We are looking to create a new logo for our startup and are thinking of crowdsourcing the project out for a small fee ($250-300) to a shootout website like http://www.logosauce.com<p>1. Does anyone have experience with these types of sites?<p>2. Are there are any other competitive sites that we should be looking at?<p>I know it's sexy to work with a logo designer, but I think there's probably a good number of them banging away at these websites.
Spec work is evil:
<a href="http://andrewhyde.net/spec-work-is-evil-why-i-hate-crowdspring/" rel="nofollow">http://andrewhyde.net/spec-work-is-evil-why-i-hate-crowdspri...</a>
We used 99designs.com for our logo (www.dojolearning.com) as well as the new logo and product box for www.sitellite.org with great results. Our design was done by a separate designer though (he did 3 different styles that we offer in a handful of colours so customers can choose).<p>The key was to provide good and prompt feedback, which resulted in improvements to entries. Communicate and be appreciative of their effort and it seems to go a long way (doesn't it always though? :).<p>We also looked at designs from other contests and sent messages with "hey I like your designs!" to designers who were really good, and that seemed to help get a few top-notch designers onto our contests too.<p>I've since recommended this approach to several other companies I work with, and they've been very happy with using 99designs as well now.
I love it, you get sooooo many choices from uber creative people. Just don't be a cheapass. Better to spend $500 and get hundreds of submissions, instead of spending $100 and getting only 10.
I had a great experience with 99designs-- but I have mixed feelings about the subject, since I'm not sure that it is healthy for the design industry....