2014 SALARY SURVEY - gdc.design · professionals, advertising executives, copywriters and strategists to provide their current salaries and billing rates. We are extremely grateful

1

2014

SAL ARY SURVEY

2014 RESULTS OF THE CANADIAN SURVEY OF

SALARIES AND BILLING PRACTICES IN THE

COMMUNICATION DESIGN INDUSTRY

2

ABOUT

The Association of Registered Graphic Designers

(RGD) and Creative Niche are pleased to present

CreativeEarners 2014, the national survey of salaries and billing

practices in the Canadian communication design industry.

This year, a record number of creatives from across

Canada shared their information, giving us the most

accurate picture yet of where we work, who we

work for, and what we’re paid.

07RESPONDENTS

04 INTRODUCTION

21FREELANCE &

SOLE PROPRIETORS

16EMPLOYEES

28FIRMS

05METHOD/CAVEAT

INDEX

61FUTURE OF THE

INDUSTRY

68ORGANIZERS

66WHY RGD

70SPONSORS

55OVERTIME & BENEFITS

39SALARIES

4

INTRODUCTIONAs part of our mandate to serve the best interests of the graphic design community, business and the public, the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) published the first national survey of salaries and billing practices within the Canadian graphic design industry in 2001. We mailed out 10,000 hard copy surveys and received 1,176 responses. RGD conducted updated surveys in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2012.

This year, with the support of Creative Niche and the assistance of many industry partners, RGD invited Canadian graphic designers, web professionals, advertising executives, copywriters and strategists to provide their current salaries and billing rates.

We are extremely grateful to the 3,331 creative professionals who took the time to respond to the survey and we are pleased to present the results in our latest, most far-reaching report, providing an updated financial picture of our industry.

Introduction

“IF YOU APPRECIATE THE

INSPIRATION, RELATIONSHIPS,

ADVOCACY, ETHICS, LEARNING,

MENTORSHIP AND SO MUCH MORE

THAT THE ASSOCIATION OFFERS, I

WOULD ASK, WHY NOT RGD?”

– CAROLINE BRUCKNER RGD

5

METHOD & CAVEATThe survey was promoted by the Association of Registered Graphic Designers, RGD Career Development Partner, Creative Niche Inc., and RGD Media Partner, Designedge Canada.

Respondents were emailed an invitation to participate, which included a link to access the survey online. Respondents were also encouraged to invite others in the field to participate, both through a forward link in the survey itself and through a wide-reaching social media campaign with the hashtag #CreativeEarners.

In addition, RGD expanded our outreach this year to other member-based groups including ADCC, AMPA, CAPIC, Design Algoma, DX, EAC, FITC, IABC Ottawa, IDC, London Creative Network, PWAC, SDGQ and SDS.

The survey was available in both English and French, and was open from May 15 to August 1, 2014.

Method & Caveat

Because of the modest response rate achieved in some regions and among some job titles, this data should not be viewed as a nationally representative statistical sample of all professionals. It does provide a current reflection of what some in these professions are currently earning.

The salary information is annual salary only. It does not include bonuses and additional compensation. The salary information is reported in terms of the median (or middle) values, average values and highest and lowest response for each job title. The information is also split out by several variables – Region, Organization Size, Organization Type and Experience.

Data has been presented for job titles where there are at least 30 respondents given the high degree of variability in the data where there are fewer than 30 respondents.

Caution should be applied in interpreting the results where the number of respondents is small. For reference, respondent numbers are presented beside each column of data.

CAVEAT FROM RESEARCH DIMENSIONS

This confirms that, to the best of Research Dimensions’ knowledge, the 2014 CreativeEarners National Survey was conducted using the same practices that Research Dimensions has used in past studies.

Research Dimensions was in no way involved in developing or executing the 2014 study. RGD conducted the study itself this year, in conjunction with The Pixel Shop and its other partners.

Discussions with RGD indicate that the 2014 study was national in scope (English and French) and conducted during the summer months. Members were emailed invitations to participate in the survey, and accessed the survey online through a link in the invitation. In the invitations, respondents were also encouraged to invite others in the field to participate. RGD also appealed to professional groups and associations to access qualified respondents. These are all practices that Research Dimensions has recommended and used in past editions of the study.

In addition, there were minor changes made to the process in 2014: the questionnaire was shortened and social media was used as an additional source of recruiting potential respondents.

RESPONDENTS

City of Mississauga Mississauga, Ontario

Photo: Chris Thomaidis

7

RESPONDENTSThis year 3,331 professionals responded to the survey, an increase of 2,155 respondents since our first survey back in 2001.

In this time, we have seen a significant increase in the number of women participating in the survey. From 2001 to 2008, an equal number of men and women responded to the survey. In 2012, the percentage of women participating was 14% higher and in 2014, 20% more of the respondents were women. This may reflect a demographic shift in the industry as a whole.

Over 25% of respondents indicated 15 or more years of experience, which is consistent with previous survey results. Just under half (41.5%) have worked at the same organization for the last five years with about 6% of these respondents changing job titles.

Most respondents are working in in-house environments (in organizations where design is not a core service) with 7% working in government, 5% working in the non-profit sector and 30% working in for-profit companies.

Respondents

“OVER YEARS OF MEMBERSHIP,

I HAVE BENEFITTED FROM BEING

PART OF A PROFESSIONAL

ORGANIZATION THAT STANDS FOR

DESIGNERS AND OUR KEY

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES.”

– IAN CHALMERS RGD

8

21%14%

4-5 Years

ABOUT RESPONDENTSTOTAL RESPONDENTS GENDER OF RESPONDENTS

40%Men

Respondents

AVERAGE TIME IN

THE CREATIVE FIELD

11.2 YEARS

60%Women3,331

LENGTH OF TIME IN THE CREATIVE FIELD

1 Year/Less

4%

17% 17%12%

15%

2-3 Years 6-9 Years

10-14 Years 15-19 Years 20 Years +

9

Questionnaires were completed by 3,331 respondents from all parts of Canada, as detailed below.

ALBERTA 229 (7%)

BRITISH COLUMBIA 322 (10%)

MANITOBA 42 (1%)

YUKON 1 (< 1%)

NW TERRITORIES AND NUNAVUT 5 (< 1%)

SASKATCHEWAN 18 (< 1%)

SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO 227 (7%)

NORTHERN ONTARIO

65 (2%)

CENTRAL ONTARIO 597 (18%)

WESTERN QUEBEC 100 (3%)

EASTERN ONTARIO 274 (8%)

METROPOLITAN TORONTO 1,182 (35%)

PEI 7 (< 1%)

EASTERN QUEBEC 51 (1%)

NOVA SCOTIA 41 (1%)

METROPOLITAN MONTREAL 144 (4%)

NEW BRUNSWICK 13 (< 1%)

NEWFOUNDLAND 13 (< 1%)

Respondents

NATIONAL RESPONSE

10Respondents

Graphic Design

Fine Art

Marketing or communications

Business / Finance

Interactive / Digital design

Master's and/or PhD

Other design discipline

IT / Computer Science

Self-taught / apprenticed

Other

Percentage % 40 60 800 20

70%

12%

13%

13%

2%

7%

6%

1%

< 1%

9%

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUNDPercentage of respondents with diplomas / degrees in... (Note: Respondents could select more than one option)

11

JOB TITLES

Creative / Design Director

Art Director

Design/Creative Services Manager

Communications / Marketing / Brand Manager

Production Manager

Community/Social Media Manager

Project Manager / Coordinator

Account Manager/Director

Senior Designer

UX/UI Designer

Designer

Front-end Developer

Content Editor / Manager

Brand / Content Strategist

Copywriter / Editor

Account Coordinator

Information Architect

Design Educator

10 15 20 25 30 350

10%

10%

5%

4%

2%

1%

2%

1%

17%

6%

34%

2%

< 1%

< 1%

2%

< 1%

< 1%

2%

Respondents

5Percentage %

12

OWNER, PARTNER, PRINCIPAL

An owner, partner, principal or VP holds an equity position and/or has major business responsibility for a firm with employees.

CREATIVE/DESIGN DIRECTOR

A creative director or design director is the creative head of a design firm, advertising agency or in-house design department. In all of these areas, key responsibilities can include the development of graphic design, advertising, communication and industrial design.

CREATIVE/DESIGN MANAGER

A creative manager or design manager manages the creative staff, evaluates its work, ensures that projects meet the requirements of the design brief and are completed on time and within budget. A design manager may work in a corporation and manage the hiring of design firms and the use of their design services.

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

The senior graphic designer is responsible for the design of solutions from concept to completion. In some firms, a senior designer directs the work of one or more junior designers, who generate comps and create layouts and final art. In some cases, senior designers do not manage staff, but are designated “senior” because of their authority in design decision-making.

INTERMEDIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNER

An intermediate graphic designer is responsible for the design of graphic applications such as collateral material, environmental graphics, books and magazines, corporate identity and branding, film titling and websites, from concept to completion.

JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

A junior graphic designer is a designer (see intermediate graphic designer) who has been out of school for less than two years.

ART DIRECTOR

The art director establishes the conceptual and stylistic direction for all design staff and orchestrates their work, as well as the work of production artists, photographers, illustrators, prepress technicians, printers and anyone else who is involved in the development of a project. The art director generally selects vendors and, if there isn’t a creative director on staff, has final creative authority.

DATABASE/SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR

A database or systems administrator works with web server systems and web databases, develops web queries to databases and programs web applications.

DEVELOPER

A developer uses HTML/JavaScript, Flash and, on occasion dynamic scripting languages such as ASP/PHP/Cold Fusion and other tools, to develop static and dynamic web pages. A mobile developer uses common scripting tools such as Flash ActionScript, as well as supporting technologies like Flex, Flash Remoting and integration with media servers.

INFORMATION ARCHITECT

Information architects contribute to the planning and design process of communications such as websites, by organizing information, designing information strategies and developing taxonomy and search systems.

WEB PRODUCER/PROJECT MANAGER

A web producer/project manager organizes web development teams and ensures adherence to budget, schedule, content and design of website development. Responsibilities may include coordinating all production elements, including content, design and development, as well as IT services and Internet hosting services. The individual may also act as primary production contact for account or project team members, or provide direct client service.

Respondents

JOB DESCRIPTIONS

13

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION SPECIALIST

A search engine optimization specialist is responsible for maximizing the volume or quality of traffic to a website from search engines via organic or “algorithmic” search results by improving page rank within search engines. SEOs may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search and industry-specific vertical search engines. A search engine marketing specialist promotes websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages through the use of paid placement, search engine optimization and advertising.

DIGITAL STRATEGIST

A digital strategist is responsible for analyzing and recommending new media implementation strategies to meet marketing goals, such as lead generation. Digital strategists help create marketing and communication plans which can bridge web, email, mobile, gaming, search and other digital media. Solutions are based on audience insight and brand, in the context of the overall marketing strategy.

COPYWRITER

A copywriter writes, edits and proofs promotional or publicity copy for print or electronic publications. At higher levels, copywriters are often responsible for strategic and conceptual development of messages and stories.

VIDEO/MOTION DESIGNER/DEVELOPER

A video/motion designer/developer creates animated or live video content for a variety of media, including the web, smart phones and portable devices, games, television and other formats, including features. Projects can also include title and post-production work.

WEB OR MEDIA ANALYST

A web or media analyst is responsible for defining and documenting the reporting and analysis requirements of business stakeholders across specific media, in order to optimize websites and marketing programs (e.g. email marketing, SEM, banner ads, etc.). Collecting and analyzing user data, the analyst is also responsible for identifying trends and insights about the media property. The analyst then assists in translating the marketing analytics into actionable business information.

USER EXPERIENCE/USER INTERFACE DESIGNER

A user experience or user interface designer is responsible for designing websites and applications that support user-centred design principles. They understand best practices in interface development to support how users behave. Working in tandem with UX/UI developers, the designer requires insight into information architecture, interaction and interface design, and the design process.

COMMUNICATIONS OR MARKETING MANAGER

A communications or marketing manager develops and manages the marketing and/or communications strategy, planning and execution for a company, product or service, integrating activities with product or service managers and guiding the research and analysis of market data. A marketing manager may also be responsible for advertising, promotions, events, communications and social media, as well as integration with public relations.

BRAND OR CONTENT STRATEGIST

A brand or content strategist combines business and marketing strategy with brand management expertise to ensure the creation of consistent, powerful brand messages and experiences relevant to a client’s target audience(s). Responsibilities include developing positioning recommendations, defining brand personality and guiding market research and analysis.

Respondents

14

CONTENT EDITOR/MANAGER

A content editor/manager works to ensure the creation of content that supports meaningful, interactive, online experiences. Responsibilities cover every aspect of content, including design, development, analysis, presentation, measurement, evaluation, production, management and governance. Work may include gathering information to enhance the value of the site, working with marketing and graphic designers to ensure consistency and gathering user feedback for website improvement and enhancements.

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

A person focused on new business development is responsible for developing client relationships, generating and following through on sales leads and closing new opportunities.

COMMUNITY OR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

A community or social media manager is responsible for the social media position of a brand, from passive monitoring to direct customer interaction. Strategy, planning, communication and analysis are the primary areas of activity. A community manager is embedded in social media communities and is an expert with the various tools and interfaces. They must have exceptional communication, writing and judgment skills, and are responsible for driving consumer engagement within the various online social networks.

PRODUCTION MANAGER

A production manager is responsible for managing the process (bids, scheduling, production and delivery) of producing design projects, from concept through production, including photography, separations, press work as well as digital production.

OFFICE MANAGER

The office manager takes care of office administration and clerical functions, such as supply inventory, bookkeeping, human resources.

ACCOUNT MANAGER/DIRECTOR

An account manager/director is responsible for achieving the client’s strategic brand objectives and supporting the development of marketing plans through the planning, coordination and implementation of marketing programs on behalf of client-side customers. Account managers ensure campaigns are implemented on time and within budget. An account supervisor provides expertise on program strategy and oversees program execution. Account directors often have new business development responsibilities as well.

ACCOUNT COORDINATOR

An account coordinator provides support to the broader account service team. Duties range from administration to tracking projects, research and reconciliations. An account executive provides day-to-day customer service and support, including marketing program execution under the supervision of an account manager.

EDUCATOR

An educator transmits his or her skills and knowledge to students in post-secondary programs. They implement effective educational strategies through course and curriculum development, assessment methods, course management and act as a liaison with industry.

MEDIA BUYER/PLANNER

A media buyer or planner is a media expert who purchases and / or plans the most effective media usage for a marketing objective, including on and offline strategies. Buyers negotiate media space and time, monitor placements and manage contracts with media vendors. Planners study demographic data and consumer profiles to identify desired target audiences for intended reach and analyze media data to optimize performance.

Respondents

EMPLOYEES

Umbra Toronto, Ontario

16

EMPLOYEESOf respondents, 12% reported that they work on a team of five people or less with 30% working in in-house corporate environments and an additional 27% working in advertising, marketing and interactive agencies.

One in three owners plan to hire full-time staff in the next 12 months and very few plan to reduce workforces which indicates anticipated growth in the industry over the next year.

Employees

“BEING AN RGD MEMBER MEANS

BELONGING TO A COMMUNITY

DEDICATED TO BETTERING THE

PROFESSION OF GRAPHIC DESIGN.”

– GEORDIE ALLEN RGD

17Employees

PRIMARY ORGANIZATION OF EMPLOYMENT

Communication design firm

Advertising / marketing / PR agency

Interactive/web/mobile/digital agency

Not for profit / Charitable organization

Government / Crown Corporation

For profit company (not design and marketing)

Educational institution

Publishing/Media organization

Environmental design firm

Other

14%

17%

11%

5%

7%

30%

6%

ABOUT EMPLOYEES

0Percentage %

NUMBER OF FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES

7%

3%

< 1%

10 15 20 255 30

12%

12%

8%

10%

Less than 5 employees

5-10 employees

11-15 employees

16-25 employees

13%

11%

34%

26-50 employees

51-99 employees

More than 99 employees

18Employees

FACTORS THAT WOULD IMPACT A DECISION TO TAKE A NEW POSITION

Work-life balance

Location

Quality of work being done

Variety of work

Room for advancement

Employer's reputation

Professional growth (learning new skills)

Health / Dental benefits

Retirement plan

Education / Professional development

Other

24%

13%

18%

5%

12%

5%

15%

Percentage % 10 15 20 250 5

3%

2%

2%

1%

METHOD OF COMPENSATION

9%

Hourly wage/rate Annual salary Salary plus commission or other performance based compensation

20% 71%

19

MOST IMPORTANT SHORT TERM CAREER GOALS (NEXT 1-2 YEARS)

Percentage % 10 15 20 250 5

Recognition for my work in competitions/ peers

Find a better job in my field

Improve my design/technical skills

Start my own business

Improve my management/leadership skills

Give back to/support my profession

Meet and interact with peers

Change careers

Other

30

Employees

NUMBER OF TIMES CHANGED ORGANIZATIONS (PAST 5 YEARS)

NUMBER OF TIMES CHANGED JOB TITLES (PAST 5 YEARS)

Never Once Twice

Twice

Three times Four times More than four

41%

19%

26% 15% 12% 3% 3%

More than three

5%

Once

29%

Never

36%

Three times

11%

14%

16%

27%

6%

19%

5%

8%

3%

2%

FREELANCE &SOLE PROPRIETORS

DavisMississauga, Ontario


21

FREELANCE & SOLE PROPRIETORSThis section of the survey covers respondents who do freelance work in addition to their primary employment, which represents about 54% of all respondents, and respondents who operate design businesses as sole proprietorships.

About 62% of respondents do 5 hours or less of freelance work each week while 20% do 6-10 hours and 18% do more than 10 hours per week.

Freelance & Sole Proprietors

"AS A FREELANCER, THE DESIGNER

DIRECTORY ON RGD’S WEBSITE

HAS PROVED USEFUL AS A WAY OF

CONNECTING WITH COMPANIES

SEARCHING FOR RGDS TO WORK

ON DESIGN PROJECTS. I HAVE

ALSO MADE USE OF THE MEMBER

DISCOUNTS WITH SUPPLIERS."

– JANICE VAN ECK RGD

22Freelance & Sole Proprietors

FREELANCE WORK IN ADDITION

TO FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT?

AVERAGE NUMBER OF

WORK HOURS PER WEEK

ABOUT PART-TIME FREELANCERS

7.53

AVERAGE TOTAL INCOME FROM

FREELANCE WORK IN 2013

$6967MEDIAN PART-TIME

FREELANCE INCOME

$4000

54%Yes

46%No

23

PART-TIME FREELANCE SERVICES

89%

Graphic Design

23%

Art Direction

19%

Brand Strategy/Research

11%

Social Media Strategy/Development

6%

Proofreading/QA

3%

Mobile Development/Programming

27%

Illustration

13%

Project Management

20%

Photography

10%

Content Development/Copy-writing

49%

Web Design

33%

File Preparation / Print Production

15%

Mobile Design

60%

Branding / Identity Design

34%

Creative Direction

15%

Web Development/Programming


(Note: Respondents could select more than one option.)

24

PART-TIME FREELANCE RATES


# OF RESP HIGH LOW MEDIAN AVERAGE

GRAPHIC DESIGN Less than 5 years 386 100 20 40 40

5-14 years 414 200 20 50 57

15+ years 195 165 20 65 68

WEB DESIGN Less than 5 years 216 100 20 40 43

5-14 years 238 200 20 55 59

15+ years 98 165 20 75 74

MOBILE DESIGN Less than 5 years 66 100 20 40 46

5-14 years 81 150 20 55 60

15+ years 18 165 40 75 85

CREATIVE DIRECTION Less than 5 years 101 110 20 45 47

5-14 years 174 200 21 65 68

15+ years 104 185 30 80 87

ART DIRECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHY / ILLUSTRATION

Less than 5 years 72 75 20 44 43

5-14 years 115 200 20 65 68

15+ years 63 165 25 75 81

FILE PREPARATION / PRINT PRODUCTION

Less than 5 years 113 90 20 40 39

5-14 years 163 200 20 50 55

15+ years 89 140 20 55 62

BRANDING / IDENTITY DESIGN

Less than 5 years 256 100 20 40 43

5-14 years 280 200 20 58 62

15+ years 135 165 25 75 80

WEB DEVELOPMENT / PROGRAMMING


5-14 years 79 200 21 57 62

15+ years 24 100 25 63 64


# OF RESP HIGH LOW MEDIAN AVERAGE

BRAND STRATEGY / RESEARCH

Less than 5 years 73 100 20 40 45

5-14 years 92 200 20 68 73

15+ years 52 200 30 80 87

PROOFREADING / QA Less than 5 years 22 65 20 30 36

5-14 years 27 200 21 50 63

15+ years 15 120 25 50 57

ILLUSTRATION Less than 5 years 127 150 20 40 44

5-14 years 119 200 20 50 60

15+ years 58 165 20 75 76

PHOTOGRAPHY Less than 5 years 95 100 20 40 44

5-14 years 95 250 20 60 71

15+ years 31 225 20 75 76

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY / DEVELOPMENT


5-14 years 56 200 21 60 68

15+ years 21 165 35 75 81

MOBILE DEVELOPMENT / PROGRAMMING


5-14 years 25 140 21 60 65

15+ years 3 70 50 55 58

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Less than 5 years 28 75 20 38 41

5-14 years 73 250 21 60 68

15+ years 45 150 25 75 78

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT / COPYWRITING


5-14 years 47 200 25 60 64

15+ years 34 150 25 75 75


AVERAGE BILLING RATE


(5 YEARS EXPERIENCE OR LESS)


(16 YEARS EXPERIENCE OR MORE)

ANNUAL BILLINGS

ABOUT FULL-TIME FREELANCERS & SOLE PROPRIETORS

$74 /HOUR

$84 /HOUR

$51 /HOUR

Less than $50,000

$100,000 - $199,999

$500,000 - $999,999

$50,000 - $99,999

$200,000 - $499,999

46%

16%

35%

3%

<1%

FIRMS

Blok DesignToronto, Ontario


28

FIRMSOf respondents who own businesses, 24% identified their businesses as graphic design firms while only 8.5% identified as branding agencies and only 6% identified as interactive agencies. The majority (31%) operate multi-disciplinary design firms. Most businesses are small, with 3 or fewer employees (56%).

Almost half reported plans to hire full-time staff and/or increase their use of freelancers in the next 12 months, which shows the growth occurring in our industry.

The two areas of biggest, almost equal, concern for business owners in this sector are business development and maintaining work/life balance.

The factors contributing most positively to business growth are reported to be word-of-mouth and networking.

Firms

"WHETHER YOU'RE A PRACTITIONER,

AN EDUCATOR OR A STUDENT, YOU

DON'T HAVE TO BE IN TORONTO TO

BE PART OF RGD. DESIGNERS OUTSIDE

OF THE GTA GET EVEN MORE BENEFIT

WHEN WE REACH OUT, GET INVOLVED,

LEARN MORE AND GIVE BACK."

- ERIN BOYCE RGD

29Firms

TYPE OF ORGANIZATION

Graphic design firm

Communications firm

Advertising / marketing agency

Interactive agency

Multi-disciplinary design firm

Branding agency

Other

24%

9%

9%

6%

31%

9%

12%

ABOUT EMPLOYERS

10 15 20 25 30 350 5Percentage %

TOTAL ANNUAL COMPENSATION FOR 2013,

INCLUDING BONUSES, PROFIT-SHARING AND/OR COMMISSIONS

42% Under $50,000

7% More than $150,000

38% $50,000-$99,999

13% $100,000-$149,000

30Firms

12%

37%

15%

18%

59%20%46%

60%

6%18%

MOST IMPORTANT AREAS OF CONCERN

FOR BUSINESS OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS


Productivity Customer service

OtherCompetitionManaging growth

Business development and sales

Retention and development of talent

Sourcing talent Work/life balance

31Firms

NUMBER OF

FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES

FULL-TIME STAFF IN DESIGN AND DESIGN-RELATED POSITIONS

NUMBER OF PART-TIME/

FREELANCE EMPLOYEES

ABOUT HIRING1 Productivity 46%

2 Customer service 20%

3 Business development and sales 59%

4 Retention and development of talent 12%

5 Sourcing talent 15%

6 Work/life balance 60%

7 Managing growth 37%

8 Competition 18%

9 Other 6%

56%

17%

10%

7%

10%

22%

45%

25%

5%

3%

1-3 employees

4-6 employees

7-10 employees

11-15 employees

More than 15

None

1-2 part-timers/freelancers



More than 10

Less than 15% of staff

15-30% of staff 31-45% of staff 46-60% of staff 61-80% of staff More than 80% of staff

40%17%14%7%13%9%

32

ENGAGEMENT OF FREELANCERS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS

HIRING PLANS FOR FULL-TIME STAFF (INCLUDING PERMANENT AND

CONTRACT EMPLOYEES) IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

Firms

47%

48%

18%17%

3%

18%

49%

Have not used freelancers

Hire full-time staff

Have begun to use freelancers

Reduce full-time staff

Have increased use of freelancers

Remain the same

Have decreased use of freelancers

33Firms

BENEFITS PROVIDED

Paid sick leave

Paid personal time off

Paid vacation (beyond what is required by law)

Professional Member Dues

Medical insurance - individual coverage

Medical insurance - Family coverage

Dental insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Defined benefit (pension) retirement plan

Defined contribution or other retirement plan

On-site gym / gym membership

Education / Professional Development funding

Parking

Cellular / Data plan reimbursement

Flex-time

Company car / allowance

Mileage reimbursement

Parental / Elder care leave

Employee assistance or wellness program

Other

None

72%

47%

69%

27%

41%

43%

42%

28%

27%

0%

1%

2%

49%

37%

25%

26%

5%

35%

4%

2%

2%

9%


34Firms

BILLINGSTOTAL ANNUAL BILLINGS FOR 2013

TOTAL BILLABLE DISBURSEMENTS

39% Less than $50,000

30% $50,000 to $99,999

15% $100,000 to $199,999

7% $200,000 to $499,999

5% $500,000 to $999,999 4% More than $1,000,000

81% Less than $50,000

10% $50,000 to $99,999

5% $100,000 to $199,999

3% $200,000 to $499,999 < 1% $500,000 to $999,999

< 1% More than $1,000,000

35Firms

AVERAGE MARK-UP ON BILLABLE DISBURSEMENTS

32% Less than 5%

4% More than 35%

20% 5 to 10%19% 11 to 15%

14% 16 to 20%

7% 21 to 25%

4% 26 to 35%

36

$120Graphic Design

$150Motion Graphics

$125Branding / Identity Design

$125Advertising /

Marketing Services

$110Project Management

$125Video Production

$105Editor / Proofreader / QA

$125Web Design

$125Social Media Strategy /

Development

$150Brand Strategy / Research

$125Mobile Design /

Development

$120Content Development /

Writing

$104Illustration

$120Web Development /

Programming

$123Data Visualization /

Information Graphics

$100Photography

Firms

MEDIAN BILLING RATE FOR SERVICES OFFERED BY BUSINESS OWNERS

MEDIAN BILLING RATEFor services offered by business owners.

37

FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROWTH OF BUSINESS

VALUE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS PART OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Selling (Prospecting/Cold calling, etc.)

Email/print marketing

Word-of-mouth / Referrals

Networking

Responding to RFPs

Public relations / Media exposure / Promotions

Thought leadership

Winning Awards

Other

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

YouTube

Vimeo

Behance

None

Percentage %

Percentage %

40

40

60

60

80

80

1000

0

20

20

8%

4%

92%

57%

10%

3%

4%

4%

2%

67%

42%

47%

12%

9%

8%

16%

18%

Firms



SALARIES

Russell Gibbs DesignDundas, Ontario


39Salaries

SALARIESThis year we report on salaries for 13 different positions. Salaries are broken down by region, organization size, organization type and years of experience.

Median salaries from 2000 to 2014 for all job titles indicate an average increase of about $16,000 with Design Educator, Design/Project Manager and Creative Director seeing the highest increases over time. This may be as much about the increase in the sample size as it is industry developments. For instance, in 2000, there were 21 “Design Educator” respondents with 42 in 2014.

Where there is a relevant number of respondents, median salaries in Alberta are generally higher than in other provinces, although not so for Creative Directors where Ontario has the highest median salary.

As one might expect, respondents with more experience generally have higher salaries. This is not the case for Project Manager/Coordinators or Front-end Developers where respondents with less experience made the same as or more than more experienced respondents. This may also be a reflection of the small sample sizes in both cases but is reflected in both median, and high and low figures.

“THE RGD DESIGNATION IS A

REFLECTION OF MY COMMITMENT

TO A HIGH STANDARD OF

PROFESSIONALISM IN MY DESIGN

PRACTICE AND MY ENTHUSIASM

FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN AS BOTH AN

INDUSTRY AND FIELD OF

CULTURAL ENDEAVOUR.”

– MICHAEL BARKER RGD

40

MEDIAN SALARY CHANGES (2000-2014)

Salaries

2014 MEDIAN

# OF RESP

2012 MEDIAN

# OF RESP

2010 MEDIAN

# OF RESP

2006 MEDIAN

# OF RESP

2004 MEDIAN

# OF RESP

2002 MEDIAN

# OF RESP

2000 MEDIAN

# OF RESP

OWNER, PARTNER, PRINCIPAL

72,500 696 75,000 159 75,000 114 65,000 125 60,000 74 70,000 104 62,000 138

CREATIVE/DESIGN DIRECTOR

80,000 190 78,375 142 80,000 93 75,000 109 72,000 78 65,000 70 60,000 95

ART DIRECTOR 65,520 201 60,500 136 62,000 105 56,000 125 48,500 111 52,000 79 50,000 92

DESIGN/PROJECT MANAGER

70,780 100 65,560 84 66,500 26 52,250 74 52,000 41 54,600 38 54,000 46

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

58,240 334 55,000 439 52,000 315 50,000 346 45,000 218 46,000 183 46,000 153

GRAPHIC DESIGN EDUCATOR

93,000 42 90,000 36 76,000 11 70,000 13 67,000 10 58,000 13 63,000 21

INTERMEDIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNER

50,000 114 44,435 356 42,000 230 39,000 258 36,800 142 37,000 126 36,360 94

JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

42,000 365 35,000 218 33,000 86 32,000 123 30,000 74 30,000 50 27,000 18

PRODUCTION MANAGER 56,000 38 59,500 32 56,000 28 51,000 41 52,000 31 55,000 26 48,000 37

WEB DEVELOPER 55,000 46 54,000 39 42,500 14 50,000 23 51,000 19 45,000 15 44,000 12

WEB PRODUCER/MANAGER

N/A N/A 64,500 28 57,000 25 52,500 22 53,000 15 64,000 9 45,000 12

BRAND STRATEGIST/CONSULTANT

N/A N/A N/A N/A 60,000 15 70,000 12 60,000 5 65,000 5 80,000 5

UX / UI DESIGNER 64,750 130 58,000 61 - - - - - - - - - -

41

DESIGNER

# OF RESP MEDIAN AVERAGE LOW HIGH

REGION National 575 45,000 46,864 24,000 104,000

British Columbia 36 47,000 47,264 24,000 85,000

Alberta 49 50,500 51,155 30,000 78,000

Prairies 14 50,000 48,865 30,000 61,723

Ontario 436 44,645 46,516 25,000 104,000

Greater Toronto Area 219 45,000 47,488 25,000 104,000

Eastern Ontario 39 45,000 45,772 26,300 93,600

Northern Ontario 13 47,320 45,288 32,000 54,600

Central Ontario (excl. GTA) 119 43,264 45,951 27,000 95,000

Southwestern Ontario 46 42,632 44,328 26,000 75,000

Quebec 31 40,000 43,282 24,500 81,900

Atlantic 8 44,000 46,475 35,000 74,000

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 40 41,000 42,429 24,000 81,900

5 - 10 74 40,000 40,901 24,500 81,900

11 - 15 41 42,000 42,961 25,000 92,000

16-25 55 42,000 43,711 26,000 93,600

26-50 83 43,000 45,254 26,300 88,000

51-99 66 45,000 47,187 30,000 90,000

99+ 191 50,000 51,454 27,000 104,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE

Communication Design Firm 95 42,000 43,531 24,500 90,000

Advertising/Marketing/PR 90 43,000 44,354 26,000 104,000

Interactive/Web/Mobile/Digital 46 44,645 44,224 24,000 75,000

For Profit 192 45,000 47,502 25,000 95,000

Other 147 49,000 50,500 29,500 93,600

EXPERIENCE 4 years or less 365 42,000 42,599 24,000 104,000

5-9 years 114 50,000 51,675 30,000 93,600

10-14 years 55 54,600 56,506 30,000 92,000

15+ years 38 59,500 60,195 39,000 95,000

Salaries

42Salaries

SENIOR DESIGNER


REGION National 334 58,240 60,201 23,000 140,400


Alberta 22 67,092 63,902 38,000 90,000

Prairies 4 - - - -

Ontario 220 60,000 61,566 23,000 140,400


Eastern Ontario 22 54,000 60,010 45,000 85,000




Quebec 21 49,140 53,270 35,000 87,360

Atlantic 6 49,535 52,285 45,000 66,637

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 16 49,250 49,153 23,000 72,000

5 - 10 35 52,000 54,120 33,000 90,000

11 - 15 23 58,000 59,674 45,000 95,000

16-25 34 58,000 57,981 38,000 95,000

26-50 37 58,240 60,326 38,000 100,000

51-99 30 61,500 63,650 38,000 130,000

99+ 137 62,000 63,081 37,600 140,400

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 103 58,000 59,419 23,000 140,400

Other 99 59,280 60,620 38,480 85,000


5-9 years 105 55,000 56,881 38,000 100,000

10-14 years 86 60,000 62,425 37,600 140,400

15+ years 102 65,000 65,218 38,480 130,000

43Salaries

ART DIRECTOR


REGION National 201 65,520 67,946 30,000 208,000


Alberta 10 75,235 75,847 54,000 100,000

Prairies 3 - - - -

Ontario 149 68,000 69,010 30,000 208,000


Eastern Ontario 13 65,000 62,151 45,000 80,000

Northern Ontario 0 - - - -



Quebec 15 55,000 57,920 40,000 90,000

Atlantic 9 60,000 59,500 42,500 70,000

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 13 52,000 54,077 45,000 84,000

5 - 10 22 58,250 60,127 35,000 90,000

11 - 15 19 64,480 67,063 40,000 208,000

16-25 19 62,000 62,542 32,000 100,000

26-50 36 73,500 72,236 30,000 110,000

51-99 23 70,000 71,043 40,000 120,000

99+ 61 70,000 72,408 40,000 155,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 32 71,000 69,435 38,000 121,500

Other 55 60,000 64,812 40,000 155,000


5-9 years 47 63,000 66,563 40,000 150,000

10-14 years 61 70,000 70,697 42,000 121,500

15+ years 57 75,000 74,907 45,500 155,000

44

CREATIVE / DESIGN DIRECTOR


REGION National 190 80,000 83,972 28,000 270,000


Alberta 18 71,500 77,982 46,000 135,000

Prairies 4 - - - -

Ontario 139 80,000 85,969 28,000 270,000


Eastern Ontario 12 68,500 68,125 28,000 100,000




Quebec 13 78,000 76,923 50,000 105,000

Atlantic 1 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 14 60,000 67,955 28,000 208,000

5 - 10 22 70,000 70,832 28,000 120,000

11 - 15 23 73,000 78,696 35,000 180,000

16-25 16 67,100 74,684 32,000 135,000

26-50 25 96,000 94,564 41,600 200,000

51-99 22 80,000 84,591 45,000 220,000

99+ 58 90,000 94,485 32,000 270,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 53 75,000 82,135 28,000 270,000

Other 49 63,000 70,180 34,200 172,000


5-9 years 24 60,000 62,192 41,600 90,000

10-14 years 47 76,000 80,260 36,000 130,000

15+ years 101 90,000 98,815 48,000 270,000

Salaries

45

COPYWRITER / EDITOR


REGION National 32 63,250 65,050 35,000 156,000

British Columbia 1 - - - -

Alberta 3 - - - -

Prairies 1 - - - -

Ontario 23 65,000 66,335 35,000 156,000


Eastern Ontario 1 - - - -


Central Ontario (excl. GTA) 4 - - - -

Southwestern Ontario 1 - - - -

Quebec 2 - - - -

Atlantic 2 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 1 - - - -

5 - 10 2 - - - -

11 - 15 3 - - - -

16-25 2 - - - -

26-50 5 65,000 63,680 35,000 115,000

51-99 6 55,000 55,583 35,000 75,000

99+ 13 64,500 63,900 40,000 87,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE

Communication Design Firm 2 - - - -


Interactive/Web/Mobile/Digital 1 - - - -

For Profit 3 - - - -

Other 5 60,000 59,500 38,400 80,000


5-9 years 8 65,000 66,188 55,000 80,000

10-14 years 6 86,000 98,333 65,000 156,000

15+ years 2 - - - -

Salaries

46

UX / UI DESIGNER


REGION National 130 64,750 64,916 26,400 156,000


Alberta 0 - - - -

Prairies 3 - - - -

Ontario 107 65,000 65,932 34,000 156,000


Eastern Ontario 13 65,000 71,136 40,000 156,000




Quebec 9 52,000 58,089 40,000 85,000

Atlantic 1 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 4 - - - -

5 - 10 12 51,000 55,975 35,500 96,200

11 - 15 14 59,000 59,746 26,400 90,000

16-25 18 49,000 54,889 34,000 85,000

26-50 13 55,000 59,354 34,000 93,600

51-99 16 62,500 66,500 35,000 156,000

99+ 51 70,000 72,392 40,000 125,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 37 65,000 68,427 40,000 120,000

Other 18 70,535 63,753 34,000 86,000


5-9 years 24 62,500 63,042 40,000 104,000

10-14 years 31 75,000 75,718 41,600 125,000

15+ years 14 80,000 87,349 55,888 156,000

Salaries

47

CREATIVE SERVICES MANAGER


REGION National 100 70,788 71,231 37,000 150,000


Alberta 14 78,000 78,143 48,000 120,000

Prairies 2 - - - -

Ontario 68 70,788 71,832 40,000 150,000


Eastern Ontario 6 54,500 59,933 43,000 86,599




Quebec 6 75,000 77,177 50,000 120,000

Atlantic 0 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 5 55,000 62,600 48,000 80,000

5 - 10 2 - - - -

11 - 15 3 - - - -

16-25 6 49,750 49,083 43,000 55,000

26-50 9 56,000 62,556 41,000 100,000

51-99 16 62,000 64,600 40,000 90,000

99+ 58 76,000 77,621 40,000 150,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 57 71,575 71,616 40,000 150,000

Other 26 72,000 70,270 43,000 105,000


5-9 years 25 55,000 60,518 42,000 105,000

10-14 years 15 57,500 66,615 46,000 95,000

15+ years 48 80,000 82,041 45,500 150,000

Salaries

48

PRODUCTION MANAGER


REGION National 38 56,000 60,492 32,500 100,240


Alberta 4 - - - -

Prairies 0 - - - -

Ontario 29 60,000 61,196 32,500 100,240






Quebec 3 - - - -

Atlantic 0 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 0 - - - -

5 - 10 5 49,400 50,180 42,000 63,500

11 - 15 3 - - - -

16-25 3 - - - -

26-50 5 64,500 56,800 32,500 75,000

51-99 4 - - - -

99+ 16 62,200 65,818 45,000 100,240

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 9 70,000 64,489 32,500 80,000

Other 14 52,500 59,613 35,700 100,240


5-9 years 4 - - - -

10-14 years 10 50,500 56,850 42,000 83,000

15+ years 14 66,850 69,899 49,400 100,240

Salaries

49

DESIGN EDUCATOR


REGION National 42 93,000 87,639 28,000 150,000


Alberta 2 - - - -

Prairies 0 - - - -

Ontario 29 98,000 93,563 28,000 150,000


Eastern Ontario 7 98,000 101,356 75,000 150,000




Quebec 3 - - - -

Atlantic 3 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 0 - - - -

5 - 10 0 - - - -

11 - 15 0 - - - -

16-25 1 - - - -

26-50 0 - - - -

51-99 0 - - - -

99+ 1 - - - -

ORGANIZATION TYPE


Advertising/Marketing/PR 0 - - - -


For Profit 1 - - - -

Other 41 94,000 89,093 38,000 150,000

EXPERIENCE 4 years or less 1 - - - -

5-9 years 3 - - - -

10-14 years 2 - - - -

15+ years 36 95,500 92,023 38,000 150,000

Salaries

50

MARKETING / BRAND MANAGER


REGION National 85 58,000 62,931 32,000 142,000


Alberta 13 66,500 76,692 45,000 139,000

Prairies 3 - - - -

Ontario 59 54,000 58,606 32,000 142,000


Eastern Ontario 11 50,000 60,118 34,000 140,000




Quebec 2 - - - -

Atlantic 1 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 6 40,000 43,800 33,800 70,000

5 - 10 10 44,132 44,146 36,000 52,000

11 - 15 4 - - - -

16-25 7 55,000 57,714 32,000 73,500

26-50 19 56,420 61,654 34,000 122,000

51-99 5 59,960 72,992 32,000 140,000

99+ 28 63,000 74,819 38,000 142,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 45 58,000 62,527 32,000 142,000

Other 30 58,190 64,373 34,000 140,000


5-9 years 22 58,200 58,495 34,000 94,032

10-14 years 12 69,000 69,850 40,000 114,000

15+ years 22 73,664 84,241 43,264 142,000

Salaries

51

PROJECT MANAGER / COORDINATOR


REGION National 38 55,000 57,187 39,000 92,000


Alberta 7 65,000 64,183 49,400 80,000

Prairies 0 - - - -

Ontario 25 51,000 54,932 39,000 92,000






Quebec 2 - - - -

Atlantic 0 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 3 - - - -

5 - 10 7 65,000 58,614 41,000 72,800

11 - 15 1 - - - -

16-25 3 - - - -

26-50 6 57,500 56,500 42,000 72,000

51-99 2 - - - -

99+ 15 55,000 60,419 40,000 92,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 5 50,000 53,832 40,000 80,000

Other 18 58,000 59,414 41,000 86,500


5-9 years 12 57,500 57,542 40,000 92,000

10-14 years 9 60,000 60,348 39,000 85,232

15+ years 8 51,000 55,020 41,000 82,000

Salaries

52

FRONT-END DEVELOPER


REGION National 46 55,000 54,674 22,000 93,000


Alberta 4 - - - -

Prairies 3 - - - -

Ontario 35 55,000 53,471 22,000 75,232




Central Ontario (excl. GTA) 2 - - - -


Quebec 2 - - - -

Atlantic 0 - - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 4 5 49,000 44,000 22,000 55,000

5 - 10 4 - - - -

11 - 15 5 50,000 54,600 46,000 72,000

16-25 9 56,000 56,069 48,000 63,000

26-50 4 - - - -

51-99 2 - - - -

99+ 13 57,400 56,349 35,000 75,232

ORGANIZATION TYPE




For Profit 6 61,750 58,983 42,500 67,500

Other 9 70,000 63,109 46,000 75,232


5-9 years 18 60,000 59,686 39,000 75,232

10-14 years 6 52,500 54,333 49,000 63,000

15+ years 3 - - - -

Salaries

53

BUSINESS OWNER


REGION National 696 55,000 72,462 10,000 3,000,000


Alberta 43 68,000 74,582 15,000 230,000

Prairies 8 59,250 59,188 10,000 120,000

Ontario 442 58,000 72,221 10,000 825,000


Eastern Ontario 71 60,000 64,107 10,000 250,000




Quebec 81 47,000 85,985 10,000 3,000,000

Atlantic 23 55,000 65,735 15,000 250,000

Territories 2 47,000 - - -

ORGANIZATION SIZE

1 - 3 80 71,200 77,275 14,000 189,560

4 - 6 26 100,000 115,500 20,000 250,000

7 - 10 13 120,000 120,692 60,000 230,000

10 - 15 10 117,500 125,500 65,000 200,000

More than 15 14 177,500 409,929 20,000 3,000,000

ORGANIZATION TYPE

Advertising / Marketing Agency 11 60,000 96,818 20,000 250,000

Branding Agency 12 104,000 99,583 50,000 150,000

Communications Firm 15 100,000 121,600 20,000 370,000

Graphic Design Firm 36 89,750 94,483 20,000 230,000

Interactive Agency 9 100,000 94,111 25,000 140,000

Multi-disciplinary Design Firm 49 91,000 165,032 14,000 3,000,000

EXPERIENCE Less than 1 year 1 28,000 - - -

1 - 3 years 35 25,000 28,270 10,000 60,000

3 - 5 years 46 38,000 44,325 10,000 130,000

5 - 9 years 118 48,000 53,458 10,000 200,000

10 - 14 years 149 55,000 60,513 10,000 150,000

15 - 19 years 120 65,000 100,590 10,000 3,000,000

20 years or more 225 70,000 89,408 10,000 825,000

Salaries

OVERTIME &BENEFITS

Subplot Design Inc.Vancouver, British Columbia

55

OVERTIME & BENEFITSMore than 70% of respondents are not compensated for overtime work, which is consistent with 2012 survey results, although up from 78% who reported not receiving overtime compensation in the 2010 results. The majority of those respondents who are compensated for overtime receive a combination of payment for work and/or time off in lieu of pay.

Not surprisingly, those working in government are most likely to receive overtime pay (65%) and those working in advertising are least likely (15%).

The most frequently offered benefits are paid sick leave, paid vacation (beyond what is required by law) and dental insurance.

Overtime & Benefits

“RGD OFFERS ALL OF THE PERKS A

PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER WOULD

WANT AND REPRESENTS A GREAT

EXAMPLE OF WHAT AN INDUSTRY

ASSOCIATION SHOULD BE.”

– FRANK CHARTRAND RGD

56Overtime & Benefits

PAID OVERTIME?

WORK HOURS

METHOD OF COMPENSATION FOR OVERTIME

Regular hourly rate/wage

AVERAGE ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE-BASED

COMPENSATION

24% 14% 25% 37%

Time off in lieu Combination of above

$6977

More than regular hourly rate/wage

30%Yes

70%No

57Overtime & Benefits

OVERTIME COMPENSATIONPercent within each job title who receive overtime compensation.

Account Coordinator

Account Manager/Director

Art Director

Brand / Content Strategist

Communications / Marketing / Brand Manager

Community / Social Media Manager

Content Editor / Manager

Copywriter / Editor

Creative / Design Director

Design Educator

Design / Creative Service Manager

Designer

Front-end Developer

Information Architect

Production Manager

Project Manager / Coordinator

Senior Designer

UX / UI Designer

29%

17%

46%

27%

29%

36%

13%

18%

19%

27%

36%

39%

33%

23%

29%

39%

26%

0%

Percentage % 20 30 40 500 10

58

OVERTIME COMPENSATIONPercent within each employer type who receive overtime compensation.

Overtime & Benefits

Advertising / Marketing / PR Agency Communication Design Firm

Publishing / MediaNon-profitInteractive / Web / Mobile / Digital Agency

Education Institution

Environmental Design Firm For Profit Government

43%

65%

23%

31%

27%

35%

15%

42%

25%

59

BENEFITS RECEIVED

Paid sick leave

Paid personal time off

Paid vacation (beyond what is required by law)

Professional Member Dues

Medical insurance - individual coverage

Medical insurance - family coverage

Dental insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Defined benefit (pension) retirement plan

Defined contribution or other retirement plan

On-site gym / gym membership

Education / Professional development funding

Parking

Cellular / Data plan reimbursement

Flex-time

Stock options

Company car / allowance

Mileage reimbursement

Parental / Elder care leave

Employee assistance or wellness program

Other

72%

42%

64%

14%

58%

51%

69%

47%

48%

25%

21%

18%

38%

26%

15%

29%

9%

2%

22%

10%

24%

6%

Overtime & Benefits

FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY

JacknifeToronto, Ontario


61

FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRYSurvey respondents are incredibly optimistic about the future of their profession. More than 36% are very optimistic and an additional 42% are somewhat optimistic while less than 5% are either somewhat or very pessimistic.

The greatest threat to the design industry, according to respondents, is lack of awareness about the value of design, with the secondary, much lesser concern being shrinking budgets.

Future of the Industry

"THE E-NEWSLETTER, WEEKLY

WEBINARS AND EXTENSIVE VIDEO

ARCHIVE PROVIDE EXCELLENT

CONTENT THAT IS INFORMATIVE,

THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND WELL-

PRESENTED. AS A RESULT OF MY

MEMBERSHIP, I AM ABLE TO STAY UP-

TO-DATE ON SALARIES AND BILLINGS,

LEGAL ISSUES AND OTHER FACTORS

AFFECTING OUR INDUSTRY."

– CLIFFORD VISCOUNT RGD

62

OPTIMISMOPTIMISM FOR THE FUTURE OF PROFESSION

WHAT RESPONDENTS FELT WAS THE GREATEST THREAT

TO THE DESIGN INDUSTRY

36% 42% 18% 3% 1%

Very optimistic Somewhat optimistic Uncertain Somewhat pessimistic Very pessimistic

54%

4% Other

3%

Lack of awareness about the value of design

Lack of qualified talent coming out of schools

16% Shrinking budgets

9% Crowd-sourcing

9% Lack of job opportunities

5% Lack of qualified talent to meet changing market demand


63

WHAT RESPONDENTS FELT WILL HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THE

DESIGN INDUSTRY IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS

ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES

35%

6%

Mobile’s continued proliferation

Experience and cross-disciplinary design

Big data and visual interpretation

Experience design/innovation

20%

6% Accessibility requirements

2% Other

31%

Finding most environmentally friendly materials

Working with local suppliers

Incorporating sustainability principles

Considering the whole life-cycle of a project

Turning off office computer(s) when not in use

Pro bono work for green organizations

Joining groups that foster sustainable practices

Donating to organizations for betterment of world

Carpooling/Taking transit/Biking to work

Other

9%

16%

9%

7%

18%

11%

4%

8%

15%

2%



64Future of the Industry

OPTIMISM BY REGION

British Columbia

Alberta

Prairies

Ontario

Greater Toronto Area

Eastern Ontario

Northern Ontario

Central Ontario (excl. GTA)

Southwestern Ontario

Quebec

Atlantic

Northwest Territories and Nunavut

29%

34%

40%

38%

39%

39%

45%

32%

46%

27%

20%

25%

45%

49%

40%

41%

42%

40%

36%

41%

33%

49%

55%

75%

22%

13%

17%

17%

14%

18%

12%

23%

17%

21%

22%

0%

3%

2%

3%

4%

4%

2%

7%

3%

3%

3%

3%

0%

1%

2%

0%

< 1%

1%

1%

0%

1%

1%

< 1%

0%

0%

Very OptimisticSomewhat Optimistic Uncertain

Somewhat Pessimistic Very PessimisticREGION

q30 design inc.Toronto, Ontario

WHY RGD

66

WHY RGDRGD ADVOCACY

RGD’s advocacy has many action points - actively defending industry best practices; promoting policies that broadly benefit the industry; increasing awareness about the value graphic design brings to business and society; speaking out on issues of concern; intervening on behalf of members and the profession as a whole. In particular, RGD provides information about and combats the unethical practice of spec work, doing work for free as part of new business pitches or contests.

RGD CERTIFICATION

In a world of increasing competition, graphic design professionals need to be able to set themselves apart. Putting the RGD designation after your name lets clients know that you are a professional practitioner of graphic design, that you have many years of experience and education and that you understand not only their design needs, but also their business objectives. RGDs promote their certification by using the RGD designation after their name, by placing a special RGD logo on their websites and promotional materials, and by including a one-pager on the value of hiring an RGD in proposals.

AWARENESS

RGD works to promote the value graphic design can bring to business communications through a variety of initiatives. The annual DesignThinker of the Year Award, a partnership with Rotman School of Management recognizes a Canadian corporate leader who uses design and innovation to achieve business success. Design at Work showcases the value design brings to local communities. The annual So(cial) Good Design Awards celebrate design with the power to incite positive action.

RGD BENEFITS

In addition to the intangible benefits that RGD offers through advocacy, support of best practices and research, RGD Members also receive a variety of tangible benefits which include free magazine subscriptions, access to free, easily-accessible professional development in the form of weekly webinars, and access to a range of discounts. Discounts cover such things as health and liability insurance, stock photography, fonts, fitness memberships and special offers with relevant retailers.

DESIGNTHINKERS

Every November, RGD organizes Canada’s largest event celebrating all areas of communication design and the visionary work that graphic designer are doing across disciplines and around the globe. DesignThinkers provides an opportunity for professionals to hear the ever-evolving advancements in technology, accessibility, useability and engagement that are impacting the effectiveness of visual communications in the marketplace.

Why RGD

MozillaToronto, Ontario

ORGANIZERS


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ORGANIZERS

RGD works to establish and promote professional standards and best practices in the graphic design industry. We certify designers who have documented levels of relevant education and experience, demonstrated understanding of business, design, research principles and ethics, and a portfolio of work that applies creativity, imagination, empathy and problem-solving skills to complex communication projects. RGD is a hub, promoting knowledge sharing, continuous learning, research, advocacy and mentorship.

RGD.CA

Creative Niche is a leading temporary staffing, permanent recruitment and executive search firm focused in advertising, communications design, data, digital, marketing, mobile, public relations, and social media throughout North America, Asia and Europe. Founded by entrepreneur and recruitment-industry expert Mandy Gilbert in 2002, our firm connects top talent with leading companies from across the globe. That includes the marketing departments of multinational corporations, as well as advertising, digital, marketing and public relations agencies. With a fanatical commitment to delivering both exceptional value to clients and career-boosting opportunities to talent, Creative Niche plays an active role advancing the creative and marketing communities, and is a proud partner of RGD.

CREATIVENICHE.COM

Organizers

SPONSORS

Marc Kandalaft DesignMontreal, Quebec

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SPONSORS

Sponsors

Founded in 1982, Adobe Systems Incorporated builds award-winning software solutions for Network Publishing, including web, print, video, wireless and broadband applications. Its graphic design, imaging, dynamic media and authoring tools enable customers to create, publish and deliver visually rich content for various types of media. Based in San Jose, Calif., Adobe has annual revenues exceeding $1.2 billion.

ADOBE.COM

The Pixel Shop is a team of interactive strategists, designers and developers based in Toronto. Their passion is conceiving, designing and building one-of-a-kind online experiences for their clients. Everything they do is part of an integrated approach to the digital channel that spans strategy to deployment, whether it’s a mobile app, an enterprise-level content management system or a marketing campaign, they craft it with love and attention to detail second to none.

THEPIXELSHOP.CA

Designedge Canada is the country’s leading media brand for the graphic design industry, with a full suite of award-winning print, web, e-mail social media and event properties engaging designers across the country. Designedgecanada.com serves the Canadian graphic design industry with up-to-the-minute news, a national job board, classifieds, blogs, events calendar, contests, links and resources.

DESIGNEDGECANADA.COM

Umbra is a Toronto-based housewares company born over 30 years ago when graphic designer, Paul Rowan, couldn't find a nice window shade to hang in his apartment window. So, he made one. And others liked it. He soon teamed up with childhood friend, Les Mandelbaum, and Umbra (in Latin, "shade") was born. Today, Umbra is recognized all over the world for bringing thought and creativity to everyday items. An international team of in-house designers and global network make its original designs available in over 118 countries. A full collection can be seen in its Toronto flagship store and a newly opened store in Shanghai.

UMBRA.COM

Flash Reproductions is a Toronto-based printing company with a wide range of in-house printing and finishing services, including: traditional off-set printing, plastic and vinyl printing, letterpress, silk screening, embossing, die cutting, packaging, mouse pad manufacturing and bindery.

FLASHREPRODUCTIONS.COM

Paper has the power to inspire new thoughts and big ideas. Domtar's ingenuity has brought the world brighter whites, superior opacity, and a variety of textures with exceptional runnability. They have also led the way in sustainable forestry practices, and introduced the most extensive line of environmentally and socially responsible papers available. A good reputation means attention to every detail, from the multitude of paper choices available to the award-winning customer service, and the efficient delivery to your door.

DOMTAR.COM

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PROMOTIONAL SPONSORS

Sponsors VERSION CE20141218

Documents

2014 SALARY SURVEY - gdc.design · professionals, advertising executives, copywriters and strategists to provide their current salaries and billing rates. We are extremely grateful