DESIGN MATTERS
The downturn is hitting designers hard as publishers and retailers
harden their attitudes to original work. But as Gill Davies reports,
good partnerships can still work.
Getting it right first time
s the effects of the recession on information from the publisher or agent who
A
move down the supply gives them work. It would be very disingenuous to
chain, freelance designers believe that women, working from a home studio
and artists are fi nding life are ladies of leisure being supported by husbands.
increasingly harder. Even That notion is 30 years out of date, at least!
in recent history when trade Art buyers are also feeling the strain. They have
was good, fees were nothing to produce more work in house and they might
like the same as the boom time for the card trade employ the staff able to supply it but their budgets
in the ‘80s. That’s because as every other cost for are now declining. Last year there was money to
publishers increased, the fees they paid for their Art produce and hopefully sell in product. There was a
and Design didn’t. In fact for some designers the general hope that Christmas would call a halt to the
fees are a lot less. retail decline. This didn’t happen in quite the way
Now a much greater and diffi cult time faces we all imagined.
designers. Apart from the fi nancial pressure, the Falling back on experience gained during the last
Industry faces consolidation, closure and loss of recession we didn’t foresee quite the size of high
business, along with the inevitable budgetary knife street retail decline nor the increase in online sales.
wielding that fi nancial pressure imposes. Maybe cards will never really be the product that
In a saturated market, operating during a suits online but the saturation created by high street
recession, there will always be less opportunity selling has created an industry that faces a real
for the majority of creatives to increase their client reduction in manufacturing at this time.
base and the declining number of companies buying What every freelance designer is fi nding is that
strongly is hitting hard. hanging onto clients means creating an endless
Some designers are tied to are very loyal to supply of “new” work and ideas. In an uncertain
particular companies and brands. These lucky market lesser art buyers rely on even more designs
few, who are guaranteed work by the quality and to push for an acceptance from the seemingly still
originality of their design, have different concerns. important high street retail buyer.
Although they might have branded themselves If they don’t know what their retail buyer wants
and moved laterally into other product areas their and then supply it, no end of design obtained for
niche is decorative and card, china or placemat nothing will swing any sales. Strong creatives with
are all at the mercy of the crisis in retail. These a good eye are needed now more than at any time
products are non-essential and not part of everyday since I started in this business. Low paid girls just
shopping, as they have been in the past when won’t get it or handle it.
money was easy. Good businesses survive and do so by evolving.
The effects of moving to production suppliers They also work with staff and freelancers that
overseas did mean low prices but that is not the case form a good team. This means transparency and
anymore. For small card publishers a short digital communication. Designers need to understand the
Visuals this month come from two very experienced
greeting card designers. Their longevity in the industry
run is very feasible but for the big boys this does pressure their clients are feeling and to be told when
is down to reading it correctly, original ideas and great
not work for supplying high street names. work is unnecessary and given good direction. That
work produced on time.
Retail names that were dominant for years have means a brief that does the job and doesn’t waste Berni Parker: “Fresh ideas along with perseverance are
.co.uk
gone and they did supply some lucky designers with anybody’s time.
needed in a difficult marketplace”
royalties. Their disappearance and falling footfall At this moment some Art buyer is changing their
Marilyn Roberston: “I know I am not alone, facing the
challenge of the unprecedented economic climate.
is a real pressure on the low-paid design end of the mind completely assuming that some Cinderella a
Clients business practise has changed. Caution and a
business. long way from the offi ce is just waiting to be told
no risk attitude seems to be the order of the day.”
Add to that trailing credit terms and the fact that that the art buyer’s original brief was incorrect. This “The key for me is to remain focused, as well as flexible
publishers have to do the deals and it’s obvious that is no way to work in this day and age. Two jobs are
when working with my best and loyal clients.”
eetingstoday
again the freelancer in a design-saturated market is on the line when “how many hours do you work?”
“I try to go that extra mile, giving excellent service
.
gr
making certain my costs are controlled and my
suffering. turns into “how many hours were productive?” The
processes efficient. When the upturn begins I’ll be in the
Many will understand the pressure but most will latter is the freelancer’s mantra. It might soon be a
right place for growth.”
www
not. They work in isolation and are often dependent way of life for more people.
28
www.greetingstoday.co.uk
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