How FMCG companies use Promotional Temporary Tattoos to boost sales

It all began at the turn of the century, when some enterprising sorts in the FMCG sector whom history cannot name, began inserting promotional temporary tattoos as prizes inside Bubble Gum packs.

In 1912, there was a BIG BANG moment in the world of in-pack promotional temporary tattoos in FMCG when Cracker Jacks® promoted itself with a Temporary Tattoo, advertised as “A Prize In Every Box”. Tattoos were made of food colouring and included image of pirates, clowns and whales.

(Fun Fact: Cracker Jacks® still includes such giveaways for promotion!)

Cracker Jack pack promotional temporary tattoo in pack giveaway :- Source

Since then, there has been no looking back for FMCGs when it comes to using temporary tattoos for promotion. Let’s take a look at some more recent examples.

1. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes MLB Temporary Tattoos:

In the mid-90s, if you bought a packet of Frosted Flakes, you would have gotten 4 sheets of 30 MLB temporary tattoos. Check out the temporary tattoo designs. What a treat for kids and baseball fans!

Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Pack with MLB team temporary tattoos - Source

MLB temporary tattoos in Kellogg’s Frozen Flakes pack- Source

2. Paddle Pop Ice-cream Temporary Tattoo Lucky Draw:

A few years back, Unilever ran a competition in Singapore for product promotion of their Paddle Pop Ice-cream. Promotional temporary tattoos packed in a custom envelope were given to customers who bought 2 paddle-pop ice-creams or more. 50 lucky envelopes had a free entry ticket to Kidzania theme park in Sentosa.

Paddle Pop Ice Cream Envelopes with Paddle Pop promotional temporary tattoos.

3. Britannia Tiger Kreemz Bahubali Tattoo:

Following the mega success of the Indian movie Bahubali and the crazed fan following in India, Britannia introduced Bahubali temporary tattoo in its popular Tiger Kreemz biscuits. They even roped in Prabhas, the actor who played Bahubali in the movies for the promotions.

Britannia Tiger Kreemz Bahubali Tattoo - Source

Check out the Tiger Kreemz biscuit Bahubali tattoo TV commercial in this video:

4. Alpenliebe Gold Candy 3D tattoos:

Perfetti Van Melle India, the manufacturers of Alpenliebe introduced a novel 3D tattoo concept to promote their candies. These temporary tattoos look like regular temporary tattoos, but when scanned through blippAR app, the tattoos come to life and have amazing 3D effects.

Alpenliebe Candies with 3D tattoos - Source

Alpenliebe Candies with 3D tattoos that come live on blippAR App

5. Dabur Hajmola Mahacandy 3D tattoos:

Hajmola is a popular digestive candy in India. To promote its ‘’Chulbuli Imli’’ and ‘’Albela Aam” flavors, the brand used 3D promotional temporary tattoos.

When scanned with an app, the 3D tattoos had a lot of special effects to engage children.

Hajmola Maha Candy Jar with Free 3D tattoo - Source

3D tattoo of Panda with Hajmola Maha Candy - Source

6. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Frozen 2 Temporary Tattoos:

To promote the release of Frozen 2 movie in collaboration with Disney, Kellogg’s has recently introduced Frozen 2 inspired cereal, waffles, snacks and in-pack giveaways and movie snack cash offers.  Fans can enjoy Olaf marshmallows, multi-coloured leaves, sweet O’s, and can find Anna, Elsa and Olaf featured in Eggo® Waffles, Cheez-It® Crackers and Keebler® Graham Snacks.

Specially marked Kellogg’s cereal will include one free promotional temporary tattoo of a favourite "Frozen" character. Fans can go and collect all 4 temporary tattoos of the main characters of the movie!

Disney’s Frozen 2 inspired Kellogg’s Frosted Flake Cereal Box with in-pack Temporary tattoos of the characters from the movie.- Source

What is your favorite temporary tattoo promotional activity from the ones mentioned above? Let us know in the comments section below!

Are you interested in using in-pack promotional temporary tattoo giveaways for your FMCG brand? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Custom Temporary Tattoos - Size Guide

Are you planning an event and want to order temporary tattoos for the first time? You are not sure what size of temporary tattoos you should go for? Fret not, Gumtoo is here to help. Here’s a guide to the most appropriate size for your temporary tattoo requirements.

When it comes to the size of a temporary tattoo, there are 2 decision points:

  • Who is going to apply the tattoo : Adults or Kids

  • Which part of the body do you want the tattoo to be applied/Where do you think your guests are most likely to apply the tattoo?

See the decision tree map below to pick the most appropriate temporary tattoo size for your guests/clients.

Temporary tattoos siize guide

Most popular sizes for adults (in inches):

  • 2”X2”

  • 1.5”X3”

  • 2.5”X2”

  • 1.5”X2”

Most popular sizes for kids (in inches):

  • 2”X2”

  • 1.5”X1.5”

  • 1.5”X2”

Kids have smaller surface area for tattoos. So typically the tattoos sizes will be small in comparison to adults. Having said that, the size is very much dependent on your design. Try and keep your design close to these sizes.

Most popular areas to apply temporary tattoos:

Temporary Tattoos are mostly applied to visible parts of the body:

• Face
• Forearms
• Biceps
• Neck (nape or the side of the neck) and
• Shoulders
For large events, order temporary tattoos which will fit most of your guests/clients.

We hope that this blog post has cleared your doubts on the correct temporary tattoo sizes to order.

Need help choosing the right tattoo size? Contact our team for expert recommendations!

Other blogs you may find interesting

  1. How to Design Temporary Tattoo?

  2. Are Temporary Tattoo Safe for Children

Are Temporary Tattoos Safe for Children?

At Gumtoo, we are seriously committed to add cheer to the world around us, through our temporary tattoos. We are open to both queries and suggestions. Today, we received an email from a concerned parent on the safety of temporary tattoos.

Hello,

My son, Ethan (4.5 years old) and I attended a birthday party last week. The hosts had set up a temporary tattoo booth with Dinosaur theme. My son is crazy about dinosaurs and wanted to apply multiple dinosaur tattoos on his arms and face. I am paranoid about my child’s safety and had misgivings about a product which I did not know about. My son absolutely insisted on having the tattoos. Fearing a full-blown tantrum in public, I gave in and allowed him to sport 1 dino tattoo on each arm. Now I am anxious about the potential side-effects. There’s no getting away from temporary tattoos- they are everywhere, and honestly-loads of fun. But I want to be sure of the products that I use on my child. I noticed that the temp tattoos were from Gumtoo and thought of writing to you. Are temporary tattoos safe for children? Are there any side-effects that I should know before-hand?

Regards,

Shannon Tan

Our response:

Dear Shannon,

Thanks for writing in. We appreciate your concern about the safety of the products that you use for Ethan. And no, we don’t think you are paranoid at all. Just a loving and concerned mom. We at Gumtoo take pride in our products and are serious about the safety of our clients. We are parents too, and would NEVER develop or sell products that remotely compromise the safety of children. Some of our customers have similar queries about temporary tattoo safety: Are temporary tattoos safe for toddlers? Are temporary tattoos safe during pregnancy? So here are all the safety details on temporary tattoos that you always wanted to know. We hope this will clear up all your doubts. In case, you still have further questions on temporary tattoos, please drop in an email at sales@gumtoo.com. We will be happy to help.

Warm Regards,

Team Gumtoo

Let us look at the types of temporary tattoos available in the market and how safe they are.

1. Henna Temporary Tattoos

A natural plant-based substance, when applied to the skin, produces a reddish-brown tint upon staining. - Source

Organic henna is a natural plant-based substance, which when applied on skin, stains it with a reddish-brown tint. In many cultures across the world, it is a common practice to apply henna on the hands during festivities. Organic henna lasts up to a few days to a couple of weeks, fading naturally over time.

Allergic reactions to natural henna are very rare and it is considered safe to apply on skin, even on children. Henna tattoos do not resemble real tattoos, and take some time and skill for application and drying. This may test the patience of young children. Also, the designs for henna tattoos are nature motifs and the color is monotone; rendering the tattoos somewhat unappealing to children.

You may have come across henna-based tattoos on beaches or at theme parks. In place of traditional natural henna, many vendors use ‘black-henna’ or ‘pre-mixed henna’. The US FDA warns consumers to strictly avoid any temporary tattoos labeled as ‘black henna’ or ‘pre-mixed henna’. These have been known to contain potentially harmful adulterants including p-phenylenediamine (PPD), silver nitrate, carmine, pyrogallol, disperse orange dye and chromium. Such ingredients have been linked to a range of health problems including allergic reactions and chronic inflammatory reactions. 

Bottom-line: In the unlikely case that your kid asks for a henna tattoo, strictly ensure only natural henna-based ones. If you are not sure of the kind of henna used by the tattoo vendor, walk away immediately. Gumtoo does not manufacture or sell henna-based temporary tattoos.

2. Airbrush Temporary Tattoos

Airbrush temporary tattoos are made by spraying cosmetic ink through a design stencil.
Image via Youtube

Tattoo artists use a design stencil and spray cosmetic ink on it to create an airbrush temporary tattoo. Application may be a bit cumbersome on children who may not sit still, causing the stencil to move. Airbrush temporary tattoos can be easily removed by rubbing baby oil. This type of temporary tattoo is getting popular; however, it is important to check if the cosmetic inks used are approved by the concerned authority in your country. Airbrush paints that are used for art or clothing should never be used for tattooing. They can be potentially toxic and allergenic. Ask the tattoo artist what kind of ink is used and whether it meets the approval of authorities in your country.

Bottom-line:- If you choose an Airbrush Temporary Tattoo for your child, ensure that the cosmetic ink used is non-toxic and approved by authorities (FDA in the US). If you are unsure of the kind of ink used, it is better to skip this tattoo.Gumtoo does not manufacture or sell airbrush temporary tattoos.

3. Temporary Tattoos using Applicators

This tattoo uses microinjection machines to inject henna-based ink into the skin's surface layers.

This tattoo is applied with the help microinjection machines that inject ink, usually henna-based, into the surface layers of the skin using a tiny needle. These temporary surface injections fade in a few weeks. The tattoo application process does not hurt, but it punctures the skin. This could lead to spread of infectious diseases including HIV and hepatitis (as per a warning issued by UK’s Health and Service Executive).

Bottom-line: Steer clear of Temporary Tattoos using Applicators. Run far, really far if you spot one. Gumtoo does not manufacture or sell temporary tattoos using applicators.

4. Decal Temporary Tattoos

Decal temporary tattoos

The tattoos that you see at birthday parties and other children’s events are most likely to be Decal Temporary Tattoos.

  • Commonly seen at events, these tattoos involve colorful or black-and-white images on water-permeable paper.

  • Safest option, as health authorities often mandate the use of non-toxic pigments approved for cosmetic use.

  • Gumtoo specializes in Decal Temporary Tattoos, utilizing FDA-compliant inks that undergo stringent safety tests.

  • Avoid digitally-printed low-cost temporary tattoos, as computer inks may not be safe to be worn on the skin.

At Gumtoo, we manufacture and sell only decal temporary tattoos. We use FDA compliant inks that are skin safe. Our temporary tattoos are non-toxic, hypoallergenic and go through stringent third-party lab tests to ensure that they are completely safe for both children and adults. Gumtoo temporary tattoos have passed EN71 (European Standard EN71 specifies safety requirements for toys. Compliance is required for all toys sold in the EU) as well as toxicology tests.

However, if you or your child have very sensitive skin, we recommend not to apply temporary tattoos.

Bottom-line: Decal Temporary Tattoos that use approved pigments are the safest temp tattoo option out there for kids and adults alike.

We are glad to see that you are breathing a sigh of relief!

Enjoy our safe, fun, and creative temporary tattoos for your child (and yourself)!

Other blogs you may find interesting

  1. How to Design Temporary Tattoo

  2. Custom Temporary Tattoo-Size Guide

How to Design Temporary Tattoos?

This is a copy of article published by Adobe. Gumtoo’s founder, Pranjal, was interviewed for this article. You can find the article here.

From Cracker Jack prizes to fashion accessories, temporary tattoos have a varied history. Non-permanent ink has now made its debut on the red carpet at the Met Gala and on the runway of New York Fashion Week. This renaissance has brought temporary tattoos into the adult world. Even Beyonce has been seen sporting a metallic-inked armband now and again. There is magic in something temporary, quirky, and just plain fun.

Metallic temporary tattoos can be used as a fashion statement in lieu of jewelry and other accessories.

Designed by Ori Chalbaud for Gumtoo

Metallic temporary tattoos can be used as a fashion statement in lieu of jewelry and other accessories. Designed by Ori Chalbaud for Gumtoo. Businesses are using temporary tattoos as a means of engaging their customers in new, innovative ways. There are even brick-and-mortar temporary tattoo shops. 

Gumtoo, a Singapore-based company, has made temporary tattoos its entire world. Pranjal Taneja, founder of Gumtoo, has noticed an increase in retail and e-commerce stores selling temporary tattoos, an explosion of designs, and many new ideas emerge in the last several years. “We have seen innovative products coming to market — from metallic temporary tattoos used as a beautiful beach accessory, to perfumed tattoos that emit fragrance when applied, to glow-in-the-dark tattoos that literally light-up your night parties,” Pranjal says.

Other organizations, like the Irish Foundation, are using temporary tattoos as a means of brand and social activation, running campaigns around temporary tattoos in order to raise funds.

For each donation made to The Irish Heart Foundation’s “Show Some Heart” campaign, donors received a temporary tattoo.

The best part of temporary tattoo design may just be that anyone, no matter your design expertise, can dive in and create beautiful projects. Here’s how to get started.

1. Digitizing your tattoo designs

You can use any number of materials and techniques to create the original tattoo design. Some designers like to sketch out ideas with paper, pencil, and pen. Others prefer to hop into an application like Adobe Illustrator and draw or paint a project digitally. No matter how you choose to start your design, in order to get your tattoos printed, the final product must be digital. If you favor creating your artwork on paper first, we recommend using a combination of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to achieve the best digital results.

  • Scan your artwork and bring it into Photoshop, or use Adobe Capture to auto-scan and bring directly into a Creative Cloud library.

  • Use either “Brightness/Contrast” or Levels adjustments to increase the contrast of the image and make your lines really pop.

  • Move your design into Illustrator. Use Image Trace to trace the object and create a clean tracing.

2. Add or adjust color 

After you have a clean tracing, you can add or adjust your color directly in Illustrator. When designing temporary tattoos especially, considering color and how it will look against skin tones is important to make a design “pop.” “Even if you want to use a color as the base that matches a specific tone, put a thick outline around the design,” says Pranjal. “When using metallic colors, try to use at least two contrasting colors — like metallic gold and black — for maximum impact.”

In this example, you can see how the outline will make the yellow pop on lighter skin tones.

Designed by Agata Krolak for Gumtoo.

As you look for color inspiration, two tools will prove particularly useful. The first is the Color Guide panel, which can be opened from the window drop-down menu. The Color Guide panel allows you to pick one color and see several color story options based on your choice. It will display several options of complementary colors, analogous colors, or even just different ways to look at how other color choices would go with the color you’ve selected. The second tool is the Recolor Artwork tool found in the Properties panel. This tool is a great way to experiment with many different color options and compare your results. Simply select your tattoo artwork and click “Recolor.” You can try new color combinations (even ones you discovered through the Color Guide Panel) and even make the whole design darker or lighter. Just be sure to save the original artwork and any versions you might want to revisit as you go.

3. Line Weight

Another important consideration when designing tattoos is line weight. “Designers can create intricate designs,” says Pranjal. “But make sure to use denser lines and strokes as colors will be more visible.” Some designers utilize Illustrator as a way to create graphics and adjust line weights, but even if you’ve created your design by hand, there are tools in Illustrator that can be helpful. The first is a tool called “Select Same.” It can be found in Illustrator under the Select menu by selecting the “Same” command. You can choose the same fill color, stroke color, and stroke weight, and it selects all the line work that matches your selection. This can make it much more simple when you’re trying to adjust similar features uniformly.

Inspiration for temporary tattoos can come from many sources, like these designs that reflect the culture and nature of Poland.

Designed by Anna Szostek.

The other tool that can be useful is the Width tool. When you trace artwork in Illustrator, each line is going to be considered a shape. This tool actually allows you to select a path — a line — and stretch it so that it has a curve. By doing this, you can make it so that each of the lines become exaggerated. The Width tool is commonly used for caricatures and cartoons to give the art that signature “cartoony” feel.

Let the consumer guide your designs

When designing your own temporary tattoos, there are so many different ways to begin. No matter what subject you decide on, whom you are designing for is key — and will determine a lot of design details. For example, if you are designing a temporary tattoo for kids to enjoy, designs would need to fit a young audience. Pranjal says this is typically a 2-inch-by-2-inch design. Nani Brunini, an illustrator who has done her fair share of tattoo designs, lets the person she is designing for inspire her concepts. “I love how playful and cheeky temporary tattoos can be for adults,” she says. “And for kids, I like anything that will let their imagination soar.”

As you design your own tattoos, keep your consumer in mind. Be as fun and as free as they are.

Design by Nani Brunini.

This flexible fun is exactly what makes temporary tattoos a great project for any designer. Anna Szostek, a Polish illustrator, offers this last, very important piece of advice:

““Just do what you do best, and don’t try to imitate anybody’s work. It’s good to think about trends and fashion, but don’t let them stop your imagination.””

Explore more tips and tricks on temporary tattoo design. Read our full guide now!

How Can You Win New Customers By Giving Playing Cards as a Promo Product

There’s a positive relationship between gifts and people. Whether business or personal affairs, offering something as a gift holds a great place in the recipient’s heart. That’s what businesses must focus on when offering promo products because, at the end of the day, you want your customers to remember your brand, isn’t it? What’s the best way to make them remember you? Be visible, every single time! 


For example, NFT playing cards can be introduced as a series or with unique themes, this gives an edge, making collectors grow fond of them. By adding more features through gamification, you can make NFT enthusiasts go beyond just collecting these. They'll want to see what benefits and offers these cards have in store for them. You can check out Nokko playing cards before you continue reading.

Nokko NFT custom made playing cards

Nokko playing cards:  Nokko sells NFT. Nokko created this merchandise to give them away to the NFT owners 

You see? this is why marketers and businesses walk the extra mile to decide what type of gift will create a long-lasting impression in the minds of the receivers. So let’s see how you can use playing cards as a promo product to attract new customers. 

1. Helps in Brand Awareness

Imagine your customer enjoying a game night. They pull out a deck of cards to play with their friends. They are not going to find regular cards, rather it’ll be your brand logo on the back of every card. You could even feature product images, and mascots, and even custom-design them to reflect your brand. 

Every time they shuffle, deal, and play, your brand will get engraved in their minds regardless of their willingness. It’ll be your subtle call to enhance brand awareness. It’s a constant exposure, even though it’s a casual activity. A casual activity like playing cards can create a solid impression compared to a fleeting advertisement. 

As your customers get involved with these cards, it’ll slowly become a talking point – “Whoa! What a cool deck, lemme see the brand?” would potentially pique everyone else’s interest, leading to brand discovery. 

For example, the brand Tommy Hilfiger could create a deck featuring their iconic brand colors, red, white, and blue. They can have their logo alongside classic playing card designs. The power of customized playing cards is extraordinary. It takes just gameplay to become a billboard sign, but it all begins with how well you customize and promote it. 

Similarly, crypto companies can promote their market by creating limited edition crypto-themed playing cards. They can make unique designs with crypto symbols, logos, and industry details. By making these cards limited, they can create exclusivity within the community of crypto traders. It'll also be cool to add QR codes, which provide them with promotional or educational content. This will not only create awareness but will also keep them in the loop. 

2. It Has a Lifetime Value

Similarly, when compared to other promotional items, card decks have a lifetime value. And it’s not surprising because people have been playing cards for generations. That is exactly why it’s a thoughtful gift that a brand could consider, it’s acceptable regardless of social background and age. 

“Giveaway promotional playing cards as it has one of the best lifetime value”

Every decade has its own set of interests when it comes to cards, Poker, Kem’s, Solitaire, and so on. But your takeaway is they’ll be playing cards, while the focus is your brand logo. When they use it often, it becomes a regular thing just like your brand will become a household name. 

They’ll also use it for years. Some consider card decks as a hand-down item, which they pass on to the next generation just because it’s an emotional attachment. Can you actually see the depth of considering playing cards as a promo product? 

One such example is Singapore Airlines using playing cards as a marketing tool. They kept it exciting by introducing new designs every time, so it kept the passengers interested to check out what was next. This also has a lifetime value because people like to keep souvenirs related to places they travel. So it’s not only a great addition to their collection but also a product that has long-term value.

Custom made promotional cards for Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines using playing cards as a marketing tool - Source 

3. It Can Say a Lot in the Simplest Way – 52 cards 

But the best part is saying a lot most simply and attractively. It’s true that people don’t like to spend time reading, they’d love to get the message in the shortest time possible. As a brand, this could be your best call to make. You can have 52 cards surface and a box to showcase your branding message. 

And what’s exciting is that it’ll not drive your customers away like a promotional video that doesn’t interest them. They are likely going to use the card deck to play, which gives you the chance to explain your brand to them.

For example, you can see how Nonya culture is explained via 52 cards. If you’re operating security-related industry, you can talk about security measures through card decks as Pilot Chemical Company did.

Nyonya culture explained through 52 playing cards

Nyonya culture explained through 52 playing cards. - Source

ilot Chemical Company demonstrated security measures through promotional playing card decks

Pilot Chemical Company demonstrated security measures through card decks. - Source

4. It is Environment-friendly 

When compared to plastic-heavy giveaways, eco-friendly ones top the game because a higher percentage of customers are environmentally conscious. When you use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified papers, customers tend to feel good about your promotional products. It gives them the idea that you care about the very thing that they also care about – the environment.

When customers receive eco-friendly promotional products they tend to hold on to them longer than any other products. In fact, as per the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI)'s 2020 Global Ad Impressions study, it’s found that 46% of ad viewers prefer environmentally friendly promotional products. 

By focusing on the green marketing strategy for your promotional products, you not only tell your customers that you care for the environment but also showcase your commitment to responsible practices. 

Conclusion 

It’s clear that when brands give playing cards as promo products, it not only creates brand awareness but also offers a lifetime value. It also gives brands the chance to speak volumes most simply. On top of all, it’s a great way to onboard new customers with environmentally conscious mindsets. 

If you’re interested in investing in promotional products that actually pay off, feel free to get in touch with us. With years of experience in handling promotional products from designing to manufacturing, we can help you get started. 


Ready to shuffle towards environment-friendly promo cards? Let's chat now!

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