Educate Thy Client
Often, we’ll come across clients who give us ‘strong references’ to ‘get inspired’.
We’ve said no when we were a year old, and we continue to refuse even today, when we are 11.
Mostly, the clients worth their salt will stay. We consider ourselves better off without the ones who don’t trust us. The ones who want to cut costs or don’t believe in the wings of imagination may happily proceed to work with someone else.
This year alone, a major snack brand who was copied led the copycat brand to pull back all its stock via a court order. A health bar brand has recently invested heavily in fixing their blatantly copied packaging. A much loved local skin care brand copied their packaging to the last dot from a popular overseas brand.
Two local ice cream brands are quarreling over plagiarised packaging, when both are eerily similar to a global brand that was launched years ago... This has now become a topic everyone is wants to opine over on Instagram.
Is any of this worth it for the brands involved?
Of course, the client is wrong in asking their agencies to rip off someone’s work. But why are agencies agreeing?
When clients assume a brand overseas can be copied without repercussions, it is probably their na?veté ... Perhaps agencies can educate their clients on the legalities or ripping off someone else’s designs, and maybe present an authentic alternative?
In my experience so far, the bottom line is clients wanting what is best for their business. Who doesn't?! If agencies take the time to walk clients through the ill effects of plagiarism, and present a thought through, and ideally a much better alternative, I don't see the effort failing.