How to get a Design Job using Tinned Meat!
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Now, for the article…
Image copyright here
A few years ago, when I left the Coventry University School of Art and Design, England, I landed a freelancing contract just a few days after returning home. How? I quite literally spammed some design companies!
STAGE 1: POSTING TINS WITH NO EXPLANATION
The first stage of this marketing campaign was very simple. I posted out empty tins/cans of SPAM meat in the post. After eating the SPAM (it tastes OK on a sandwich — there’s millions of staving people out there, I wasn’t going to waste it), I targeted a few design companies that I would like to work for and stuck a stamp directly onto the cans with their addresses and posted them. Yes, that was it. Just an address with no explanation on the tins.
I repeated this process over several days, until each company I targeted received about 5 tins through the post. Here in the UK, if you post something with a stamp on it, and it’s not hazardous, the ‘posty’ has to deliver it, so the SPAM got through okay.
My hope was for staff at the targeted design companies to ponder the meaning of the SPAM tins. I hoped it would create discussion between team members, with bemusement with each and every can posted to them. I anticipated reactions like this:
What the heck is this? Another tin of SPAM…this is the third one this week! What’s it all about?
Hay you guys, does anyone know who posting this SPAM? If someones playing a joke on me, which one of you is it?
Well, I found out later than I did promote discussions like this…read on…
STAGE 2: POSTING A SPAM-BRANDED FOLDER WITH MY CV
After I had finished posting of the SPAM cans, I waited a day or two, then sent out a folder showing a tin of SPAM on the cover stating “You’ve Been Spammed” (shown in the image below).
The folder was about A5 in size and opened up like a four-page brochure.
When opened, my covering letter and CV (printed on A4 paper) were folded in half and tucked inside the mock-up SPAM can, as shown in the three images below.
This folder was designed to put to rest all discussions and curiosities surrounding my “Spamming Campaign”. My covering letter contained this text:
Title in Spam-Shaped box at top simply said: What?
Dear Sir/Maddam
I am a recent graduate from the Coventry University School of Art and Design seeking employment. As a former student, I’m hard-up and living off SPAM — so your Post-Box has been Spammed rather than your In-box to let you know who I am!
Ok, I’m not really living off SPAM, but I am looking for a job in a company such as yours in this region. I believe that I could be a benefit to you and your clients…[and so on].
STAGE 3: THE JOB OFFER
Well, those curious reactions I was banking on to land me a job was a reality. I was invited to do various free-lancing work at Wobble Design Ltd in Leeds, UK. When I went to work there on the first day, the design team told me the reason I got the job was for my ingenious marketing campaign. They said they were curious to the reasons they was receiving my little empty cans of tin meat, and it promoted many discussions between them and the architecture firm next door!
So, if you’re wanting to stand out from the crowd, be different and do something unusual. If you want a Graphic Design or any other job, just be creative, be different and set yourself apart from the crowd. You never know where it will lead you.
But if you’re fed-up with hearing about SPAM, heres a lovely photo for you instead. Enjoy!
Image copyright here
Have you marketed yourself in an outreagous manner? If so, did it get you anywhere? I’d like to hear your stories…
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22 Inspiring Comments, Comment or Ping
Jacob Cass (5 comments.)
Haha Andrew that is a kack… I’ve got an awesome book called Building Design Portfolios and that list some other innovative ways… I can’t remember who it was but someone rocked up with a portfolio the size of a car, and another sent locusts in the mail… standing out is great.
Book link:
http://www.amazon.com/Building-Design-Portfolios-Innovative-Presenting/dp/1592532233
Jacob Casss last blog post..$11,000 Prize Giveaway – Design Group Writing Project For Charity
Nov 7th, 2008
Jacob Cass (5 comments.)
PS. I didn’t get a trackback to my article page? I found this article via Google.
Jacob Casss last blog post..$11,000 Prize Giveaway – Design Group Writing Project For Charity
Nov 7th, 2008
Jeff
haha, this is genius!
Nov 7th, 2008
Andrew Kelsall
@ Jacob,
Kack? I assume that’s an Australian word, lol
I’ll take a look at the book you mention, the car portfolio sounds great. Don’t think I’ll ever try locusts, but I’m going to do a marketing campaign this year to drum up more local business, maybe I’ll post out Yorkshire Puddings!
The Trackback appears there now, I checked just after posting, is there anything else I need to do (link somewhere else)?
…Thanks for stopping by…
@ Jeff, cheers!
Nov 7th, 2008
Jacob Cass (5 comments.)
Haha yeah kack is like… that is a laugh. Nah that is it, noticed the trackback is there now
Thanks.
Nov 7th, 2008
Jennifer (1 comments.)
Brilliant! No wonder you got work – it’s a great idea.
Jennifers last blog post..15 Free Retro Fonts
Nov 7th, 2008
Andrew Kelsall
Cheers Jennifer
Nov 7th, 2008
Richard, Peacock Carter (10 comments.)
Impressive! I’m not too keen on spam, though
Nov 7th, 2008
Andrew Kelsall
Nor me…although I did trawl my way through the entire lot over the space of 9 days, although they were the smallest size can fortunately!
Nov 7th, 2008
George - LogoDesign.org (6 comments.)
That’s without a doubt the most creative job application I’ve ever heard of. Kudos on the idea!
BTW, subscribed to your RSS feed
Nov 7th, 2008
Andrew Kelsall
Thank you George, I see that I am not the only one with a pensive-looking Gravatar
… thanks for subscribing to my blog…
Nov 8th, 2008
James Kurtz III (1 comments.)
Brilliant! Great job. Good to hear that it worked out for you too.
Nov 12th, 2008
Andrew Kelsall
Thanks James.
I think I’ve seen comments by yourself on other designers’ blogs before, so thanks for commenting on mine…
Nov 12th, 2008
Corey Thompson (1 comments.)
Clever idea, I like it.
Corey Thompsons last blog post..Robert Holmkvist
Dec 30th, 2008
Andrew Kelsall
Cheers Corey…
Dec 30th, 2008
Max (1 comments.)
Thats an awesome way to promote yourself, really creative way to get noticed, congrats on the job
Maxs last blog post..Technique for creating a hand drawn website style
Jan 7th, 2009
Andrew Kelsall
Thanks Max. BTW, I’m a newish-regular reader of your own site I recently, keep up the good work…
Jan 7th, 2009
David Airey (21 comments.)
Haha. Great stuff, Andrew. Glad it worked out in the end, and that you weren’t actually living off spam.
Feb 18th, 2009
Andrew Kelsall
Cheers David. I hadn’t eaten for years, until about 2 weeks ago for some reason
Mar 17th, 2009
Amanda Vlahakis (7 comments.)
CRIKEY! Utterly Genius!
You are seriously creative – you must have got more than one response from that campaign yes?
Amanda Vlahakiss last blog post..Where Is Tara & The Weather Pops
May 14th, 2009
Andrew Kelsall
Hi Amanda,
One response, but I think I only targeted 6 companies to start with, but that’s a 16.6% success rate, compared with 1% for general direct mail from world-companies (I think, don’t quote me on it).
I would definitely do it again one day if needed
May 14th, 2009
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