We're speaking here not of the logo contests on StockLogos, for which designers submit work created to fit the requirements of the client brief. Instead, this is all about design competitions, typically conducted by respected industry organizations or related firms, such as graphic design magazines. In some cases the competitions we've collected are devoted exclusively to logos, while others provide a logo or identity category.
Some competitions provide prizes of cash or merchandise but most offer simply the prestige of winning and exposure, both of which are essential for you to succeed in your career as a logo designer. Quality exposure is known to lead to new possibilities, while design awards can make all the difference in generating trust with new clients, as well as justifying the cost of your work. There is typically a fee for entering these competitions, so make sure you enter only your best work. It's also a good idea to browse galleries of past winners, which are often available on the competition website.
We'll be keeping the list below up to date and adding new ones as we hear of them, so please let us know about competitions we missed.
Creativity International Awards
Creativity International Awards is one of the longest running independent international advertising and graphic design competitions. It was established as a traveling exhibit in conjunction with Art Direction Magazine in 1970. The Creativity Awards Annual replaced the traveling exhibit and became one of the first books to showcase leading-edge design not just from New York, but from across America and worldwide. There are two related competitions, with Print and Packaging being the one of interest. You can enter logos in the Green/Sustainable and Print categories. Winners receive professionally-designed certificates, publication in the Creativity Awards Annual Book, and inclusion in the Creativity Awards iPad App with a link back to your site.
Deadline: August 10, 2012
Competition website
HOW International Design Awards
The International Design Awards, as the name implies, is a chance for designers around the world to submit entries each year to be judged in a wide range of categories, with Identity being the one we're interested in. Winning entries will be featured in the HOW Design Annual, showcased in the HOW online competition gallery and displayed at HOW Design Live. Plus, one Best of Show winner will win free registration, airfare and hotel accommodations for the HOW Design Live conference and an award to be presented at the conference. All other winners will get a $100 discount to the HOW Design Live Conference.
Deadline: August 15, 2012
Competition website
Communication Arts Typography Competition
This annual competition is the work of the prestigious Communication Arts magazine. It celebrates the use of typography as the primary visual element in design and advertising, as well as new typeface designs, calligraphy and hand lettering -- more to the point, you can submit logos in the Identity category. If you win, your work will be featured in the Communication Arts Typography Annual and on the magazine's website. As well, new for this year will be the delivery of a personalized Award of Merit, milled out of solid aluminum. Just the thing to impress new clients.
Deadline: September 7, 2012
Competition website
Brands of the World Logo Awards Contest
This logo competition is the work of Brands of the World, one of the largest branding websites in the world, which receives more than three million visits a month and has more than 700,000 registered users. The contest is open to graphic designers, studios, agencies, clients and students worldwide. Entries can be uploaded in dozens of categories, with uploaded entries displayed in a gallery that includes a description of the entry and a link to the designer's site. Winning entries are chosen by a panel of judges who are selected based on their professional excellence in branding and design. Registered members of Brands of the World will also be able to cast their votes on the logos they like and these votes will influence the decision of the jury. A gold, silver and bronze award will be bestowed in each category, with three overall gold, silver and bronze winners also being chosen. Overall gold will receive an Apple iPad 16GB Wifi, while silver and bronze will snag Apple iPod Touch 8GB devices.
Deadline: December 31, 2012
Competition website
Hiiibrand Awards
Now in its third year, this competition devoted to brand design covers identity, logo and package design work. Winning entries receive Grand Prix, Jury, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Merit Awards respectively. They're also published by New Graphic magazine and included in the Hiiibrand Awards iPad app.
Deadline: December 31, 2012
Competition website
The International Awards for Creative Excellence
This series of ongoing monthly competitions was begun earlier this year, with its goal being "to recognize the outstanding work creatives all over the world do for their clients, establishing image and identity, promoting public recognition, communicating a message or achieving a business goal." The IACE bestows Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards. All winners will be recognized in a public gallery on the IACE website and receive a printed award certificate by mail. There is a Logo category and currently no fee, so this one is well worth your time.
Deadline: Monthly
Competition website
American Design Awards
Despite the name, these awards are open to designers throughout the world who have created work for clients or self-promotion. A Logo category is provided, with winners receiving an award certificate and various kinds of promotion. Judging takes place every three months, so if you're persistent, you have a good chance of eventually snagging an award.
Deadline: Quarterly
Competition website
HOW Logo Design Awards
Originating in 2008, the annual HOW Logo Design Awards, run by HOW magazine, provide the opportunity for designers around the world to submit entries, with ten winning designers to be featured on the HOW website and in the HOW design newsletter. All 10 winners will also receive a prize pack containing a curated selection of design books from MyDesign-Shop.com and a year-long membership to Design TV, an OnDemand library of DesignCasts presented by design experts. From the Top 10, visitors to HOWDesign.com can vote for a Reader’s Choice Best of Show winner, which will receive additional attention as the featured project in Behind the Design, a column in HOW magazine.
Deadline: Closed for entries
Competition website
HOW Promotion Design Awards
The focus of this annual competition is promotion of all kinds, such as a self-promo to showcase a design firm’s capabilities, a project that touts a client’s goods or services, an announcement for a major life event or even a student résumé or portfolio. Categories include illustrator, photographer, designer, personal, pro-bono, student, client and the ever-popular miscellaneous. You'll need to submit a logo that fits into one of these categories. Unusually, a requirement is that the submission not be in digital form but instead consist of an actual sample of such documents and objects as annual reports, brochures, catalogs, direct mail, book and magazine covers and interior pages, invitations, announcements, greeting cards, letterhead, logos, packaging, posters, print advertising, calendars, wearables, 3D objects and other projects. The Best of Show Winner will receive a free trip to the HOW Design Live Conference, along with an award to be presented at the conference. All winning work will be included in HOW’S Self-Promotional Design Annual, with winners receiving a $100 discount to the HOW Design Live Conference.
Deadline: Closed for entries
Competition website
American Graphic Design Awards
Here's another competition that, despite the title, is open to designers worldwide. Run by Graphic Design USA magazine, you'll want to use the Logos, Trademarks and Symbols category for your entry. Winners receive an embossed certificate of excellence for each piece selected and become eligible for reproduction in the Graphic Design USA Awards Annual in print, on the web and in its iPad app.
Deadline: Closed for entries
Competition website
1 Comment
Great post :)