Public competitions were once a popular means for corporations and government agencies to commission designs, ranging from logos to posters. The results were often announced in the newspapers, drawing publicity for both the organisers and the winning designers. As the prizes were generous, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, they attracted a high participation rate. Some examples include:

• Keppel Shipyard logo (1968) ($500)
• Primary Production Department logo (1973) ($300)
• MRT Corporation (1983) (S$10,000)
• Total Defence logo (1985) (S$3,200 + 14-day trip to Switzerland)
• National Arts Council logo (1993) (S$10,000)

With the emergence of a professional design industry, such competitions gradually gave way to client working directly with designers instead.