A small sports marketing firm Hanson Dodge Creative paid professional runner Nick Symmonds $11,000 to put a temporary tattoo sporting the company’s Twitter handle on his left shoulder in January. The idea was suggested by Mike Wisniewski, the firm’s new social media services strategist. While the move predictably attracted some critical comments like ‘Olympian sells arm for $11K on eBay’, it generated considerable publicity for the company. Symmonds has been showing off the tattoo at races across America and will be sporting it at the Olympics as well.
Ken Hanson, the CEO and co-founder of the company, wasn’t very sure whether the strategy would suit the firm’s image. Being a well known sports lifestyle marketing firm with clients like Trek and Wilson Sporting goods, Hanson Dodge is a business to business brand. Although the company runs social campaigns for clients, it does not market itself in this manner. But Wisniewski managed to convince everyone that the deal would not only boost the firm’s online presence, but also give extra ammo to the sales team.
Symmonds has been outspoken about his resentment towards marketing regulations set by the sport’s governing bodies. According to him such rules cripple an athlete’s ability to earn money. The deal has proved beneficial for both the parties. Symmonds has a new avenue for making money, while Hanson Dodge is benefiting from the social media buzz and traditional media mentions generated by the deal.