Today, people follow a certain set of “rules” when they’re trying to project the right image for their business. It has become conventional wisdom that if your business is serious, then you should only be represented by professional and polished images and logos, not a drawing of a pug or some other cartoon figure or even a cartoon avatar.
But what if those rules are just setting up impossible standards for your business? Let’s break down what seems to be the current state of affairs, and we’ll see are they really unprofessional, or is there room for you to be both creative and professional at the same time.
Who Can Use Cartoon Avatars For Their Business Professionally?
It is not unprofessional to use cartoon avatars for your business when the character you choose exemplifies the brand’s values. This is a good concept since it enhances the believability of your brand and makes it relatable and appealing to your customers.
But then again, could a financial advisor use a cartoon avatar for their business? No. Probably not. On the other hand, animation or game developing companies should have no problems using an avatar for their business. In fact, it’s even recommended that they do.
While it is true that cartoon avatars aren’t inherently unprofessional, there seems to be a pretty clear line as to who can use it professionally. Businesses who need to convey a more serious tone are probably better off sticking with traditional values, while businesses oriented to a younger audience, or businesses that are closely tied to art and creativity can freely explore using a cartoon avatar.
In addition to all of that, freelancers like graphic designers, artists, game developers, or even streaming entrepreneurs could easily experiment with avatars.
Are Cartoon Avatars Popular Nowadays?
Even though some business owners and even some customers might find some of these avatars unprofessional, there is no denying that this has become a trend over the last few years. With most people being forced to work from home, people started dabbling with freelancing on various websites like Fiverr.
And, instead of providing those websites with an image of themselves or even hiring someone to create a logo for them, they just went online and googled “how to cartoon yourself”. That allowed them to obtain a fun, unique avatar, but more importantly, doing this allowed them to stand out from the crowd.
All in all – no one can’t say that cartoon-y avatars aren’t popular nowadays. They most certainly are. And, whatever your view on them is, that won’t change the fact that some business owners are even rebranding in order to incorporate an avatar into their business’s brand.
How Can You Create A Cartoon Avatar?
The thing about cartoon avatars is that they’re incredibly easy to get by, and there are several ways to get one.
The first one would be finding a designer or a company like Avatoon that specializes in these kinds of gigs and hiring them to do it for you. This is also probably your best shot at ending up with something valuable and as professional as it can be.
Next up, you could use free software you find online. As we’ve said, the only thing that’s separating you from an avatar is googling “how to cartoon yourself”. The thing is, though, free options aren’t really that good. Most of them are based on filters and simple algorithms that just flatten your face and add some line art on top of it. And you can not get a free high-resolution avatar. Then you need an AI photo enhancer to improve the image quality of your avatar.
Finally, you can try and do it all by yourself. If you have a computer and a mouse, you can use a program like Adobe Illustrator and draw up a nice little avatar even if you haven’t ever done it before. An hour-long tutorial will be more than helpful.
Why Would Anyone Want A Cartoon Avatar And What Are Its Benefits?
Many professionals use cartoons in their marketing. This up-to-date approach to marketing seeks to create a fun experience for consumers while also conveying a professional image. Businesses started using cartoons because they allow brands to brand more easily and are more customizable than traditional images or logos. Seeing the success of these cartoons, many organizations are incorporating them into their logos or identities.
So, that’s one of the reasons why. But, what are some other benefits?
1. Creates A Recognizable Image
The more recognizable a company’s avatar is, the easier it is for potential and current customers to find them. It is possible to increase the brand’s recognition with a cartoon avatar since everyone else is relying on the same old method, so having an avatar like this one makes the business stand out.
2. It’s Cost-Effective
Hiring a logo designer can be quite expensive. Therefore, businesses are looking for the most cost-effective ways to grow their brand. So, they find cartoon avatars to be a worthy investment. They usually don’t carry any legal risk and are perfect for anyone looking for an intriguing and easy-to-show-off avatar.
3. It’s Friendly And Inviting
When people see a cartoon character, it triggers an automatic reaction of friendliness and trust. The use of cartoon characters can make your business appear more friendly and inviting. While you probably won’t be able to receive tax breaks for using cartoon images for your business, you might be able to catch a break in another situation if you get your customers to trust you.
4. Ads Become More Interesting
Most businesses embrace cartoon characters, especially when it is time to shoot ads.
Cartoons are fun and colourful, so they can’t go wrong with them as characters. In this case, the companies use animated cartoon avatars to make their ads more interesting and appealing. The use of cartoon avatars and characters entices the audience to watch the ad in the first place while giving off a light-hearted, goofy feeling that can’t always be achieved with traditional ads.
Conclusion:
Cartoon avatars can actually be a powerful branding tool. So, in summation, no – it is not unprofessional to use them for your business. Animation and cartoons have been a part of the marketing strategy for ages at this point, so it’s only natural that we progress into something like avatars.
