Hachette Australia cancels ‘Millennium’ tattoo promotion

Hachette Australia has cancelled a tattoo promotional campaign around the new ‘Millennium’ title, The Girl in the Spider’s Web (MacLehose Press), due to complaints that the stunt was offensive.

Originally labelled as ‘tatvertising’, the cancelled promotion gave fans the opportunity to enter a draw to win a tattoo of a dragon, which would be featured in ad campaigns for the forthcoming book.

Co-managing director of Hachette Australia Justin Ractliffe told marketing publication B&T that ‘the campaign was conceived with good intentions’ and while ‘much of the coverage has been positive, some people have been offended’. ‘As this was never our intention, we have listened and we have decided we will not continue with the tattoo element of the campaign,’ said Ratcliffe.

Ractliffe added that while the tattoo search was cancelled, other elements to the campaign will continue, including a ‘hacking’ style digital campaign and limited edition hardback books with customisable dragon covers.

Category: Local news