Fake Contests on the Web?

Before reaching "Design Contest" website, i searched several websites with this same services.
And then i found an Article about these type of Websites and i read something that really worried me... Aparently some "contest" Web Sites place Fake contests with fake Clients and Fake Designers Winning, not for profit but to attract more Professional and quality Designers to the Site... And to keep the Work Flowing....
So the guy that wrote the Article went ahead to search some of the companies and check if they were using their new Logo on their websites... and...Puff Surprise! most cases the Companies weren´t even Online...

So i was wondering how does "Design Contest" have a word on this and how can we Designers make sure that we are not putting a huge amount of work in vain...

Cheers,

Joao Ferrand

I guess those websites did it to build their portfolio for real business later. Every industry has that - faking and fabricating reports and acts. Not that I am approving it:D. Those wouldn't last long.
DesignContest.com is existing for some time already... 7 years or more, I'm not sure.
Without further philosophy and explanation, if you have any doubts, you can check it by yourself, find a closed logo contest (older one) or choose designer, his/her winning entry, then google for the company.

All I can tell - It is for real:D

I'm actually very surprised ... There is way too many CH here that aren't following their contest (no comments why not , but no ranking, no modifications really?) , I checked other sites and I think the rate is way above normal here.. what do you think ?

I have seen some contests that the Contest Holder pick a real crapy logo. In terms of the best design winning one of these contests, and judging by the winning designs themselves, the client is often unversed in what makes a good logo, how that logo will reproduce over a wide range of media, and even the difference between vector art and bitmap generated designs. Without any one-on-one interaction, they remain unversed throughout the design process, unaware of the technical and visual issues with the designs they’re viewing. Bottom line, they pick crap logos. Adding to that, we are not able to place mock ups... WHY? isn´t this i good way to explain the flexibility of the Logo? We are not designing icons..we are designing brands...

Hi all,
I can just tell you about MY experience here, which has been very positive. The CH of one of the contests I won reached me and now I'm working with her in other projects directly with her company. I believe in DC.

Joao Ferrand,
one logo can be crap for us, for some others great, while for client perfect. Simply it is a matter of a client's personal taste, along with other circumstances, such as capacity of business, competition, target audience, geo-location, etc...
We can not say what is the best for the client.

BTW, is this you first time on such a site as designcontest.com is?

@joao : we actually had a talk about (I think it was eximius 's idea) if we were suppose (as designers) guide a bit more contest holders when they're not familiar with logo and vector design. I think it ended up saying that client are free to decide what they want no matter what ...
@lau: I had good experiences too with contest holders, but my point is, it should be all of them. Would you ask and pay someone for a task and just not following if things goes well ?

Hey guys... EVERY contest site out there has Abandoned contests Absolutely no a way to get away from abandoned contests. I have explained this many times to everyone that there will always be abandoned contests and for various reasons....this is not new to ANY contest site that requires prepaid contests and not above normal here at DC

Some clients feel it is better to abandoned and split the prize with designers when they don't feel like choosing a design or nothing was what they wanted


Designcontest.com in NO WAY has every ran fake contests to maintain our site/platform.

We do run community contests every month/other month for various reasons ( abandoned contest prize money when no entries were rated, or when we want to hand out designer points or a new tshirt ) but a contest that is completely fake to maintain DC no absolutely not!

Edited by sharie, 01 October 2012 - 03:51 PM.

:0) I belive that there are a huge amount of abandoned contests...but dont you think for example that the website it self should establish a limit of time for the contest holder to claim and once he does not claim then the prize could be split to the top rated projects or iqualy to all designers that participated in the contest... intead what do you do with the prize money? Do you keep it fr your selfs...? Are ther people willing to spend 100$ or 200$ in a contest or more and then forget about it?

Edited by JoaoFerrand, 01 October 2012 - 09:19 PM.

Joao, Sharie had explained that part with abandoned contests. Also, there many threads with the same questions and answers.
For example, check this out: http://www.designcon...t-winner-3.html

1. If contest is abandoned money prize will be released to 3 top rated designers at that contest (as you may see in the link above; note: JCtoledo comment).
2. If there is no rated designers, money goes to DC fund for community contests, and every once in a while you will see it. As matter a fact, there is one still on going: DC FaceBook Cover Image
While this summer we had also beautiful one: http://www.designcon...ne-contest.html

Hoping this will help to clear doubts you have:D
Hey, I had doubts myself at first, too.

How about when you won a contest and then you already uploaded the source file, then the contest holder has no reply or follow up action, can the designer claim its prize?

Can the contest holder still withdraw its money after the 5th week of no show/updates?

"How about when you won a contest and then you already uploaded the source file, then the contest holder has no reply or follow up action, can the designer claim its prize?"

The contestholder has 7 days to work with you after you have been chosen winner. If you both are working past 7 days that becomes your choice if you two are working, if the edits go into depth and require a great deal more work than "minor" then we ask the ch to open a 1on1 project. If no reply or edit requests then we close after the 7 days and payment is sent to your finance board

"Can the contest holder still withdraw its money after the 5th week of no show/updates?" do you mean if the contest is abandoned or what?

Thanks Sharie.
Yes, I mean if the contest is already abandoned.

And how can we withdraw the designs we submitted to a abandoned contest?

is the designcrowd connected with the designcontest?

This is a worry on every crowdsourcing site.

No we are not associated with designcrowd, we are designcontest.com and only designcontest.com