Fuel Design

Logo Design Crowdsourcing - Good or Bad?

Or, imagine this: You go to a dentist and tell him that you have tooth-ache. You also tell the dentist that you will complete the course whether it's one-week long or one-month. Then, you tell him that you will pay him after the treatment is over and only if you will feel better. If you don't feel 100% fine, then you won't pay. What do you think will happen then? The dentist will probably punch you in the face and take out all your teeth instantly and tell you to get out as well. Realistically speaking, such things don't happen in any industry.

But, then, the question is: Why do such things happen in the design industry? If you want to create a logo design, all you will have to do is to start a competition or go to a crowdsourcing site and literally hundreds of designers will participate and create the design for free. This is why professional designers don't like it, because they think that amateur and unprofessional designers are working for actually free and messing up the image of this industry. The sad part is that only one designer gets to win the price, i.e. if the competition holder selects one otherwise all of them end up working for free and wasting their time. Hence, crowdsourcing is considered to be an evil thing according to pro logo designers.

Now, whom should we blame for this? In the third world countries, people will work for a fraction of the cost to create logos. Well, not just the third world countries, but designers, I should say new designers, from all around the world take part and make this industry thrive.

According to crowdsourcing sites, they are right as they just hold competitions and there will only be one winner always. They say that designers participate willingly and no one forces them. Hence, it's a matter of choice and only creative people get to win such contests.

So, as we can see that this seems like a never ending debate. Both sides come up with solid opinions and they both look right. But, it does look like as though it is devaluing the design industry and making the pros bear the consequences.