Have to hand it to marketing
Thursday July 03 2008
JUST when you thought there was nowhere left to brand, a Dublin company has come up with the novel idea of stamping marketing messages on people's wrists.
Patrons nipping outside for a quick smoke or breath of fresh air in Dublin pubs will soon find themselves marked with more than just the logo of their chosen watering hole thanks to the arrival of 'handvertising'.
"We've got pubs and clubs signed up with us, then we'll match them with advertisers and create a combined stamp, and we'll share the revenues," says Karl McCarthy, director and co-founder of Irish Hand Stamps. McCarthy says more than 20 Dublin venues, including Dandelion and 21 have already signed on the dotted line, while talks with advertisers are ongoing.
"Drinks companies are the obvious ones, but we'd expect mobile phone companies to also be interested," he adds.
The company hopes to branch out beyond Dublin once they've cracked the city market. The actual stamps themselves will measure 3.5cm by 3.5cm, "the size of the face of a man's watch", says McCarthy, adding that his company is very mindful of "not irritating customers".
McCarthy was introduced to the phenomenon on a recent trip to Cairo, where a beer company was using the technique to great effect. The concept has also proven a hit in India, and is in its infancy in several other territories, Mr McCarthy says.
