Would you become a walking Billboard? - Tattoo Advertising

Sporting a tattoo in the 'not so new millenium' isn't really unique anymore but, having a solid, block lettered billboard tattoo across your forehead sure is! ...seems like a huge price to pay for cold, hard cash...doesn't it?

The lady below known as Kari Smith, sold her precious skin space as ad space for $10,000 dollars to the Golden Palace. They achieved strides with a Guerilla Marketing technique that still brings them advertising bang for their buck. While she earns some money to better her sons education, a win win! Although, she's now committed to being a walking, talking, living, breathing advertisment for life!!

Or the guy shown below, who either forgot his spectacles or received some extra dough ;) ...'cause he's now the proud owner of a Hello Kitty tattoo upon his charming, mystical? forehead. I wonder if he thought it was a skull, lol?

Would you tattoo a web address, logo, symbol or brand name on your body? And if so, for how much?

Learn more about Guerrilla Marketing here (a previous post) or view some other tattoo blunders n' wonders over on my What wrinkles? blog.

Humour in Advertising - Ally Bank's marketing tactics make me laugh!

Here's another marketing campaign that has me giggling from Ally Bank, formally GMAC. This financial institution uses humour, honesty and children to 'attract' customers to their financial resources. Some say (based on YouTube comments) that it exploits or encourages verbal taunting or teasing but, I don't see it that way. I see them using a humouristic yet realistic twist that actually makes me laugh!?!...Is that wrong?

Check out the three videos posted below and you'll see what I mean (or not ;) These Ally commercials show how we, as consumers, get ripped off by companies because we don't pay attention, we're not asking the right questions and are simply put, arrogant! Ally's ads reassures us with humour that they would never do such a thing to their clients and the kids that Ally Bank's marketing department have chosen (as actors and actresses) are simply priceless. So, while there is humour the morale of the story or ad, is loud and clear without being boring and serious which in my opinion is what makes it a success.      







Note: Always read the fine print ;) ...and, remember that in real life, it's just plain wrong to take advantage of someone's innocence or lack of knowledge, regardless of their age!...and, even though these marketing campaigns depict such happenings it also exposes them which leads you to believe they are an honest establishment, doesn't it?

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment, thanks and have an awesome day!

Marketing campaigns gone wrong! 'New' Coke, Gerber...what were they thinking?

When putting together your next marketing campaign consider what history has already proven, you can never do enough research and some ideas are just plain lousy! Advertising blunders are in most cases discovered after they've been unleashed to the public. So, although they were created with the best of intentions the end result was disastrous. Imagine spending thousands of dollars just to realize you've managed to generate a campaign that confused and/or insulted your end user causing mass loss of appeal!

Whether your campaign is regional or international research is imperative and ought to be done thoroughly. Ads that work well in North America may be a total failure if launched elsewhere for many reasons. Text and illustrations have their own meanings based on where you live. What we see, understand and interpret such as pictures, logos, words, statements, cliches, puns or sayings can  be easily misunderstood elsewhere.

Imagine investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fully implement an advertising disaster such as the Gerber baby food campaign many years ago in Africa. Their ad used the exact same picture successfully utilized here in North America...the adorable caucasian baby, only it crashed due to lack of sales. Upon further research Gerber's discovered that due to literacy issues in Africa (many people not able to read) companies use pictures to depict what's inside the container! ...imagine that, it's kind of funny in a gross way ;) but I'm sure glad the initial research wasn't my job ikes and ewww!

Botched marketing extends over to Coke and Calvin Klein...remember in 1985 when they released 'New' Coke? I do because I was an original Coke fan and was crushed! I did go back temporarily to Coke Classic but by that time they'd already lost me to Pepsi. I'm still a proud Pepsi girl! The Calvin Klein ad although short made me immediately question the whole concept and was almost uncomfortable, what were they thinking!?