istockphoto to sell generic logos - created by you

edited September 2009 in conversations
your thoughts?

We're excited to announce a whole new product coming to the iStock collection in just a few months: logo designs. Our clients will be able to download a unique logo to brand their business or organization right here at iStock from designers like you.

As a designer, you've probably created hundreds of different logos over the course of your career and we're offering you an outlet to start selling new logos to the world’s largest community of creative buyers.

If you create one of the first 10,000 approved logo designs for iStockphoto by January 1, 2010, we’ll pay you $5 per approved logo and another $5 if we reach 10,000 approved logos by that date. So fire up Illustrator to create some amazing logos or dust off all those much-loved logos that never made it past the third round with a client.

We will begin taking applications from potential iStock logo designers soon. There will be a Logo Training Manual made available before we begin accepting files. In the meantime, please join the discussion about logos here.

Vector files – iStock logos will be downloaded as fully editable .eps files. If you’re interested in contributing, hang tight; we’re almost done the Logo Training Manual.

One-time use – iStock logos will only be sold once. After a logo is purchased it will be indicated as “sold” on the site.

File exclusivity – Unlike other files on iStockphoto, logos can only be sold once and therefore need to be exclusive to iStockphoto. Once your logo is on iStock it will remain for sale for a minimum of six months.

Pricing – Because each logo will only be sold once, they have a higher price-point, ranging from 100-750 credits. When designers upload a file, they will set a recommended price and our inspectors will then make the final pricing decision based on that recommendation.

Royalties – iStock will pay a base royalty rate of 50% per logo design for the first 6 months. We’ll give advanced notice for the rate going forward after that.

Upload limits – There will be no limits for the first six months. Go nuts.

Fonts – If you are submitting a logo, you can only use fonts if:

* you own the copyright (in other words, you created the font yourself)
* you licensed the font with commercial rights to use the font for a logo for resale. Remember, there are many ‘free’ fonts that cannot be used in commercial applications. The font itself will not be included in the file that the client purchases – it will only contain the vector outline. Fonts must be converted to outlines before the file is uploaded.

All-new content – Any logo submitted to iStock must not be in use or have been previously sold. It also cannot feature existing elements (including content from your iStock portfolio). These requirements allow our clients to confidently apply for a trademark on the logo purchased from iStock. Remember, your regular files are uploaded with the restriction that they cannot be used in logos and that still applies.

Comments

  • edited 2:32PM
    hmmm...is black window's client istock? :D
  • edited 2:32PM
    "We’ll give advanced notice for the rate going forward after that."

    So... If your logo doesn't get purchased, and you don't like that rate, can you pull it, and the rights revert back to you?
  • edited 2:32PM
    urgh. :)
  • edited 2:32PM
    Well, its shit. But honestly this doesn't affect my client base. I feel bad for the slave labor that goes into the people who do submit to this service.
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