British Expat Forum

There's a very interesting article here

A picture can speak a thousand words. The Not Delia logo is a perfect example of that - and the designer himself said that it was one he was particularly proud of.

But I think that a lot of messages get missed. Did you ever notice how the Amazon logo links from A to Z? I never noticed that until it was pointed out to me. Similarly, most people seem to miss the arrow in the iconic FedEx logo.

What do you think about logos? Have you got one for your business? I've seen it suggested that a professional photograph of yourself is better for branding. I don't agree, I think a great logo is definitely worth having.

Nor do I. I think it may well go down better in the US, but it seems a very brash, sales-led way of doing business. You can get away with it if you're Victor Kiam or Bernard Matthews (and even they had logos on their products), but it runs the very strong risk of making you look like a second-hand car salesman or a buy-my-stupid-ebook get-rich-quick scheme purveyor unless you're able to carry it off confidently.

I think the idea of using a photo of yourself a as logo comes from those who are investigating how an unknown operating a web site that provides information and commentary can establish rapport and gain the confidence of potential clients. But it still smacks of the American 'Good evening, I am James, your waiter for tonight...' Quite difficult to get the balance right, but it's really for estalishing the front man/woman's credibilityy. You still need a memorable symbol as a logo for the business.