Artcaffé is a popular urban restaurant and patisserie and their latest campaign has felt the full wrath from Kenyans on Twitter.
ANNOUNCING our #ARTofthecity competition! Calling all creatives of the city…help us jazz up our take-away coffee cup and WIN BIG with Artcaffé! Read the competition details below, and ENTER! Tag your artistic friends and spread the word! https://t.co/BZeofmSCPv pic.twitter.com/7VRZ1b1A6z
— Artcaffe (@ArtcaffeKenya) August 4, 2020
Their new campaign is targeted at designers where they implore them to jazz up their take away coffee cups. That sounded pretty cool and all until people clicked on the link provided to check out more details about the competition.
According to the competition details, the first prize winner will get exhibition space in one of their restaurants for 2 months or an internship with their Design team for 2 months. They will also get free coffee for a year redeemed at one a day. Second prize winner will get free coffee for 6 months and third prize winner will get free coffee for 3 months.
This particular competition drew a lot of ire on Twitter due to the fact that it appears that the company wants to pay these artists using coffee and an internship.
Kenyans were not amused by this competition at all and demanded them to pay the designers instead. There has been an ongoing trend on social media where creatives bemoaned the fact that they are offered ‘exposure’ for some pending work.
The word ‘exposure’ is an unofficial trigger word of sorts for creatives (and Twitter in general) and Artcaffé and this did not go well at all.
Are creatives a joke to you??????!!!!! This is BIG NONSENSE!!! https://t.co/oZkYuquxhg
— Channeling my Greatness (@barelydetailed) August 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/Mukoonene/status/1290700724746293251?s=20
Eyooo iss me again.
Cappuccino is 450Ksh x 365 days 164,250 Ksh
Delivery say 250ksh x 365 days
91,250How about WIN BIG 255,500ksh
GIMME THE MONEY. https://t.co/OzQgvOOeHl— TJ (@Mustbe_TJ) August 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/AyniElmi/status/1290709147256795141?s=20
It became worse when they used the word exposure multiple times while replying to people that were visibly enraged by the matter.
The purpose of this competition is to give artists & designers exposure & opportunity by using our platforms to reach a wide audience with their skill & craft – through either exhibition space, an internship & with their name and artwork displayed on our take-away coffee cups.
— Artcaffé (@ArtcaffeKenya) August 4, 2020
Others were conflicted.
I am always conflicted with this kind of things. On one hand, creatives need payment in cash, not a cup of coffee a day and/or exposure (although payment plus that coffee would be nice 👍🏿). On the other hand, many artistes have exploded onto the world through strategic exposure.
— Charles Gacheru (@CharlesGacheru) August 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/jjomoro/status/1290720210014613506?s=20
However, Artcaffé was adamant to point out that the prize is not coffee and the purpose of the competition is to give designers exposure and opportunity.
UPDATE: in light of the reaction to our competition launch we want to clarify:
1) the prize is NOT coffee,
2) we greatly value artists and designers,
3) in this difficult time the purpose of this competition is to give artists & designers exposure & opportunity.— Artcaffé (@ArtcaffeKenya) August 4, 2020
By using our platforms to reach a wider audience with their skill & craft – through either exhibition space in our branches, an internship with our Design Team & with their name and artwork displayed on our take-away coffee cups for the Holiday Season.
— Artcaffé (@ArtcaffeKenya) August 4, 2020
Well, I have a feeling this will be used in a case study somewhere in a Public Relations class.
