question-answered What Happened To Design Contests?

[JB Lions]

Had a logo done in the past, section used to be pretty active. Wanted to get another logo done soon but it looks like that section died. What happened?

Last one I see is May 2022, before that May 2021. So you only had 1 in almost 2 years?

https://www.namepros.com/forums/private-design-contests.318/?unlocked=0

Then another page I just see 1, mine - https://www.namepros.com/forums/design-contests.92/

Then from this page - https://www.namepros.com/categories/marketplace.243/

I see one with a date of

• Dec 26, 2022

Dec 26, 2022

But when I click the link it vanishes.

I scroll up to this page - https://www.namepros.com/forums/private-design-contests.318/

It's completely blank because I guess it's private.

 

[Bravo Mod Team]

Hello,

You may have been trying to get to these pages where the closed listings are shown:

1. https://www.namepros.com/forums/design-contests.92/?unlocked=0
2. https://www.namepros.com/forums/private-design-contests.318/?unlocked=0

There have been several contests in the past two years, but unfortunately, that section isn’t what it used to be.

It’s possible that the paid advertisements in that section have taken a lot of its activity over the years because those ads were for specialized websites offering design contests.

That’s just a guess, though.

Services like OpenAI’s DALL·E may affect it even more in the future.

 

[Alop]

Services like OpenAI’s DALL·E may affect it even more in the future.

You are saying the forum becomes trash….

 

[maurixius]

Hello,

You may have been trying to get to these pages where the closed listings are shown:

1. https://www.namepros.com/forums/design-contests.92/?unlocked=0
2. https://www.namepros.com/forums/private-design-contests.318/?unlocked=0

There have been several contests in the past two years, but unfortunately, that section isn’t what it used to be.

It’s possible that the paid advertisements in that section have taken a lot of its activity over the years because those ads were for specialized websites offering design contests.

That’s just a guess, though.

Services like OpenAI’s DALL·E may affect it even more in the future.

Hi there, I appreciate your feedback and the links to the closed listing but we are looking for the link to the active listings. We appreciate it if you could post that link for us here as I am having the same issue.

 

[NameInbox]

Yep, Design Contest are dead

 

[NameInbox]

@Alop you think they are live on this forum?
As for me they aren't as low volume.

Don't be angry on me.

 

[Eric Lyon]

Yep, Design Contest are dead

Not really.... They just appear to be because when a contest is over, it generally gets closed and then disappears from active contest list.

There aren't as many started as there used to be, but there are still some that pop up from time to time. You have to click the "Show closed/locked threads" to see them all.

Feel free to start a design contest, I generally try to participate in them when they pop-up (as time allows).

 

[NameInbox]

Not really.... They just appear to be because when a contest is over, it generally gets closed and then disappears from active contest list.

There aren't as many started as there used to be, but there are still some that pop up from time to time. You have to click the "Show closed/locked threads" to see them all.

Feel free to start a design contest, I generally try to participate in them when they pop-up (as time allows).

Yeh-Yeh. You are interested in a design contest person

I already start domain Auction on .com domain and it hit $3 in 2 days for now. Thanks for now I'm sellout my domains at low cost. I did it fast&simple: logos for my domains.

Contest, as for me, may help for fat names with prices 1k+ or for new website/brand ...

 

[Eric Lyon]

Yeh-Yeh. You are interested in a design contest person

I already start domain Auction on .com domain and it hit $3 in 2 days for now. Thanks for now I'm sellout my domains at low cost. I did it fast&simple: logos for my domains.

Contest, as for me, may help for fat names with prices 1k+ or for new website/brand ...

Right, investing into a logo for a Brand should be done when there is intent to develop said brand into a trusted and authoritative revenue stream/venture. It should definitely be unique and original. Not something hundreds of people can download for free and use (Eliminating originality).

The downside of "Quick" logos, is that it generally means the use of free stock/clipart, which can't be trademarked by the domain buyer (Since it's mass used and not original works) and may result in legal action from the original designer (Suing the domain buyer if they use it) that submitted it to the free stock/clipart site, since it's clearly written in the agreement that they retain all copyrights to the design and that it can not be used in a companies identity/branding/logo.

In my opinion, domains being sold with logo's that contain someone elses copyright protected works (E.g. free stock/clipart) should have a disclaimer so buyers are aware of the legalities they may face if they choose to use the design to build a brand with. That way there are no surprises later down the line when the copyright holder of the design discovers the use and starts the legal process, leveraging the stock/clipart user agreement in their case.

This is a topic that isn't covered much, but probably should be. I'm not an attorney, but I'm familiar with thousands of cases where people received cease and desist letters and hundreds of cases where legal action was taken and the user of said copyright protected work fined.

@jberryhill is in the IP/TM legal space, they may be able to confirm the above concerns with more authority on the topic.

At any rate, at the end of the day, I think design contests that produce original design works that provide the buyer with full-copyrights is the best way to go to keep everyone a bit safer (Especially if the buyer intends to scale their venture and market their brand as a unique identity).

That's just my opinion though.

 

[jberryhill]

Precisely, Eric.

If one is buying a logo from someone, then they should get a warranty and a copyright assignment from the owner of the copyright.

 

[NameInbox]

Not really.... They just appear to be because when a contest is over, it generally gets closed and then disappears from active contest list.

There aren't as many started as there used to be, but there are still some that pop up from time to time. You have to click the "Show closed/locked threads" to see them all.

Feel free to start a design contest, I generally try to participate in them when they pop-up (as time allows).

Anyway, I see only 2 contests in 2023, as for it's very low volume

 

[Eric Lyon]

Anyway, I see only 2 contests in 2023, as for it's very low volume Show attachment 242877

I'm sure it will pick back up again. Today's economy doesn't lend much extra cash for some people to run contests for unique branding.

Unfortunately, a lot of people adopted the "quick" free route to compenate for tight budgets, which they may or may not regret later.

Once the economy picks back up, the contest area will eventually follow.

 

[NameInbox]

I'm sure it will pick back up again. Today's economy doesn't lend much extra cash for some people to run contests for unique branding.

Unfortunately, a lot of people adopted the "quick" free route to compenate for tight budgets, which they may or may not regret later.

Once the economy picks back up, the contest area will eventually follow.

If the economy will picks down?

Maybe there will be contest between AI? (like ChatGPT vs Bard vs Ernie Bot ...)
Check Drawever

 

[DiogenesDreams]

Right, investing into a logo for a Brand should be done when there is intent to develop said brand into a trusted and authoritative revenue stream/venture. It should definitely be unique and original. Not something hundreds of people can download for free and use (Eliminating originality).

The downside of "Quick" logos, is that it generally means the use of free stock/clipart, which can't be trademarked by the domain buyer (Since it's mass used and not original works) and may result in legal action from the original designer (Suing the domain buyer if they use it) that submitted it to the free stock/clipart site, since it's clearly written in the agreement that they retain all copyrights to the design and that it can not be used in a companies identity/branding/logo.

In my opinion, domains being sold with logo's that contain someone elses copyright protected works (E.g. free stock/clipart) should have a disclaimer so buyers are aware of the legalities they may face if they choose to use the design to build a brand with. That way there are no surprises later down the line when the copyright holder of the design discovers the use and starts the legal process, leveraging the stock/clipart user agreement in their case.

This is a topic that isn't covered much, but probably should be. I'm not an attorney, but I'm familiar with thousands of cases where people received cease and desist letters and hundreds of cases where legal action was taken and the user of said copyright protected work fined.

@jberryhill is in the IP/TM legal space, they may be able to confirm the above concerns with more authority on the topic.

At any rate, at the end of the day, I think design contests that produce original design works that provide the buyer with full-copyrights is the best way to go to keep everyone a bit safer (Especially if the buyer intends to scale their venture and market their brand as a unique identity).

That's just my opinion though.

As a 30 year graphic designer, the recent activity of tossing hundreds of logos up to the internet rather disturbing.
Many are just flying around and there isn't much info about whether they are intended to be freebies or need to be bought from the designer. Most people aren't savvy about copyright law and may just grab them assuming that they are free. I never put work I want to sell anywhere but on my portfolio site and most is privately commissioned anyway so no one sees it until it's bought.

 

[Eric Lyon]

As a 30 year graphic designer, the recent activity of tossing hundreds of logos up to the internet rather disturbing.
Many are just flying around and there isn't much info about whether they are intended to be freebies or need to be bought from the designer. Most people aren't savvy about copyright law and may just grab them assuming that they are free. I never put work I want to sell anywhere but on my portfolio site and most is privately commissioned anyway so no one sees it until it's bought.

That's a good way to approach it. I dabble more on the royalties end with my design works or sell direct to clients, with contests just being a past time and creative limits test.

I've also Been engaged in the design industry, like yourself, for over 3 decades.

Design Royalties (like music and film artists/actors royalties) is a passive income for me, it allows a designer to recycle the concepts not chosen by clients or contest holders (since we retain copyrights over original works). Leveraging consignment platforms like Zazzle remains consistent for me, or simply selling them direct through my own eCommerce initiatives.

At any rate, I enjoy testing my limits and creative spectrum from time to time participating in contests. Worst case, I don't get picked and I'll either make some royalties cash with Zazzle products or sell it in my eCommerce direct to clients seeking copyright transferable works to add to their branding and marketing campaigns.

Welcome to NamePros.

 

[NameInbox]

Why Musk didn't create a contest here. Maybe he didn't know about NP?

Twitter will have a New logo soon

 

[DiogenesDreams]

That's a good way to approach it. I dabble more on the royalties end with my design works or sell direct to clients, with contests just being a past time and creative limits test.

I've also Been engaged in the design industry, like yourself, for over 3 decades.

Design Royalties (like music and film artists/actors royalties) is a passive income for me, it allows a designer to recycle the concepts not chosen by clients or contest holders (since we retain copyrights over original works). Leveraging consignment platforms like Zazzle remains consistent for me, or simply selling them direct through my own eCommerce initiatives.

At any rate, I enjoy testing my limits and creative spectrum from time to time participating in contests. Worst case, I don't get picked and I'll either make some royalties cash with Zazzle products or sell it in my eCommerce direct to clients seeking copyright transferable works to add to their branding and marketing campaigns.

Welcome to NamePros.

Thanks