When is design too cheap?

I received an email the other day from Istockphoto asking for "logo" submissions for resale on their site.  Since when has design become so devalued that logos can be sold off like dollar store products?

The Design Edge Magazine asks the same question in their current issue.

Here are a couple of my thoughts:
Why would any reputable company want to buy a logo that represents their brand without proper research on their competition, their industry, and their products/services? without proper exploration of what will resonate the best with their potential customers? Without all this, all you have is a "pretty" image. Not a logo that BEST represents their company's mission and values.

There may still be room for these type of cheap logo assuming that they are marketed towards organizations such as: Non-profit, School teams or personal use.

For those designers that are offering their services for "cheap" like Design Edge mentions, makes me wonder what kind of quality those designers are churning out. Offering their services for only a couple dollars an hour means that they can not possibly be able to commit to the time needed to develop a logo that works for the present and still have longevity as a brand.

Just my 2 cents.

 

Comments

[cocoa channel]

just wanted to add, sometimes clients don't have the time and money to sit down with a talented designers to personally create a logo. Many stock logos out there can resonate and have alot meaning pertaining to company background, history and such.