A large response could signify desperation

I was interested to read the letter from Rodney Mylius of Interbrand Newell and Sorrell in the classified section (DW 13 March ).

Mylius tells us that INS was overwhelmed with nearly 300 replies to its humble small ad, and how it confirmed the UK’s position as “the world’s finest design community”. Furthermore, he viewed this huge response as “an affirmation of faith in the new Interbrand Newell and Sorrell”.

Are you heartened to feel part of a vibrant creative community? Does your pulse quicken when you see a chance of working for a company like INS? Or do you suspect that it was more a case of nearly 300 people, concerned about next month’s bills, not caring about who or what INS is.

This industry is in financial crisis, with designer supply dangerously exceeding demand, partly due to the mass production of hopefuls by innumerable universities and partly due to the fact that anyone with QuarkXPress can churn out passable design, avoiding not only the 300, but also INS and similar companies.

Russell Stretten

Russell Stretten Consultancy

London NW1