Spec-work in Logo Design – Boon or Bane? |
Categories: Logo Design Resources, Logo Design Tips, Logo Design Trends, Logo Designers, logo designs
Written By: Nora Reed
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While there have been numerous heated debates on this topic of “logo design contests” or famously branded as “spec-work” I wish to propose a different viewpoint today. Firstly, let me make it clear that I am neither speaking in support nor against spec-work in logo designing. It is you who will take a better option for yourself. What I intend to achieve through this post is to elucidate the topic from a different perspective. Before coming to my topic, let us be a little realistic about a logo design contest. A logo design contest requires participation and nobody can be forced to participate. Those who believe they have the mettle to outclass other logo designers voluntarily participate. Your participation shows your support and interest in being part of that game and your absence clearly states that you are not interested. In short, if you do not approve of logo design contests and claim it to be unethical, simply don’t participate. However, your disapproval does not grant you the privilege to mortify the contests and the logo designers who participate. My words may sound a little harsh for some logo designers but guys “Live and let live” is the dictum we should follow. Let me remind you that I am discussing exclusively about spec-work in logo designing. Like every business, spec-work has its share of pros and cons. Let us look at some of the merits and demerits of logo design contests. |
How is spec-work in logo design a Boon?
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How spec-work may become a Bane?
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In conclusion, I would recommend that logo designers and clients should be aware of all accompanying risks before entering into speculative work. As it is useless crying over spilled milk… isn’t it? My message for aspiring designers…big logo design companies claim to hate spec-work but then discovered to be owners of contest sites. Therefore, it is you who has to decide, don’t come to conclusions according to others perspectives and experiences. And for all the self-esteemed logo designers out there… Chill!!!  |
February 8th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I have never participated in a logo design contest, or any other contest. Due a high competition level and an extreme ease of participation (no credentials required), those contests tend to be mighty popular. It almost becomes like playing the lottery. I just feel bad for the person(s) who has to go through hundreds of logo designs and arbitrarily decides which one is the best one.
Great subject for endless discussion. Thanks Nora!
February 9th, 2010 at 2:22 am
yes definitely a client should keep in mind the boon and the bane of spec-work!
good article! unique topic!
February 9th, 2010 at 4:24 am
I think that the banes outweigh the boons and as a professional designer choose to avoid logo competitions/spec work. That said, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong here – simply a choice of how to go about the business of design.
February 9th, 2010 at 5:08 am
Good article, the truth lies somewhere in the middle I guess. But I agree with Laurant that it’s often a lottery.
Though I have a growing ‘regular’ client base I do participate from time to time. Just because I like to get my hands dirty on whatever concept they trow at me. But this whole contest stuff can be draining and really time consuming as well, even after you’ve won the competition, most clients want the extra mods and ask you silly questions. But as long as you make things crystal clear for them I think they’re just like your ‘regular’ client who wants to get the job done.
February 9th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
It’s basically a crap shoot for inexperienced designers where time can be better spent learning from real designers. You don’t learn anything about proper design and the requirements for producing a working logo (ready for print/multimedia/broadcast applications).
Moreover, those who hold the competitions don’t usually know the concepts or appreciate the true value of good design. Therefore, you really don’t learn anything new to help you in your career in the future other than what type of logo that particular client likes.
You just don’t learn and grow nearly as much as a professional from the job (you end up learning more of the business of design by asking more experienced professionals).
On the other hand, if you’re talented artist that is looking for a great way to show your raw talent in a portfolio to a school/internship you wish to get into, I’d say this is a pretty good way to go.
February 10th, 2010 at 2:32 am
This is a very interesting view point. However, I still am of the opinion that spec-work is bad.
One of the things I have loved about being a designer is the fact that we are part of a design community. I absolutely love this, and I love the fact that designers, such as yourself are here offering their wisdom and knowledge to other designers to help them out. In a way we are kind of like a giant unofficial union. Now if there are designers who are continually accepting low paying gigs and are offering out high quality work at incredibly low prices or even free, the rest of the community could suffer. Wages could go down, or jobs could be lost. I think designers as a community also are hoping to maintain a certain level of quality in their craft. Spec-work in general tends to generate designs that are lower quality than ones that are given proper focus. Again, would not help boost the appearance of the design community.
So ultimately I feel like “Live and Let Live” is almost the exact opposite attitude of what the design community is all about. However if this cutthroat attitude is really what you believe, I eagerly await the your future posts condemning: free fonts, free texture packs, tutorials, inspirational designs, and all other posts that seem to teach or help other designers.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:22 am
Spec-work in Logo Design – Boon or Bane?…
Like every business, spec-work has its share of pros and cons. Let us look at some of the merits and demerits of logo design contests….
February 10th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
IamaSource.com is a web site created by a very short time. The development of the site took more than a year and a half of work in which we analyzed in depth the world of crowdsourcing, design contest, and of course the issue of spec works.
My view is that basically the issue of spec work covers 2 key figures: clients and designers.
The concerns and questions regarding the spec work can be summarized as follows:
1. (client side) Do the spec works endanger the advertising and design industry “stealing” clients to agencies or individual freelances?
2. (designer side) Does participate in a creative contest mean to work and invest time without the security of an economic remuneration?
I try to be concise even if a more detailed explanation deserves more time…
1. Many people are concerned about this phenomenon despite it is too recent and without official statistics. It would be interesting to look at an indicator that compares the number of start-up companies (for example) on how many of them have turned to an agency or individual freelancer for a design project and compare them with data from previous years. This would show whether the phenomenon of crowdsourcing and design contest has taken away market shares or simply fulfilled a need (or maybe it has created this need).
The mechanism of the design contest has satisfied the needs of those who were not able to spend much for their image and turned to an acquaintance or a friend to make their own logo (with poor results) while now they can start and run a contest.
At the same time, this mechanism has itself generated a need to niches of new clients that would not have even thought of working on their image, more so without spending a high budget.
In both cases these are niches of clients that freelance or media agencies are probably not interested in identifying.
2. While in the previous point we did not have a statistic, here we have very clear data. Many designers take part in creativity contests. At Iamasource.com we are extremely pleased with the success that our contest is having a few days after its publication.
As Nora said No one is forcing anyone else to participate in a contest. I completely agree.
I would also add that for those who know the world of agencies, is increasingly the case, especially for important clients, to participate in contests in order to win a project. Who is not accepted by the client has invested time without having generated its own economic remuneration. Is this also spec work? The fact is that creativity contests has expanded globally a mechanism already well known (using the potential of the Internet and of social networks), but making this mechanism more democratic, and attracting the anger of the “design purists”… that however we respect.
However, when you enter a contest the only risk, is to win.
I would have much to say but for now I think that is enough
Alex
IamaSource Crew
February 10th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Interesting “devil’s advocate” positioning here. Kyle’s point about free fonts, etc. is an interesting one as well.
I would say, tutorials and the like are more-or-less as you say; designers aiming to help other designers learn and improve. And most of us, when we find a new cool effect, love to share with others who will get the same “wow” reaction.
That said, spec works – aka “design contests” – are usually businesses who are looking to take advantage of inexperienced and unknowing designers. As in, here I’ll give you the opportunity to spend lots of time and energy on the project for which I won’t pay you but now you can say you’ve done it.
My advice to any new designers would be 1) follow Tony’s idea of working with a professional designer and learn in the trenches and/or 2) offer your creative services to a worthwhile cause doing the work pro bono. They will be grateful to have your help and support, you’ll still get real world experience and you’ll be helping a cause you believe in.
February 10th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Your 3rd point under “Bane” says all you need to know : “It devalues the logo design industry and undermines the well-established logo designers.”. If it devalues an industry that is based on unique talent, creativity and years of hard work then “Design Contests” are not for the better. The only kind of contest I have seen is when a group would contact a local Graphic Design class at a college, university, community shool, etc and ask the instructor if the students as their project would each do a logo for “so and so” company and in return the client may provide some sort of compensation whether it be potential work for the winner or if the class provides some sort of spotlight to the student or other imaginative ways. Most of the design contest entries are from young in the business people. If you are an established designer you dont have time for this kind of free labor. I just think these crowdsourcing things should point themselves towards the education system for these types of things and its a win-win for each.
February 11th, 2010 at 1:34 am
A warm hello to all my readers here. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views but before I reply, please "no offense."
@ Laurent Jouvin…as you said:
"I just feel bad for the person(s) who has to go through hundreds of logo designs and arbitrarily decides which one is the best one."
you feel sorry for them but I think most of the people prefer getting hundred of choices and this is why they prefer "logo design contests"
@ Chris Young…thanks for understanding my perspective dude. No hard and fast rules…it is truly simply a choice of how to go about the business of design.
@Lorenzo…I openly say that these contest sites devalue the design industry particularly for well-established designers. What it really does is breaks the monopoly created by a few designers who charge exorbitant prices for logo designing and brings it down to acceptable levels…
@Tony Rodriguez…I respect your views but don’t you think in this monopoly of BIG designers, the newcomers do not get proper platforms to show-off their talent to the world.
February 11th, 2010 at 1:59 am
@Jann Mirchandani…Amazing you branded me an advocate of spec when i clearly mentioned that my stance on the subject is neutral plus would a devil’s advocate show the devils bad side?
However, it was really nice of you to mention the concept of "working for a cause" As you seem someone from India, I would like to remind you about numerous designers in Asian countries who are unwillingly working as waiters to support their families because the overtaken design world have no space for them…what else can I say.
@Kyle Scollin…"live and let live" i referred to the ones who mortify contests just because they dont like it…plus why wud i be condemning freebies when they serve the same purpose as the logo design contests i mentioned in point 2 of the "boon" part:)
February 11th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Speculative work has always been around. Advertising agencies do it, PR agencies small design shops, freelancers too. As a freelancer, it has been my experience that speculative presentations don‘t pay in effort and money. We offer our expertise, knowledge and design. Sadly this conduct may/will devaluate the craft.
The reality is that for younger designers or unemployed designers it is an opportunity, maybe the only one at a given moment. And it is important to understand both sides of the equation.
February 17th, 2010 at 5:40 am
After 14 yrs in the field I find spec work is usually requested by clients who don’t want to put their money where their mouth is . Often because they have no clue what they want or need, they use it as a medium to jumpstart their own thinking process.
In other cases they ask a couple of designers for options and finally get a DTP operator to put the ideas together into a huge mishmash of design.
But basically clients who request spec work have very little respect for designers. They have very little or no understanding of the time and effort it takes to create a good, meaningful design. Im sure they wouldn’t ask a restaurant for a spec dish? or a tailor for a spec suit?
So I personally would not agree to spec work but as Manuel mentioned, for younger designers or unemployed designers it may turn out to be an opportunity that’s worth their while.
February 28th, 2010 at 10:47 am
I have spent quite some time now taking part in these “spec-works” and have to say that it has left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth.
first off, I am by no means a pro, but I do the best I can to educate myself on the process and requirements of good logo design. And while I respect those rules in my logo proposals, the good majority of the others involved in these contests do not.
Result often is that their logo is very snazzy and nice looking and all, but it is going to be a nightmare for the client down the road.
But who wins?
The snazzy ones of course because all that the client sees is pretty…
It frustrates me from time to time, but I just keep telling myself that I am here to put what I learn to practice and to build something that at least ressembles a portfolio that might open a door in the future…
My question now is, Does this experience ACTUALLY open any doors???
Because I am certainly ready to walk thru one of them and not look back…
March 1st, 2010 at 10:52 pm
Subsequent to my original comment, I’ve taken some time to review where I stand on spec-work. Whilst I originally stated that there is no right or wrong here, I have changed my stance somewhat.
Here’s a post that I have written on the subject: http://cseven.posterous.com/design-competitions-and-spec-work-my-pennys-w