A 22-year-old Swiss content creator named Dew has taken brand loyalty to a new level by getting a Red Bull barcode tattooed on her skin — and it actually works at self-checkout.
The solid black barcode, featuring a cartoon worm “chomping” on it, was inspired by a drawing from Dew’s sister. She had considered other ideas, like a broccoli tattoo, but chose Red Bull after thinking about “energy.”
The tattoo cost her over $600, and even her tattoo artist doubted it would scan properly. “I knew it possibly couldn’t work as my artist was very open about it,” Dew told What’s The Jam. “But he also tried his best.” The next day at work, she tested it—and it successfully scanned. “I was so excited about it.”
Though Dew already had several tattoos—an alpaca, a lemon, hearts, and a Zelda sword—this was her first with a functional purpose. She shared the checkout video on TikTok and Instagram, where it went viral with nearly 8 million and over 17 million views, respectively.
In the video, Dew scans her arm at a self-checkout, hearing the register beep as the Red Bull purchase appears on screen. “For everyone wondering if my Red Bull barcode works, yes, it does,” she captioned the clip.
Viewers had plenty of reactions: “$1.50 for a Red Bull? WHERE?” one asked. Another joked, “Need one of these for Cadbury Creme Eggs.” Some praised the creativity: “Now, this is ART. Hell yeah.” Even Red Bull Germany responded with “Inkcredible.”
Skeptics questioned what happens if the barcode changes, to which Dew replied, “Not care.”
While functional tattoos remain rare, especially ones that trick scanners, Dew is happy with the result. “It was just funny,” she said. “And it actually worked.”
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