Golden Palace Casino employed human billboards for promotional campaigns between 2001 and 2005. The company compensated athletes and civilians to display brand logos on their bodies and legally change their names.
Early Campaigns and Compensation
In 2001, the casino partnered with boxer Bernard Hopkins for a physical advertising placement. The company paid $100,000 for a temporary back tattoo featuring the Golden Palace logo. Hopkins additionally negotiated a $100,000 wager on his upcoming bout at 4-to-1 odds, which he successfully won.
Five years later, Golden Palace allocated $10,000 to American resident Carey Smith for a permanent branding arrangement. Smith legally updated her surname to GoldenPalace.com and received a forehead tattoo displaying the casino website address. The company later covered the costs for tattoo removal after regulatory changes affected the brand status.
These historical marketing examples demonstrate early offline promotional strategies. The campaigns provide reference points for physical advertising methods in regulated environments. Information sourced from AffMoment iGaming.