Promotional Marketing Five Suprising Benefits of Waterless Tattoos

The car ride was library-quiet despite having a 10 year-old daughter and an 8 year-old son in the back seat. The peaceful respite from the calamity that usually takes place behind me should have been my clue that something was up. But I was enjoying the rare serenity to the point that I was actually lost in my thoughts ? until this strange popping air sound elbowed its way to the forefront of my consciousness.

Turns out the popping air sound was the two of them spitting on a temporary tattoo and themselves and my upholstery in an attempt to apply a water type temporary tattoo. The police officer ? to whom I first related this story by way of explaining a series of questionable lane changes I made during my discovery of the drama in the back seat ? agreed with me that perhaps we need to rethink this whole temporary tattoo thing.

The event caused me to look deeper into a new promotional product just introduced at the time called waterless tattoos. My research over the next several months brought to light five distinct benefits of waterless tattoos over the conventional temporary tattoo (CTT) that required water to apply.

Sanitary

By and large, I believe eliminating the need for kids to spit on each other is the single biggest benefit of waterless tattoos. Germs and bacteria in saliva can spread all kinds of diseases from the common cold and the flu to Tuberculosis and Meningitis. Waterless tattoos are heat-activated thus eliminating the need for water ? or in the absence of a clean water supply ? spit.

Less Mess

Because there?s no water involved, waterless tattoos are less messy. This is a great benefit especially when you have little kids at an indoor event. You don?t have to worry about spills or water on the carpet.

Less Planning

In order to effectively use CTT's during a promotional event, you must plan for water. With waterless tattoos, water is one less thing for which you need to plan.

Cold Weather Comfort

Application comfort in cold weather is another benefit of the waterless tattoos. Here in Michigan, there?s a nip in the air during football season. It was at one of my son's games on a chilly Saturday in November, I watched a mom apply a CTT on her kids with a wet paper towel. The cold sorta took the fun out of it for the kids. With waterless tattoos, children enjoy the warmth of mommy or daddy?s warm hand pressed against their cheek.

Positive Image

An important benefit of waterless tattoos for corporate promotions involves corporate identification policies. Because of the way CCT's are applied, the image and words appears backwards prior to being applied. Waterless tattoos on the other hand, make a better presentation because everything ? company logo, picture or wording is right-reading, right from the start. That also makes it easier to proof the artwork. What you see is what you get.

One thing to be mindful of with waterless tattoos regards the fact that they are heat-activated. Storage in direct sunlight, near a high-heat source such as a radiator or in a sun-soaked car is discouraged. When stored at high temperatures the tattoo may adhere itself to the cover sheet. For that reason, storage in a cool place in an airtight container is recommended. If the tattoos will sit around at an outdoor event or in a car prior to distribution, keeping them in an insulated lunch sack or small cooler will preserve their integrity.

I remember as a kid, my friends and I would do just about anything, including behave, for a sticker. Today, temporary tattoos are the stickers of the 2000's. Kids love 'em. But as adults, we must recognize that kids will be kids. And as marketers of our brands, company's and events, we need to make appropriate promotional product choices for their sake ? and our image.

Michael Merrick Crooks is a 23-year advertising veteran, copywriter and founder of Crooks Advertising Alliance. His firm, based near Lansing, Michigan (USA) is a creative strike-force that provides advertising, creative problem-solving and promotional marketing services to a diverse client base. His fresh thinking is the result of maintaining the insight of a 7 year old. Always questioning. ... asking why? From logo development and brochure writing, design and production to targeted, promotional concepts, Crooks has an uncanny ability to look at the same thing everyone else does and see something different. For more thought-provoking marketing articles and insights visit http://www.crooksadvertising.com or http://www.waterlesstattoos.com