SocialWayne.com by Wayne Sutton

Posted on March 9, 2009 - by Wayne Sutton
Home > Tweets > Why I'm changing my twitter avatar for 1 day, #noiconday.

Why I'm changing my twitter avatar for 1 day, #noiconday.

Tweets Twitter

If you’re following me on twitter then you’ll notice something different, I’ve changed my avatar. To some changing your twitter avatar is not a big deal but for me it is. You see, I’ve been on twitter since 2006 (#twitterOT) and from day one I’ve always used my caricature as my avatar. My caricature was created 2005 and I’ve used it as my logo, on business cards and is part of my personal branding. It separates me from everyone else and as one of the few African-Americans on twitter in the earlier days my caricature really stood out from others. Read here to find out how created my caricature.

What sparked this recent discussion of changing my twitter avatar? Well, I submitted my caricature to have on my badge for SXSW and it was rejected. Then I posted a tweet about it and decided to run a twtpoll and ask my twitter friends “Should I ditch my cartoon avatar for a real live picture?” , the results 148 yes to 108 no.

twtpoll

Plus one of my twitter Raleigh friends @DiMambro has been trying to get me to change it for a while , saying it’s time for something new but I’ve been disagreeing with him for about a year now. So today March 9, 2009 is officially #noiconday, and I’ve have a few friends joining me as well, changing their twitter profile icons to real life photos. Check out these twitter pictures while they last because tomorrow we’re all going back to our icons.

ifoggy

iluvblackwomen

valsadie

krisede

Sonja_Foust

critter

I wonder does @Chrispirillo gets asked to change his twitter icon?
chrispirillo

Either way at #SXSW on my badge you’ll see the same photo I’m using today and tomorrow I’m going back to my caricature on twitter. To justify my reasoning for keeping the caricature take a look at my new portal site: http://wayne-sutton.com and read these comments from the twtpoll.

@davidjagger

@davidjagger: You are your brand, not something that might look like you. Do people do biz with your avatar or you? Your answer, is answer to question.

@therab

@therab: my wife was just saying the cartoon avatar looks just like you. i say have fun w/ ur brand. social media should = fun. people see u in video

@mclgreenville

@mclgreenville: keep it. I looks exactly like you. Goes perfectly w. your personality. I wish I had one. :(

I do want to say thanks for all the positive feedback from everyone on twitter about the picture .

vhanna26: I like the new avatar.
about 4 hours ago
Jubril: I bet you are going to get alot of people know in airport and such places knowing your face.
about 7 hours ago
AlexaMorales: You are handsomer in the pic than the avatar!
about 7 hours ago
thesoulcoach: ahh what a cutie
about 8 hours ago
Deltavogue: LOL! that is hilarious!
about 8 hours ago
iFroggy: Maybe I should change the frog for a day, in a show of solidarity with you. :)
about 9 hours ago
CarolRiddickRDU: Lookin' good. Love the pic. BTW, you & @martinbrossman did a great twitter 101 class, thx, I learned alot…see? I'm here!
about 9 hours ago
blackgirlchi: wow…you're actually kinda cute…
about 9 hours ago
jbrotherlove: snazzy. now you look like you're on your way to church.
about 9 hours ago
DonaldPayne: Having a real face to connect with makes since.
about 9 hours ago
maryhavlicek: I think your real-life picture makes you look younger.
about 9 hours ago
AjaniSandridge: WHOAAAA..he's alive!!!!!
about 9 hours ago
Tcsavory: nope i say have what you want on twitter, as long as it's respectful, no vote for me on that topic
about 9 hours ago
BiffyB: I love the cartoon, Wayne. You do take a good picture though
about 9 hours ago
steven_sanders: I like your real avatar better than the cartoon!
about 9 hours ago
tyme: HAHA Look at you! Made me do a double take. You look professional. Nicely done. :)
about 9 hours ago
waynesutton: Starting now: No cartoon avatar day on twitter, you voted for change & now you're getting it… for 1 day see – http://twtpoll.com/r/9ac068
about 9 hours ago


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This entry was posted on Monday, March 9th, 2009 at 8:33 am and is filed under Tweets, Twitter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
  • http://www.patrickokeefe.com/ Patrick

    Good stuff, Wayne. :) Glad to take part! heh.

    Patrick

    Patrick’s last blog post..A Hewlett-Packard (HP) Support Experience Worth Sharing

  • http://www.patrickokeefe.com Patrick

    Good stuff, Wayne. :) Glad to take part! heh.

    Patrick

    Patrick’s last blog post..A Hewlett-Packard (HP) Support Experience Worth Sharing

  • http://www.fungkeblakchik.com/ [fung'ke] [blak] [chik]

    the resemblance is quite uncanny!

  • http://www.fungkeblakchik.com [fung'ke] [blak] [chik]

    the resemblance is quite uncanny!

  • http://critz.org/ Critter

    I can do /one/ day :P

  • http://critz.org Critter

    I can do /one/ day :P

  • http://www.ginnyfromtheblog.com/ GinnySkal

    I’m cool with you going back to your caricature. But it’s awesome that you posted your real pic for a day. I bet you made a lot of your tweeps pause and think for a second day. I also bet a lot of your tweeps don’t realize how stylish you are in real life.

    GinnySkal’s last blog post..What are the best day trips to take outside the Triangle?

  • http://www.ginnyfromtheblog.com GinnySkal

    I’m cool with you going back to your caricature. But it’s awesome that you posted your real pic for a day. I bet you made a lot of your tweeps pause and think for a second day. I also bet a lot of your tweeps don’t realize how stylish you are in real life.

    GinnySkal’s last blog post..What are the best day trips to take outside the Triangle?

  • http://socialwayne.com/ Wayne Sutton

    @ifroggy & @critter thanks for joining #noiconday

    @Ginnyskal thanks for the comment, blushing.

  • http://socialwayne.com Wayne Sutton

    @ifroggy & @critter thanks for joining #noiconday

    @Ginnyskal thanks for the comment, blushing.

  • http://www.24x.com/ kay phillips

    I always feel that I am dealing with a more professional company if I have a Photo rather than a cartoon – dont ask me why?? but why hide a face like yours??

  • http://www.24x.com kay phillips

    I always feel that I am dealing with a more professional company if I have a Photo rather than a cartoon – dont ask me why?? but why hide a face like yours??

  • http://theglowingedge.com/ Lisa Creech Bledsoe

    Technically, my regular avatar IS a photo, but it just doesn’t show my face so it functions more like an icon.

    So just for fun I’m joining you today and putting up a “regular” picture on Twitter.

    It already feels weird to see it!

    Lisa Creech Bledsoe’s last blog post..The Glowing Edge is under construction!

  • http://theglowingedge.com Lisa Creech Bledsoe

    Technically, my regular avatar IS a photo, but it just doesn’t show my face so it functions more like an icon.

    So just for fun I’m joining you today and putting up a “regular” picture on Twitter.

    It already feels weird to see it!

    Lisa Creech Bledsoe’s last blog post..The Glowing Edge is under construction!

  • http://socialwayne.com/ Wayne Sutton

    Awesome, thanks Lisa

  • http://socialwayne.com Wayne Sutton

    Awesome, thanks Lisa

  • http://sonjafoust.com/blog Sonja Foust

    Glad to join the fun! ;) Good idea.

  • http://sonjafoust.com/blog Sonja Foust

    Glad to join the fun! ;) Good idea.

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  • http://trianglemamas.typepad.com/ marty

    Your caricature stands out much more than a photo, I think. It was totally how I got interested in following you. I just kept seeing you on other people’s pages over and over again – when there were probably others that I could have noticed – it was your caricature that always caught my eye. Stuck around for content and because you are in Raleigh, but the avatar was what got my attention in the first place.

    marty’s last blog post..The big scary Bible

  • http://trianglemamas.typepad.com marty

    Your caricature stands out much more than a photo, I think. It was totally how I got interested in following you. I just kept seeing you on other people’s pages over and over again – when there were probably others that I could have noticed – it was your caricature that always caught my eye. Stuck around for content and because you are in Raleigh, but the avatar was what got my attention in the first place.

    marty’s last blog post..The big scary Bible

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  • http://mobthink.com/ Rab

    :) :) :)

  • http://mobthink.com Rab

    :) :) :)

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  • http://www.caricatureking.com/ CaricatureKing

    what do they know – a caricature avatar is the way to go – as long as you can be recognised then what’s the deal. We do plenty for people, no problemo!!

  • http://www.caricatureking.com CaricatureKing

    what do they know – a caricature avatar is the way to go – as long as you can be recognised then what’s the deal. We do plenty for people, no problemo!!