Design contests

If you’re a company considering a design contest, where you solicit free work from trained designers for your websites, apps, icons, or logos: stop. It’s insulting to an entire profession and makes me (and many others I’m sure) think less of you, your company, and your product.

You wouldn’t send out a call for hundreds of electricians to install a light at your house and pay the “winner”. This isn’t any different.

If you’re a designer thinking about spending the time and energy participating in a design contest for a couple hundred bucks or a free year of a membership to some service: don’t. Take pride in your craft. Your time and skill and worth more than a cash prize and “exposure”.

It’s 2024. Enough of this nonsense.