Appealing Crowdsourcing: Chiquita Outsources for Sticker Designs
By
Scott
Creative
Crowdsourcing
for
design-‐related
projects
has
never
been
a
popular
means
to
an
end
as
many
designers
would
argue
it
leads
to
an
ineffective
final
product
as
a
result
of
droves
of
designers
fighting
tooth
and
nail
to
win
a
project
while
appropriating
–
if
not
outright
stealing
–
other's
work.
As
there
seems
to
be
an
exception
to
every
rule,
in
a
recent
crowdsourcing
effort
by
Chiquita,
the
company
has
proved
that
crowdsourcing
can
yield
some
great
results
when
it's
used
properly.
From
the
contest's
beginning
in
June,
designers
were
asked
to
submit
sticker
designs
which
were
then
voted
on
by
viewers.
Fans
submitted
more
than
100,000
votes
for
the
top
50
design
finalists.
Understanding
that
the
fate
of
their
designs
were
in
the
hands
of
a
large
audience
of
viewers,
designers
posted
their
entries
on
Facebook
and
other
social
media
sites
to
garner
as
many
votes
as
they
could
(one
of
the
winning
designs
garnered
over
7,700
votes).
The
top
18
were
declared
the
contest
winners
and
will
their
designs
will
be
popping
up
in
stores
across
the
nation
this
November.
"For
nearly
50
years
the
familiar
blue
sticker
has
adorned
Chiquita
bananas...
now
consumers
and
fans
alike
are
part
of
the
Chiquita
story
by
helping
design
and
vote
for
stickers
that
join
the
symbol
of
our
company."
(Tanios
Viviani,
president,
global
innovation
and
emerging
markets
chief
marketing
officer,
Chiquita).
So
why
did
this
crowdsourcing
effort
work
when
so
many
other
have
failed?
The
typical
crowdsourcing
project,
whether
it
be
for
a
corporate
identity,
brochure
or
website,
has
shown
to
severely
undercut
and
discredit
the
work
of
participating
designers.
Unlike
other
crowdsourcing
projects,
designers
had
much
less
to
lose
by
participating
while
enjoying
the
added
bonus
of
increased
exposure
to
hundreds
–
if
not
thousands
–
of
viewers.
How
many
crowdsourcing
competitions
can
you
name
that
have
encouraged
such
a
high
degree
of
public
involvement?
"I
eat
bananas
every
day
before
I
sit
down
to
work
at
my
computer.
Basically,
bananas
plus
a
graphic
design
contest
equals
magic."
(Max
I.,
a
contest
winner
from
Chico,
CA.)
View
all
the
winning
entries
for
yourself
at
www.eatachiquita.com/sticker-‐ contest/winners.aspx
and
keep
an
eye
out
for
the
new
stickers
adorning
Chiquita
bananas
this
November.
Useful
articles
on
crowdsourcing
• An
Introduction
to
Crowdsourcing
The
term
"crowdsourcing"
was
first
coined
by
Jeff
Howe
in
the
year
2006
.
Crowdsourcing
represents
the
act
of
a
company
or
institution
taking
a
function
once
performed
by
employees
and
outsourcing
it...
• What
is
crowdsourcing
and
is
it
here
to
stay?
There
was
a
time,
not
long
ago,
when
one
of
the
most
common
way
for
a
company
to
have
feedback
and
help
in
finding
a
solution
was
a
focus
group.
Summary
Chiquita's recent crowdsourcing effort showed that crowdsourcing can yield some great results when it's used properly.
Description
Crowdsourcing for design-related projects has never been a popular means to an end as many designers would argue it leads to an ineffective final product as a result of droves of designers fighting tooth and nail to win a project while appropriating – if not outright stealing – others work.