Pushing the brand

September 29, 2010 By 9 Comments

Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design

Today was a thought provoking day, Christian Payne (aka @Documentally) paid a visit to the Fish Media office and I got the opportunity to show him around the Mackney Photography Studio before we grabbed a bite to eat at one of the local ale establishments.

We all had so much to talk about and it seemed as if we were talking at a hundred miles an hour to fit the conversations into the schedule. I’m pleased to say that even though Christian ‘pushed’ Angry Birds under my nose, I still have the willpower not to even contemplate downloading it to my iPhone. Christian introduced both @Colinmitchell and I to a game called ‘iPhone App Top Trumps’, where our follower count and ‘pictures taken’ stats were totally overpowered – luckily Christian let us keep our iPhones.

After covering many different social media based subjects we touched on our avatars and the power of the brand. Christian mentioned the implications of pushing his personal brand away from it’s current connotations, but without watering down the instantly recognisable image.

The hop fuelled beverage at lunch gave me a little inspiration and I’ve explored how we could push the @Documentally Avatar … the results from an hour of pushing around Photoshop can be seen above.

What do you think … can it be pushed?

Pushing the brand Social Design Pushing the brand Social Design
Pushing the brand Social Design Pushing the brand Social Design

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About Richard Mackney

Sharer of thoughts and Photography from an iPhone while touring the UK in a Caravan and drinking Beer. Co-creator of @fishmedia and two small fry.

  • Tristan Poyser

    Based on the variations above i reckon if it ain’t broke don’t try and fix it! It also depends also if the connotations impede the brand or enhance it. My 2p

  • Richard Mackney

    @tristanpoyser for sure Tris, totally agree with you – In this particular case it’s just a bit of a test/play. If however, there were ever any issue with original copyright (see http://bit.ly/9DYXIh) then other options may need to be explored :)

  • Tristan Poyser

    I think that my post that was rudely deleted said. “I’m not a copyright expert so i can’t pass comment. I can see how the conversation came about. I do think @documentally the text is synonymous with the avatar and could easily be used for brand recognition. It does strike me that at a photographic composition if there was an issue it would be over emulating the original idea, take the star off the beret (and put the @ symbol instead) and it’s just another beardy man in a beret on a red background. How about using a slightly less blood red”;0)

  • Richard Mackney

    I should add at this point that Christian hasn’t asked me to look at this and as far as I know is not seriously considering a change!

  • Rob Steptoe

    I really like the pixel characterisation. it’s like he’s really the man inside! inside your computer/digital display etc. Neat.

  • Documentally

    Great post and fantastic elaboration on my comment. If i was going to change it would be for something like the second from last design. That said.. no plans as yet. :)

  • tookie bunten

    always interesting to see how brands develop over time and how ideas change what people think or how they see a brand. Its great how you can take one idea and change it with out really change it, if you know what I mean. Great stuff but I think @Documentally has already been tinkering with change for a little while, just look at http://paynestake.com ;)

  • Richard Mackney

    @tookiebunten yes he mentioned you today and mentioned the pixelation you did for him … That obviously formed part of the idea :)

  • tookie bunten

    Cool *blushes*, if it was nice things they’re all true, if it was bad things it’s all lies, lies and damned lies. Lol. BTW love what you’ve done with posterous. Very sleek and cool.