Contest Details


Share
Visit Contest Forum

See the Winners
View Submissions

Dates:
Start Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009
at 16:30 EST
End Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
at 16:30 EDT
Winner(s)
Announced:
Sunday, March 15, 2009
at 16:30 EDT
Downloads:

Since this contest has ended all attached files are no longer available for viewing

How to Format Your Submission:
1. Look for instructions in this contest regarding what files to provide. Questions? Ask in the forum for this contest.
2. Place your submission files into a "Submission.zip" file.
3. Place all of your source files into a "Source.zip" file.
4. Create a JPG preview file.
5. Click "Submit" and upload your files.

Trouble formatting your submission or want to learn more? Read this FAQs

Note: All non-standard Windows fonts must be listed in a text file within your submission folder. Include the name of the font and a link to where it can be downloaded/purchased. DO NOT include any font files in your submission or source files.
Source Files:

EPS - Encapsulated PostScript, AI - Illustrator

You must include all source files with your submission.

Submission Limit:

3 submissions per competitor

Contest Title: $850 Austin Times Logo Design Contest
Client: spectorbrain
Contest Type: Logo Design
Design Medium: Apparel
Web
1 Place: $500.00
2 Place: $100.00
3 Place: $.00
4 Place: $.00
5 Place: $.00
6 Place: $50.00
7 Place: $50.00
8 Place: $50.00
9 Place: $50.00
10 Place: $50.00
Studio Cup Points:

85.0


Have questions about how to compete? Learn more here!
Contest Summary
The Austin Times is a hyper-local, user-driven news aggregation site. News articles from various feeds as well as from user-submitted content populate the site. Through user-driven content and comments, the client is looking to create an active online community.

For this contest, you will be designing a logo based on the winning web page design. The client is looking for a design that is serious, but also fresh and innovative - Newspaper 2.0, not Web 2.0.

Please remember to submit UNIQUE designs - do not simply make minor modifications and resubmit.

As an added incentive, the client will pay an extra $50 to their five (5) favorite designs at the Mid-Point Review. To qualify, you must submit your design by the Monday March 9th at 10am EDT.

Entries must be your original work, and must not infringe on the copyright or licenses of others. Stock art, clip art, templates and other design elements from other sources are prohibited unless specifically permitted here in the Contest Details.

Full Description & Project Guide

Project Overview
The Austin Times site is focused on the Austin Texas community. Through user-driven content and comments, the client is looking to create an active online community.

Design Requirements
- The logo must read "Austin Times".
- The logo must fit in the blank area in the upper left corner next to the keyword search in the provided home page design (AT_HomePage_Design.jpg)
- Please provide an appropriate amount of white space around the logo. It must not sit right on top of any part of the design.
- Your logo must work equally well in the home page and on both white and black backgrounds.
- The logo MUST be designed in vector format (Adobe Illustrator, EPS, etc.) so it may be used online and offline at various sizes.

Design Considerations
- The logo design should communicate that this is a newspaper and not anything too "Web 2.0".
- The logo should not have the silly personality of a blog, Twitter or similar social sites.
- The logo should communicate Newspaper 2.0 and not Web 2.0 - serious but fresh and innovative.
- Do NOT use a traditional fancy, serif font as most newspapers do.
- You are free to create a graphic in your logo design as long as the words "Austin Times" is included and easily understood.
- This logo will be used on the web and on apparel. You are highly encouraged to do your research and understand what design and font elements do and do not work for each medium.

Target Audience
The site is meant for all news consumers in the Austin Texas community. The client's intention is to make a vivacious and active community of local users that will help drive the site via content submissions and comments. Users will be adults who are internet savvy.

Submission Deliverables
For this contest, you need to include the following items in your submission:
- The logo placed in the provided home page design
- A screenshot of the logo (in Vector format) placed in the provided logo template (Logo-Template.eps) on the white and the black backgrounds.

Mid-Contest Feedback
For every submission that is received by Monday, March 9th at 10am EDT, we will provide feedback on your designs in the forums. Your design itself will NOT be viewable by the other competitors. They will only be able to see the feedback you receive.

As an added incentive, the client will pay an extra $50 to their five (5) favorite designs at the mid-point. To qualify, you must submit your design by the date and time listed above.

Please DO NOT delete your mid-point submissions. This will make it harder to retrieve your submissions and pay the incentive prize.

This is a great opportunity to find out how you are doing and give you a better chance to be successful in this contest.

Judging Criteria
Usability - How well the logo design enhances the user experience.
Consistency - How well the logo design works with the overall web site design.
Requirement and Considerations - How well the design meets the design requirements and design considerations for this contest.

Preview Image
Please provide a screenshot of your logo in the home page design as the preview image. Do not skew, alter, modify or add drop shadows or other filters for dramatic effect.

Specific Contest Details
Size: Up to the designer, but it must fit in the upper left corner of the home page design as specified in the Design Requirements above.
Font: Up to the designer. Do not use a traditional serif font. See Design Considerations above for more details.
Color: Up to the designer, but must work well with the overall branding in the provided home page design.
How to Submit
  • New to Studio? Learn how to compete here.
  • Upload your submission in three parts (see this FAQs for more information). Your design should be finalized and should contain only a single design concept (do not include multiple designs in a single submission).
  • If your submission wins, your source files must be correct and "Final Fixes" (if applicable) must be completed before payment can be released.
  • You may submit as many times as you'd like during the submission phase, but only the number of files listed above in the Submission Limit that you rank the highest will be considered. You can change the order of your submissions at any time during the submission phase. If you make revisions to your design, please delete submissions you are replacing.
Winner Selection
Submissions are viewable to the client as they are entered into the contest. Winners are selected by the client and are chosen solely at the Client's discretion.
Payment
The payment will be distributed in one full installment once the final version of the winning submission has been downloaded by the client. Any and all applicable taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the prizewinner(s).
Eligibility
You must be a TopCoder Studio member, at least 18 years of age, meeting all of the membership requirements. In addition, you must fit into one of the following categories. If you reside in the United States, you must be either:
  • A US Citizen
  • A Lawful Permanent Resident of the US
  • A temporary resident, asylee, refugee of the U.S., or have a lawfully issued work authorization card permitting unrestricted employment in the U.S.

If you do not reside in the United States:
  • You must be authorized to perform services as an independent contractor. (Note: In most cases you will not need to do anything to become authorized)