Got ink? – Innovative marketing

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In the “Innovative Marketing” course, during the second semester of my master’s degree in Design Management, we were given the task of choosing between 3 different types of marketing. Value, influencer and AI marketing. Presentations (20 minutes) should be prepared for 2 of the 3.

Even though I decided on value and AI marketing, after the presentations my professor told me I actually had done all three of the marketing types, so I ended up getting an A.

Value marketing

For the value marketing I had to develop a marketing concept for a product / service that has the value of sustainability as a central intangible product benefit. Since values are subjectively appropriated, a certain type of value awareness must also be developed for the product.

Healthy tattoo ink:

In the past, in particular, highly harmful substances such as car paint were used in tattoo inks. It doesn’t look any better today either:
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals, which are associated with black skin cancer, among other things, are among the health-problematic substances.
Removing tattoos doesn’t make it any better either. Tattoos are stabbed under the 4th layer of skin; laser removal only splits the products, the long-term effects of which is not yet precisely known; However, there is initial evidence that some of the split color pigments accumulate in the liver, spleen and lymph nodes.
Colored ink in particular is problematic, more harmful than just black, since producing the color involves a complex chemical process.

The customer therefore wants tattoos that do not mean cancer, other health risks and long-term damage for him. Also durable color that won’t fade.

For my solution, glass bottles are used instead of the usual plastic bottles, as the ink is poured into small containers anyway. The packaging is made of recyclable materials; the printed ink is biodegradable.

It is a product that requires a lot of explanation. In order to strengthen identification, a we-culture should be promoted. In order to be accepted in the already existing tattoo community, it would have to appeal to peoples health and sustainability conscience.

The community could gain a foothold in social media, here influencers / brand ambassadors could be presented and TV appearances and product ranges could be announced. Conventions can be documented and an insight into production can be given to ensure transparency.

AI marketing

For the AI marketing I had to develop a marketing concept for a product / service that uses artificial intelligence.

Tattoo recognition website/Tattoo Artist Search:

The target group is everyone who is interested in tattooing: tattoo newbies, already tattooed people who want even more, tattoo shop owners and tattoo artists.

I see a tattoo online that I like. But how do I find out which tattoo artist will be the best suited to do bring my vision come to life?

The eternal search for the perfect artist can be exhausting if you don’t know where or how to look.

Especially beginners are quickly overwhelmed by where to start and which criteria they have to look out for in order to decide their artist or studio.

This is where TraceYourInk comes in. A website on which you upload a picture of a tattoo that you have seen online, on the street, etc. and the Artificial Intelligence recognizes important aspects of the tattoo (it traces the tattoo > hence the name, also a common term in tattooing) and compares it with a portfolio database of different artists.

They have uploaded their tattoo work, are rated by customers and specify which tattoo styles are best for them.

Tattoo styles are e.g. American Traditional, Black and Gray, Photo Realism, etc.
If you know your way around tattoos, you can help the AI and filter according to the style you want, there are also other criteria that should help to find the artist who is perfectly tailored for you:

The tattoo will be tested for: Linework (how thick are the lines drawn, does the tattoo have any), Shading (how heavily shaded it is), Color (neon, pastel, saturation, etc.), Composition (which and how are the elements arranged > reveals a lot about the style), Size (how big is the tattoo)

The website receives a small commission for each appointment booked. On social media, clients post “booked über TraceeYourInk.com”. Studios and artists are initially lured with the technology and potentially more sales, “imagine a Jameda for tattoo artists!” The concept is also presented at tattoo conventions to seek out potential customers, artists and brand ambassadors.

Only tested and approved studios that have hygiene and safety standards as well as trained staff are allowed on the website.
In return, the artists are protected: every customer review must be uploaded with a photo of the tattoo as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Also the artist should have the ability to respond to reviews.

A simple to use interface, no unnecessary searches through tattoo catalogs and Google Ads.
There is an information area for tattoo novices. Here they are informed about the all things tattoo such as risks and care and there could be a “GrInkStain Tattoos only” filter for those who value sustainability.

Artificial intelligence is good at spotting stereotypes. However, it becomes problematic if a subject deviates from the norm and no longer fits the context.
If, for example, an image is uploaded with multiple tattoos on one arm, the AI may not be able decide which tattoo to analyze. Image quality also plays an important role.

The more people visit the site the better (website traffic)
Furthermore, studios and their artists should register in order to gain more customers and appointments.
From a non-commercial perspective, the platform helps tattoo newcomers to enlighten them, overcome their confusion and, as a result, inspire them to become potential customers.
The technology could be expanded, for example, for different types of artists such as painters or other draftsmen.