A logo for Human Rights

Did you know there is no globally recognized logo for human rights? That’s what humanrightslogo.net is trying to change. The Human Rights Logo Challenge is a global competition to solve the greatest imaginable creative task: find a universally recognized logo for human rights.

The winning logo will be made available in the public domain, free to be used by anyone, anywhere.

How can you take part? Upload your logo on to humanrightslogo.net. Discuss and assess the logo competition entries with people from all over the world, supported by a team of experts. The jury, of which I am a member of, will make a pre-selection from all the entries. In a global public online ballot, the winner will be chosen from among the top 10.

Submit your designs, you have until July 31st, 2011.

18 Comments leave a comment below

  1. I’m surprised to see your name attached to this. Is this not the type of spec work that most upstanding design figures are against?

  2. I’m saddened to see this blog support crowd sourcing.

  3. I do not support the kind of crowdsourcing Crowdspring or 99designs promote. Nor do I ever encourage another designer to work on spec.

    But this fighting against every contest out there is getting out of hand.

    There’s a clear line between warning people not to work for a company without getting a dime and helping an organization fight for a common cause! How much time, do you think, did Gerald Holtom spend on drooling over the pay check, while designing the eventually un-copyrighted, general-purpose, iconic peace symbol? How much time did he spend fantasizing about his surely upcoming stardom?

    The project in question is held in order to give the world a gift. It’s a non-profit event to create an open-source product by the people for the people! After the jury has announced their choice, the winning entry will be open for every single person in the world to use as they please.
    Ever drawn a heart shape in the air for your loved one? Ever scribbled a peace sign on your diary and decorated it with flowers? Well, that kind of open-source, use as you please kind of sign.

    I will not be taking a part in this as I find the already submitted ideas uninspiring, which I admit, can happen with an open contest like this. But still, I see this as their only mistake. Asking people to help fighting a common cause, promising them not to make money off their work, does not strike me as immoral.

    It’s not a beer company crowdsourcing for a logo. It’s people caring for human rights looking for a visual symbol to promote a common value!

  4. I would submit just to have Michail Gorbatschow judge my logo.

    But other than that I can’t see how 30 judges will be able to collectively agree on a logo that is transcendent to the point that it equals the peace sign, or the recycle logo, or some other international icon.

    And agree that this is “noble spec”, where a corporation isn’t trying to screw anyone. The problem with noble spec is that it attracts too many hippie logo designers. What is a hippie logo designer? Just look through the submissions, they are easy to spot.

  5. I do not understand the bellyaching from some “designers.” What’s wrong with many people getting together to design the logo for human rights? Doesn’t this kind of contest show just how important every person is? Everyone has a chance to submit their design for this.

  6. The “bellyaching” is because this is how the general public thinks that design services should be acquired and this is feeding more into that perception. Everyone is expecting designer to provide free concepts and compete in contests to win projects. Yes, this is a good cause, but they can easily just hire one designer or agency to do the work pro bono.

  7. Armin, I couldn’t agree more. Although the idea is, as you said, noble and very welcome, I can see the lack of quality. I think it would’ve been a better idea to hire a number of acknowledged designers to create their versions and then let the people of the world decide. No need for a panel (with Gorbatschow), no crowdsourcing accusations, more credibility.

  8. I appreciate Shelbys comment!
    Everyone should have an chance to take part in this and the judges should be a team of experts.

  9. I agree with Armin’s comment above. In addition to the the issue of such disparate (read: lack of) quality, there’s also the problem with assessing and selecting a few solutions from such a volume of proposals. No judge will be able to go through all submitted proposals while staying engaged and interested in the motivations behind each design.

    Furthermore, my guess is that designers and design studios that might be the best fit for this kind of assignment may choose not to participate.

    A standard procedure of an open call for submitting interest, a selection of x number of designers/studios, and then a public posting of proposals that already have gone through a sort of quality assessment would have been a better route.

  10. Shelby, It’s all very well saying it’s good that “this kind of contest show just how important every person is” and “everyone has a chance to submit their design” when it’s quite clear that due to the amount they’ll have to sift through a lot of designs will be tossed in the bin upon first glance unless there’s a strong idea that shines through effectively.

  11. RE: Shelby’s comment…

    Why should *everyone* be able to design and submit a logo? Yes, everyone could… but that doesn’t mean they are qualified. Should *everyone* be able to re-wire my home’s electrical system? Prescribe medicine? Perform surgery?

    This smacks of awareness campaign more so than the organization’s need for free graphic design services.

    Still, I think it’s in bad taste. Garbage in, garbage out. MANY talented designers would have volunteered services for such a noble cause. Instead, the submissions are littered with junk logos from amateurs and meanwhile, the “spec” nature of the contents pisses off the true professionals who they most desperately need.

  12. Either submit an idea or leave it alone. The choice is simple + yours.
    Website would’ve been better not to show entries for now. Just seems ‘designers’ are copying other people’s ideas.

  13. Now it’s a fact. David Airey is the Richard Stallman of “Anti-Spec Work”
    Come on people, it’s for a nonprofit organization…

  14. Does “human rights” even *need* a logo?

    There’s no logo for poverty either – so should we crowd source a brand for that as well to make us all feel better, or should we just acknowledge the fact there’s already plenty of organisations (which are branded) that are already tackling the issues? (In the case of human rights – Amnesty International). I can’t see how this helps anyone, and only serves to further the public perception of design being just a big wank.

  15. Thank you for the comments, so one can understand and learn your point of view. As I am no designer I appreciate to read what you say.

  16. I take part in this contest and mostly agree with the negative views here. What bothers me most is that there’s a monetary reward for the winner(s). If the people who organize the contest would have omitted that, the quality of the design proposals could have been higher, IMHO. Designers with passion for their profession do not need a financial honouring for a humanitarian case.

    I also miss the lack of intelligent, constructive feedback. People “like” (ugh, hate that word) a “design” because they recognize it. High points for anything with doves and human figures. Blue and white is also very pretty (for a bank or insurance company)…

    I trust in the expertise of the designers who are part of the jury. Let’s see what the outcome will be. Good luck Tina!

  17. Crowdsourcing produced a result based on a previously explored idea. This is a logo launched a few years ago, which looks similar: http://www.optimacad.com/branding/frontline