Know-How Exchange : Branding

Dear Stephane,

The short answer to your question is no. If I were selling six pack abs training, I'd be the anti poster child for my product
(I'm short, overweight, and hairy). If I were selling hair care products, again, I'd be the anti poster child because I shave my head.

Unless you are the epitome of youth and unless you GUSH sex appeal (to women or men) I'd urge you to brand yourself in some other way.

You need to make your customers feel desired, wanted, sexy, naughty, and special. If pictures of you can do that, go for it. If not, rethink your strategy.

I have a client who is the spokesperson for his business, and he's part of the brand, and it works really well for him. He appears in television commercials, online, etc. -- and he's synonymous with the business he built. It really worked well for him.

That said, he's wondering what will happen to the value of the business if he sells it or if/when he wants to retire (or gets hit by a truck). If he had to do it over, he might not want to be so visible as the "core of my brand."

That's the long way of saying that I would NOT use your name/persona as an integral part of the business identity. It could work for you, but there are probably a few alternate approaches that could work just as well ... and allow you to focus more on the real reason people should buy your products -- the important and unique benefit you deliver for them. Your products are distinctive enough that you shouldn't need your persona to sell them very effectively.

I agree with the no votes. When someone buys something a bit risque, they often want to do in anonymously (or at least research it anonymously - if they buy at the retail store, it can't be done totally anonymously). Seeing a person up front and center on the web site kind of takes away the feeling of being anonymous.

Focus on the products.