Why Do Customers Tattoo their Bodies with the Brands They Love?

An article in which I recently read, Why Do Customers Tattoo their Bodies with the Brands They Love, talks about customers who take brand loyalty to the next level. Brand loyalty is a customer's favorable attitude toward a specific brand. Most consumers have at least one brand they consistently buy either a the grocery store or on a shopping trip to the mall. However, this article deals with consumers who take brand loyalty far beyond just buying the brand. These consumers actually went as far as getting the brand logo tattoo on their bodies. Most people would think, who would actually do that? Well, it is actually occurring more than you think. Companies such as Harley Davidson, Nike, Playboy, Coca-Cola, VW and Apple are doing something to drive the customers wild, because more and more consumers are getting their logos permanently placed on their bodies.

As the article puts it, "people branded themselves with tattoos to mark themselves as different and to challenge the status quo." It is ironic that people are branding themselves with brand logos. By consumers completing this act, its meaning is "branded into the soul." The article lists three psychological reasons consumers brand themselves with tattoos of companies they love: 1) Membership into social groups. By doing this it helps customers find a common interest in a social group. 2) Finding meaningful associations. By having a branded tattoo it reminds the customer of their personal values. 3) Connecting with ideals. Branded tattoos are reminders of the customers ideal life.

If you are just as shocked as me, read the article. There really are people like this out there that do take brand loyalty this seriously. What do you think? Do you know someone with a brand logo tattoo? Would you, yourself ever consider getting one?

http://www.marketingpower2.com/blog/marketingnews/2010/04/why_do_customers_tattoo_themselves_with_the_brands_they_love.html#more