Recently I was looking for an affordable logo design solution for a new business venture we are doing. So I decided to try out 99designs.
I had previously thought about using their services for another project but changed my mind at the last minute and used Elance for the logo design. It was an interesting experience in comparing the two services.
A company at Elance was selected to design the logo for Membership Tutor. Whilst the company we chose were quick, the logo design process took a few weeks and the range of logos presented were somewhat limited. We didn’t feel that they were particularly creative, several mistakes were made and we had to push a couple of time to get the logo’s in a transparent png format. We did finally settle on a design and from memory we spent about $250 for the logo, some banners and ebook covers. This is the end result:
For our next project on Swoop Digital, we decided to try out 99designs as we wanted something that required a bit more creativity. We briefed the project and all up received about 62 entries – many of which were modifications based on the Feedback I provided. The quality and creativity of the submissions was excellent. For the $295 (plus GST for Australian residents) that we paid we got a broad range of logos and designs. The contest closed after 7 days and we were able to award a winner. We were extremely happy with the range and quality of the design. It was well worth the additional money we paid for this logo when compared to our Elance designer. You can see the result below:
I should point out that this is an extremely cheap way to source and have a logo designed. I say this is because I have worked in the corporate world where I paid tens of thousands of dollars for a logo. Jest if you must but this is the truth. Obviously this puts a logo design beyond the reach of most people. The great thing is that 99designs makes logo design so much more affordable.
Advantages of Using 99designs
One of the key advantages is that you get a broad range of designs that you wouldn’t get if you used one designer. This gives you a greater selection than what you would otherwise get. Most designers were also amenable to making minor changes to the logos they created. The cost of the logo design is very affordable and overall the level of creativity is higher than if you used a one off service. 99designs also has a service where you can select your preferred logos and then set up a survey for friends and colleagues to vote and give feedback on the design. This was most useful and was surprising what things people picked up about our logo. It also gave us reassurance that other people liked the same logo we that we did.
Negatives of Using 99designs
One negative is that you feel guilty that people have put time and effort into creating a logo and they are not getting paid for their efforts. This is particularly true when you have designer who has submited multiple designs. Although this is a contest and the designers understand the terms and conditions when they submit their designs, you can feel some remorse that people have not be rewarded for the efforts they put in. This is because there are some amazing good designs.The other negative is that it can be time consuming giving designers feedback however the more feedback you give, the better end result you will get from the designers. So whilst it is a negative, it is also a positive.
My recommendations
It is worth paying extra money to get a logo design you love. We love our new logo and it certainly invites comment.
My tips when using a logo design service
- Decide if you like text based logos, symbol based logos or a combination of both
- Specify if you have any preferred colours
- Make sure you request eps files of the logo
- Also get the logos in jpg format and as transparent png files so they can be placed on any background colours without having the annoying little white square surrounding the logo
- Ask for the RGB and Hexcode colour specifications
>> Tap into the power of crowdsourced graphic design at 99designs.com and try it for yourself <<
Great article I might use 99design for my next project 😉
I have tried 99designs before and it was a unique experience as there were numerous entries submitted but the sad thing was most were sub-par. Not to say that I don’t like crowdsourcing but the lack of cohesiveness in some of the logo designs even though there were numerous points highlighted on my behalf regarding the logo design, was a bit discouraging. I prefer logo designing sites that utilize their own in-house designers, that way you get to communicate with the logo design team directly. For instance, I have tried www logodesignstation.com (which uses their own logo designers) numerous times and I must say that the process was easy, the price was reasonable and the end result was astounding. I received my business logo design in a short amount of time and my logo design looked amazing. I highly recommend them if you are looking to get your logo design online. Two thumbs up!
Thanks Jim. Sorry to hear you had a different experience of 99designs than I did. Glad to hear Logostation met your needs. I see that they have an option of 3 designs for $199.00. Personally I like the idea of having more options but if you are skilled in briefing designers (which many people aren’t) then Logostation might be a good solution. I found that the better the brief, the more likely you will get a good end result.
Hey Carol,
thank you very much for your informative article.
Besides 99d there are many other platforms which providing logo design as well. One of this sites is http://www.designonclick.com which is worth a try.
Peter
Working as an Art Director I think it’s sad that people use this kind of service. I’ve made several logos at 99designs a few years ago but eventually realized I was working for free. You have to enter a LOT of competitions to have a chance of winning and you have to expect that other designers copy your ideas. Not a very creative context.
Hi Johan. Thanks for your comments. As a Brand Marketer I have paid thousands for logos and packaging over the years. Not everyone can afford this. I think 99 Designs is not a bad option for start up businesses who can not afford the services of a strategic design company.
I can see why it´s attractive from a buyers perspective yes, but that does not mean it´s a healthy environment where you are supposed to be creative. The way you work there as a designer is very frustrating, you constantly get design ripoffs and so on. I personally had a very god time there but in the long run this is a VERY bad context. And besides, if you don´t have some money (it´s not unusual to get like $100 for a logo) to pay for an idea why should you get one? You don´t walk in to a store and pay $5 for a pair of shoes that cost $50?