WHERE SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEETS LGBTQ+ EQUALITY

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Company: Visa International
    View Company Scorecard / Contact Company
Brand: Visa
Ad Title: Tattoo
Business Category: Financial Services
Media Outlets: Television
Country: United States
Region: North America
Agency: BBDO Worldwide
Year: 2000
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Tom Kulaga
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Theme(s)

LGBTQ+ Inclusion

Theme Breakdown

AdRespect Score: 
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To a 1950s-sounding tune crooning "Ohhh Donna," a young man is sitting in the chair at a tattoo parlor.

His girlfriend kisses him and then asks, "Are you sure about this?" He says, "I want everyone to know who I love." He then asks the gruff tattoo artist -- who is already at work on his arm -- "How much is this again?"

The answer is $50 and the man digs into his pocket to see how much he's got, pulling out a few crumpled bills. He then says, "All I've got is $41" and laughs. The tattooist looks up, unamused, and then we see his girlfriend angrily leaving the parlor as the guy runs after her whining, "Come on, I'll get it fixed, Donna."

We see that his arm has two hearts and -- not quite complete -- says, "I love Don."

The faux-50s song is now crooning, "Oh, Don..." The guy looks to the camera in exasperation and says, "Very funny."

Commercials often reuse familiar themes and this one is an echo of a 1996 Miller Lite commercial where a biker has the wrong name -- a man's -- tattooed onto his arm as well.

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Thomas Marcussen ,
Thanks Michael. Cool, you're the tattoo guy in this funny ad. Are you also acting in other commercials or projects? What do you mean, is the pretty girl in the commercial a former porn model? I'd love to know more about that!
Elizabeth Gebhart ,
I am sure that the first few times I saw this ad on TV, the end included a handsome man standing in the street who raises his eyebrows in a flirty way at the guy with the Don tattoo. Was this changed because the company found it too gay-themed, or perhaps because people were offended?

Michael Ramos , Fontana, CA
I was the tattoo artist in the commercial. If you have any questions about the commercial, ask me! Like did you know the original girl was a porn star?

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