The 2010 Winter Olympics Logo Controversy
The 2010 Vancouver Emblem (Ilanaaq) was unvieled tonight at Imagine 2010. While searching for interesting links about the new logo for the Vancouver Olympics I found this interesting post from last Semptember about how the Graphic Designers of Canada are officially protesting the process of selecting the logo. Their gripe is that instead of Vanoc choosing and hiring a designer, they asked for 'free' logos from everyone and ran it as a content instead of a project. Very interesting. I've heard talk about this controversy before. I wonder what the designer who won thinks. If I'd of know about this before I met here I would have asked. You can read more about this controversy here... When a Contest Is Not a Contest.
"According to an article from the BDI design news wire, designers from around the world last Spring joined Matt Warburton, past-president of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC), to protest the logo design competition (and the $150 entry fee), for the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver, BC. The winner of the contest would receive $25,000.
John Furlong, the chief executive officer of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, didn't "'know what the ethical dilemma is,' and that the honour of participating should be enough."
Warbourton, in no uncertain terms, made it clear. "'There's this prevailing belief that designers are starving artists who should just give their work away. We don't expect to get paid for it but if we do, geez, we're lucky. That's not the way I look at my business of selling design. And I'm not giving it away for free.'"
However, the article states, despite the GDC's position on contests, it did not decide to censure members who participated. The association allows members to compete for non-profit projects that are in the public interest.
So how do you feel about this particular contest or design contests in general? Is this an exception because of its unique nature or do all contests erode the value of the design profession?"