If you think about it, logos are works of art too – they’re clever, well designed and come in a variety of colors. But are they appealing enough to tattoo on to your body?
Well, for 23-year-old Indian tattoo artist Jason George, they are. The self-confessed ‘human billboard’, sports hundreds of tattooed logos of international companies that have impacted his life in some way.
“I know it seems insane but these tattoos are my way of giving thanks to the brands that have made an impact on my life,” said Jason, a college-dropout and founder of 21 Tattoo Studio in Mumbai. The logos inked all over his body include those of his favorite TV channel, mobile phone networks, fast food chains, and social networking sites. “All the logos that you will find on my body have a special place in my heart. They are related to my life in some way and I have memories and stories attached to these brands.”
Jason revealed that he has always loved tattoos because they helped him stand out in a crowd. “I was a very shy and polite kid. But when I grew up I had this urge to have a unique identity. I began to love tattoos because it makes you stand out in a crowd. My first tattoo was a skull. It was a childish choice but I don’t have any regrets. Now I have 197 tattoos on my back, torso and legs. And I love looking at my reflection in the mirror.” His parents were initially unhappy with his obsession, but they relented when he got their portraits inked on his ribs.
But his passion for logos began when he realized that no one was famous for having them tattooed on their body. “People ink names of their loved ones but not logos that are part of our everyday life. That’s when I decided to go for 321 logo tattoos and make a world record,” he said.
He began in May last year, managing to get 144 logos tattooed in just one month. He later upped the number to 189, raising the total number of tattoos on his body to 197. He’s spent over 3 lakh rupees ($4,500) on his passion, earning himself a place in India’s Limca Book of Records. His next goal is to get into the book of Guinness World Records by reaching 321 logo tattoos.
We’re not sure what Jason has planned once he achieves his goal, but his logo tattoos will certainly make a great party game – he just has to take his shirt off and let people guess the brands associated with the logos!
Believe it or not, Jason George is not the only person in the world to transform his body into a walking billboard. A guy called Hostgator Dotcom started selling advertising space on his body in the mid 2000s and even has company names tattooed on his face. Jason is probably the only one doing it for free, though.
