Welcome To Victors & Spoils. Let’s Change An Industry.

Updated 2 months, 3 weeks ago

Hello and welcome to Victors & Spoils. Just who in the hell are we? We’re the world’s first creative (ad) agency built on crowdsourcing principles. And our goal is to provide businesses with a better way to solve their marketing, advertising and product-design problems by engaging world’s most talented creatives.

Why are we doing this? Super question. The way we see it, companies need an alternative to both current ad agencies as well as current crowdsourcing platforms. One that offers ...

the strategic direction, engagement and relationship management that agencies deliver today, but one that also delivers the engagement, cultural relevance, results and good ol’ ROI that crowdsourcing (if managed and directed well) can deliver.

Crowdsourcing? Really? Yes. Current factors such as radical transparency, the consumer’s demand to be more involved and a growing cost consciousness regarding clients’ budgets have all made crowdsourcing especially timely for today’s marketers. But it’s not all roses yet. The crowdsourcing paradigm can be pretty unruly for most clients. The number of possible solutions created and the effort to keep things on strategy for a brand can be overwhelming.

Enter a new agency model. Victors & Spoils (that’s us). We feel like an ad agency. We work like a crowdsourcing platform. And at the core of our agency is the V&S creative department (which we’re currently building, do join). As you might have guessed, it’s not your typical creative department made up of art directors and copywriters. It’s one in which everyone from creatives to strategists to creative directors to interactive geniuses to producers come together to solve strategic problems. A global digital community where anyone who wants to participate can. A creative department whose members will not only be rewarded for the solutions they develop (both individually and as a group) but also for participating in the community itself, as well as for helping others develop their skills and talent. And in an effort to guide this participation, members of our creative department will earn a ranking (the V&S Reputation Score) that will help determine a share of the revenue from each project.

And that’s basically who we are – Victors & Spoils on day one. It feels fantastic to finally be out of the closet. We would love your comments and ideas as we do this. But it’s already full-on. The throttle is pinned, we’re talking to clients and building as we go. We hope you’ll join us and wish us well. We hope you’ll follow us on that Twitter thing. We hope you’ll read John Winsor’s blog post at www.johnwinsor.com and we hope you’re ready to watch an industry change. Thank you for reading this.

34 comments on this story

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Showing 30 relevant reactions out of 34.

Dan 2 months, 4 weeks ago on Wordpress

Serious question about your business model.

Your first project had 1,118 entries. And after browsing them, quite a few were awesome. 5 people got paid. So 1,113 entries went unpaid (most designers entered more than once I would think). One person got a measly $100. And the winner got $1,000 still probably less than they would have been paid in a regular gig.

So the question is, how ... See all content Hide content

Nerfherder 2 months, 4 weeks ago on Wordpress

hello victors et al,

in a somewhat circuitous manner, i happened across your logo contest, then upon this site.

i’ve read the spiel here, and gather you’ve set out to break the status quo, engage raw creativity from an infinite source, and leverage these assets to provide (otherwise unavailable?) services to clients?

i am guessing your current site is speaking ... See all content Hide content

Rachel Cary 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Oh, and I just checked out your ‘logo competition’ for your own brand. So you’re going to pay $2400 tops for your identity? And that will be split amongst 5 people? Shame on you, honestly.

Rachel Cary 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Sorry, Jeff and a few others have called it right. You’re attempting to legitimize crowdsourcing? You’re claiming this is the ‘way of the future’? This is the way of shooting yourself and your design colleagues in the foot.

I’m appalled, frankly.

And no, I don’t want to be part of your ‘brilliant new idea.’ Hardly.

Good luck . ... See all content Hide content

Mich 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

First, thanks for the opportunity to post on your site. Great transparency. But you know critique like Jeff’s above also comes with real transparency.

So I don’t think you should lambast the ‘crazies’ or ‘haters.’ I don’t think people are crazy or hating necessarily. They’re criticizing. And you’ve given them a platform to do so (it’s ... See all content Hide content

sknowles 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

@VictorsnSpoils what is the business model? "The world's first creative (ad) agency built on crowdsourcing principles" http://bit.ly/8mPC

Jeff Shattuck 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Can y’all tell I’m unemployed (brain injury, long story)? Anyway, Evan is correct: I emailed VS after reading about them. Then I read more and emailed them again saying I wanted nothing to do with them.

And all you potential clients out there: ask yourself if you want to work for a business led by a guy like Evan, someone who will get personal at the drop of a hat?

Okay ... See all content Hide content

Jeff Shattuck 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Typing skills? Wow, you are a skilled communicator and have quickly confirmed my assumptions about your company in just two words. Nice. But thanks for posting my comments.

Jeff

Chamtastic 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

Impressively aggressive RT Welcome to Victors & Spoils. Who wants to change this thing called the ad industry? http://tinyurl.com/yjpd8jf

Evan Fry 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Thanks for your comments Jeff. It’s lively and awesome and we love your passion and typing skills. Yes, we have a plan. But not so sure that we owe anyone an explanation. Please just be patient. Or ignore us crazy loonies here as we try to do something that will satisfy all and shape perhaps a way for everyone to be happy (who knows, it’s possible and who knows, we might have a plan). Oh ... See all content Hide content

Evan Fry 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

This quote I really like and find appropriate today, from friend Bill Roden at Sterling Rice Group: “I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone… they will be forced to deal with pain.” – James Baldwin

rajit_h 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

Welcome To Victors & Spoils. Let’s Change An Industry. | Victors & Spoils http://bit.ly/1P2nxc | Ad agency based on crowd sourcing.

siaukia 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

instant #fail when i read this line “We hope you’ll follow us on that Twitter thing” http://bit.ly/GtGUp

cris carmueja 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

http://bit.ly/LDW4d I like

BIB2804 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

Victors + Spoils forms in an interesting new model for agencies. http://bit.ly/2M1yu6

DaGood 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

@anssimakela @r2r0 @jussipekka: introducing the crowdoursed ad agency: http://tinyurl.com/yjpd8jf

Evan Fry 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

We’re inventing it as we go but if you look, for example, at the existing platforms like crowdSPRING, they have their own pay structure which we blew out to reward top 5 places. When we have our own platform up and running it will be similar, plus much more.

LHB 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

So how does the pay structure here actually work?

uberVU - social comments 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by msheedy: This sounds great: “Who wants to change this thing called the ad industry?” http://tinyurl.com/yjpd8jf (via @VictorsnSpoils @BBHLabs)…

ivanpols 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

Victors & Spoils - New agency model very chuffed with their own crowd sourced PR machine. http://ow.ly/xk0N (avoid like plague)

bdwcu 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

Congrats from @bdwcu. Go get em, great reinvention, tired of the same ole. @VictorsnSpoils: read about it here - http://j.mp/2Gtf2V

kditoro 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

RT BBHLabs Punchy stuff: @VictorsnSpoils 1st blog post: "Who wants to change this thing called the ad industry?": http://tinyurl.com/yjpd8jf

Len Kendall 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Good Luck John. Looking forward to see where this goes and I’m increasingly happier for having added to you the3six5 crowdsource project.

keidson 3 months, 1 week ago on Twitter

Victors + Spoils forms in an interesting new model for agencies. Also, I think we found John Winsor http://bit.ly/2M1yu6

Kerry OConnor 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

You have a good attitude (bet you haven’t heard that a lot of times in your lives). Hope you have the right stuff. Have a feeling you might. Take care of each other — the buddy system goes a long way, particularly when the grease in the ball bearings of life runs out, and the gears keep turning. Remember to have fun along the way.

Dragonfry 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Just read this wonderful article and just want to say if you need anyone to make coffee and bring you donuts I’m the one!’ I wish you all nothing but success in all you do. Sounds like you are on your way!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Chris 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Great idea. In fact, its the same thoughts and premise we built and launched http://opensrcadvertising.com on.

Good luck

Per Torberger 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Wow: exciting!

I hope you’ll get a wonderful into unknown land.

Will follow your explorations with interest: good luck!

Lisa Page 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Count me in. I am a Graphic Designer living in Seattle, WA, who creates in many different ways. I design, illustrate, write, cook, sew, hike & camp, work-out, and forage for wild mushrooms. If you think I can assist your crowd-sourcing venture, contact me back.

Ben Kunz 3 months, 1 week ago on Wordpress

Godspeed, John Winsor. And for God’s sake, please don’t change your site design, it’s plain wonderful.

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