I often associate the avatar with the person posting. When there are several people with the same or similar avatars I tend to associate them all as the same person... That said, the avatars I see the most are the ones that catch my eye, especially if they are GOOD posts. Once I associate a good post with an avatar I'll associate good things with that avatar...regardless of what the avatar is. Of course, this also works in reverse. If I can't stand a member, and they have a paid avatar, I'll associate that dislike to whatever their avatar is. So, if you based it off of me alone, then the post count is rather secondary to the quality of the posts. Though, to a less extent, a good thread may help off set things...
Animated avatars are not allowed on dp except i see sarahk's avatar is little animated with blinking eye. Qryztufre, you got excellent point.
I would say the Bender avatars have been the most annoying.. The Site Sift, to me were the most affective/recognizable thus far!
^ Let me search who is Bender .. btw site sift avatars are nearly vanished now. I think it got most attention because it was probably first introduction of avatar marketing on dp.
You can attract lot of attention to your site if you have a good avatar. It could help to promote your site and increase the popularity. This one i just made today.
One of the 'paid' avatars has multiple incarnations...each slightly different then the last, but all with the site name (sorry, not naming names ~ unless you'd like to pay me ). These, if applied to my points above, give the overall site name a broader spectrum. If there are two members I like from that site, then I'll be more inclined to pay attention to the posters, and therefore the site. If there is one member with the avatar I dislike, then it counters only one of the others. ^^ Was I clear at all? *sigh* Sorry, I think I'm talking in circles. This is true...
Those which are unique (not used on other forums or by other users) tend to stand out the most for me. I'm not so sure if the URL avatars are effective, it's hard to make them stand out when they are a dime a dozen nowadays.
The paid avatars annoy the shit out of me. I liked being able to identify the poster by the pic instead of by the user name. Even if the avvies changed time to time like Rob's constant sleeping poses his avater is always recognisable. Now I log in and there is a quagmire of crappy impersonal BS avatars that just say the person who is using it is less into the community and more into dosh. And as far as which one sticks in my mind right now ... someone has an avvy of a girl through a shower screen. It is creepy and cool. I have no idea what the users name is right now but I recognise that avvy every time and always read the post.
My own avatar is pretty good. My favourite soccer player in a moment of glory. Well to me my avatar makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I think associations with different avatars are personal and their is no standard response.