Client: So we've got a big launch to promote to CEOs and MDs who we want to invite via email so they spend more money with us. It needs to be high-end as we're targeting CEO's but our budget is a bit low.
Me: Okay, let me put a proposal together and see what we can do with that. Which email agency are we working with on this one?
Client: Oh just send it to me, we'll ping it out as a JPEG from our account managers outlook accounts.
Me: *facepalm*
I work as a video editor and producer for a music festival, creating the video backgrounds to performances. It's an unpaid internship I'm doing for college credit. The company does not provide me with any funding or access to equipment, or any libraries for stock footage.
I was asked to create the video that would play alongside a Star Wars performance by a symphony orchestra. I thought it would be a cool idea to show footage from the films to go along with the different movements.
Me: So did you guys contact who you needed to get permission to show the footage during the concert?
Client: No, we thought it would just be easier for us if you just create something without going through all that legal hassle.
Me: You want me to create a random video using stock footage for a Star Wars-themed concert?
Client: Is that going to be a problem?
Me: These people are paying to see a Star Wars concert, and you've already advertised it as a "multimedia experience with accompanying video." They're going to expect to see footage from the films.
Client: Well, can't you just make it LOOK like Star Wars without the actual footage?
Me: I have no access to good stock footage libraries, but I can try.
I made a video as best I could using free video footage, and showed them the video. I couldn't use X-Wings, TIE Fighters or lightsabers, so I tried to make it as space-themed as I could.
Client: Why is there so much space-themed video? Can we tone that down? We're gonna overload the audience on space imagery if we keep it like this.
In the end, the audience payed to see a Star Wars-themed concert as the festival played a video that showed flowers, cityscapes, oceans, and landscapes. The audience was not pleased.
A start-up lingerie line came to us needing a brand re-work. Their logo looked silly and amateurish (it basically featured clipart of a bra), so we were tasked with classing it up. Their exact requests:
After about 6 rounds they stopped responding to emails and never paid the final invoice.
Some months later a few of us who were on their mailing list received an email that they relaunched with a new look.
Their new logo is their name in lower case Times New Roman with a space between each letter.
You know. Young, fresh, elegant, and iconic.
I'm working on an A3 sized poster for print.
Client: We like the layout, but can you use this picture?
The image was 250x250 pixels.
About 10 years ago I had a client from an NGO that wanted a website. We agreed on a budget and we had a briefing meeting.
Me: This is the website mockup, it will have all the sections you requested and will be optimized for search engines and accessibility.
Client: This is fine, but we wanted something more flashy, more dynamic, with more color.
Me: This is what I usually do with my NGO clients. We're delivering the message in a simple way. After all, you're not selling Coca Cola.
Client: Yes! that's what we want, Coke's website.
Me: Well you don't have the budget that they have for a website.
After some convincing, the Client begrudgingly accepted, paid the 50% in advance, and sent shitty low-res images and cringey text. I delivered the website to the best of my abilities on the deadline. I get no feedback or response from the client at all. Two weeks later after total radio silence, I found out they replaced the website I made with a full Flash made website with some vector animations over the shitty images on a slider. It was "dynamic" but looked like total garbage.
At least I got my deposit.
I advertise that I offer local businesses a discount on my designs to show my support. I got a call from a potential client asking for a logo.
Client: We want a logo made for our store, and it needs to be similar to the logo we had before, just cleaner and more modern.
Me: I can definitely help you! Send me what you have for your current logo and I can get started.
I received an email with a word document attached. Curious I opened it and saw that there indeed is a "logo" in it, made with clip art that has been stretched. I died a little on the inside but was happy they were making the choice to get it done by a professional.
I worked on a few mockups and send them back.
Client: These are wonderful! Let's go with option A.
Me: Perfect! I can get that exported...
Client: But we want it to be more square, change the font, make it less feminine, and we should probably change the pink parts to a more gender-neutral color. We don't want to offend our male customers.
Me: OK, no problem. I'll rework this with those changes.
I made the changes.
Two weeks went by this time.
Client: This looks wonderful!
Me: Great! I can...
Client: But, the font is different from the first mockups and the colors are wrong. I thought we agreed to keep the pink?! Why is it a different color now?
Me: I have it in my notes you wanted to make it more gender-neutral, so I changed the font and the pink...
Client: No! I want the pink, just make it less feminine! Also, we hate the new font. Can't you just make it the one that's in the document we sent you?!
They used Algerian, so there was absolutely no way I was doing that.
Me: Definitely, I'll take another shot at it. As for the font, [lie] I, uh, don't have that one [/lie] so I will pick something that is close to it.
I make revisions, make all the pinks more of a coral orange color, switch the fonts, and send it back.
Three weeks later I send an email asking if it's been approved and if they'd like me to send the exported files. No response. Good thing I got paid up front I guess.
For years I worked with a government agency. I provided geographic information systems (GIS) services. I mostly did data processing and modeling, but also did occasional cartographic work.
For one large project we worked with a design agency to produce a booklet that featured two maps. I had worked on the project for years, so it made sense that I would design the maps. No one ever provided me with sizes, so I eventually guessed and provided the designer with PDFs of the maps.
When I received the proofs, my maps have been ripped apart. The designer reworked them to be different sizes, breaking numerous cartographic principles and mangling my designs. I redesigned my maps to fit the new dimension requirements and sent them the new files.
They sent back proof 2. Once again my maps had been reworked to breaking
Me: Why did you change the maps again?
Designer: Here are all our internal design rules your maps violated.
He provided a list.
Me: Well here are all the cartographic design rules that you are breaking. These maps need to function as maps. I know we have different design philosophies but my name is attached as cartographer and I can't produce substandard work.
This goes back and forth until it's decided to do a blind survey to see which versions people preferred. My designs were the clear winner.
After that, they (mostly) left my map designs alone.
The designer totally ignored me after this. I never received any further proofs directly from the designer and had to have them forwarded to me from colleges. The designer also never corrected a spelling error that I pointed out in the booklet.
This client asked me to work on a print project for her Association. She asked a week and a half in advance of printing.
Client: Can you design a brochure for a college event?
Me: Ok. Let's quickly discuss your goals for the project. Also, I'll need you to send me the information to be included and any photos.
The client proceeds to micromanage every detail of the project, from the layout to how it would be printed. She insisted on placing many paragraphs of text on relatively small areas of the layout.
The paragraphs of text were coming from other people, so it would have taken more time to have the paragraphs edited with their permission, and the deadline was fast approaching. It was miserable.
Me: I wouldn’t have designed it this way…. But if it’s what you really want….
The deadline to print the project arrives.
Client: Well, now it doesn’t look very good. But I guess we’ll have to go with it.
I was working for my then girlfriend's father. He had a greeting card company and wanted a website and logo.
After a several week process of slowly getting to a logo, we were almost there. A final meeting was to be scheduled to pick the logo.
Right before I wanted to set the meeting he emailed me.
Attached was a word document with word art logos he made with his 12-year-old son.
Client: Can we move more in this direction?
A month later I broke up with his daughter for reasons other than the word art. I just never responded to his request.
Never talked to him again.
As an experienced e-mail campaign designer, I worked with a client (a sales professional) on an e-mail template to go out to his software & hardware business leads. We discussed his goals, the imagery, message, audience, and more.
I created various drafts for him to review, with high-tech imagery and modern stylish grey & navy blue colors that matched his website. The content was friendly, approachable, tech-savvy and informative.
Client: The designs look good. I'm just going to play around with them to make a few changes.
Since I was busy at the time, I decided he could do what he wanted with the templates I created.
Client: Check back in a day or two.
I checked back in a couple of days.
The client changed the font in various places to bright Christmas red, black, and bright 80’s neon green. It wasn't the holidays.
He changed the modern sans serif font style to Times New Roman. He changed the text on various places of the e-mail to repeatedly say “BUY NOW” “GREAT DEAL” “CALL US TODAY” “LIMITED TIME ONLY.”