This is the global tattoo brand that’s offering something completely different in the franchising world. Celebrity Ink is making its mark in Australia’s competitive franchise market with its premium, state-of-the-art tattoo franchises delivering top-quality customer service and incredible artistry in upmarket retail locations across the country.
Celebrating its 10th year of tattooing in 2023, the brand has big plans to grow its footprint in the global tattoo industry with the help of its refined franchise model and new executive team, who all boast experience with some of Australia’s most popular franchising organisations.
For Celebrity Ink 10 years of tattooing is just the start!
Celebrity Ink has always had its sights on becoming a global powerhouse. The brand’s story began back in 2013 with a small tattoo studio in one of Thailand’s most visited destinations, Phuket.
Fast track 10 years and the brand has 25 studios, across four countries and that small Phuket tattoo studio is now a flagship staple on Bangla Road with 50 talented artists and 29 beds.
Now with studios in popular tourist destinations such as Bali, Surfers Paradise, Florence and of course Thailand, global expansion is on the horizon for Celebrity Ink, however CEO Andrew McCulloch insists that furthering the brand’s presence in Australia is the immediate focus.
“We’d love to have 100 studios here. We’re an Australian-owned and operated company so we want our presence felt here before we take over the world.”
Changing the face of an industry
Celebrity Ink has a new executive team that is helping to change the face of the tattoo industry under the leadership of Andrew and director Laddawan Cohen.
In a unique industry, the Gold Coast-based company has overcome adversity and stereotyping to change the perception around tattoo studios with its mainstream approach and professional, corporate business model.
“One of our founders spent two years convincing a landlord to let us into a shopping centre because of the whole image of tattoo parlours,” explains Celebrity Ink CEO Andrew McCulloch.
In a male-dominated industry, Laddawan has worked hard to build the Celebrity Ink brand to be the new face of tattooing and she’s confident that Celebrity Ink’s new executive team are in a position to continue revolutionising the industry she loves.
With decades of experience in some of Australia’s biggest franchise organisations, Celebrity Ink’s new executive team has hit the ground running implementing a refined franchise system that provides franchisees with unprecedented 360-degree support from operations, marketing, to technology and training.
Taking tattoos from the underground to the mainstream
Celebrity Ink’s mission to take tattoos from the underground to the mainstream starts in shopping centres. High-traffic shopping centre locations are a confidence boost for franchisees, but they’re also a key factor in Celebrity Ink’s successful growth.
“We’ve mapped the population of Australia and analysed tonnes of data. Our team looks at each shopping centre carefully. The location within the centre is really important and we generally seek out the younger demographic surrounds of fashion and food. Tattoos are for everyone but our key demographic is that 18-34 bracket,” says Andrew.
You might ask, how does a tattoo studio fit into a mainstream shopping centre though? Celebrity Ink is making that look easy. Its up-market, modern tattoo studios look and feel more like a contemporary art gallery rather than a traditional tattoo parlour. The bright, open, shop fit-outs include interactive client zones, high-impact photo walls, private VIP rooms, and comfortable creative spaces that emphasise the celebrity experience.
But it is not just transforming the customer-facing side of the tattoo industry. Celebrity Ink’s revamped tattoo training academy is nurturing the next generation of Australian tattoo artists. Currently only open to Celebrity Ink emerging tattoo artists, the academy will open its doors to the public before the end of the year to offer studio-ready training courses to help grow the tattoo artist community as a whole here in Australia.
Beyond Celebrity Ink’s 10th birthday
In Celebrity Ink’s 10th anniversary year, the brand is set to continue its impressive growth. Victoria continues to be the focus of current domestic expansion but the brand is making further headway into Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
“New South Wales will have its own marketing plan which we will establish in our strategy for 2025.” says Andrew.
In terms of global growth, the brand wants to expand its reach in the Asia-Pacific. Already the region’s largest tattoo brand, Celebrity Ink wants to replicate its Phuket success in popular tourist destinations across New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. With a solid foundation in place, the brand is well-positioned to capitalise on new opportunities and maintain its impressive growth trajectory.
The company’s impressive footprint over the past decade has positioned it as a leader in the tattoo industry, and its plans for domestic and global expansion will undoubtedly lead to even greater success. As the brand continues to evolve and adapt to changing market conditions, it will continue to push the boundaries of the tattoo industry and bring a premium tattoo experience to even more consumers globally.