My five year old calls avatars “stamps”. He changes his stamp frequently (his account on the PC). Although he thinks grown-ups aren’t allowed to change their avatars. He has the freedom to be a car, or skateboard, or star for the day – but adults, well he thinks our digital identities are so….static.
My stamp collection is increasing in size and variety. My brand is no longer static. I seem to change it the most on Twitter, my most active social network, followed by Facebook. Sometimes I change it in response to a frivolous experimental collaborative theme (like @chinposin) or a more compelling social call to action (@peavatar)
What does this mean for a company’s brand? Think about the Google homepage logo, always changing. Does your personal brand remain static? Or are you constantly transforming and evolving? Do you cling to a safe, acceptable and trusted online identity or do you look at new ways to communicate and express yourself?
If I have a relationship with you, we converse, you share your original thoughts, information and ideas (that’s your product ) then I find it completely acceptable for you to modify and update the packaging. What you say and do online etches a more permanent profile into the minds of others.
Visual representation of ourselves becomes a decoration, a declaration, an interaction. Do you have a “stamp” collection?