Sometimes, no matter how well you develop an idea or how hard you work to sell a client on your concept, it just isn’t good enough. Almost every creative that I speak with has that one awesome project that never made it into production. Somewhere between client budgets, agency particulars, and marketing demographics, the ‘would be’ project fails to impress, inspire, or otherwise make it into circulation. Last week, I blew off some steam ranting about creatives without websites. Today, I’d like to offer a suggestion to improve the website that you’ve surely created by now.

Most of the advertising agencies that I work with are initially impressed with a candidates job history, previous clients, awards won, and, above all, masterful portfolios of produced work. Last week I mentioned that you only need to have three things on your website: your contact information, your work samples, and your resume. Your work should always represent the best of your abilities, your crafty copy, your awesome art direction, etc. But what about those projects that didn’t make it? Many creatives like to squeeze in one or two of their favorite projects regardless of whether or not the work was produced. Whether it’s a junior that’s trying to inflate the size of their book or an industry dinosaur that can’t help but include that one piece that never made it – everyone has a few spec pieces, comp sketches, or student work that they use as filler.

My suggestion today is to create a separate portfolio on your website to include all of these failed attempts. I am NOT suggesting that you advertise all of the crap that no one wants to see. But it isn’t unusual for some agencies to ask for work, outside of what’s included in a portfolio, in order to get a better idea of a candidates grasp on concepts. I spoke with an Art Director a month ago that had phenomenal illustrations and comps that he had worked up prior to completing the various promo pieces in his book. The sketches themselves had no place in his portfolio, but they made for an excellent follow up visit when they asked about his process.

Find the tag lines, the sketches, the rough spec work that ended up being the building blocks of one of your more successful campaigns – or the work you wish you could do for a client – and create a ‘Spec Portfolio’ as a last resort. Put it on your website as a hidden link or tucked away from the rest of the world so that it’s there in case you need it. It makes it easier to have it readily available on the off hand chance that, in your next big interview, you’re asked to show – as one Creative Director put it – “…something less polished … where is the work you really like that didn’t make it?”

Technorati Tags: creative, advertising agencies, art director, wired and hired, interview