Vinyl Cache - Logo and Mascot Contest

[Nils Goroll]

This text is also online here: 
https://vinyl-cache.org/#vinyl-cache-logo-and-mascot-contest

The mastodon post is here: https://fosstodon.org/@slink/115486052678201516

Vinyl Cache - Logo and Mascot Contest
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After nearly 20 years, we decided to rename the FOSS Varnish Cache project to
Vinyl Cache as explained in 
https://vinyl-cache.org/#years-old-and-it-is-time-to-get-serious-er .

To make this rebranding happen, we need a new logo and a mascot. This is why we
open a contest for the best design. The top 3 to 6 winners will be rewarded
monetary prizes and eternal fame among Vinyl Cache users (not guaranteed but
likely).

*How can you enter this contest?*

The contest consists of two categories. We encourage you to make combined
submissions for both, and we suspect that selecting matching submissions will be
a good choice, but we can not know this upfront.

*(1) Logotype and logomark*

Design a logo. The logo should consist of two elements:

- the text "Vinyl Cache" (logotype)

- and a graphical logo / symbol (logomark) for Vinyl Cache.

It should be possible to use the logotype and logomark both in combination with
each other and separately, so provide both visual representations.

*(2) Mascot*

The mascot should be a friendly character which users and contributors to Vinyl
Cache can positively identify with. Please do not suggest characters relating to
vinyl turntable records.

Some of the properties of Vinyl Cache which we think would be great to associate
with the mascot are it being

- fast and efficient,

- versatile,

- resilient, working reliably under touch conditions

- clean, secure, well tested

It should be possible to use the mascot character as a standalone visual and
also in combination with the logotype and logomark, so please provide both
visual representations if you make submissions to both categories.

*Monetary prizes*

We will award prizes to the three best designs either in both categories
combined or individually.

- top 1 winner: 1000€ or 500€ + 500€

- top 2 winner: 250€ or 125€ + 125€

- top 3 winner: 250€ or 125€ + 125€

The Vinyl Cache project does not handle any money. These prizes are donated by
our long-term contributor https://uplex.de/

*Timeline*

- Submit your designs until the end of November via email to: logo at vinyl-cache.org

- The winners will be announced in December 2025 on https://vinyl-cache.org/ and 
Mastodon.

*Rules*

- You can submit as many design proposals as you wish.

- You may not use any AI tools for the creation of your submissions.

- You may only use fonts and other elements compatible with licensing under CC
    BY-NC-SA. You may not use any elements incurring additional license fees.

- Provide the logos and mascot character in SVG and PNG.

- You get bonus points if you provide a good approximation of the logotype and
    logomark in 7 bit ASCII (sorry, no UTF-8, we live in HTTP land).

- You get bonus karma points if you work with FOSS tools only (but we do not
    want to discriminate against any artist who chooses otherwise).

- By entering designs into the contest, you promise to make them available under
    the CC BY-NC-SA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ license if
    selected as a winner. Note that the Vinyl Cache project will have the same
    rights as everyone else.

- You are free to re-use non-winning entries for any other purpose, but we ask
    you to avoid a public conflict with the chosen Vinyl Cache project branding.

- The selection process is entirely up to the founding members of the Vinyl
    Cache project. We promise to be as fair and objective as possible to mere
    mortals and the judges will not get to see any creator identifying information
    (unless you put it into your submission). But other than giving our word, we
    accept no jurisdiction of a court regarding the procedure of this competition.

- In particular, we reserve the right not to name any winners if too few
    submissions meet our quality expectations.

- To redeem a price, you will need to issue a formal invoice.

-- 

Nils Goroll (he/him)

** * * UPLEX - Nils Goroll Systemoptimierung

Scheffelstraße 32
22301 Hamburg

tel +49 40 28805731
mob +49 170 2723133
fax +49 40 42949753

xmpp://slink@jabber.int.uplex.de/

http://uplex.de/

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