Logo designed by employees

[capellan]

Logo designed by employees

Hi all,

Some time ago, i learned
of a local company (with international
business) that asked their
employees to design their new logo.

I could not tell if this was
a human resources management
department strategy to integrate
this human group or a recommendation
of the Account department to
save money.

My question is :
Is common for companies to
ask their employees to design
their logo?

Could you point me to some articles
that praise or reject this strategy?

(By the way, do not ask me to post
the logo. of this company)

Al

[Soquili]

Hi Al,

It has not been a practice by any of the companies I've worked for in the past.

One company did request people to vote for their favorite among some designs being considered.

[capellan]

Voting for one (among many) professional design
proposal actually makes sense.

The main problem with the logo selected
by that company is that it looks very generic
and even so, there are some parts that seems
lifted from other logos used by companies in
the same business area.

I would like to know if asking your employess
to design your business logo is common
in other parts of the world, because there
have to exist some logic behind this decision...
just that i could not see it.

Al

[Soquili]

I also cannot see the logic for having employees design a company's logo.

Probably applies equally to a logo design company.

Outside help may see the entire picture and offer better choices.

[Scotty]

Hi,
I worked for a large international company in the forest industry that was taken over (many many years ago) by another company and they put a competition to company employees to design a Canadian logo representing the Canadian division.
JimM

[capellan]

Aha!

Then, it actually happens in other places
around the world.

Probably exists some management schools
who believe that company logos and symbols
are so inconsecuential for their business that
they could use them as subject of contest
among their employees.

Not unlike the prize for the best costume in
the company ball party or the prize for the
best pudding cake in the company picnic...

Al

[Scotty]

Hi,
Just an afterthought about companies...
One division of the same company I was employed with wanted its employees to sign a form given the company all rights to any designs the he/she developed...in the workplace...I refused to sign it..but a few didn't
JimM