Friday Ad Haiku: Spec Work

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I suppose every industry, in one way or another, gives a little sumthin'-sumthin' away for free to wet a client's whistle. Ice cream parlors divvy out the tiny spoons to taste test the newest flavors. Flooring companies give away free swatches of Berber to color coordinate. Hell, even the corner boys give away testers of H to drum up buzz amongst the junkerati.

But our freebies aren't like others' freebies. They're not as simple as handing out a sample to help people figure out if the carpet matches the drapes. We don't dip our hands into an ice cream freezer to pull out comps for a broadcast campaign. We've gotta make it on demand.

What a business: we work for the opportunity to work for money. While it's no big deal to the food court hustler pimping bourbon chicken samples whether you eat at their place or out of an ashtray by the GAP, it makes all the difference in the world for us. Because free, ain't easy. And the truth is, no matter how good your work is (or you think it is), no matter how much of yourself you've invested into a free sample, there are no guarantees. Them's the odds, friends. Especially in an economy that's sucking sand.

So we keep doing it. Because that's the price to play in this competitive climate. And because, deep down, we secretly love the chase.


The first one's free. But
the second'll cost ya. Just
kiddin'. That's free too.