Contestant withdraws from D&AD campaign

Why has the contest for the British Design and Art Direction executive committee become a whirling morass of direct mailing?

The self-promotional items sent to members of D&AD, including myself, seem to have little relevance, if any, when the purpose of the elected executive member is to help us all make D&AD a better, more honourable and effective organisation to be associated with, instead of this ego battle of who supposedly is the most capable designer for the job.

I wish I hadn’t stood for election as it’s become an embarrassment to be associated with designers sending out self-promotional advertisements. What the hell is going on? Has John Blackburn gone barmy, using my name on his promotional poster to make a funny point? Has Harry Pearce lost his mind? I thought the packaging idea featured on his self-promotion poster was a team effort. And has anyone out there told Richard Mellor that his floppy disk won’t open? Design really is such a small world. I wish we could make it bigger – fast.

I’ve decided to withdraw my candidature. I smoke and drink too much anyway, always turn up late for important meetings, find it hard listening to individuals spout about themselves, hate small-talk parties, can’t stand politics, am generally disliked by designers (especially purists), have a bigger reputation for womanising than I deserve and a lack of interest in non-idea based work. If it were up to me, I’d put Mike Dempsey in and get it all over with.

What the hell. I rest my case and hope to God we all live through this highly over-publicised event. Incidentally, this self- promotion letter was free of charge. If you have to advertise boys, think outside the box. At least you won’t waste your money.

Marksteen Adamson

Creative director

Newell and Sorrell Nederland

Utrecht

The Netherlands