I was asked the other day to do a small parking sign for the local Chamber of Commerce, which is located just about 100 feet down the street from me. The guy I was dealing with asked me if I could put their "New Logo" on there. He sent me a jpeg image of it, which is the only file he said the designer gave them. It was about the simplest thing Id ever seen. I asked who had done it. Some out of town business is what he said. And they paid a pretty neat sum were his next words. This logo actually looked like it had been done in word or some other program. Nothing vector based as I could see. The only thing that bugged me a little was that they never even considered asking me to bid on it. Apparently someone has that "big town" mentality where everything that comes from the big city is much better. Im not gonna whine about it, or lose any sleep, just thought it in bad taste that my local chamber of commerce went out of town to get something done that a hometown boy can do. I know Im not the only one that faces this type of mentality, thats the reason Im putting this on here now.
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
Same thing going on here, only our town has this whole "Buy Indiana County First" BS campaign going on. Yet those who promote it the loudest aren't those who follow it.
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
John,
A year ago I was asked by our local historical commitee to quote magnets printed with photos of town history, I was well in thier budget considering what they wanted to sell them for. They also know I am a history buff and had considered joining.
They ended up buying them from a company in North Carolina because they were cheaper. So when they asked if I was still interested in joining the historical commitee, I told them I joined one in North Carolina because it was much cheaper Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Yup! That's why I gave up on the local CofC!
Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
I hear ya, Tater.
Back in NH, we got a new "town manager" from out of state. Prior to that, I did the police department stuff, road department trucks and a few other municipal jobs. After he came in, it all got jobbed out of the area...some out of the state.
The real sad part is that last year he appointed himself his own job as a lifetime position....
...go fig? Rapid
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
I can do far better doing business out of my community than I can in it. Pretty sad it has to be that way. I'm liking this global market place a lot.
Posted by Michael Berry (Member # 2604) on :
It's no wonder that the Chamber of Commerce is always low on membership. For the most part, they sell, give or whatever you name to every freebie beggin' group around. It's great if you heat with junk mail, you would never go without heat!
Posted by Rick Chavez (Member # 2146) on :
The last place I worked at marketed to City, Downtown and Chamber of Commerce organizations. They made specific marketing materials directed to managers and associations and they constantly sent things out to city's (maybe 3 times a year) needing design work and it works out well for them. I worked on quite a few logo, sign and wayfinding packages directly related to how the boss pushed that specialty. I think if they know you as the "sign guy" you usually get unfairly pigeon-holed into that. Remind them by sending them something.
Posted by Tony Segale (Member # 1380) on :
John, and all...
Same stuff everywhere...in fact organizing a WallDog meet at one time wasn't going to happen here unless it went through a certain city committee.. putzzzzzz on that....born and raise and not "Stuck in Lodi"
Sometimes it helps to make yourself known, one way or another. I chaired the Downtown Revitalization Task force in 1993, right when the city was going to rewrite all the sign ordinances to make them more restrictive. What I tried to advise, allow use of sidewalk signs, a certain planning commissioner wouldn't hear of it, until a paid consultant was brought in to help with the revitalization process....the first thing he asked was, have you reviewed your sign ordinances, and do you allow sidewalk signs? When the answer was a loud No, he told them to through it out, your damaging your downtown business' opportunites to draw in pedestrians. That planning commissioner turned and looked at me with an "Oh" look in her face. Today. she is the mayor, and looking forward to hosting a walldog in her home in May. The city since then, calls me occassionally for input and sign opportunities. They wanted me to turn the walldog meet into a City of Lodi celebration which I adamantly refused...one scope of a project is enough. The city forwarded their "in house" version of a centennial logo to me, and asked what I thought. I was "politely' honest to say it sure didn't project the image that I think Lodi should be. I made a decision before I called them to donate a logo for the Centennial. Wouldn't you know it, they accepted. I gave them all the rights to market with and raise funds for the Centennial Celebrations, no private marketing interests. I'll auction the original probably during the walldog meet, and will split the proceeds 50/50. The City mananger now wants to write a contract in which I get a percentage of everything sold with the logo as well.
(If I knew how to add a pic of the logo. I would.)
I guess what I'm saying is, get involved in a small way in the direction you want to head in... you know they'll try to suck you into something you don't want...this way I feel I'm the one making the choices, and they respect me creative input and direction.
Posted by John Deaton (Member # 925) on :
They know me pretty well Rick. Ive done work for them before, but each year they elect new officers and its a different bunch. Im well known in the area, cause the town is so small. The guy told me one person on the committee was the one that pushed to use outside sources. Same thing goes on at the tourism group. Our city built this big new center, and all it become is a glorified wedding reception hall. Its a beautiful building, but they are snotty about what it is used for. This bunch recently had new brochures made, and they also went to an outside source, knowing full well I did this service also. Not getting their business wont break me at all, as I quit depending on local business some time ago as my main source of income. It just gets me when a few "name" people get together and decide that local vendors arent good enough for what they need. Truly,Ive thought at times like these, what the hell would they do if they didnt have someone like me to call on in times of need or desperation in signwork. They'd fart and laugh and say, I didnt know he did that.
[ February 21, 2006, 12:57 AM: Message edited by: John Deaton ]
Posted by Bruce Williams (Member # 691) on :
For a local gov't or chamber of commerce to outsource its "image," as John describes, is absolutely preposterous. You'd rather pay some outsider, who's never been here, to show us what we're like?
In the Warm-Bodies School of Management we take the old bull by the crotch: we sent a directive to be cost-effective, and pay a consultant to watch.
You can end up with some pretty embarrassing promo. Like "You've Got A Friend in Pennsylvania." There was a smiley face on Kentucky car tags for several years.
About 30 miles upriver from John, the historic town of Lynch is fixing to hire an outside consultant to Create the Holy Logo. It's gotta have, lessee, the big mine portal, the big smokestack, another piece of real estate, City Hall, and a mountain vista and a puppy. Hmm. Come to think of it, maybe a local boy like John would rather NOT try to herd those cats.
I think those people watch too much TV. They talk and think like commercials. They seem more interested in viewer ratings than in home-grown business. One is imaginary and the other is real.
Posted by John Deaton (Member # 925) on :
Haha Bruce. The current mayor up there wont use me for anything cause as you well know, he is also in the sign business. I had a good relationship with the mayor before him, but this one considers me a competitor. He even called the police on me one time when I was putting up a sign claiming I didnt have a privilege license, which I did. I did get along with his son though, and he was a very good signmaker.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
seen this same crap in sarasota fl. when i lived there. sarasota is home of RINGLING SCHOOL OF ART. #1, #2 the city is full of wonderful nationally know artists who live there. longboat key is home of dik brown, jim davis,& the guy who writes SNUFFY SMITH. the artist who does car parts as art chandler i think. frank colson, potter, sid soloman painter, and the sign guy copland who did most of the art work on ringling bros parade wagons. i can go on but you get the idea. they hada place right in downtown like a marina park. they CITY MANAGERS hired a design firm from CALIFORINIA to design and build an entrace tralace or arch to the park...to the tune of $300,000.00!!!!!!!! and all the artists in sarasota who pay taxes had to watch this piece of crap go up...KNOWING they coulda done better for way less money!!!!!!
Posted by jack wills (Member # 521) on :
To go along with Tony's rap and others.... I was involved ( for a while ) in putting a plan together for a wall meet in a small burg near Davis,CA. The city and business floks were all excited with my preliminary plans and said: move on it. I had to let them know that my time was worth money and we agreed on a retainer (good money) and they called to let me know a check was ready. A meeting was set the check was there and a surprise as well. They thought I should provide ALL liability insurance. I told them I wanted all my paperwork back thanked them, refused the check and the gig never happened. What were they thinking?
It's crazy out there and respect for talent is not happening in today's world.
CrazyJack
Posted by LynnMineer (Member # 1509) on :
John
When local chamber comes to me to paint signs in 3 days because the person that a chamber worker knew said he would do it for nothing, and who also lived 60 miles from town, decided last minute he didn't want to pursue the job, so I was last option. Needless to say they paid dearly. For a organization that promotes doing things local... I was burned.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
I wandered over to our local C of C to sign up for a membership once. The paperwork to apply, all their brochures, biz cards...everything printed...plus their signs, were all done from out of county. Even though there were several printers and a couple sign companies that were members. I promptly decided that the C of C was not for me.
Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :
Chambers of Commerce are full of self-important volunteer do-gooders, run by a staff whose professional qualifications begin and end with aaskissing.
Six years ago I donated a free-standing carved sign - a $5k job - when the Chamber was running the restoration of the Mystic railroad station as a visitor center. Mostly I did this because I pretty much knew what kind of abortion would end up there if I didn't, and it is my town, and I care about the impression it makes. Whaa i asked for, in return, was publicity - send someone around from the local paper, write a story on what it takes to create a sign like this, that sort of thing. None of it happened. The day I came to install it, there were three other signs - bland vanilla vinyl on MDO - from my local "competitor" on the building; when I asked, I found out these had been PURCHASED - not donated. When I asked why, I was told they were trying to be "fair" and include more than one vendor. Nobody seemed to be able to explain how spending $$$ with one shop, while another is donating $5k, was fair.
The organizers held a ribbon-cutting ceremony; I had to call the Chamber office to find out if I was invited. Seems they had neglected to include my name on the list of business who had donated to the project. At that point I suggested to the Executive Director of the Chamber that she could explain this all to a friend of mine, a columnist in the local paper, who is famous for exposing bullsht.
Well, my name was added to the list, though because of "time restrictions" I was not asked to speak. Whatever. I showed up, made smiley faces at this collected pack of toads and jackals, behaved myself, and they got to pretend everybody was happy. My reward, and I do think of it as that, is to see a nice piece of eye candy in front of that station every day when I drive by on the way to the shop. And as a reminder that no good deed ever goes unpunished. Posted by james chrimes (Member # 5864) on :
The next town over had this design created by a big marketing co. the newspaper ad read "City's logo raises residents' eyebrows" They paid $6,000.00 for the design. I smiled, framed the article and hung it on the wall so that every time someone starts to wine I have them read it and remind them what a great deal they are getting. [img] [IMG]http://www.letterhead.com/album/Bullboard/claremont_logo.gif [/img][/IMG]
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The day I came to install it, there were three other signs - bland vanilla vinyl on MDO - from my local "competitor" on the building; when I asked, I found out these had been PURCHASED - not donated. When I asked why, I was told they were trying to be "fair" and include more than one vendor. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Nobody seemed to be able to explain how spending $$$ with one shop, while another is donating $5k, was fair. ![[Bash]](graemlins/bash.gif)