Everywhere I go, I see people advertising something on their clothing. Budweiser is popular, as is Harley Davidson. People spend good money for their clothes and accessories, and then walk around covered with advertising because of the prominently placed logos and trademarks almost all clothing displays now. This wasn’t always true. Once upon a time, a person could buy a windbreaker whose manufacturer was discreetly revealed inside the collar but nowhere else. Then someone discovered that millions of Americans would love to brag about how much money they spent on their clothing by displaying the logo of the maker and the manufacturers had hit the jackpot of all jackpots. Millions of moving billboards advertising their products, AND THEY DIDN"T HAVE TO PAY A DIME. People would advertise for the clothing makers and other manufacturers for FREE.
Don’t get me started about tats. Last week I treated a young woman for a medical problem. When she was getting ready for an antibiotic injection, the nurse noted a tattoo in the small of her back. Nothing unusual about that, you say, but this one said Pfish! Has she thought about what that will mean in thiry years? I doubt it.
Having seen this advertising proliferating everywhere, I have thought of some advertisement cum tee shirts I would like to see.
On the front: ZOVIRAX On the back: I’m loveable (most of the time!)
On the front: DULCOLAX On the back: Sponsored by moveon.org
On the front: Dr. James Cuttem for vasectomy On the back: Looking for love without consequences
On the front: Jeep from Daimler-Chrysler On the back: How pedestrian!
On the front: Read the Father Goose blog On the back: Genetically incapable of laying an egg!
You may cheer. This is a blog free of political comment.
Hmm… I wonder how much one could charge for an advertising tat… I bet Dunkin Donuts would pay a lot...Dude, thanks for the idea!
You have an excellent point about the walking dead...er, I mean billboards. I like to leave Ben Davis’ discreet head out of this category, however. Can’t we all just pick one favorite logo to subsidize?
On tats: I am hoping that her tattoo actually read ‘Phish’ or she may have a lawsuit on her hands. 17 years in and I am still pleased with my tattoos. I’ll let you know at 30 years. My ex-wife remains representative of a far more embarrassing decision.
I really, really hope you’re a doctor.
Is that second t-shirt an ad for moveon.org, or dulcolax?
Lawyer Tuesday and Saturday, doctor Mon, Wed, Thur and Friday. And the second t-shirt ad is an ad for whichever you want it to be an ad for. After all, judging from the average Budweiser t-shirt I see, it can be an ad for Bud, or an ad for watching you waistline.
{hides ROOTS t-shirt}
But it’s advertising a clothing line in Canada, does that count?
Great post!
It’s disturbing to me that some things run in the family. I never buy a shirt with a prominently displayed logo--and on occasion it’s hurt because the shirt is great and the color is great but I refuse to be a corporate pawn. Or rather, more of one.
There was a guy who got a Pepsi tattoo (I think it was pepsi) covering the entire back of his head and then kept his head shaved for a year for (i think) $50k.
My uncle is an anaesthesiologist, and he used to dress his three little girls in TShirts that advertised some form of anaesthesia on the back, but on the front it said “Sleep With The Best”. I loved that.
Didn’t some NBA stars do that ad-tattoo thing too? Or was I just blinded by their rampant sneaker promotion?
i heard a story once of a guy who tatooed a radio station logo on his *forehead* to win a contest, only to discover that there really was no radio contest.
how do you like them apples?!
As a general rule, I have to agree, although the look of horror on my friend’s face when her boyfriend turned up for a winery tour in a shirt that prominently displayed the logo of a popular brand of beer - well, that was just priceless.
EV: about the Dunkin Donuts tattoo, well, I’m afraid that ship has already sailed.
Dad (Monsieur Matt Howard): your tirade against advertising on clothing is highly reminiscent of cartoonist R. Crumb’s rant against same in the film that bears his name, Crumb, directed by Terry “Ghost World” Zwigoff. If you haven’t already, I suggest you watch it at your earliest convenience, though be advised that it’s damned depressing. And also: you’re a doctor??
Never saw the movie, although I met R.Crumb’s ex-wife once long ago. Nice lady.
I think Greg is forgetting about the tan Members Only Jacket he wore in High School.
If I recall, there was a guy in San Francisco who got the name of a local taqueria tattooed on his arm in exchange for a lifetime of free burritos.
Sniff. Touching. Gets me everytime.
At age 14 all bets were off.