It gets worse
At first I thought that people tattooing themselves with logos might represent a cultural bottoming-out; a sign that we had reached the flattest part of our ongoing subjugation to corporations. But now I realize you can sink lower: you can tattoo yourself with a stupid logo.
I guess it makes sense; if you’re the kind of person who thinks it’s a good idea to imprint your body with a company’s logo, you’re probably not that discerning about which logo you choose. Or about anything, really. I offer into evidence the choice of Peter McBride, who is the proud new owner of a Polo pony logo just above his left nipple.
Now, I don’t want to come right out and say that Pete is the low point of human civilization—I mean, there was Hitler. But looking at that photo… gee, it’s a tough call.
Apparently Pete made his choice while waiting in line at the tattoo parlor. This reinforces my belief that it’s always a mistake to try to execute a plan before you’ve thought of one. I mean, if Pete had woken one morning and thought, “Yes, I want to create permament, physical evidence that I’m so desperate to find an identity that I’m willing to suck at the watery brand image run-off of P.R. companies and marketing consultants,” that would be one thing. A disturbing thing, sure. But at least you could admire the fact that he had a vision and carried it out. But that is not what Pete did. Pete decided, “I want to permanently mark my skin with… oh, whatever. I’ll think of something when I get there.”
According to the article, logo tattoos are getting more popular. And “requests range from Chanel and Gucci to Windows and PlayStation.”
Chanel and Gucci I understand, even if it’s a little like calling your daughter Porsche. But PlayStation? If you’re getting a logo tattoo, don’t you perhaps want to avoid products that will be obsolete this time next year? And Windows! Windows, the McDonald’s of technology! Why not just tattoo “I don’t know that much about computers” on yourself? Any self-respecting computer geek who saw someone with a Windows tattoo would fall about laughing. And then punch them in the face. Which is really saying something, because we are not a violent people.
At least the end of the article offers a glimmer of hope:
A tattoo artist who goes only by the name Ennis says a man recently came in with a Lacoste crocodile on his neck. “He wanted it off,” says Ennis. “He didn’t say why. He just said get rid of it.”
Comments
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Max
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Quote: "I'm my number one fan!"
Posted: 6654 days ago
Jeff T. (#2591)
Location: USA
Quote: ""WHO ARE YOU?!""
Posted: 6654 days ago
Mapuche (#1184)
Location: Darwin, Australia
Quote: "Inconceivable!"
Posted: 6654 days ago
I want a tattoo of my wife's name in Thai script... (well, she is Thai so it sorta makes sense).
Maarten Rütten (#2420)
Location: the Netherlands
Quote: "We're not going to have a giant beach ball crush New York. It's creative, but it's not going to sell product."
Posted: 6654 days ago
What about the people that have tattoos of Linux penguins? Of course "Linux" is no corporation. :)
thewylddream (#1191)
Location: Montana USA
Quote: ""Always forgive your enemies -- Nothing annoys them so much." ~Oscar Wilde~"
Posted: 6654 days ago
Chris McBride (#1977)
Location: Belfast, N.Ireland
Quote: "Plagiarism saves thinking time"
Posted: 6654 days ago
Hobbie (#1359)
Location: Cornwall, England
Quote: "There was a little man in his hair!"
Posted: 6654 days ago
Cory Lavalette (#52)
Location: Raleigh, N.C., USA
Quote: ""When Will Jesus Bring The Pork Chops?""
Posted: 6653 days ago
Jeffrey (#2286)
Location: Right here
Quote: "Mathematics is a powerful language. Just look at how mathematicians destroyed the housing market."
Posted: 6653 days ago
Mike Becker (#2488)
Location: Las Vegas
Quote: "Aristotle said it best: "society is a house, change is a tornado full of woodpeckers.""
Posted: 6653 days ago
Yenzo (#829)
Location: Secret underwater pyramid base in the Pacific
Quote: "In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe (Carl Sagan)"
Posted: 6653 days ago
So maybe this whole thing is actually working AGAINST the brand. I'm a little confused. %-)
Anita Heiney (#292)
Location: Richmond, VA USA
Quote: "I came. I signed up. I got an error."
Posted: 6653 days ago
Back in the DAY, I played a lot of beach volleyball. And, when I won my first money tournament, I wanted to do/get something with the money so I would always remember that I won $$ playing volleyball. At that time, IDIG sportswear was big and their logo was a hot pink volleyball with sunglasses. So, yes, I had a hot pink volleyball with sunglasses tattooed on my ass. Yes, it's still there and yes, I still like it. I always wondering if that could be copyright infringement or if they would be a sponsor ...
And Hobbie, rest assured I have not and do not plan to procreate.
Christian (#2192)
Location: Calgary, Canada
Quote: "If being a nerd was baseball, I'd be starting quarterback!"
Posted: 6653 days ago
I'll be the coolest kid in school!
Adam A. (#256)
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Quote: "Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that." -George Carlin"
Posted: 6653 days ago
Caroline (#1667)
Location: www.freewebs.com/davidorth
Quote: "Does the Walker Choose the Path, or the Path the Walker?"
Posted: 6653 days ago
God made stupid people and I hate that. Why, God, why?
David (#1848)
Location: Texas
Quote: "Delighted!"
Posted: 6653 days ago
But I can't buy the argument that some tats make "sense" while others are stupid. As if some "tribal" thingy is less ridiculous on a suburbanite than a polo pony. I'm all for volleyballs on asses, Ms. Heiney, but for entirely different reasons...
Monkeywright (#1732)
Location: Los Angeles, Californi-YARGH!
Quote: ""China is Here?" I don't even know what the hell that means! - PS - visit scenic www.monkeywright.com"
Posted: 6653 days ago
Actually hold on. Can we post a pic of the volleyball booty tattoo? I gotta see this. I think we should post a pic of it every five years to see the effects of aging. Will it inflate? Deflate? Look like Wilson from "Castaway"?
Anyway,
What if someone wanted a logo from a Max Barry book cover? Isn't it equally weird? I think tattoos are a very strange phenomenon (and I have seven myself). It's all abour personality, and frankly, I wish people who thought about getting Windows or Polo logos inked would do it proudly and frequently. That way, I know what kind of person I'm dealing with before they say a word.
Rod McBride (#688)
Location: Gardner, KS
Quote: "www.MidwestRockLobster.blogspot.com"
Posted: 6653 days ago
At 36, if you don't know, you'll never know, right? So I got a logo. My logo. I've been using it for going on two decades, and the idea goes the best part of another decade back. If there is a graphic representation of 'me' this is it.
It seems like being unmarked has become the mark of distinction, so imagine my surprise when family and friends reacted with horror that I would get my buckaroo lobster tattoo...
For Pete, what if you want to wear an Izod on Wednesday?
Lazlo (#2492)
Location: Indiana
Posted: 6652 days ago
KaelSeoras (#2580)
Posted: 6652 days ago
austin (#2462)
Location: rhode island
Quote: "hmmm...bleh..."
Posted: 6652 days ago
Emily (#609)
Location: New York
Quote: "When in doubt, fuck it. When not in doubt, get in doubt!"
Posted: 6651 days ago
Emily (#609)
Location: New York
Quote: "When in doubt, fuck it. When not in doubt, get in doubt!"
Posted: 6651 days ago
I bet Blake Seddon has the Zephyr Holdings logo tattooed on his ass.
Yubi Shines (#1664)
Location: Canada
Quote: "HOPE RIDES ALONE!"
Posted: 6647 days ago
Personally I just have to wonder if it hurts to be tattooed in the nipply region...
Kit (#850)
Location: UK
Posted: 6639 days ago
There, I said it anyway.
Jarret Hayes (#2541)
Posted: 6633 days ago
Thomas (#1221)
Location: Germany
Quote: "One more, and I'm going to consider you my penpal."
Posted: 6631 days ago
I'm also apparently not very aware of brands. That one is a 'Polo Pony'? I can't find anything horse-ish at all about that tatoo. Can someone explain the anatomy of that Pony to me?
I think it looks a lot more like am awfully skewed teletubby. Like Po had a veeery long night at a local pub, and is now on his way home.
Maybe that's how he ended up on that guys chest.
ryandake (#2199)
Location: scenic monterey, ca
Quote: ""The rest is not our business.""
Posted: 6610 days ago
here's one even you haven't thought up (or at least haven't written about): marketing to prisoners.
Ex-con musicians with a white power message are using a sales method pioneered by some black artists: promoting their album in prison.
at http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-prisonrap27sep27,1,796037.story?track=rss
Mickey Finn (#2595)
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Posted: 6598 days ago
Pronounced "es-pen"
http://hello-baby-espn-father-names-son.freeonlinegames.com/
http://www.caller2.com/2001/april/04/today/localspo/22172.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3268161.stm
Del Monty. Celica. Inifiti.
I used to work with a Velveeta Jones.
Thomas Miller (#2746)
Location: Spokane, Washington USA
Quote: "Your life may be scaled down and subject to copy right"
Posted: 6537 days ago
ok i am done ranting...
Yep..
Thomas Miller
Thomas Miller (#2746)
Location: Spokane, Washington USA
Quote: "Your life may be scaled down and subject to copy right"
Posted: 6537 days ago
wow..... i was late posting this.... ^.^
Carl (#2919)
Location: Bournemouth
Posted: 6492 days ago
My brother in law is a 6'3" skinhead with big branded numbers all over him and has...wait for it... a 6 x 6" tatoo of the CILIT BANG logo on the side of his head!
He contacted them and asked for sponsorship but for some reason they declined, Bless him.
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