MIPA needs some inspiration and we’re hoping you can provide it!
It’s been about 15 years since MIPA updated its logo. Tastes and design trends can change a lot in that amount of time. That’s why we’re looking to update MIPA’s visual identity.
The MIPA Logo Design Contest gives participants the opportunity to design a potential logo for the organization. You work could become the inspiration for a logo that lasts another decade or more!
The winner of this contest will receive a $100 cash prize and be recognized by MIPA.
Founded in 1921 and housed in the Michigan State University School of Journalism, the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association is a nonprofit organization composed of scholastic journalism teachers and publications advisers and their students. MIPA is committed to promoting and recognizing excellence in scholastic journalism at all levels through education, training and support of student journalists and their advisers.
MIPA member student media outlets produce print newspapers, news websites, video productions and yearbooks at middle and high schools across Michigan.
Entries should appropriately reflect the mission of MIPA and the work of the organization. It should include the name of the organization (both the acronym “MIPA” and the full name “Michigan Interscholastic Press Association” are preferred). It may also include a graphic or image with the text.
MIPA is housed in the MSU School of Journalism and has a close relationship with Michigan State University. However, MIPA is a separate organization from the university. Therefore, the logo design should complement Michigan State University’s brand standards, MSU’s logos and visual identity, and the logo for the MSU School of Journalism, while giving MIPA is own visual identity separate from the university. Do not use MSU’s Spartan helmet logo in designing your entry.
(For example, MSU’s brand standards encourage the use of the font Gotham for university-branded materials. You might choose a font that complements Gotham for MIPA’s logo. MSU’s brand standards also suggest specific colors for university-branded materials that might also be appropriate for MIPA-branded materials.)
The logo must adapt well to electronic and print media, to reproduction on small and large surfaces and to use in color or in grayscale.
Please see the Contest Official Rules for additional information and details on submitting your entry.

Official Contest Rules

Introduction

The Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (“MIPA”) is looking for inspiration and new ideas for a logo to represent our nonprofit, member-based association. The object of this contest is to design an original logo for MIPA. Information about how to enter and about prizes is part of these Official Rules. To the extent of any inconsistency, these Official Rules prevail.

Definitions

• “Entry” means a logo design created by an Entrant for this Contest.
• “Entrant” means the individual or team of individuals who offer the Entry under the terms of this Contest.

Eligibility

The Contest is open to individuals and small teams of individuals. Entrants do not need to be part of a MIPA member student media outlet. The contest is not open to companies, educational institutions, organizations or to groups associated with such institutions. (If an Entry is submitted from a MIPA member student media outlet, the Entry must come from individually named students, not from the media outlet itself.)
MIPA’s executive director and members of the Executive Board are not eligible to enter the contest.
Entrants must be of sufficient legal age and standing to enter into a contract with MIPA as required below. Minors may be required to seek the permission of a parent or guardian.

How to Enter

Initial entries must be submitted via MIPA’s contest system. The entries must be submitted as a scalable vector graphic in EPS format, and also as a JPG. See the Submission Guidelines below for further information.
The Entry must include the name, age, postal address, phone number and email of the Entrant.
No more than three (3) Entries may be submitted by any one Entrant.
Entries must conform to the submission guidelines set out below. Entries which fail to do so will be rejected.
The deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. (EDT)  May 1, 2015.
Entries will receive a confirmation message. We cannot be responsible for entries submitted incorrectly.
There is no fee to enter the Contest.

To Submit an Entry

Submission Guidelines

The purpose of this contest is to design a logo for the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. The logo will be used online, in print and on various merchandise. Flexibility is a key requirement, including the need to resize easily and to look good in black and white as well as color. The final version of the logo will need to be suitable for high quality printing.
Entrants should take care to ensure that their entries are not in any way similar to existing logos or other copyrighted graphics and images. A logo that violates copyright law cannot win the Contest.
The logo must contain the words “Michigan Interscholastic Press Association.” It may contact the acronym “MIPA.”
Due to the requirements for high quality printing and re-sizing, Entries must submitted in scalable vector graphic format (EPS). We advise against the use of halftones and gradients unless created inside a vector graphics program. Color in this version must be CMYK, no spot colors.
The Entry will consist of two files: the logo in EPS and JPG format.

Prizes

Subject to the legal requirements outline above, the winning design will be announced in June 2015.
The winning designer will receive:

• A $100 cash prize.
• Recognition by MIPA as the designer of the winning Entry.
• The right to use the basic logo and identify him/herself as the logo designer.

Judging and Selection of Winner

• The winning design will be selected by MIPA’s executive board and executive director. Their decision will be final.
• MIPA reserves the right not to select a winner if, in its sole discretion, no suitable entries are received.
• MIPA reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant or Entry at its sole discretion.
• The winner will be required to sign a contract assigning all ownership of the logo to MIPA.
• Accepting the prize constitutes permission for MIPA to make public and otherwise use winner’s name for publicity purposes.

Intellectual Property

• All submitted work must be original and not based on any pre-existing design.
• All entries will become the sole property of MIPA and may be displayed publicly by MIPA.
• Entrant agrees to transfer all right and title to the Entry to MIPA in accordance with the Official Rules of this Contest.
• The winning Entry may be adapted, altered or otherwise changed to meet MIPA’s needs. Winning the Contest is no guarantee that Entry will be used as MIPA’s logo.

Acceptance

Participation constitutes the Entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules. By participating in the contest, the Entrant is representing and warranting that he/she has read and understood, and agrees to be bound by, these rules. Including the guides and rules referred to herein, these Official Rules constitute the entire agreement between the Entrant and MIPA in relation to the contest. They govern the Entrant’s participation and supersede and prior or other agreements between the Entrant and MIPA and relating to the contest.

About MIPA

Founded in 1921 and housed in the Michigan State University School of Journalism, the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association is a nonprofit organization composed of scholastic journalism teachers and publications advisers and their students. MIPA is committed to promoting and recognizing excellence in scholastic journalism at all levels through education, training and support of student journalists and their advisers.

Some Additional Contest Fine Print

Representations and Warranties

By participating in the Contest, the Entrant warrants and represents in connection with the Entry submitted as part of his/her participation in the Contest: (a) he/she is the sole and exclusive owner of (and free of any adverse claim by any person, firm, or corporation) all intellectual property rights in and to the Entry; (b) the Entry is original and the use of the Entry as described in these Official Rules will not infringe the proprietary rights, including without limitation the intellectual property rights, of any third party; (c) the use of the Entry, as described in these Official Rules, will be in compliance with any third-party licenses pertaining to the Entry; (d) the Entry is not obscene or libelous, and does not violate any rights of any third party, including but not limited to rights of privacy or publicity; (e) the Entry does not contain any virus, spyware, malware, trap door, worm, or any other device, mechanism or code that is injurious or damaging to software or hardware used in conjunction with the Entry; (f) the Entry and its use as described in these Official Rules will not violate any federal, provincial, state or local laws or ordinances; (g) no employer or educational or other establishment has any rights in the Entry; (h) the Entry is consistent with these Official Rules; and (i) he/she has the right to grant the license to MIPA as required in these Official Rules.

Severability

When any provision of these Official Rules is found to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the parties nevertheless agree that the Court should endeavor to give effect to the intentions of the parties as reflected in the provision, and that the other provisions of these Official Rules remain in full force and effect.

Indemnity; Disclaimer of warranties; Limitation of Liability

By participating in the Contest, the Entrant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules, including all eligibility requirements and all decisions of MIPA. By participating in the Contest, the Entrant agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless MIPA and its officers, agents, affiliates, contractors, contributors, subsidiaries, licensors and distributors (“MIPA Entities”) from any and all liability, claims, or actions of any kind, including, without limitation, property damage, personal injury, and/or death, arising out of his/her (i) breach of any representation, warranty or covenant contained in these Official Rules; or (ii) participation in the Contest; (iii) acceptance and/or use or misuse of any prize in connection with the Contest; or (iv) any third party claim relating to any rights in any design submitted.
BY PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST, THE ENTRANT AGREES THAT MIPA ENTITIES MAKE NO WARRANTY, REPRESENTATION, OR GUARANTEE OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, IN FACT OR IN LAW, RELATING TO THE CONTEST AND/OR THE PRIZES.
By participating in the Contest, the Entrant agrees that MIPA is not responsible, and will in no event be held liable, for any: (a) lost, late, illegible, misdirected, damaged, incomplete, corrupted or garbled entries; (b) telephone, computer, or network malfunction or error; (c) communication disruption or other disruptions related to Internet traffic, virus, bug, worm, or non-authorized intervention; or (d) damage caused by a computer virus or otherwise resulting to any computer from the submission of entries. If such malfunction, error, disruption, or damage occurs or impairs the administration, security, fairness, or integrity of the Contest, MIPA may, in its sole discretion, suspend, modify or terminate the Contest by posting a notice at http://www.thehugoawards.org. If the Contest is terminated before the scheduled end of the Contest Period, MIPA will determine the winner from all eligible entries received as of the termination date. Persons found tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Contest, or whom MIPA believes to be causing or attempting or intending to cause any malfunction, error, disruption, or damage will be disqualified. MIPA reserves the right to disqualify any unauthorized entries, including, without limitation, multiple entries from the same person, or any entries made through robotic, automatic, mechanical, programmed or similar multiple-entry, or entry duplication, method and to disqualify any person or entity using such a method.
NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN TO THE CONTRARY, AND ONLY TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY THE APPLICABLE LAW, BY PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST, THE ENTRANT AGREES THAT IN NO EVENT WILL MIPA OR ANY MIPA ENTITY BE LIABLE TO ENTRANTS OR ANY OTHER PARTY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, REGARDLESS OF THE BASIS OR NATURE OF THE CLAIM, RELATING IN ANY MANNER TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES, THE CONTEST OR THE ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION THEREIN, EVEN IF MIPA OR A MIPA ENTITY WERE EXPRESSLY ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. ALSO NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING HEREIN TO THE CONTRARY, BY PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST, THE ENTRANT FURTHER AGREES THAT IN NO EVENT WILL THE LIABILITY OF MIPA OR ANY MIPA ENTITY RELATING IN ANY MANNER TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES, THE CONTEST OR THE ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION THEREIN EXCEED THE GREATER OF US$1,000 OR ANY OTHER AMOUNTS PAID BY THE ENTRANT TO ENTER INTO THE CONTEST. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CERTAIN INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO THE ENTRANT. IN THE EVENT THAT THE PRECEDING RELEASE IS DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO BE INVALID OR VOID FOR ANY REASON, THE ENTRANT AGREES THAT, BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, (I) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS, AND CAUSES OR ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST, OR ANY PRIZES AWARDED, SHALL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION; AND (II) ANY CLAIMS, JUDGEMENTS AND AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, INCLUDING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERING THE CONTEST, BUT IN NO EVENT ATTORNEY’S FEES.
For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent that US law applies, nothing in these Official Rules shall limit or exclude either party’s liability for fraud, or for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, or any other liability to the extent such liability cannot be excluded or limited as a matter of law.

Interpretation; Governing Law; Jurisdiction

Interpretation. In the case of any dispute about the interpretation of the Rules, MIPA’s decision as to the interpretation shall be final and Entrant shall be bound by MIPA’s decision.
Governing Law. The interpretation and enforcement of these Official Rules will be governed by the laws of the State of Michigan, USA, except to the extent required to be governed by the local law in the place of residence of an Entrant. The Contest is subject to all applicable, as the case may be, national, federal, provincial, state and local laws. The Entrant and MIPA agree to the extent permitted by law to submit all disputes arising out of or relating to these Official Rules or the Contest to, and hereby waive any objection to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of, the state and federal courts located in Ingham County, Michigan. Subject to Section 5 above, if necessary any provision of these Official Rules which is found to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction shall be deemed to be struck out from these Official Rules.

Consideration

The Entrant agrees that the ability to participate in the Contest and to compete for the prizes offered in connection with the Contest constitute, where required, sufficient consideration for the Entrant’s obligations under these Official Rules.

Deadline: 11:59 p.m. May 1, 2015
Please review the Official Contest Rules on this page.

• Entries must be submitted as a scalable vector graphic in EPS format, and also as a JPG. See the Submission Guidelines on this page.
• Entries should be submitted by individuals or small teams of individuals.
• No more than 3 Entries may be submitted by any one Entrant.
• The winners will received a $100 cash prize.

To Submit an Entry