Review: Logomyway
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?
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Now that my hay bales are aligned, I must say I quite like this service.
I can see why this is a good way for the company to get their logo. A lot of really nice designs to choose from. Will this be the way logos are created from now on? Probably not too much, since often companies require more than just a logo from the designer, a website or stationary etc.
Most of all, the site works as a great source of inspiration. It’s fascinating to browse through the winning logos and the list of rejected ones as well to see if you agree with the client.
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“Designers, especially web designers, are already too undervalued.”
But not logo designers? Another in a series of spec sites which devalues the design industry.
“…spending several hours on design submissions is certainly more productive than spending it playing Farmville. Isn’t it?”
No. Designing a logo is how I earn my living. They’re worth a lot more than a maybe of $200, and a more likely of $0.00. If I don’t have a paid job on, I would work on something for charity or plump out my portfolio with a t-shirt design I can sell. So maybe it’s more productive than playing Farmville for “several hours” but so is finger painting and that won’t devalue the design industry.
I only hope you were paid to write this review and that it’s not based on any real opinion of your own, since you are strongly against spec work. Sorry, I get angry about these sorts of sites. It’s tough enough explaining to clients the difference between quality, without people whom I consider to be collegues in the same industry promoting them.
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Yeah, Logomyway is awful! There is no interaction between client and designer, which is perhaps the most important component of the design process, and 9.8 times of out 10, the winning logo is chosen for all the wrong reasons (yes, there are right and wrong reasons to choose a particular logo and a professional designer can explain those understandably to a client). None of the great logos of industry would have been chosen this way. If the logo for FedEx had been done through logomyway, it would have a drop shadow, a picture of something relating to the word “federal” , and 3-D effects attached to its beveled gradient.
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…and they have such an awesome logo… /sarcasm
I’m sure they can create a contest where designers can submit proposals for a new logomyway’s logo (for free of course) and in exchange the designer will gain exposure.
You see, there are countless ways to exploit designers!