Oden

Thomas Cook’s requested signing-on fee has advertising agencies crying foul. Although the request is a little more blunt, how is it too terribly different from requiring spec creative? I know they are wanting cold, hard cash up front for the privilege of working on the huge media account, but why the shock? 

I’m not saying asking for what most would consider a bribe is acceptable; I’m just saying it is merely one step up from asking for free work (e.g., spec creative). 

We get paid for our ideas and execution because each has value. If we agree to give away ideas to one client that another client would pay for, aren’t we offering the client a bribe? Maybe not on as grand a scale as what Thomas Cook is looking for, but a financial incentive to say the least. 

Again, I’m not condoning a sign-on fee to work with a client, but I wouldn't be paying the fee unless I got the work. When you agree to do spec creative for an RFP, you still may not get the account.