Sure, crowd-sourcing reeks of third-world gang-banging recruitment techniques, but we always have the freedom to decline a pitch. Standing up for what you believe during a pitch is certainly sterling though.

It’s interesting that confidence worked for Frankurt too. Companies willing to submit spec work probably devalue their images to prospective clients. They commoditize themselves, and even if they get the job, the relationship will be about budgets, not innovations.

Hopefully, spec work will commoditize itself. Clients looking for cheap fixes will get rushed, uninspired work, and they’re goals will suffer accordingly. Companies with the confidence and talent to proclaim their processes and assets will get the good gigs and give their clients outstanding results. And if anything will discourage or encourage some kind of behavior, it’s results.

So, a word of advice to talented design entrepreneurs: brand yourself PREMIUM, and expect appropriate compensation.