55DSL logo remix contest

55DSL announces a contest to remix their logo:

Contestants will need to successfully reinterpret the Shield logo and represent 55DSL’s identity as an experimental, innovative brand. This will involve a balancing act of looking back at the label’s origins aswell as forward to its future, considering the graphic design, urban culture, extreme sports, and music influences that have always been at the heart of the label’s fun-loving, nonconformist attitude.

My take
This is a great example of a marketing tool that's great for a lifestyle brand, but terrible for a traditional brand. 55DSL's consumers are passionate and design-savvy, so they're a perfect fit for a contest like this. They'll be more than willing to invest time and energy in it, and the results will be awesome. On the other hand, imagine if JC Penney did something like this. I'm willing to bet it would be quite disappointing, because their consumers have no emotional investment in the brand.

The big takeaway is that, as we all know but sometimes forget, what's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander. Don't do user-generated content or social media just because it's possible, do it because it's right for your brand.