Designers excel in self-publicity

It won’t be long before design consultants will be striding around our streets with microphones, graciously bestowing stickers, scarves and lacy garters bearing their personal images.

This appears to be the atmosphere surrounding the election to the executive committee of British Design and Art Direction (DW 13 October). It started last year, when contender Linda Sutton direct-mailed a yellow pencil to everyone concerned, bearing the slogan “Vote for Sutton”.

This year Harry Pearce of Lippa Pearce has designed his own poster campaign and Richard

Mellor of Hyperinteractive has mounted one on the Internet. Apparently, D&AD director David Kester has circulated a letter to all concerned saying that the cost of self-promotion does not come from the D&AD kitty.

“It’s in the best tradition of elections. It proves that designers feel it’s important to be on the board,” says Kester, adding that “it’s weird that only designers are doing this. The advertising community isn’t bothering”.

Pearce designed the poster to save designers from the phone calls he has been inundated with in the past from nominees canvassing his vote. “It was a bit of fun,” he says. It features his Design Week Award-winning packaging for Boots’ Wart Remover.

Unfortunately, it put off one contender for the committee. “I think it’s an odd thing. Designers shouldn’t lobby each other and spend a lot of money on it. It’s naff,” says the disgruntled party.