The iconic image of Che Guevara, eyes framed by heavy brows, a single-starred beret pulled over his unruly hair and the intense stare, has to be one of the most familiar images in the world. It's now 40 years since the Argentine-born, Cuban revolutionary was shot dead, but the image has been infinitely repeated - emblazoned on T-shirts and sprayed on to walls, transformed into pop art and used to wrap ice-creams and sell cigarettes - and its appeal has not faded. Che Guevara has become a brand. And the brand's logo is the image, which represents change. It has becomes the icon of the outside thinker, at whatever level - whether it is anti-war, pro-green or anti-globalization. The unchecked proliferation of the picture - based on a photograph by Alberto Korda in 1960 - is partly due to a political choice by Korda and others not to demand payment for non-commercial use of the image. I have to confess, I've used it myself on a couple of occasions, but not for ads.
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I wonder how popular Bush will be in 40 years?
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