As a media professional for almost 50 years, I found the recent article in the Palo Alto Post on the furor on the cost of Menlo Park’s new logo kinda funny. Many people thought the $24,000 price tag outrageous considering what they got was moving the words “City of” up and to the left compared to the old logo. To me it sounded like a bargain. Here’s how I think it came about.
DAY 1 — Design company owner receives 37-page request for proposal (RFP) from Menlo Park with a budget of $24,000. Goes to bar to have a martini and consider whether he wants to do it. Three martinis later says "What the heck." Investment: $30 plus tip; time spent: 1.5 hours; revenue: $0
DAY 2 — Owner reads RFP while nursing a hangover. Investment: $2 for Tylenol and coffee; time spent: 3.5 hours; revenue: $0
DAY 3-7 — Staff produce proposal with sample logos Investment: $5500 in salaries and supplies; time spent: 50 hours; revenue: $0
DAY 8-12 — Deliver RFP on eighth day, find out on day 12 that page five was not initialed. Must completely resubmit fresh proposal. Investment: $100 for rush delivery service, color printing and premium binding; time spent: 5 hours; revenue: $0
DAY 62 — Learn you have been selected as the winning bid and must deliver 12 options for consideration in 48 hours. Pull an all-nighter with staff. Deliver package personally with 5 minutes to spare. Investment: $5000 in salaries and supplies, food and beverages; time spent: 48 hours; revenue: $0
DAY 100 — Learn all options have been rejected by City Staff, go in for emergency meeting to receive project review and staff input. City council member shows up and says, why don’t we just use the old logo and move the words “City of” up and to the left. Go back and pull an all-nighter by yourself and personally deliver three more options, including the suggested reuse of old logo the next morning. Investment: $1000 in salary materials and food; time spent: 1.5 hours; revenue: $0
Day 112 — City council has approved reused logo design and payment delivered. Total Investment for project, $11,632; total time spent, 104.5 hours; total revenue $24,000. Total before tax profit $13,368.
Day 113 — Article comes out in Palo Alto Daily. Outrage ensues. Go to the bar for martinis. Lots and lots of martinis.
