Hi there,
i wanted to start a documentation how we are working on our new corporate design. We keep you informed about new steps, decisions and layouts and will be happy for your feedback!

Of course we would love to redesing all cd-elements yesterday and update those two days ago ;-) … but first, we had no time machine and further we are just moving to an other office - so, everybody can imagine, at the moment we are working in a kind of chaos (well organized chaos of course!).
Thats why we have to go step by step…

Right now we checked and optimized the new signet for plot spezifications. The result: the print is well fitting to plot and print even in small sizes on shirts.

Another task is the concept around the new signet - we think about to “randomize” the print. So we maybe will have a fluid logo - an individual identity. For that we have to create similar prints to interchange them at each other.

At least for now we discuss about the typography. On one hand we have the suggestion from tarzion - it fits perfect to the print and is very individual and significant -, on the other hand we are afraid the font is too smart for spreadshirt and doesn’t represent us 100%. So we are looking for some other fonts. Besides tarzions suggestion we are having a closer look at “Futura” and “Gill Sans”. What do you think? You can have a look on the Discussion Board: Fonts.
We want to have a font which we can use also in-house, for advertisements and claims. Thats why its necessary to have a font with a high number of different languages and a high international recognizability.

Yamm Yamm .. See what waited for us this morning when we stepped into the office: Three packages with the prizes! So before we thought about what to do with them, Christoph took the chance and took high quality fotos. He not only arranged the packages for your pleasure but also setup this huge flash-thing we usually use to take our productshots. Way crazy.
After that we had a little fight with the guys from the design department to ensure the tablets are okay and needn’t to be “tested” before we give them to the winners.

Speaking of winners: A second ago, espy who had won the “best presentation award” and who happens to live in leipzig came for a short visit to grab his price.

By the way and because we’re showing fotos around anyway, here is a little snapshot from steffi - she ordered a shirt with one of her favourite drafts from paal. Checkout the shop gallery, and send us a photo with your favorite-on-a-shirt if you like.

Yes. Now it’s time to do the final step. I guess this is going to be the longest and the hardest post in the OLP so far.

For the start I want to tell you how we voted and what we did: We picked 6 drafts of which we think they have the potential to represent Spreadshirt in future, develop and evolve with us further. Of course there could have been a lot of other entries we picked. Many of you submitted great designs, very well executed, and I hope you put your drafts into the common shop-gallery so we can wear them and spread them all together as an “army of Spreadlogos”. But in the end we just have to make a decision and I think we did a good choice.

Picking the 6 entries was important to us to see how you and we see Spreadshirt: We picked 3 drafts that had a fresh and dynamic signet, a very clear and strong logo. We picked 3 drafts that we found interesting from the concept and the potential to develop further: what Spreadshirts approach, service and product represents in future.

Then what we did with the voting is: We of course tracked referrers and IPs and sorted them out. Nothing special. Anyone who really wanted to cheat could have done that easily. So we also took a close look on the timestamps and did a ranking day by day, from the beginning until Sunday and compared it. As already discussed, we kept the result also hidden just to make it more difficult to manipulate. Additionally, and this is the main part in my eyes, we did different “distributed” polls. Which means: we set up 7 different voting sites. One for our employees, for the specific countries (France, Germany, UK, US), for our end customers, and of course the poll here. okay, all this is not 100% manipulation proof, but we wanted to have a broader base, a common mood. And we received a very interesting, but quite clear result for the winner.

The winner is: TARZIONs Fingerprint. Congratulations!!

The idea of a fingerprint is not only a strong and excellent metaphor for Spreadshirts Service, but also represents the approach of Spreadshirt in future: we give our partners and customers the tools to represent themselves on unique products. The execution of Tarzion’s logo is flexible, unique and very special. We really are excited to have such a great new “signature”! It gives us the chance to develop Spreadshirt and to build up further a strong brand.
Tarzion: Your prize will be the BRAND NEW Cintiq Design Tablet PLUS 1,000 EURO!!!

The Complete Ranking:

1. Tarzion: 24,89 %
His fingerprint received from 15 up to 40 percent of the different votes. Except for the french vote he won all votes.
Your Prize: 1,000 Euro + Cintiq Tablet!

2. ortablaze 20,09 %
The flag symbolizes community, unity and grassroots. ortablaze updated his logo and showed us that the “i” is not the issue, but the idea is strong and unique. The flag was really strong in the German poll and close behind the fingerprint.
Your Prize: 1,000 Euro!!

3. xenhook 17,51 %
xenhooks “infinity” was leading the french poll. Very strong and nice idea together with the claim. And “infinite” possibilities for us to use and for Spreadshirt to go.
Your Prize: 1,000 Euro!

4. kneedropper 13,73 %
Kneedropper did a very well executed design: clean, strong, dynamic, simple. He won the color scheme award and also was very close in the OLP vote.
Your Prize: 500 Euro!

5. Evil Plonker 13,55 %
Evil Plonkers design is organic, simple and strong. It almost represents a “yin-yang” combination and works also like a stamp without the outline on different backgrounds.
Your Prize: 500 Euro!

6. missionX 10,23 %
In the entry of missionX we especially liked the “cluster” - similar to evil plonkers draft. Also look at the logo form in the right (!) corner. It could work as a “we” (spreadshirt/partners) “them” (customers) scheme that reaches into each other. Also strong to identify if you play around with it.
Your Prize: 500 Euro!

So, this is it. I think the Fingerprint is a very good chance to give spreadshirt a unique direction and to build up further a strong brand.
Give us some time to integrate it into the Spreadshirt Site. If you have any ideas how to do it, you are welcome of course to participate. Just kidding.
We all thank you for your participation! It really was a great experience. We will keep this baby alive — so celebrate with us, grab yourself a free OLP-shirt, put your designs in your shop, give us your shop ID and take the chance to spread your own spreadlogo!

For all those who want to spread or see their logos and designs on shirts and cups: Join our shop-gallery!
Just leave your shop-id in the “Your Shop”- admin page …

Come in and find out ;-)

Well, time for the next big winning announcement! Here come the champions for the next categories: Find the entries here! Or read on for the complete part.

The Winner of the Participation Award is …. missionX!
Okay, missionX rocked the OLP — not only with the amount of entries, but also with the quality of his submissions, the input and the inspiration he gave us and you. Congratulations! A brandnew Wacom Intuos3 and 100 Euros for you to rock on!

also nominated and very close behind:
2nd Place: bkohl
3rd Place: gadenico
4th Place: alectronix
5th Place: stefkink65

Ladies and gentlemen, the “Off the record Award” goes to … clanmacmoore!
A rather early posting, but we all were surprised and excited about the mysterious combination of TOAST and TEE. But hey, why not, both surely spreads like butter! And here is the price for your contribution: A very heavy certificate (worth somewhat 50 Euros)!

Here are the other results in this category:
2nd Place: alexander with “D.I.Y.”
3rd Place: bytepark with “Spread your Shirt”
4th Place: linale with “ead this!”
5th Place: cargo with “Show+Tell”

Let’s head over to the “next time read the briefing” award (ntrb), which goes to … Bob Durk!
Okay, there certainly have been a bunch of very skilled designers in the OLP. And then there were the drafts that represented great ideas, sometimes funny stuff we can’t use as a logo - but kept us smiling. Bob showed us that we shouldn’t be too serious with what we are here for. Thanks a lot for your dedication and for the nice dialog we had in the last couple of months. Your price also will be a very heavy certificate (worth somewhat 50 Euros)!

To make this short here are two other results:
2nd Place: once again: bob durk!
3rd Place: the cintiq logo

Finally, and last but not least, the special award for great concepts: the “Details award”. It goes to … Andrea!
A filigrane creation and a really nice handwriting of the Spreadshirt Logo and a “S-Angel”. Andrea, this is your prize: A brandnew Wacom Intuos3 and 100 Euros have been reserved for further heavenly drawings!

This one was really pretty close, a real neck by neck race between andrea, getimo and paal. Here is the complete ranking:
2nd Place: getimo with “simple, memorable …”
3rd Place: paal with “from the head to the Shirt”
4th Place: pixelroom with his non-titled “SP” logo
5th Place: lak with “krickelei2.0″

All of the nominees are awarded with a free Spreadshirt Premium Shop! Congratulations and a big hug for the nominees and especially to the winners: Find your entries here!

So much for now. This was the second part — stay tuned for the big issue on thursday: the new Spreadlogo!
And don’t forget to give us your logo on a T-design!

What happens this week is this: The finals at the OLP. Starting with the decision for the best colors and the funkiest presentation we will give you the winners and the prizes day by day.
We will soon open a common OLP Shop where everyone is invited to join in and put his Spreadlogo so we can buy and wear it.
Just type in your shop-ID here!
We will have a great Winner Party on Thursday where we celebrate the big winner. Until then I give you a little insight into the voting in common and the prizes.
Now for the start let’s announce the winners for category 1 and 2:

The Winner in the category 1 for the best colorscheme is …. kneedropper!
2nd Place: dotsilver
3rd Place: foxy footprints
4th Place: alectronix
5th Place: bikini atoll

The Winner in category 2 for the best presentation is … espy!
2nd Place: xenhook
3rd Place: castell
4th Place: derya
5th Place: bricesf

Congratulations and a big hug for all of the nominees and especially to the winners!
All of the nominees are awarded with a free Spreadshirt Premium Shop!
Plus kneedropper & espy, here is your price: a brand new Wacom Intuos3 design tablet plus 100 Euros in cash!

Find your entries here!

Alright, here is a little link with a list of logos what the web2.0 looks like. I guess soon we can add ours to this list and see how it works.

We are going into the last three days to vote. In the most categories there has been a quite obvious leader so far. Regarding the new logo category it is a close race between 2-3 drafts that do quite a close neck on neck race. In the meantime all nominees updated their drafts and concepts. Have a look at the different entries and take the chance to discuss with the designers.

Here is what happens next week: We will close the poll Sunday Midnight (CET). We plan to announce the big winner of the contest on thursday next week. Before we will announce and celebrate the winners of the other categories.
Also we plan to set up a little common site for all of you, like a hall of fame, where everyone is invited to leave his Shop-ID and put his Spreadshirt logo draft (vectorized or digiprinted) in to have his “own Spreadshirt Logo”. I am very sure there are some drafts that will look fantastic on a t-shirt.

And: we also talked about how to continue something like the OLP. Some of you might be interested in the Spreadshirt Derby, it’s more a Shirt Design Contest, but maybe we keep this platform also to have some other logo designed. Any ideas and opinions?

The Spreadshirt Jury yesterday evening found a fulminant finish - which means nothing more than: the waiting for the Spreadshirt Open Logo shortlist now has an end! But not so fast, little strider: Before I give you the link and let you make your choice on the new Spreadlogo all alone, some words on the jury and how the selection process worked.

First, we set up a nomination site in the intern Spreadwiki. Every employee interested was asked to give us his favourite drafts. About 20 employees did so, most of them marketing and graphic design Spreadsters in Germany and the US, country managers, some folks of the Service and Production Department. Then Manuel and I picked our favourites from the gallery and matched them with the entries of the Spreadsters. Parallel the managing directors sent us their favourites.
On Monday and yesterday we met with them and discussed about 10-12 drafts, kicked out the entries that we liked but didn´t see a usage with less effort or similarities with other drafts we liked more.
After that Soulful Matthias (CTO), Transatlantic Lukasz (Spreadfounder) and Cheerleading Mark (CEO of the US) once again gave their final feedback yesterday night and we made our decision on the OLP nominees.

Please note before we lay it in your hands: you will see that we picked very different approaches. We recommend not only to go visual for the drafts you see, but also use imagination. Some of the logos can be used alone, are simple and work as a signet, others have a strong/er concept, something we can identify with but won´t be able to take it 1:1. Nevertheless the decision is yours: give us the new Spreadshirt Corporate Design! Vote and choose from this six designs until March 12th (Voting ends Sunday Midnight CET).

Here are all nominees:

Category 1&2:
Best Colorscheme / Color me good award. Best Presentation / Style award

Category 3&4:
Most Input / Participation award. Very creative Ideas / off the record award.

Category 5&6
Failed requirements / ntrtb (next time read the briefing) award. Great concept / The Details award

And finally:
the Best Logo / Spreadshirt Open Logo Award

Aloha all! The next voting is right here. You see: We´re getting closer. Today we want to point again on the briefing. We want to award outstanding entries, as well the ones who rather didn´t match our requirements and the ones with the best concept. Both difficult categories with quite an amount of potential nominees. But in the end, we had to make a choice. If you want to discuss a nominee please do so on the regarding detail page of the entry.

Here is more on the categories in detail:

* Failed requirements / ntrtb (next time read the briefing) award

Changing the logo isn´t something a company does every year or when someone feels like it could be a little fresher now. It´s a choice you make once in a decade, even more seldom. Most of the very important and influential brands didn´t even “change” their logo but only “refreshed” it. This is why we´ve set high expectations after we decided we want to have it totally new. And of course sticking on the briefing was not easy sometimes. To keep it way fun we obviously published nearly every entry. Now its time to also celebrate the drafts that really flunked it, missed almost everything we need. If you are a nominee here please take it with humor, as we did when we scanned some of the drafts and discussed how to bring this specific design on an invoice or business letter or something.

* Great concept / The Details award

Of course we also want to award the other part of the really outstanding drafts: Some of you brought us really great concepts. And: Giving us a great concept was what we are looking for. To point out the entries that did a really good job when defining spreadshirt and our business we decided to have not only a open logo award, but also a “details award”. So, this is the details award.

And this is the last day before we do the grand selection: Ladies and Gentlemen, your voting starts here.