Why design resign in a recession

I resigned recently from my position as joint Creative Director, and Studio Manager, of Cybercom. It’s a bit of an under-statement to say that it followed serious consideration of just how wise it is to hand in your notice in the middle of a world-wide recession.

I had been as guilty as most studio heads, too busy with getting the work done to notice how things were changing around me.

There is currently a serious demand for web creatives and designers in Ireland. And in particular in the marketing/advertising field. Be they designers, flash specialists, coders, social specialists etc…And not only are they in great demand, they have been consistently so for over a year now. It’s pretty obvious just by looking at the job section on creativeireland.com (it was bound to be good for something…), which has been at an all time high for a while now, or prosperity.ie.

In Gary Mullan’s words, owner of Prosperity, there is such a demand for specialists that Irish businesses are having to hire in foreign markets:

“ What’s important now for the sector is Ireland’s ability to specialize in key areas of digital, such as mobile, apps, online gaming etc. We are in a process of rapid catch up, but while there is no shortage of vision and ambition in our digital economy, we do often have to source key people from more evolved markets, such as America and the UK. These often go on to mentor local talent, and raise overall standards. Ireland has come a long way in a short while, and I believe that we are well on our way to holding our own on the International stage.”

NOT ENOUGH DIGITAL CREATIVES TO MEET THE DEMAND

I was in charge of Studio recruitment the last few years, and went through a plethora of CVs, online portfolios and ill-advised PDFs. It’s extremely difficult to find good candidates suited to agency life. Digital as a whole is still a very young industry, and in particular its application to advertising. Furthermore this niche remains very healthy at the moment in spite of the recession. Some of the factors which contribute to the fact that there just aren’t enough good CVs to match this rising tide of opportunities.

Seniors: Old-school new media
While there are very experienced and talented web designers in the country, the great majority have been working in traditional web development. They have the visual and technical skills required, but haven’t necessarily developed the required understanding of the insights, theories and creative process which rule digital marketing & advertising. This is not to say that this cannot be learned, but a Senior’s job is to apply, not discover. There is arguably only a handful who have the relevant experience dealing with concept development or working with established brands.

Middleweights: Freelance too sexy to resist?
Overall the same lack of exposure to marketing applies here, although it is somewhat less critical as middleweights are mostly required to produce layouts, code, animation etc…With the right tutelage, they can be taught to think of the web as an advertising tool, as well as the principles and creative processes which come with that.

But why are so few of them applying for a job in the field?
A few factors here. A certain disregard for marketing in some cases; hard line anti-flash views mixed with the perception that web marketing necessarily means SEO/usability/accessibility monstrosities; perhaps a limited understanding of the new opportunities offered; and lastly a very healthy freelance industry. Without significant in-house talent and resources, the digital and traditional ad agencies are having to outsource a fair chunk of online work. This means that a substantial amount of designers who do have the skills are in a position to prefer the freedom of freelance, or to set up small specialised companies (iPhones apps, social apps etc…) as an outsourcing solution for agencies.

Juniors: Either or
Arguably, the syllabus of visual communication courses prevents them from producing adequate digital marketing creatives. Where creativity can only be harnessed and unleashed through technology, juniors need at the very least a serious understanding of the technical side of digital from the get-go. Whether it’s how to design for web or the principles of Human Computer Interaction, etc…

On the other hand some digital courses, such as Northern Ireland’s IMD in Jordanstown, are producing very talented graduates every year. The problem is that these are generalist courses which combine design, coding, multimedia, development etc..and they exclude their application to marketing. The result is that once you’ve sifted out non-relevant specialists, those not interested in marketing, and the less talented, this leaves very few candidates every year. None of whom know much or anything about advertising’s creative process.

Obviously, the hope is that the digital courses will integrate classes on the subject to better arm their future graduates, and that visual communication courses will provide digital-specific training.


EVERYONE WANTS A PIECE OF THE PIE

What is occurring in the industry which is increasing the demand for these individuals, and promises to do so exponentially?
Well – here come the clichés – with the increased penetration of broadband, increased time spent online at the detriment of the telly, comparatively low costs involved in producing a digital campaign versus a traditional one, and the measurability of digital media…brands’ digital advertising spend has been steadily increasing. Given the fact that digital spend overtook tv in the UK in 2009, it looks like the future of Irish digital remains pretty rosy.

And while budgets have contracted due to the recession, it is in no way comparable to what seems to have been happening in traditional advertising. Furthermore, new brands are entering the digital world steadily and it seems like there’s plenty or work to go around.

The number of digital-centric agencies and production houses keeps on rising (eg: Radical, The Digital District, ZOO Digital). And while many had expected, and hoped, that ad agencies would buy and incorporate the digital ones, it seems that the current trend is for ATL and BTL agencies to a open digital division or to reposition themselves as ‘Integrated’ (eg: McConnells Integrated, RMG Target).

While a great number of traditional ad creatives and designers are trying to skill-up in digital – some eagerly, and some less so – they may take some time to adapt and will inevitably require the help of specialists.

All of this is generating a huge demand for people with the knowledge of digital vehicles required to produce creative ideas for digital campaigns, as well as front-end specialists able to design and build the work. It’s bound to level out at some point but there are no signs that it’s for tomorrow.


IN SHORT

All in all, the current Irish market is nigh recession-proof for qualified digital creatives. The diversity of opportunities is such that for those in need of change, of new opportunities, this is possibly one of the best times ever to pop the head up from the monitor and have a look-see.

Arguably, the impact of this on the industry may very well be a reshuffling of talent as agencies look for the best staff to establish or grow their studio, which should in turn promote competition and – one can only hope – refresh Irish digital creative as a whole.

PS: I know. I didn’t say what I’m doing next. That’s because I’m not telling you. For the moment, this pixel pusher is enjoying day-time telly and mid-afternoon vin rouge.