You need a logo. As a designer, I’m of the opinion that nearly everything needs a logo- from a multimillion-dollar company to a cookie-baking business. It’s one of the most essential elements of branding.
Which brings me to my review today: Logomyway is a service that
“connects business that need logo designs, t-shirt design, business cards and print ads to a community of more than 5000 designers in over 100 countries who compete to win contests with winnings ranging from $200 to $1000.”
Here’s how it works:
- Client posts his design needs in a “contest” form.
- Designers submit designs based on those needs.
- Client selects a design from the submissions.
- The Designer of the winning submission earns from $200 to $1000 depending on what the budget of the Client was. Logomyway earns 10% of the winnings.
Clients are able to rate and comment on submissions as they come in, to help clarify things for participating Designers.
A new section on the site is the Marketplace, featuring ready-made logos for Clients to select from and receive, complete with their company name, in 24 hours.
The setup is simple, and familiar- and yes, it does seem a lot like “spec-work”, which is something I personally am strongly against. Designers, especially web designers, are already too undervalued.
That said, I do think Logomyway does its best to protect the interests of both its Clients and its Designers- they provide codes of conduct for both. At the end of the day, it’s clear to me why it’s such a popular service:
It’s popular for Clients, especially those with a limited budget. A professionally designed logo- and yes, I’ve seen quite a few good ones here- for $200 is a bargain. There’s no need to hire a design studio, and there are multiple designers working on your logo at once, which may be a good thing for Clients who don’t know what style they want until they see it.
It’s also popular for Designers, especially those starting out without a proper portfolio. Submitting designs is a way to get extra exposure, and if your submission wins, then you get paid at least $200 (minus the 10% commission fee, of course). There’s no fee for participating- and spending several hours on design submissions is certainly more productive than spending it playing Farmville. Isn’t it?
