Do you like to work? Do you like to work FOR FREE?
Illustrator Daniel Savage (no, not THAT one) apparently thinks that his work for Comedy Central, Wondersauce and his own creative studio Something Savage entitles him to earn payment for his labor.
Ridiculous, we know.
Seems that someone in a New York creative department was really hoping that he would agree to do some project work for free, though. Yesterday he shared this email with his followers:
Come on BBDO. No one do this project please. pic.twitter.com/APbSJS3SlZ
— Daniel Savage (@somethingsavage) August 19, 2015
The best part of this story is the fact that several of Savage’s associates were among the group who received this request.
Here’s “designy illustrator” Mikey Burton:
@somethingsavage got this same email today
— Mikey Burton (@mikeyburton) August 19, 2015
…and Brandon Bayer of Wondersauce:
@somethingsavage got it! pic.twitter.com/PBxcrGx3ez — Brandon Bayer (@brandonbayer) August 19, 2015
Then there’s freelance illustrator Anke Weckmann:
@somethingsavage I got this, too. And they want people to paint directly onto the dolls but ask illustrators who work digitally. O____O — Anke Weckmann (@AnkeWeckmann) August 20, 2015
But wait…this wasn’t a new ask!
@somethingsavage hey i got that one too last month. Looks like a copy and paste. What shocker!! pic.twitter.com/ucFAcIxCx3
— Ben Voldman (@benvoldman) August 19, 2015
It would seem that the agency is having a bit of trouble finding illustrators who will work for the honor of having their names in the credits of this project.
As Savage himself put it, they will probably get more publicity by sharing the message than they would have for the hours of work the project obviously requires. We are happy to facilitate that process.
Some questions, though: what kind of fitness club demands “pro-bono” work? And how would the project be organized? Is it like a PSA designed to shame people into going to the gym to remove those fatty layers?
@somethingsavage this is the 3rd time I’ve seen/heard of this. For shame, BBDO
— Timothy J. Reynolds (@turnislefthome) August 19, 2015
Someone may need to reconsider this strategy.