News
29 June 2012
GDC BC Mainland Chapter's message to non-members: WTF?
VANCOUVER—Not a member of GDC's BC Mainland Chapter? WTF?
That's what the chapter's GDCWTF initiative hopes to address, as it aims to pull in new members not only to its own chapter but across Canada. The initiative has received full endorsement from the national organization, noted Mike Cober, a GDC/BC Mainland executive and co-creator of GDCWTF along with GDC executive Darren Carcary.
Cober serves on the GDC/BC Mainland Chapter executive, and has been the vice president of membership since 2009 and the national representative since 2010, he said. Carcary has served on the exec since 2009 and is currently the audio-visual content chair, added Cober.
There are about 1,300 GDC members across nine chapters in Canada (with around 500 in the BC Mainland Chapter alone, according to Cober). "We hope that increased membership in all chapters would be a secondary result," he said. "We often think that life in Winnipeg is far different than it is in Vancouver, and it probably is, but many of the challenges, rewards, and interests of designers in all parts of Canada are common."
The GDCWTF website allows members to express the value of their GDC membership, and there's a bunch of benefits listed as well. "The true benefit of membership lies in being able to market yourself to your clients as a member of your national professional association which adheres to a strict code of ethics and sustainability principles," explained Cober, adding designers can add the CGD designation to their business cards after they pass a certification process.
The site also allows designers a chance to explain why they're not a member; so far the responders cite cost as a factor. One commenter stated, "To be honest I’ve thought about joining several times, but each time I stop when it asks for the $300 payment, simply because I find it personally expensive for what I feel I would actually get out of it."
Each chapter sets its own dues according to the "needs, activities and demographics of their respective chapter," noted Cober. For the GDC/BC Mainland, the annual dues for a CGD member are $330 and can be paid annually or monthly.
Cober designed the logo for GDCWTF and said the Wordpress-based website is due for a redesign soon so it's more responsive on various platforms.
That's what the chapter's GDCWTF initiative hopes to address, as it aims to pull in new members not only to its own chapter but across Canada. The initiative has received full endorsement from the national organization, noted Mike Cober, a GDC/BC Mainland executive and co-creator of GDCWTF along with GDC executive Darren Carcary.
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Cober serves on the GDC/BC Mainland Chapter executive, and has been the vice president of membership since 2009 and the national representative since 2010, he said. Carcary has served on the exec since 2009 and is currently the audio-visual content chair, added Cober.
There are about 1,300 GDC members across nine chapters in Canada (with around 500 in the BC Mainland Chapter alone, according to Cober). "We hope that increased membership in all chapters would be a secondary result," he said. "We often think that life in Winnipeg is far different than it is in Vancouver, and it probably is, but many of the challenges, rewards, and interests of designers in all parts of Canada are common."
The GDCWTF website allows members to express the value of their GDC membership, and there's a bunch of benefits listed as well. "The true benefit of membership lies in being able to market yourself to your clients as a member of your national professional association which adheres to a strict code of ethics and sustainability principles," explained Cober, adding designers can add the CGD designation to their business cards after they pass a certification process.
The site also allows designers a chance to explain why they're not a member; so far the responders cite cost as a factor. One commenter stated, "To be honest I’ve thought about joining several times, but each time I stop when it asks for the $300 payment, simply because I find it personally expensive for what I feel I would actually get out of it."
Each chapter sets its own dues according to the "needs, activities and demographics of their respective chapter," noted Cober. For the GDC/BC Mainland, the annual dues for a CGD member are $330 and can be paid annually or monthly.
Cober designed the logo for GDCWTF and said the Wordpress-based website is due for a redesign soon so it's more responsive on various platforms.
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Unless you are Avis or Volkswagen, rarely is a negative a good thing in institutional promotion. Try telling that to a junior?
Good point! As a kid growing up in the late 50s we were never allowed to use the F word, so we always said "what the Frig." So there you have it, poor message, vague communication, you fill in the rest?
The big question I have is this — has membership gone up significantly in BC since launching your campaign?
and
What are the ages of those that are joining?
It would be good to do a posting here or in a new article.
I think it is obvious — WTF is the difference between a junior and a professional solution. It may get attention but as a serious piece of communication it doesn't.
A knock on a door is one thing, to sell the buyer and close the deal is another. If one of my designers (junior or senior) came to me with this concept, I would send them back to his/her drawing board.
Yes, the line works, but who wants to be the one going home on the creep's arm?
I certainly hear what you're saying, but, as communication experts, we have to set a higher standard, we have to do better.
If "we, the experts" don't or can't, who will?
I'd love to hear the conversation between this designer and their client: "You should really put WTF into your company name so people will pay attention and trust your company with their retirement funds. What do you have to lose?"
Would you agree that it would be a very quick way to end the relationship when the client discovers the designer is serious?
I agree with all your points most certainly and most of what I've read in the posts, my only qualms are the dismissive remarks toward "anonymous" posts, as if they carry no validity, and the use of the term WTF.
I like the videos. I understand the "wake-up and smell the coffee" attitude the site has.
I think there are classier ways to go about shaking people out of their complacency.
The $300 fee is not an investment that you get back in your pocket, It's an investment to support what you do for a living, to protect and enhance your profession as a meaningful one — no matter whether you are a big name designer or a regular Joe working from a coffee shop.
GDC is not just a list of perks (those are gravy;) what my membership fees and certification mark means to me is that I am serious about what I do, I am putting my money where my mouth is and engaging as much as I can in what matters to me and the future of what I do for a living. To me that is ROI.
It's unfair to expect the GDC or any design association to be all of what you want it to be before you engage with it or when you are not willing to be an active contributor to help make the changes you want a reality. If your principles don't cost you, then they are not your principles.
GDCWTF actually brings all those issues up front, all the goods and the bads. It's an opportunity to engage, to dialogue and to see the points of view of your community (even if you are not a member or plan to be one). I don't think it's disrespectful. I think it gives a voice to those who earned their Fellowship with hard work and commitment to what the GDC stands for.
I don't understand this logic. Fireworks gets my attention. It doesn't mean I want to get any closer to the racket.
And no, I shan't feel the need to give you my name.
Your line "The fact the GDCWTF got your attention tells me it is working..." is an excuse juniors and recent students use to submit lousy work and I don't know of any other creative director who would accept such a statement to qualify nor quantify a piece of work. Try selling your line to a client sometime and see how far you get. To illustrate an example, the "money for gold" and "Loooan Arraaanger" commercials certainly are quantifiable, they "Do Work", but you're not going to see a company like TD Bank spitting one out like them.
Concerning WTF, I side with Bill Cosby and his take on vulgarities in comedy -- one of the few comedians that can make people laugh with class.
It is also very high and mighty of you to cast off ALL anonymous "votes" as you call them. People have access to too much information without needing to scrutinize what somebody's background or importance is. Case in point, I'm wondering why you didn't include all the important letters after your name: IMCP, AMMC
- Randy Milanovic CGD (since 1995), Creative Director at KAYAK Creative, Calgary.
I'm busy with my job, busy chasing freelance projects, busy sitting in traffic, busy at home with the kids, busy all the time. GDC has no bearing on my professional existence as it is today. Furthermore, finding an extra $300 whilst trying to get by in the lower mainland or lower island w/ the ridiculous cost of living in these areas + other responsibilities means that membership better be goddamn impressive. From my perspective it just seems totally irrelevant.
I will readily plead ignorance to the GDC's overall significance to the design profession in Canada, however the fact, for me, remains that membership is totally irrelevant to my life. and the attitude of this campaign turns me off.
Some may find they can't participate fully because they live just a little outside the big centre or the "event" is on the wrong side of the city to be able to get to in time or costs a little too much for their salary and their company won't splurge for the $$s nor the time.
If one complains out loud, it means that there are more that don't have the guts to come forward.
If you're going to own it, you have to own it from both sides.
—
On another note... when is the RGD going to come back under the GDC umbrella?
My name is Rick, but does knowing that really make my points any more or less relevant?
If anyone thinks that a magazine subscription is the only thing one gets with a GDC membership, then we truly have failed at communicating the benefit of belonging to the only national, federally-chartered professional design association in Canada. WTF indeed.
These guys saw that spark of community in the GDC BC Mainland chapter - and other chapters and wanted to share it with the rest of the country. I suspect that sense of community is shared amongst many more designers across Canada.
You, as a designer, contribute to the greater creative community every day in some way, through your work and your passion. But the national voice of the industry needs designers like you behind it, to promote and celebrate the good work professional designers do, and the tremendous value we as skilled communicators bring to a business' bottom line. You can do it alone for yourself, or we can do it together and make real positive change for the entire industry.
GDCWTF is all about what that change means, to real designers, from coast to coast, to coast to border. Check out some of the videos, and think about how you could add your voice.
And if we aren’t getting it right, it’s also a place for you to share your concerns or questions in the Rant section.
For myself, I can only say joining the GDC has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made professionally. But I’ve only got out of it what I’ve put into it too.
That’s not to say every member needs to join the executive to see value, but the more involved you are I think the more benefit you can realize. And the more the Canadian design community can realize.
I have signed up to volunteer many times http://www.gdc.net/designers/volunteer.php and also emailed the chapter directly but never heard back from anyone
I also attend GDC sponsored events as much as possible but usually only meet other struggling new grads and rarely find any senior designers who are willing to offer constructive advice
I am still a member as I want to support the organization but I wish the organization offered more for it's members
opportunities for internships, job shadowing or mentorships would be appreciated as well as the opportunity to volunteer at events
Their effort to attract senior designers or pivotal leaders from the industry have been somewhat lamentable. Regardless of their fees or effort.
I've been a designer for 10 years now in Toronto and never been a part of any association and that fact has never hurt me. Change the model and stop trying to sell something that clearly isn't working.