I’m done with this post..later

Not sure what opining about logo design contest sites has to do with David’s book, or the sales thereof, but okay, your point’s taken. Luckily, and unlike David, I don’t have a book, so you don’t need to worry about the negative effect of my opinion on my book sales.

Accordingly;

You believe that logo contest sites are new? Hardly. They’ve been around in one form or another since about 2000, pretty much once the internet gained any traction. And they’ve ALL be plagued with the same issues. Copied work. Unlicensed material. Unpaid contests. Shill contest holders. Etc. Etc.

But rather than bashing Logomyway.com (and risking appearing unprofessional to your kind self), let’s take a look at Logomyway’s own stats to see how ‘worthwhile’ particpating in their contests actually is for a designer.

See here http://logomyway.com/designers.php

The ‘Top’ designer on Logomyway.com has participated in 206 contests but only won 29 (with 1534 entries).
Second has particpated in 111 contests. Won 18 (with 1097 entries).
Third has participated in 130 contests. Won 8 (with 665 entries).
Fourth has participated in 82 contests. Won 4 (with 439 entries).

One poor sap has competed in 141 contests but only won 1 (with 483 entries).

This suggests that Logomyway.com (and ALL logo design contest sites) is a terrible way for any designer to earn beer money, let alone any sort of living. Wonder what kind of designer these odds attract? I could tell you, but I don’t want to risk looking unprofessional or damaging sales of any books I might publish.

Though, I think this is a problem which all design sites suffer from due to the nature of the system itself.

Maybe our definition of contradiction is the issue.

If there are less than 40 entries, then all designers have wasted their time. If there are more than 40 entries, then a greater number of designers have wasted their time.

The first contact I looked at on logomyway has a comment thread full of “fake contest” and “waste of time” chat:

http://www.logomyway.com/contestView.php?contestId=422

Here’s just one comment:

“Thanks Muz I’m very frustrated about this contest… NOT about not winning, but to see how obvious this is a fake… Let me elaborate, “client” needs Logo, “client” post a contest here, “client” gets a loooooooot of ideas (289 minus the 4 of “jgdesign), “client” never gives a feedbackor shows an interest in “his” brand, “client” finds the concept thanks to one designer here, “client” tells a friend (one that has no history here, never participated in anything before or an obvious capability as a designer) to make something, “clients” selects his friend’s logo, logomyway innocent of all this pays the fake designer minus their commission, all the good hard working designers here are screw!!!”

It’s a typical scenario.

Compare this to 99Designs (which I have used and love) where there is no rule to say that you need to award a winner.

The last time I chose a winner at 99designs I wasn’t 100% happy with it but it was the best of a bad bunch and paid anyway. I can see why designers don’t like these contests but from a customer point of view, they do save a lot of hassle.

It seems contradicting when you say it’s good for designers that contest hosts are given a full refund if less than 40 entries are submitted.

What about the 39 designs that were submitted for absolutely nothing? Not even a chance at a chance of being paid.

I hope you don’t mind me linking to another site:

http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/07/interview-with-specwatch-the-naked-truth-about-design-contests/

That’s where you’ll see my take on the logo contest model.