This morning, I did a bit of ranting on Twitter in favor for the recent AntiSpec campaign. Since tweets tend to come and go very quickly and I wanted my thoughts to be seen, I’m putting them here in my notes.
Introductory note: If you don’t know about AntiSpec, go to their site and read up on it. Then, read about my thoughts on this particular case. No need to re-invent the wheel and tell you what it is while they have already explained the situation successfully.
I saw a tweet from Mark Collins mentioning a logo design contest by a site called “1stwebdesigner.” Typical contest: Do a logo, get a cash prize of $599. No surprises. Typically, I would make a tweet about it and be on my way.
But then, I scrolled down through the logo designs and after the first few rows, I discovered this:
Really?? Seriously, what is this?
OK, I understand that some companies want a good logo and they hope to get one cheap by doing spec work “logo contests” to encourage designers to flock to them for the “opportunity.” We know the basic problems with this. We know it’s taking away the view that designers are professionals and replacing them with the notion that anyone with Photoshop/Illustrator can do a quickie $600 logo. But, to take the few other entrants that actually want to design for the competition and insult them by publicly announcing that the logos are not what they’re looking for before the contest is over?
“We don’t want to take the time and money to hire a professional freelancer or company to design our logo. We’ve got $600 to blow on redesigning the logo and we want it done quickly. Oh! You sent some of your designs for the contest! Well, sorry, these aren’t what we’re looking for, and we want the world to know these aren’t worthy of a shot at $600.”
If you’re going to treat this like a competition, how about when a deadline arrives, show a group of finalists and hide the ones that didn’t make it? When the “contest” is over, they’ll figure out on their own they didn’t get their designs chosen. Give those people a little respect. I know the site has “standards” to what they want their logo to look like, but to publicly insult and humiliate them for trying—even if the site wasn’t trying to single them out—is just cruel. Those designers won’t learn anything that way, so there is nothing to gain from them—or anyone—entering the contest if that’s the attitude they’ll get from giving it a shot.
Contests don’t shoot down entrants while they’re trying to enter. Clients do that with spec work they don’t like.
During my Twitter discussions, a thought from Kris Noble was sent to me that I wanted to share here: “This is the problem with spec though – it encourages lots of half-baked ideas, rather than one kickass one.” This is what sites like 1webdesigner are asking for. Ironically, you would think a site called 1webdesigner would use, I don’t know… maybe one designer or company for their website’s logo. Instead, they’ve already said, “No,” to real design and the process that goes with it when they set up this contest. They are turning down potentially worthwile ideas and instead go for logo entries that blatantly rip off other companies logos (like StumbleUpon, for instance).
Want to do a logo contest? Open it up to K-12 and/or college students and give a small prize. Give those who are nowhere near the professional level a taste of what it’s like to be competitive in the business world and give them a chance to learn from it.
Otherwise, don’t kid yourself and call it what it is: spec work.
Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments.
My clients want to know that I have a solid professional network of subcontractors who can be drafted in for project needs. When they ask if I know someone who can develop a brand for them, I have a list of choices, each of whom fit a particular sector, brand personality, or budget. I can’t help but think that promoting yourself as a web designer who does not have a fruitful working relationship with any professional designer across any acpect of business is very smart.
I completely agree with you! It’s one thing if you’re starting out in the field and don’t have a lot of experience. There are plenty of local businesses, groups, even family one could try out their work on just to get their feet wet. Build connections and a portfolio of work along the way. Every person’s skill grows with time and practice. But to cut it down to simply, “Make me a logo, get $600,” hurts those who have built those skills and connections over time.
We need to educate people that doing a few crowdsourced—or “contest”—logos and designs does not make you a professional; It’s just quick cash (if your design is chosen, that is).
It’s just appalling and disrespectful what 1stwebdesigner is doing. Out of all blogs, they are respected and popular within the design community. You would believe that they would not hold a spec contest.
I’m betting the site will lose—if not already lost—a significant amount of credibility and followers because of this event. To stand up for a cause like AntiSpec and to be against crowdsourcing, then turn around with a logo competition and give the reasoning that logo design doesn’t take long is ridiculous. It sounds like a person who runs a web design site that has never actually worked in the field before. Honestly, I would challenge that! If it doesn’t take long to design a logo, and if the person running the 1webdesigner site is a true professional in the field, couldn’t they do it quickly without cost or need to outsource, er, “contest” it out?
Ha! I love that this “design” site that is holding this
cheapskate spec dealcontest is going for rip-off played out logos. Well written post.Nicely put. 😉 Thanks for the feedback! (Sorry for the late reply.)
Competitive design, to me, is anti-design. It conveys a total lack of trust in the professionalism, knowledge, and skills of the designer, by the client. Letting a client pick a design that they like, (Like? For what reason?) also means you aren’t designing. You are a mouse pointer.
Professional design work is done closely with a client, and requires trust on their behalf in your abilities and schooling as a designer. Professional designers work with a client over time to create one solution to a problem – not 5 that a non-designer then chooses randomly cause they “like it.”
Ridiculous.
Sorry. This kinda thing undermines our profession, and kinda drives me bonkers. 😉
Absolutely! No need for apologies, but it does undermine what we do as professionals.
Unfortunately, there will be clients who really don’t care and/or don’t have the money to hire a professional designer. So, sites like these ones look very appealing. No matter how professional we may be, there will always be someone willing to do a quick job on the cheap. Since this article was written, sites like Fiverr take it a step further by allowing “professionals” to start logo design rates at $5. It hurts.
On the other hand, companies who are serious about having a logo that speaks their brand – one that engages, communicates, and connects to their prospective clients – will seek out a professional designer to work with them (just as people would seek those companies for their professional work). So, again, I’m not worried.
P.S. Considering how much time has passed since I wrote this post and seeing how strong and valuable the design community is, it further strengthens my opinion that we’ll be collectively alright from the “threat” of cheaper design services.