Corporate Logo Tattoos: Literal Corporate Branding

When branding becomes “branding,” I s’pose.

Excerpt: “In an attempt to form personal and social identities, consumers begin to identify with the dominant discourse of consumer culture. Corporate logo tattoo consumers are thus expressing collective representations of consumer culture, not individual representations of individuality. “

The whole thing is here: Corporate Logo Tattoos: Literal Corporate Branding

What do folks think about this? I’ve always viewed tattoos and other types of body mods as a sort of the ultimate personalization, taking something that has been given to you (via genetics and heredity), and hacking it in a way that makes it even more uniquely yours. (I still think the mark I’ve seen that has struck me as the most personal is that of a good friend who has “DNR” tattooed on his sternum…a crystal clear reminder to self that anything can happen to anyone at any time, and to make every day count if there ever was one.)

I suppose I can even see the point of tattooing as a mark of identification with a small, unique group; a shibboleth of sorts. A tangible, permanent show of community membership. But something like this? I don’t get it. Corporations are the exact opposite of individuality and getting a tattoo of their logo surely just makes you a human advertisement expect you don’t get paid for it. I understand that some people can feel weirdly fond and even passionate about a business, but in that case, just use a corporate t-shirt printing service to create some t-shirts of their brand. Why would you permanently disfigure yourself with a tattoo? Can someone ‘splain?