Tiny Tattoos, Beefy Business

Source: The Hustle
Photo: Courtesy of Tiny Zaps

This tattoo startup is paying artists royalties and attracting brands

For the uninitiated, getting a tattoo may feel daunting.

The days when your options were a mom-heart-anchor from a burly biker or full-sleeve yakuza dragons are long gone, but you may not know where to go to get one of those sleek, tiny tattoos that your younger co-worker effortlessly rocks.

Enter: Tiny Zaps, a burgeoning startup that makes getting small tattoos easy and accessible, while also paying tattoo artists royalties, per Inc.

Now the company is attracting the attention of major brands looking to get in on the tiny tattoo trend.

How it started

Inspired by the growing trend of small, simple tattoos, Tiny Zaps co-founder Sam Kelly, who previously worked in tech, wanted to create a tattooing experience that was quick, easy, and painless — well, maybe not totally painless.

Kelly partnered with tattoo artist Bruno Levy, who had the innovative suggestion to pay artists royalties when their flash tattoo designs were used.

To reduce overhead, the pair launched a series of pop-up events before opening a permanent location in Manhattan and later Brooklyn (which includes a party room for group sessions!).

Tattoos range from 0.25 to 2.5 inches in diameter, depending on the design, and take 10-30 minutes.

Prices range from $50 for “freckle-size” micro tattoos to $75-$250 for tiny tattoos.

Five tattoos earn a free $75 tattoo (like a coffee shop loyalty card).

How it’s going

Tiny Zaps now partners with major brands — from Adidas and Red Bull to Kimpton Hotels and Urban Outfitters — to offer custom tattoos at pop-up events.

Brands work with Tiny Zaps to create a custom collection of bespoke tattoo designs.

Clients pay an activation fee, and guests receive tiny tattoos for free (nothing like a free offer, right?).

While getting inked at a brand pop-up may seem unusual, corporate logo tattoos have become increasingly popular, with Disney leading the inky pack, followed by Nintendo and Harley-Davidson. Some people are even getting crypto tattoos.

Most of Tiny Zaps’ event designs, however, don’t include company logos, just related imagery.

Now Tiny Zaps is challenging a South Carolina ban on face and neck tattoos, arguing the ban is unconstitutional.

Tiny tattoos not edgy enough for you? Perhaps you’d prefer an AI-driven tattoo robot from the startup Blackdot, which previously offered blockchain-stored tattoos that enable artists to receive royalties.

Let’s see the burly biker try that.