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As a non designer I like looking at them too. I will admit that I usually think to myself - this designer has no paying customers this month. But, I feel like they are hustling and trying to drum up clients.

When I see these in a designers portfolio, though, presented as real work, I feel like that is dishonest.

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You might be surprised by how many of them show up in portfolios. In fact, such exercises aren't uncommon in design school. I review a lot of these portfolios. I always think it would be nice to see what a new designer might have done with a real project, instead of an imaginary one.

Yea I've seen them too. I'm like, ok this guy is fresh out of college with no work experience and he's done major redesigns for Nike, Budweiser and Home Depot?!

I definitely don't mind seeing whatever work a new grad has - we all have to start somewhere. But, I just like to see it marked as schoolwork or whatever so I can get some understanding of what part of the work they actually did.

The other thing is that I actually do regularly see portfolios with actual work for major brands, so when I see it in a portfolio, I tend to assume its real.

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