Recent feedback on a client project, "Your designs are too clever". Therefore will be ending the contract! Anyone else expeirenced this?
At the time I felt disappointed and normally I like to learn from outcomes wether it be positive or negative. But this one really had me stumped. Would be great to know what clients have said about your design work?
Replies16
- Once told by my manager “don’t polish” (make it too finished) — regards to pitching concepts. Reason for this was to allow the client to have their input, as design is a developing collaboration between you (creative/designer) and the client.Find now it’s easier to introduce ideas half baked then develop them with the client.“…Design is like sex. There is someone else involved, their needs are just as important as your own, and if everything goes right, both parties are happy in the end.” — Colin Wright
- @Daisy King Hi Daisy,Unfortunately I never recieved a physical brief after requesting one before the project started. Only recieved a moodboard which was very vague. Yeah I get you – it's almost like pitch work when tonnes of agencies apply, but the company already know who they have selected just so they can see what they do / dont like. Although I did get paid for the days in which I spent on the project. (Grateful especially in these times).It is definitely a learning curve for me, I will always ask for a brief from a client in future project work. Always look to see how I can improve next time and what could I do differently regardless if the outcome was positive or negative.Thanks for replying to my question :).
- Hey Ashley,I have had this before, correct - it just sounds like a miscommunication possibly on their end with the brief? In terms of the expectations they set - did they send you any references of what they wanted in the first place or was there an art/creative director in place to guide you? Sometimes I have found that clients don't massively know what they want so they try you out purely just to help them in finding out what they do/dont like. Unfortunately for us designers, this can be a total time waste for us and also isn't a good parameter for being creative, plus also makes us feel a bit used etc.It sounds like they didn't really work with you enough on what they wanted the outcome or the vision to be, so I wouldn't take it personally. People who aren't creative also just see design/designers as tools/laborers I think - they don't understand the creative process or the blood/sweat/tears we sometimes put into these things, to get something beautiful out the other side.Anyway I hope this didn't discourage you, like the others have said im not sure 'too clever' is an insult! But still - an annoying experience all the same.Take care, Daisy
- Hi Ashley,First I would say that luckly for you they were honest and in a twisted way flattering: I have been in similar scenarios and clients rather start playing corporate games or passive-agressive communication in order to stop the communication.My guess (and without having all the information) is that the brief was not clear or there has been a change of circumstances they were not able to communicate in a constructive fashion.But I think that @Jules Durham and @Richard Hinds are on point with balancing the targets and creative outcome, which in my opinion is rooted in the brief's clarity and your client's project management.And congratulations on having such a constructive approach where you are trying to elaborate a more complete feedback.Hope this helps!
- @Ashley Paul Bell ah, then by the sounds of it they're the ones that let you down on this occasion. To create great work, it starts with a great brief! It's a miracle that you were able to deliver something that was too clever in the end!Good attitude to have. I've often found that sometimes there's variables behind closed doors that have crucial impact but just impossible to know.
- @Stuart Casey Thanks for replying! First of all the brief was very weak and no hard copy (in which I asked to have before the project commenced) that way in a scenario like this I had something to fall back onto. Unfortunately I never recieved a brief, but the client was eager to get things started. I was very much in the dark with what they actually wanted other than a few inspiration pages etc.I got the impression they were too busy, which didn't help matters for me to obtain vital information for my research and creative. I could only go on what I sourced from their website as the brand is very well established.Yeah I believe it did come down to budgets especially with the current climate, in which I said to the client I respect. Personally now I look at the whole outcome it felt the wrong timing on their behalf.I'm not one to let things get to me, very much more what could I do differently next time to avoid any situation like this happening again.I love that phrase 'One mans 'too clever' is anothers 'this is genius!'.
- Hi Ashley, just from a top level perspective from a suit! Just a couple of thoughts:Did the work meet the brief and objective? The most common element to cause client friction is that what the client has requested has been missed. Sometimes passion for the creative and wanting something to be out of this world can take away from what they were really looking to achieve.Did the client understand what they were asking for? Very common, they could want one thing, management wants another and what is in the brief provided sounds like it's from another planet. you can only align these so much and only with time establishing a relationship can the their true meaning can be understood.The fact they jumped to ending the contract is a sursprise but with budgets being so tight at the moment they may have realised that it was the wrong time to delivering the project you've been working on to their audeince.I wouldn't let this dissapoint you though. One mans 'too clever' is anothers 'this is genius!'.
- @Jules Durham 'There are creatives out there that produce 'creative for creatives' this is work that can sometimes be positioned to appeal to judges presenting awards. And this creative can be a little too 'clever' for the end user, customer, target audience etc'Never heard that before and I love it, can seriously relate.
- @Jules Durham Always have believed in my ability to do well for the client both as a designer and managing their expectations. It was just a surprise they felt it was too clever, yet couldn't ellaborate why! Normally in a scenario like this I'm use to toning down designs to suit their needs, but for some reason this wasn't the case.
- @Anna Negrini The target was actually themselves, the feeling was they didn't know themselves what they actually wanted. Whatever I would have designed wouldn't of been right, which is probably why there wasn't room with revisions to what I had designed.Hopefully you don't have this situation come your way, but sometimes it surprises you even when you feel you have nailed the brief.
- @Gavin Kemp Thank you for your wise words. I would love to share the creative I did but unsure if I would be naming and shaming! Luckily I did get paid for the days I worked on which I was grateful to the client. Also stating that if we were to cross paths again I would be delighted to offer my services again. As I would never like to leave something on a bad note. I have definitely taken the negatives from this outcome and looked at how I can turn them into positives for future self.
- @Evan Brown Totally with you! It is definitely a learning curve for me and I have looked at it from both sides and glad this door did close. Onwards and upwards as they say!
- You have to remember sometimes this has a lot less to do wiht you and more to do with a client's inability to communicate their needs, or unwillingness to allow you to do your job. I was once cut short on a freelance gig simply because the CCO of the shop was nortious for being impulsive and finnicky. It was literally nothing I had done. I just look at it as closing a door that was wrong to have opened anyway.
- I can sympathise with your predicament, I suspect you may be trying to play the ball rather than the man so to speak.Whilst it's difficult to comment without knowing what happened at the meeting and if I was satisfied there was no ulterior motive, I would ask myself about my understanding the client, what didn't I get, what have I overlooked, how they communicate through design. How do I understand the client on a personal level - all the soft stuff that is actually nothing to do with the commission, because you have missed something.For some people you may need to throttle your skills back, they will never say so in so many words, when all's said and done a good job is one that pays in 30 days a great job is one that pays in 7!
- Maybe they meant they weren't right for their target? Or they didn't understand them and they were too embarassed to ask? I realised that sometimes what is obvious for me it's not for some clients, so I tend to explain it even if it sounds pedantic. But if it's that the case, why they didn't ask for a revision or something different?It never happened to me but once a client liked "soooo much" all the 8 different proposals I worked on in 6 months and then disappeared so nothing surprises me anymore.
- It's a tricky one.Firstly, I'm sure your work was great :)But there is a but...There are creatives out there that produce 'creative for creatives' this is work that can sometimes be positioned to appeal to judges presenting awards. And this creative can be a little too 'clever' for the end user, customer, target audience etc. These are the people you were ultimately hired to attract and engage.I continually try to become the 3rd person, the audience I'm trying to attract, and see the creative through their lens. And in doing so, adjust the creative volume accordingly.The really important fact here is you are producing clever, engaging work. You can always tone down a great idea for a client. Rarely do you get a second chance with a lousy idea.
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