Is there a more telling expression of a customer’s fondness for a brand than a tattoo displaying its logo? This was the subject of a recent report that aired on Marketplace, which discussed the trend of tattoo marketing (Hepperman, 2012). Instead of the run of the mill promotional materials that might otherwise be offered to spread the word in a marketing campaign some companies are offering customers the opportunity to get free brand tattoos (Hepperman, 2012).
The two promotional tattoo events brought to light by Hepperman (2012) were for Sailor Jerry’s spiced rum and HBO’s Game of Thrones. Judging from the scenes described at the events, there appeared to be no shortage of anxious fans willing to take on the permanent endorsement of their chosen brand (Hepperman, 2012; Corr, 2012). These brand loyalists provide interesting insight into the psychology of consumer behavior, and according to Bueno (2010) there are several things marketers can learn from these ambassadors of a “brand’s choir” (para. 4).
To begin with, some customers who get brand tattoos may be looking for ways to connect with others they can identify as being part of a like-minded community (Bueno, 2010). This sentiment seems to be confirmed by Coulson who, in connection with the Game of Thrones event, stated, “One thing we’ve learned from past fan activations is that, as much as fans like to connect with brands, what they love MOST is connecting with each other” (Corr, 2012). In addition, customers may look to brand tattoos to help them capture and express the significant memories and feelings that reflect their own personal values as well as those ideals they associate with the brand (Bueno, 2010). One participant in the Sailor Jerry promotion may have revealed the importance of this connection when he said, “You know what, a lot of people don’t really understand, and I don’t expect them to because Sailor Jerry is mine” (Hepperman, 2012).
Admittedly, for many brands offering promotions for free tattoos is probably a bit extreme. There may also be a limited number of brands for which this type of promotion would be in line with their core image (Hepperman, 2012). Still, there may be something to the underlying motivations of those willing to get brand tattoos that is worthy of note. Indeed, if it is true that loyalty is essential to any brand that wants “to maintain a competitive position in the market” (Moisescu & Vu, 2011, p. 68), then marketers may do well to consider them.
References
Bueno, B. (2010, April 12). Why do customers tattoo themselves with the brands they love? [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.cult-branding.com/why-do-customers-tattoo-themselves-with-the-brands-they-love/
Corr, A. (2012, April 9). ‘Game of Thrones’ fans pledge family loyalty with tattoos [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/172038/game-of-thrones-fans-pledge-family-loyalty-with.html.
Hepperman, A. (2012). Brand ink: Companies explore tattoo marketing. Marketplace. Retrieved from http://www.marketplace.org/topics/life/brand-ink-companies-explore-tattoo-marketing
Moisescu, O. I., & Vu, D. A. (2011). A conceptual review on building, managing and assessing brand loyalty. Review of Economic Studies and Research Virgil Madgearu, 4(1), 67-87. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/878683640?accountid=14749
3 Responses to Brand loyalty: It might be just a tattoo away