Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Kristina Jovanović, Art Director, McCann Beograd
Have you ever thought about selling a piece of your skin to a brand as advertising inventory? You read it right, with such sale you become a so-called “walking billboard”. “Word of mouth” influencers have fallen into oblivion long ago, now come into play those a little bit bolder and more modern, with pictures on them.
Advertising agencies, in cooperation with brands are always looking for new media for placing advertising, and one of these approaches is tattoo art. By agreement, such tattoo can be temporary or permanent, and on a certain part of the skin.
A couple of information for all who are interested in this. There are sites online where you can officially register for this form of advertising. Leave your personal details, a brief description of you and your skin. (?!) After that, interested brands can contact you at any time for cooperation. They, along with their team of experts, select people, and with those people agree on the part of the body where the tattoo will be best placed. Earnings are quite decent, and range from $100 up to $500,000. Good luck to everyone!
As I was researching this topic, I encountered a lot of “bizarre” examples. From tattoos of porn sites on people’s faces, to large cosmetic companies advertised on various parts of the body. There were also examples of small companies that have tried to break into the big market with an unusual marketing ploy. This form of advertising started in 2005, however, last year one ad returned this idea to its full glory.
You must have seen the Jagermeister ad Hunt or be hunted. The first stop motion advertising done with tattoos. It was done by top tattoo artists from Spain, as well as an excellent team of directors, producers, directors of photography, animators, art directors, etc. To create it they needed no less than 100 people, one person = one frame. It seemed like something impossible. But as many as 1,500 people reported for the first casting. And let me just underline that this time the tattooing was not paid in either direction. Everyone wanted to be part of a new history. Some of the statements are fascinating. One of the participants said she wanted to have an opportunity to tell her children, her grandchildren and her entire family that she is a part of a video project that will remain forever. Another participant had a different motive, and wanted to share something with total strangers. For him, it was romantic. Something like engagements.
The motivations are varied, and my personal opinion is that all the images from this ad are fabulous, but at that exact level – the level of drawing. However, to those who are currently contemplating selling a piece of their skin to a brand, I would advise to find a better way to make money. This is a permanent marker of a certain company on you. If you look closely, we already are everyday ambassadors of certain brands. Almost at all times, in a single day, we wear on our bodies several brands. Just think of cosmetics, clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc … Is it really necessary that under all these brands we sell a part of our body to one more for the purpose of advertising? Do we really love a brand so much that we would place it next to a portrait of parents or names of children?
I personally am a big fan of tattoos, and I’m wearing a few, for me, beautiful images.
One of these images is a symbol of the artistic project I’m working on. I don’t think I’m finished with that (mom if you’re reading this, sorry). But would I sell my skin as advertising space? Probably not. If someone actually has the guts to do it, and believes that it is his personal expression of any aspect of this form of marketing, by all means go ahead. As for me – “it’s not my cup of tea”.