Creative crowdsourcing under fire

Australian Creative's recent print issue contains a short piece about 99designs - a creative crowdsourcing initiative. It stirred a number of creatives to comment in response on the legitimacy of such structures.

Here we have reprinted the story that appeared last week and a fairly detailed letter from one of our readers who believes such programs "gnaw at the fabric of the creative professions".

Share your thoughts below.

Reprinted from Australian Creative Annual issue Dec/Jan

99designs

99designs, the largest online marketplace for crowdsourced graphic design services recently announced the celebration of its 99,999th design contest by launching an additional $99,999 fund for design students.

Since 2008 it has pioneered the market with the aim of helping designers and small businesses around the world work together fluidly and efficiently.
99designs will now award 1,010 x $99 bonus payments to students on top of every contest prize won, until the $99,999 cash pool runs out.

Co-founder Mark Harbottle (pictured) says the contest had been an exhilarating ride.
“What better way to celebrate than by offering additional support to design students across the globe to acquire the skills they need?” he says.

The company claims each month over $1.2 million dollars is paid out to designers in the 99designs community as a result of work commissioned around the world. In the last three years 99designs has built a community of over 125,000 designers in over 192 countries and claims to have paid a total of $25 million to its designers.