Which logo should I choose?

brilie54

Hey guys. First I want to let everyone who is looking for web design services in on this site I found. Its called www.sitepoint.com and what you do is list your design job and it seems like hundreds of web designers will take a stab at designing something for you, then at the end of your contest, you choose the winner and pay what you promised. Its pretty cool. It costs $25 to list a project, then you determine the prize money. I listed my prize money for $225 and got 62 responses so far. Anyway, my contest was to design a logo for my college laundry business, and it ends today, so I`d like to hear which logo you guys like the best. I`m having a hard time choosing. Here`s the link to my contest! Thanks. http://www.sitepoint.com/marketplace/contest/1407

brilie54

I understand the argument against these contests, but at the same time, you have to consider the nature of the industry. Web design/graphic design is a very saturated market. While there are many quality designers, there are 10x as many freelance designers with no qualifications. Instead of committing $200 with no idea what you`ll be getting, I think in the case of logo design, you need to see what you`re getting before you pay for it. This is done in many other fields. In advertising, for example, an ad agency will work countless hours to put together a proposal for a company in order to impress them and earn their business. Many times, the company will not hire the agency, even after all the work has been done. Thats just the risk you take when trying to win over a client. Considering how hard it is to sift through all the scams and unqualified designers in order to find a designer who will give you what you really want, I think these competitions can be valuable. That being said, I do understand where you`re coming from. There are arguments for both sides. As far as the logo, Romia, I couldn`t get the links you posted to work for me. Could you tell me the name of the designer who created the logo you liked? I don`t think that the laundry machine is a negative...in fact, if it causes people to remember how much they hate doing laundry, it will help my business, because we are offering to do it for them!

TwilightPics

brilie54, go with blue-rain`s washer logo. I like it, but more important
you`ve asked him for so many modifications he`s earned it.  That would
be pretty harsh if he went through all that work for you and you don`t
choose him.I gotta agree with what Steve said.  What`s real surprising is a site like sitepoint.com would allow the exploitation of designers and developers.  But I guess it`s the suckers who submit their work are the ones that loose. What`s worse is that client can ask questions to the designer, and ask for modifications.

ber97

Being only 8 months removed from being a student and college life, I really like floppy`s design. It`s very clean and to me that`s the most important part. The logo is crisp, simple, and clean like the experience I anticipate coming to this place. I read your comment about "suds" but I personally wouldn`t illustrate that. Suds as a word is innovative. Illustrating it, puts me in carwash mindset, not laundry and dry cleaning services.
Thank you for the site. I am looking for a logo myself. Good Luck.

Sunrisemgmt

Thanks for sharing the website.  This is similar to http://www.sitepoint.com/marketplace/co ... t/1407/156This is the one that immediately jumped out and grabbed my attention.  Good luck!

bonojerry

Hi. This is bonojerry from nyc and sitepoint. I have a lot of experience in
graphic design and illustration and my true passion is logo design. I am
very knowledgeable about branding, printing, etc. and the reason I play in
the pitifully meager sitepoint "games" is the opportunity to design
hundreds of logos. Logo designs that are not selected either go into my
portfolio or sometimes I repurpose them, with modifications. My goal is
to be one of the best logo designers in the world, which is totally
reachable because when it comes to logo design/poster design I have
unlmited energy and passion.

There are many negatives about sitepoint, I agree, but I refuse to not do
spec work because, as every designer knows, you don`t do spec work.
Well the design world and every other part of every world is in rapid
transformation and change. I think that now that I have identified my
passion my best strategy is to follow it.

Of course any logo design you get from a contest where you are only
willing to pay 100, 200, etc. dollars is not going to be as great, in
general, as something you are going to get from pentagram.com or
miltonglaser.com, it is a question of time, time to research, time to
collaborate, time to develop, time to revise, time to consider......

I am trying not do develop a design empire; i am trying not to have to do
website design although I would art direct. I am trying to figure out how
to simply limit myself to the actual designing of logotypes and posters
and let somebody hire another firm for everything else.

I am really really good at what I do, and I can say that because I have
done hundreds of logodesigns, i have seen myself grow, I don`t think that
the coolest logo is the best logo for a business.

I go for authentice, i try for simple, and I always put myself in the
business person`s position but am happy to drop them in put their
customers and clients first in my considerations.

Sitepoint has a lot of people looking for logotypes with no understanding
of its usefulness to them. They will learn over time. The prices that they
are paying will give them more or less value.

I don`t think people holding logo contests should just limit themselves to
the design brief and the description. There is a whole area at the bottom
of the contest page for dialogue. Encourage it, get a discussion of your
business and your perceived needs.

HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT:
The greatest logo designer needs more money than you think, because
weakness in the logo design come from weakness in the committed
vision of the company. It is the designers job to get the company to
articulate the vision, to listen carefully for elements of that vision that
conflict with each other, to point those elements out and to reach a
consensus of vision that the company can commit to. The logo is created
for that committed vision.

bonojerry

bonojerry

Hi Campsteve...Yeah it is totally spec work...i don`t only do the sitepoint thing, but there is something that is satisfying in the exercise of the sitepoint contests and I have discovered ways so tha the work is not wasted.Commitment over opportunity?Not sure what you mean.Jerry

bonojerry

I know you "talked" to steve, but this is an open discussion...After development of a logo, comes development of the stationery, website, and everything else associated with the company...this is where strategy is important and this is where the logo is not just something you like, it is something that "likes you" meaning its development sort of draws a line in the sand from which other elements can be done, even by other people. At the high end, logo development, usually includes the development and printing of and creation of a pdf file of Identity Guidelines, which puts out a set of rules for how to use the logo, what typefaces are acceptable for what sorts of communication, etc. If you search for identity guidelines, you might get luck and find a whole pdf version for some company....Wait a minute, I did a quick search and came up with the identity guidelines for the University of Wisconsin:http://www.uc.wisc.edu/logo/Jerry

JDawg

Steve - this brings up an interesting point -When you are an artist and you have to send off your stuff to someone else for the other parts, or you accept graphics from another artist to do your thing, how does that work? How do you keep something uniform in terms of look and feel if the same person isn`t doing the print and the web?I`m not Stve, but I`d like to answer this if I may.
If the client is not using a firm to do all of their printing and is piece milling it out to different vendors, it is up to the client to provide the correct file. A good desgner provides the client with their logo in the acceptable formats needed to do print and web/electronic. I give at least 4 format logo variations to my clients with an explanation of how/when each are used. This included EPS needed for most print jobs and GIF needed for web (or PNG if they request it). I also provide a JPG file and a WMF. I also tell them there PMS colors for matching purposes.
Why provide all of this? Because it helps keep the logo consisitent in all areas of use. If the client places the JPG in their accoutning software, it will be the same logo as what he has printed on his signs, brochures and t-shirts that require an EPS format. Again, it is up to the client to ensure the correct file is provided if they are piece milling work out. If you stick with a firm, there shouldn`t be any conisistenecy issues.
I hope that helps shed some insight.

shyam12

hi logo is your business face to the world. there are many online sites found that design the logo for you based on your needs. to design the logo visit XnYnZ.com here they provide 2 plans you can choose the one among them.they have hundreds of custom logo design for all types of organization . the logos are created using unique fonts .i hope it will be helpful to you .

littonbarney

Of course logo is most important thing in our business, logo is one type of brand name of our product and service and it represents of your whole business in the market segments. So you choose relevant logo for your business website.