Design contests getting excessive?

jimmer

jimmer

Active member
now it's very likely that this has been posted before, so forgive me if it has, i haven't really been on much lately.

it seems to me like every other day i see another company doing some sort of contest where everyone is supposed to design a ski graphic, t shirt, hat, goggle, etc, and the winner gets some stickers and a shirt, or maybe some skis. am i the only one who gets the impression that companies are just getting lazy and put on these contests to avoid thinking of things themselves? no offense to any of the companies who do this, they are mostly companies that i love. i am just curious as to why this has been happening so much. thoughts?
 
I think part of it's a marketing ploy.

That and they can pick ski designs they didn't have to PAY someone to do. Plus kids get stoked on it.

It's good and bad imo.
 
maybe some are cutting back on money, and arent paying graphic designers as much..

think about it, pay someone salary or give away a pair of skis to someone who comes up with a graphic for no charge.

Also by doing this companies can see what their market and buyers like, and can incorporate some of that into their products
 
i believe most companies that have these design contests are looking for ideas that thier consumers will like. And the best way to do that? get their consumers to design it. mabey they dont take the exact image that the person designed but mabey they could just be looking for a trend that a large percentage of the submissions shared.
 
Buy arranging design contest's the company's saves a lot of money, cuz if they where going to pay a real proffesional designer to do it, it would cost them 10x the cost of giving out a free pair of skis to the winner. It's a good thing though, cuz the up'n coming designers have a chance to show their work to the rest of the world.
 
and thats why us Graphic Designers get bitched at for our rates... they can just set up a contest... stupid economy and kids with free photoshop!
 
It is a bullshit move by a company trying to get cheap artwork. It degrades the profession of a graphic artist by conveying it as a hobby. I also think it comes across as uber lame from a branding perspective.

 
i agree but on the other hand i a way its a fun and creative way to get everyone involved in the industry... how cool would it be to have your design entry win?
 
Yeah it would, but at the same time you're doing it as a hobby and someone's doing it so they can eat. So you are in a sense stealing from someone the chance to make a living for themselves, while the company gets away with getting a marketable and popular design for really cheap.
However, I feel like I wouldn't have too much problem with it as long as the company still has the majority of their line designed by a professional designer. If they're producing one line of skis as a limited edition model designed by a member of the public I think it's a good idea.
Sorry if I'm not making any sense I just woke up and I'm a mess in the morning
 
Bingo. I do think design can be a hobby as well, but I mainly think it is people who don't know what to put on skis and so they reach out to the market for cheap or free ideas.
 
I don't think that they are getting lazy at all. Maybe trying to stick to a budget, but not lazy. If a company gets thousands of entrys not only are they getting a free graphic, they are also finding out what consumers like and there for won't have to put as much work and money into questionairs and polls online and stuff, instead they get there information through this. It is simply a way smarter way to go cheap while doing 2 jobs in one.
 
Yeah this whole "crowdsourcing" thing is only going to get bigger as the tools and know-how become more accessible. As much as it sucks for professional artists, if there are hobbyists out there who are able and willing to design stuff people will buy, you're kind of SOL.
 
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