s the fact that as a subscriber and reader of several magazines, the same styles and predicted embellishments are being shown over and over again. Too much becomes just that – TOO much!
As much as I love Elsie and her style, it’s been saturated into every nook and cranny of the market available to scrappers to the point that it is almost overwhelming. And, if you love that particular style (just as #9 said above), it’s been done. I would think anything submitted to a manufacturer’s or other DT call/contest would be viewed as an Elsie knockoff – nothing original or innovative.
Just my thoughts.
Thanks for the venue for airing some good and thoughtful conversation!
11.
Anonymous | September 5, 2006 at 5:51 pm
What I would love to see is a broad range of talent and techniques that are chosen for the DTs. I do agree with #4 – it’s getting to the point where you see more and more of the same people selected to DTs. Why is that? Wouldn’t you think that manufacturer’s would need to diversify the range of talent showcasing their product?
Please understand – this is not sour grapes, because I have never submitted anything to a DT call or contest – it’s the fact that as a subscriber and reader of several magazines, the same styles and predicted embellishments are being shown over and over again. Too much becomes just that – TOO much!
As much as I love Elsie and her style, it’s been saturated into every nook and cranny of the market available to scrappers to the point that it is almost overwhelming. And, if you love that particular style (just as #9 said above), it’s been done. I would think anything submitted to a manufacturer’s or other DT call/contest would be viewed as an Elsie knockoff – nothing original or innovative.
Again, I would just love to see some diversity in the industry!!
Just my thoughts.
Thanks for the venue for airing some good and thoughtful conversation!
12.
boysmama | October 16, 2006 at 12:43 pm
I think they are fun. I’ve tried out for a few…not gotten a most but am currently on a kit club one. It’s a great way for ME to get some product that I might not be able to afford otherwise…I loved the kit so it was a win win for me. I scrap anyway so their requirements don’t bother me a bit.
On the flip side…I was DT Co for a site and had to choose the DT when we had a call. I always asked how many DT’s someone was on as well but not because I wanted to see if they were ‘popular’ but I did it because I didn’t want someone who WAS on 10 other teams and couldn’t devote the time for our site. So I LOVED to get the unpubbed girls…no name girls if you will because they were EXCITED and they brought so much more to the table….just simply because they were excited. Oh and one of those girls is now a Junkitz girl…how excited for her am I?? SUPER!!
I can say…I knew her when….
It’s just gotten so nasty out there…and it’s a shame. It’s sposed to be a fun added bonus to doing what you love to do.
13.
boysmama | October 16, 2006 at 12:44 pm
oh and wanted to add…even though I have tried out I have NEVER scrapped a layout FOR a call….if I have something that fits I will submit it…if I don’t. OH WELL.