Netizens Go Off the Deep End in Crowdsourced Haier Brothers Logo Contest

Ah, the joys of crowdsourcing. Take a time-honored and charmingly hokey corporate logo, offer RMB 30,000 in prizes for a crowdsourced re-think of said logo, then turn to a nation of idle netizens and see what happens.

Haier, once a purveyor solely of household white goods such as refrigerators and washing machines, has been doing a lot of growing up over the past decade, so much so that its product line has expanded to include laptops, handhelds, digital cameras and cellphones.

But despite attempts to modernize its brand image, its supremely successful early-stage branding -- a logo featuring a pair of toddlers in their Speedos -- remains prominent in consumers' minds.

Now while a couple of cute toddlers in their tightie-whities may have looked good on a washing machine 20 years ago, it's entirely the wrong brand association one wants to have with their cell phone or laptop.

In an apparent attempt to crowdsource a new modern look for the Haier kids, Haier has partnered with online design site zcool.com.cn to create an online contest for a new 21st Century image for the toddlers. You too can upload your handiwork (with a modicum of Chinese reading skills, as the site is in Chinese only) and vote on your favorites through April 15. RMB 30,000 is up for grabs.

The results so far run from the charming, to the derivative, to the homo-erotic, to, well, let's just say I think some people are just not taking their meds. A surprising number feature the multicultural pair without their skivvies or in a loving embrace.

Below are a few standouts; check out more in the main competition gallery here. (PS: a hat tip to the excellent blog over at The World of Chinese, which alerted us of this competition)

Images: zcool