1) i meet in person with someone local and work through the process of having one person or one firm come up with some ideas which I can refine and hopefully land on something I can use. I know I will get a scalable, versatile, professional logo (the majority of the time). From my research, the minimum I would spend to go that route would be $1500-$2000. And at that price the revisions and number of initial ideas is very, very low. Most likely I am stuck having to spend a ton of time up front to identify a designer who has a style that I like because, like architects, I’ve found it’s really hard to find someone who is really good at multiple styles (again, i’m generalizing – i know there are exceptions, but you pay for it).

2) I go online and hope for the best… for $500 I can give a contest site the same creative brief the local designer would ask me for. I get an overwhelming number of entries, most of which suck. BUT, if i get just one design that I like, I’ve just saved a ton of money and time. And this is the point where my design friends get really angry with me – if I like it, then it’s good enough. Design is subjective, except to designers (if that makes sense). Even good design rubs people the wrong way sometimes. As a startup I cannot afford to commission market studies to find which logos make customers feel warm inside. I cannot afford the design firm who will spend countless hours perfecting a lasting logo right now. My logo does not make or break my business. The biggest problem I see, as a client, is the copyright issue or blatant theft of designs. But even with a professional, it’s up to the client to make sure that’s not happening. It just has a much, much higher potential with the contests.

At first, my design friends tried to make me, as the client, feel guilty for using a contest site. But after talking through it, it became clear that they view the designers on those sites as the people in the wrong. But one could argue that those designers are there by choice… and from the looks of it, most are from somewhere other than the US. I don’t know how the design industry works in those countries but I’m going to guess that getting paid in $’s and at the amounts of most of the contests, it may actually be a viable business model for someone. Again, I have no idea, but you could always just ask those designers. In that sense, you get the outsourcing effect along with the crowdsourcing effects, good or bad.

One of the comments above hits it on the head – people who value good design and will pay for it (and can afford it!) will always go with the professionals. I know that if my startup survives the first couple of years I can then afford a rebranding effort and put more money into it. Heck, even the best brands in the world are required to rebrand once in a while. Sadly, most startup businesses see a logo as just something they need, a box to check off amongst the 1000 other boxes you check off when starting a business. I think blogs like this help to educate both clients and designers, but ultimately each client is going to decide for themselves and most clients (myself included) will look at contest sites and think “well, even though the logos in that guy’s contest suck, mine will be different”. and at $500, what is the risk? Is it my job as the client to make sure the industry is “fair”? if the dentist offered me the option of paying for satisfaction rather than up front, why wouldn’t most people take it?

Take the Idol TV programmes (or any of that kind) – no self respecting music professional (or any other performer) is looking to make a living by winning, but some people see it as a vehicle to greater things, or a measuring rod for their talents. The art world is full of contests – some pay nothing, some pay millions. Ultimately it’s all about having work that you think can stand up to that of others.

Perhaps it’s a bit unfortunate that some companies look to contests for their design work, but that isn’t a contest to me. That’s abusing the system.

onlineuniversalwork

A confession – I am guilty of using one contest. Even if just once, but I’ve used it as a designer. After studying design for 8 years, I am completely understand and agree with your point of view. When I did my math on 99designs I realised, I wouldn’t be able to depend on this for money – For eg. A logo contest that was on for 6.5 days was on an average worth $300. That’s approximately $5.76 per hour! I don’t know a single designer who would accept that kind of salary, even with the current financial trauma.

Being out of work for nearly a year, I was trying to use a ‘design brief’ provided to exercise my creative cells. However, your post has definitely made me stop and think if I may be encouraging these kind of sites. I know there are other ways to keep me motivated and be creative without using such design contests.

The “Pros” and Cons of Spec Work
.-= Jacob Cass´s last blog ..The “Pros” and Cons of Spec Work =-.

Sorry, I think you misunderstood what I meant by “fame”. When I say “fame”, I mean personal fame in knowing I designed it, not that others know that I did. I could care less if a client runs around calling it “their logo”. they paid for the design of the logo, they can call it their own, just like I call my mac, “my mac” even though I didn’t design the thing.

jeremy
beingastarvingartistsucks.com

Jeremy Tuber’s last blog post..The Freelancer, the Client and the Dying