Graphic designers Vs Creative Crowdsourcing – Round 2

Here at last is the 2nd round of “Crowdsourcing Creative Vs Graphic Designers”. After publishing the post with the answers of the graphic designer Gustavo Solana, now is time to hear from the other party, the crowdsourcing creative sector. In this case, David Lastra, co-founder and CTO (chief technical officer) of Adtriboo, will answer my questions.

Interview

Enrique: As I said to the designer I interviewed in the last post about “Graphic designers & creative crowdsourcing”, I consider myself a mere spectator of the conflict, trying to understand in depth the crowdsourcing, and in this case, its relationship with the work environment in which it’s developed.

As I suppose you know, these past weeks, the world of designers, design studios, etc.. has risen in arms against the issue of creative crowdsourcing (almost here in Spain), and especially against your platform, Adtriboo. Their opinion about creative crowdsourcing is clear and can be found on different blogs. I would highlight the Gustavo Solana’s interview in the last post and the post about the issue in the blog “Crónicas de pseudonimma”, commented by Rodolfo Carpentier in his blog… there are other sources from outside of Spain, posted some time ago, as this one of the AIGA website.

I guess the Adtriboo model is inspired or imitating other oldest creative crowdsourcing platforms. When you started with the creation and launch of Adtriboo, ¿did you knew this difficult relationship between designers / creatives and creative crowdsourcing platforms? Has the reaction of the professional sector here in Spain surprised you?

David: About the model, your’re right: crowdsourcing born in 2006 in the U.S. and years later began to appear the first creative crowdsourcing platforms. Today it is an absolutely established and tested model in other markets. The truth is that the Internet has entered into a sector that until now was oblivious to this channel and to the changes that are occurring in other businesses. The advertising industry and the design will evolve towards this model. The criticisms that are thrown are confined, in a large majority, to disqualify the model, even to insult. Clearly, the market will go this way. This represents an adaptation to new ways of working which relate supply and demand. Crowdsourcing is a model with clear advantages for customers and for many professionals and young people who are starting. Advertising agencies themselves are understanding these changes and are adapting themselves to more efficient models. In the U.S., for example, Pepsi has spent several years doing his spot in the Super Bowl through crowdsourcing, with obvious savings and providing opportunities to latent talent that is there, in the market.

E.: But, did you knew this difficult relationship between these platforms and the professional sector of the designers? Did you expect this reaction?

D.: The truth is that you are talking about the reaction of a segment of the designers, not all of them. As I said before, the model has obvious advantages for both parties, but not everyone wants to recognize that.

E.: Designers mainly criticize that Adtriboo and similar platforms promote the precariousness of the designer profession. This precariousness is manifested mainly by two factors: very low prices which make competition impossible, and the work intrusion, allowing people outside the sector to entry. What do you think about the attitude of the designers and specifically about these two critics?

D.: This model not only exists in the creative field. Crowdsourcing has been introduced in many different businesses. It is used in different areas like the social or the political; and even to make cars. We respect the constructive opinions, and we are constantly implementing improvements based on the suggestions presented to us. We will continue working hard to get more and better projects to offer to the Community. The reaction of some of the designers is, in our opinion, sometimes aggressive and disproportionate not only to ourselves but also to the creatives that support these platforms.

E.: This reaction, that it’s true that is very intense, is due, they say, to the above-mentioned two factors: low prices and facilitation of labor intrusion. What you have to say to these critics?

D.: The market says yes to the model. I think there is not much more to say. Even large groups are adapting to the changes taking place via the Internet.

E.: One of the benefits from the creative crowdsourcing platforms, as Adtriboo, is that many people, professionals and amateurs, have opportunities that otherwise would not. What kind of people take part in competitions organized by adtriboo? And one thing more important, what kind of users are those that usually win contests? Are designers? Amateurs? Professionals from sectors near to the design?

D.: The profile is very diverse. That’s one of the advantages that companies find in Adtriboo. They can apply for any work related to Marketing and Communication. There are companies, freelancers, students and talented amateurs. This is the great change that brings the Internet. Work matters but not who or what you are.

Regarding the winners, we can find many different people: Individuals who work from home, producers, designers, students …

E.: Finally, it is clear that this is not the best situation, nor for you as a crowdsourcing platform (which is receiving constant criticism), nor for them as designers. Do you think that this situation has a solution in which no one gets lost (or at least not at all)? Which one?

D.: The market tells us that it likes the model. Many professionals, publicly said, tell us that  through platforms like ours can access a market that wasn’t reachable before, they can reach interesting opportunities. The determining factor is price. It is evident that through crowdsourcing there are major advantages for companies like price and number of proposals. But also for talented people it becomes a source of opportunities that they never had before. When you live a change, like the one we are now living, there’s always a party that refuses to adapt and do not want to give up their acquired status. As in any field of economics, supply must adjust to a lawsuit that demands new ways of working tailored to today’s world. And that’s what we’ve done.