Logo #4!

The winner has been contacted to arrange payment of the $100. Hopefully we'll hear from him soon!

Thanks to everyone who entered designs for the contest. We appreciate your effort and your help in making the contest a success!

We'll see you in the Equipment Exchange!

Michael

#4

... Marked!

Hmmm....

e-mail sent.

Quoted: e-mail sent.

Please resend the email, we never got it.

Michael

interesting...tagged for later

Not to appear rude, but for $100 bucks you're going to get a logo that looks like...well... like you spent hundred bucks.

Do you really want to stake the future of your company on a POS logo? Your logo reflects the soul of your company. It will also haunt you if you blow out the gates with something half assed and looks like 500 other logos. There are many other factors that come into play.

I've always found it odd that anyone with a computer and Adobe Illustrator is an instant designer and expert in Corporate Identity. With professional firms, most won't even answer the phone for $100.

On a happier note, you may find someone here with the talent to create something outstanding. I wish you good luck with your contest.

Quoted: Not to appear rude, but for $100 bucks you're going to get a logo that looks like...well... like you spent hundred bucks.

I hear what you're saying, but honestly....we're not looking for a masterpiece and we're sure not looking to spend $500 or more on a logo.

I'd just design one myself, but I'm not real good at it or photoshop for that matter , I don't really have the time and I thought that this would be more fun.

Hopefully we'll get some kind of response and we'll get to give away the $100. If not then we'll just come up with something else. Thanks for the reply though.

Michael

Hi Michael. I was hoping I didn't offend you about the logo design contest. That wasn’t my intent. I just wanted to voice a small warning. I've been in the Advertising and Design business for 25 years and 80% of our work is what is called "Corporate ID" work. Logos and the imagery that surrounds it.

We clean up a lot of disasters made by companies that create logos by employee contests and other crazy contests. Finally the CEO calls us in three years later and says, "We look like idiots and sales stink, What’s wrong?”

My point was that once you launch your logo, it takes on a life all by itself. You would be amazed how many items your logo will appear on. Your new logo design has to take all of that into account. A logo that looks great at 7” across may look horrible at 2”. Color, fonts, design and style have to be timeless.

An example I can provide is one of my clients who are the best in their business, worldwide. No doubt about it, they are the best at what they do. The only problem is their logo, which was design in 1949 looks like it was designed in 1949. If you saw it, you would say to yourself, “this isn’t a state-of-the-art company, these folks “look” like they still use mimeographs and carbon paper." The sad thing is that you would be wrong and they would lose a sale, never having the chance to sell what they do.
Despite our best efforts to change that logo; it’s a scared cow and can’t be touch. It hurts them time and time again and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Almost all initial sales are based on the perceived “look” of a company. Subliminally, a person determines if this company is creditable just based on the look of its Corporate ID.

Take a look at the top ID’s like Sony, Microsoft, GE and Nike. Those images are carefully constructed and controlled. That has a lot to do with their success in the marketplace since there is a perceived value and trust based only on a logo and name. You can learn a lot just by watching what they do. McDonald’s is the king. Do what they do. Take an informal poll here and see how many people wear Nike or Colt logos. It’s a dream come true for guys like me but I’ve always wondered why you would wear somebody else’s logo. It’s how some define themselves. In real life, I’m a nobody…but with this Nike logo, I’m super guy and belong to a group of other super guys.

Sure, it takes some bucks to create this stuff and support it with intelligence. Just don’t sell yourself short.

Good luck with the contest. I hope somebody creates something outstanding. There are a few talented guys on this board and I looking forward to seeing the designs. Gee…all you wanted to do is create a logo and I’m boring you to death with this post….lol.

Woo hoo!

... Ramjet and ilikelegs I believe you might be making assumptions about TheTacticalSolution that may or may not be true.

... Firstly, it almost "appears" by your collective editorials that no one is qualified on this board to perform professional desktop publishing nor do they have any creativity or imagination. We all know that's not true.

Secondarily, TheTacticalSolution clearly left a caveat for the potential of sub-substandard work, so I'm inclined to believe they recognize quality and aren't gonna slap together some inexperienced hack job logo on their business cards or website. They asked it in a JPG format, I believe, so that board members here can view and vote on various designs. However, many of us would probably use Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Quark Express for rendering and to achieve the final presentation.

Finally, TheTacticalSolution appears to be a small start-up company catering to this crowds needs. I’m certain that $500 for a logo is a bit steep considering every other fee, surcharges and tax small business owners face. They came to us looking for help. You can choose not to participate in the contest but I feel your claims are premature and I, for one, think TheTacticalSolution wanted this to be as much fun for us as it was a cost saving measure for the new startup.

... YMMV

Ramjet and ILL...I don't really take much personal so don't worry about hurting my feelings. I'd rather people say what they mean than to beat around the bush, I respect that.

Secondly I completely understand what yall are saying and that logos are very important in a business sense and that if we went the professional route it could cost us several hundred dollars.

But....Winston_Wolf pretty much nailed it on the head in most aspects. If we were a giant company with our logo on products around the world then we would definitely put some more thought into it, but frankly, we're not. We sell Magpuls and stripper clips. This whole thing pretty much started out as a hobby for me until my brother in law wanted to turn it into a business and here we are.

I'm not planning on making a billion dollars in this business, in fact, I'll probably only do this until that lottery thing pans out, but just gives me stuff to do and makes a little money while I'm doing it and I enjoy it.

So far we've had several good entries, any of which I'd be glad to pay $100 for. I'm having fun, some of the members are having fun and someone is going to make $100 that they wouldn't have made otherwise.

I really just wanted to do something to have some fun and get everyone involved and so far so good. I really do appreciate the comments and I understand what you're saying but we just decided to go about it a different way.

Anyway, enough rambling. Everybody have fun and good luck to the contestants.

Michael

EDITED TO ADD: Yes, multiple entries are allowed. Each will be judged upon their own merit with no preference to contestants.

Also, when they are posted for voting, there will be no names attached to any of the designs to make everything completely fair and to insure that the votes are based upon the designs themselves and nothing else

Jingle, Tactical gear, if your srtaight or queer. We got it right here! At Tacticle solution. ahahahaha. Sorry I just woke up.

TTT, I didn't mean anything personal about my comments.
I ment it only as an opinion. I hope the submissions are cool
and everyone has fun doing it.

Quoted: TTT, I didn't mean anything personal about my comments. I ment it only as an opinion. I hope the submissions are cool and everyone has fun doing it.

I know you didn't. Ramjet seemed a little worried that he might have and I just wanted to assure everyone that I didn't take it that way.

I appreciate your concern on trying to save me from myself though


[edited because sometimes I leave out words ]

Tagged for reference...

tagged.

Quoted: We sell Magpuls and stripper clips.

No logo yet, but I've got a slogan for ya.

"Whether you need a stripper, or just a good "pull", we are the Tactical Solution for all of your gun's needs."

Whether you're a nancy boy or a Dirty Harry
Here at Tactical-Solution We're your Huckleberry!

Know this is not what you want but just an idea guys with animated or JPEG !  Who know what can be done!

Bob

We have the solution for your revolution!

Thats it!

Whether a nancy-boy or a Dirty Harry
Here at Tactical Solution were'r your Huckleberry
We have the solution for your Revolution!
And it's all there in the Constitution!

More?

 Bob

Quoted: ... Ramjet and ilikelegs I believe you might be making assumptions about TheTacticalSolution that may or may not be true. ... Firstly, it almost "appears" by your collective editorials that no one is qualified on this board to perform professional desktop publishing nor do they have any creativity or imagination. We all know that's not true. ... YMMV

So if I follow this logic, it means that because I can take my 1911 apart and put in back together "I'm a Gunsmith!!!"

What really annoys me is it that everyone with a bootleg copy of CorelDraw or Illustrator is a instant design guru.

All I offered was a bit of advice on what my experience has been working with small start ups to large corporations. You leave this type of work to "trained, qualified and experienced" professionals that know what they are doing. You can take that advice or leave it.

I'm sorry Michael to hi-jack the thread and beat this to death. I just want to express the importantance of your logo design and what role it will play in the future.

Who can predict what will happen to your company? I had a guy long ago who started selling Corvette parts out of the back of his truck, 20 years later, he's  a major force in the Corvette industry and his logo change three times over that 20 years.

Good luck with it and don't sell your business short. You may have found a key to independence.

What really annoys me is it that everyone with a bootleg copy of CorelDraw or Illustrator is a instant design guru.

Ahmen brother, preach it. I do ALL THE TIME. In this world of "you can do anything" software, people think a box of software gives them a talent. I see how military veterans and active duty people hate wannabe's, airsofters, role playing folks, and always bash on them, well it's no different for us designers. I pay for my software and I have the art degree, portfolio, and resume to back up my shit. If I say I'm a designer, I'm the real shit, not some hacked copy of photoshop-practicing my web site tutorials on my "Pee Cee"-designer.

HOWEVER... I enjoy opportunities like this  because its a chance for me to flex my creative talent for someone I'd other wise be charging several hundred dollars for, and besides, if the subject matter is interesting to me, then I do it for nothing more than personal enjoyment. Yes, throwing out $100 dollar prize to your average person to come up with something can certainly yield...ummm "interesting" results. I look forward to entering a few ideas myself and seeing what they come up with.

Food for thought- I have a former employer who didn't like what a well named big city agency was giving him as of late and rumor spilled back my way that he would much rather have me come back than keep paying the ass loads of money to the big agency for stuff he just didn't like. I'm about 5 years out of art school and I'm just one artist, not a big agency. It just goes to show you that even with all our degrees, resumes, and talent, art is still and always will be a subjective thing. It's not black and white like doing accounting, in accounting its either right or wrong. In design, it's everyone has an opinion about what is good and what is bad.

Having seen some Corporate Logo's that cost many dollars...I can say that you don't always get what you pay for!

I have seen a few people who could/and do put "Professional Ad and Design" people to shame...But it is not what they do for a living.

I personally have no artistic talent at all as I am a technical person but there may be someone on our great website that is just getting started in the Ad and Design business.

Maybe because they don't have a "Resume" no one will give them a chance!

Maybe, just maybe, they would like to help an upstart business that supports our RKBA and AR15 dot com!

They may be willing to do a $300-$500 job for $100.00 and help out "Triple T"!

BigDozer66

Quoted: Quoted: ... Ramjet and ilikelegs I believe you might be making assumptions about TheTacticalSolution that may or may not be true. ... Firstly, it almost "appears" by your collective editorials that no one is qualified on this board to perform professional desktop publishing nor do they have any creativity or imagination. We all know that's not true. ... YMMV So if I follow this logic, it means that because I can take my 1911 apart and put in back together "I'm a Gunsmith!!!" What really annoys me is it that everyone with a bootleg copy of CorelDraw or Illustrator is a instant design guru. All I offered was a bit of advice on what my experience has been working with small start ups to large corporations. You leave this type of work to "trained, qualified and experienced" professionals that know what they are doing. You can take that advice or leave it. I'm sorry Michael to hi-jack the thread and beat this to death. I just want to express the importantance of your logo design and what role it will play in the future. Who can predict what will happen to your company? I had a guy long ago who started selling Corvette parts out of the back of his truck, 20 years later, he's  a major force in the Corvette industry and his logo change three times over that 20 years. Good luck with it and don't sell your business short. You may have found a key to independence.

This is true yet bullshit. Story follows:

2 young cental Texas kids...16 and 17 answered the call to an Ausitn radio station to design a website for a company and win a prize.  THEY WON hands down.
These INEXPERIENCED NONPROFESSIONALS are top off their game.  They make more money then their parents could dream of and put most EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS to shame.
TO each their own...but dont judge others because you have a TITLE.
This isnt directed towards anyone inparticular...just those that feel if you arent TITLED then your are worthless..

Tagged for follow up.

Holy smokes!

I tagged this thread to remind me about the contest and the next day this has all happened! ; )

I agree with those that say you get what you pay for ... However I also see a budding businessman taking the first steps into the field, and extending himself with this offer. Therefore I think that there's nothing wrong with helping a brother out on his way up.

I am a graphic designer. I do logos and corporate identities all the time. I charge a heck of a lot more than $100 (and that's what the market will bear, I'm not bragging!)... but here, I thought I'd see if I could do a few options and throw them in the ring. I freelance and I could see this possibly leading to a little exposure. I can't believe how large the community is here on ARF.com. Who knows, whoever wins this contest could get their next big freelance design project from another member that likes what they see ; )

I'll be submitting some designs soon. Here's hoping you get a lot of them to choose from.

jim

Macman. Yep, you’re not kidding. Never a dull moment at ol' AR-15.com. What started as a bit of friendly advice turned into offending many.

I just never get it. I've spent 25 years in the trenches of the advertising and design world. I can tell you "based on experience, my degree in this field and talent" I know what works, what doesn't and how to avoid disaster. Dummy me thought I'd pass along some good advice.

I feel for poor TS, I bet he didn't see this coming. I bet he's thinking "Gee, All I wanted to do is have a logo contest; not piss off all the designers in the world!"....lol

Hey, at least it keeps his post near the top :)

On brighter note, I've discovered three new talents I didn't know resided here. Perhaps there are projects in our future.

Don't loose focus, I had a similar post almost 2 years ago. Even with the BS involved we got a great logo out of the deal. I guess we were the blind squirrels that time...

Good Luck and hopefully you will have as good of luck as I had.

JC

Quoted: Don't loose focus, I had a similar post almost 2 years ago. Even with the BS involved we got a great logo out of the deal. I guess we were the blind squirrels that time... Good Luck and hopefully you will have as good of luck as I had. JC

We've alread received some logos and banners that I really like, so I'm not discouraged in the least. If everyone wants to keep arguing that is fine with me....it just gives the contest a little more exposure

Michael

Any chance you could post a few of the designs?

Then again, maybe that's not a bright idea since you couldn't all these guys to agree on a common #2 pencil...lol.

If I'm not careful, I could get my post count over three hundred just on this subject. This is more fun than the .308 vs .223 debate or what's better Ford or Chevy trucks ;)

Quoted: Any chance you could post a few of the designs?

As soon as the contest deadline passes and I and my business partner pick out our favorites we'll post the top five for the members to vote, so that everyone can see them and voice their choice. The ultimate decision on who gets the $100 is up to the membership.

So just be patient and you'll get to see some good ones.

Tagged. I just wanna see the logos.  I have photoshop, corel, photosuite3, and several others.  But I know I suck

tagged

Quoted: Tagged. I just wanna see the logos.

We'll start a new thread with a poll when we post the logos, so look out for it. When the logo submission date runs out I'll post in this thread when we'll be putting them up and the members will have two or three days to vote.  

I have photoshop, corel, photosuite3, and several others.  But I know I suck

Welcome to the club

Why do you think I'm paying someone else $100 to come up with one for us?

E-mail sent.

Email sent!

jim

Quoted: Email sent! jim

Jim....got your email and thanks for the submission.

To everyone else that's interested, you've got about a week left to send in your submissions to be eligible to win the $100.

And a big THANKS to those of you who have already sent in designs, they look great!

Its obvious that there will be many entries to this contest, some which will be better than others. The winning design could then be modified to better fit the image that TTT wants to portray. Everyone knows that the final design is open to changes.

I've seen many logo design contests. Its basically a very cheap way to bring together ideas of several people, some who actually may know how to use their bootlegged copy of Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel/Micrografx Designer, etc. Most graphics artists will probably pass on this, as $100 is not worth their time for a design that will be used to represent a company for its lifetime.

Let me make a suggestion: make the logo simple and easy to recognize, stamp, reprint in black & white, 1 color, multi-color, etc. Be sure its vector art so resizing is not a problem. Also, come up with a short slogan to go with it... while you're at it.

PS: TTT-- I never heard bac from you re: the stuff we talked about a couple weeks ago ...

Quoted: PS: TTT-- I never heard bac from you re: the stuff we talked about a couple weeks ago ...

I sent you an IM last week, but it looks like there's something wacky going on with my message box. In any case, I just send another one. Let me know if you don't get that one either.

Quoted: What really annoys me is it that everyone with a bootleg copy of CorelDraw or Illustrator is a instant design guru. Ahmen brother, preach it. I do ALL THE TIME. In this world of "you can do anything" software, people think a box of software gives them a talent. I see how military veterans and active duty people hate wannabe's, airsofters, role playing folks, and always bash on them, well it's no different for us designers. I pay for my software and I have the art degree, portfolio, and resume to back up my shit. If I say I'm a designer, I'm the real shit, not some hacked copy of photoshop-practicing my web site tutorials on my "Pee Cee"-designer. HOWEVER... I enjoy opportunities like this  because its a chance for me to flex my creative talent for someone I'd other wise be charging several hundred dollars for, and besides, if the subject matter is interesting to me, then I do it for nothing more than personal enjoyment. Yes, throwing out $100 dollar prize to your average person to come up with something can certainly yield...ummm "interesting" results. I look forward to entering a few ideas myself and seeing what they come up with. Food for thought- I have a former employer who didn't like what a well named big city agency was giving him as of late and rumor spilled back my way that he would much rather have me come back than keep paying the ass loads of money to the big agency for stuff he just didn't like. I'm about 5 years out of art school and I'm just one artist, not a big agency. It just goes to show you that even with all our degrees, resumes, and talent, art is still and always will be a subjective thing. It's not black and white like doing accounting, in accounting its either right or wrong. In design, it's everyone has an opinion about what is good and what is bad.

I am truely sorry that you graphic artists are being intimidated by open source applications such as GIMP. Maybe you should just admit the fact that some people (not me, thats for damn sure) are better at doing the job you are paid to do.

Most graphics artists will probably pass on this, as $100 is not worth their time for a design that will be used to represent a company for its lifetime.

I personally decided not to pass on this because I had some ideas spring to mind as I read the post. Why waste them? Plus, $100 is $100 for anybody.

So I ask, why not? Everybody needs to start somewhere. If The Tactical Solution takes off maybe there will be billable work they'll come back to whoever won the contest for. Or someone else here will start a company and need a logo.

jim

The deadline is Monday at 12:00 noon CST! So anyone else wanting to enter needs to have their logos in soon!

I am truely sorry that you graphic artists are being intimidated by open source applications such as GIMP. Maybe you should just admit the fact that some people (not me, thats for damn sure) are better at doing the job you are paid to do.

Heh, that felt good! Because I dont give a flying f*ck what you say, I KNOW IM GOOD, Ive always been good, and I have no confidence problems with my talent. If I dont get paid for this logo and a non-professional  does, do you honestly think I'm going to lose sleep over it? Bwahahahahahaahaa!!!!  This is my calling in life, my career, my god given talent, my confidence does not waiver nor do I.

... Sure wished I were home now on my hotrod CPU with all my hotrod software, I'd be kickin' all ya'll's asses!

Quoted: ... Sure wished I were home now on my hotrod CPU with all my hotrod software, I'd be kickin' all ya'll's asses!

are you in New York again?

Entries Submitted...

I'm no graphic artist (just a PC tech with some web-design experience), and I don't use Photoshop (pirated or otherwise), since I find Paint Shop Pro easier to use (the APS interface makes AutoCAD seem intuitive)...

Let's see how this goes...

$100 is 1/3 of a top-condition Sistema .45 from JLD Enterprises...

is the contest posted anywhere?

Quoted: is the contest posted anywhere?

We're ready to go and as soon as we get the last logo converted into a format that I can post here we'll start the voting. I'm hoping to have the polls open this evening.

I'll just edit this thread and stick it in, so stay tuned!