I saw this last night, and it makes me … mad? annoyed? sad? A smallish city nearby is asking professional designers to submit logo designs (along with documentation showing that they are professionals). The top five get $200 plus a lot more work with only two weeks to adapt the logo for various uses. Then the top three get an additional $300, and the final winner gets an additional $1800.
What does the city get? A logo designed without a true understanding of the project. A logo designed without research: I can’t imagine most designers spending hours and hours of unpaid time on a logo for which they probably won’t be paid at all. A logo chosen by committee. Actually, five committees. City staff plus an alphabet soup of other committees (DAC, LOTA, LCAC, staff again, then LURA). Each of these will be asked to provide feedback.
It’s not clear if the designers will be allowed or expected to attend the review meetings. As I designer, I’d want the opportunity to present the logo, but preparing for and attending five meetings would be very time consuming. And what is the old saying? A camel is a horse designed by a committee.
If more than five designers enter, most won’t get anything. Five others do a considerable amount of work for a very small amount of money. And one “winner” receives what will be the on the low end for a logo that the city will use in many ways.
The documentation I read doesn’t mention anything about copyright and who owns submitted work, so I won’t address that here.
The city would be better served by hiring one logo designer based on their portfolio of work, and working with that person to create an effective, attractive logo to represent their city.
What do you think? Is a logo contest like this good for the designer and the client?