Bitcoin guerrilla marketing on paper money

[Arto]

Many thanks to Gatorhex for the following ingenious guerrilla marketing idea:

Assuming there is no law against defacing your money (there probably is for fly posting) just write "bitcoin.org" on all the debt notes that pass through your hands then everyone who uses the money will see it.

For my part, I have just gone ahead and implemented this for all the euro notes currently in my wallet. Here's a sample:



I experimented a bit with different writing instruments, and in the end would recommend using a pencil. It works and looks better (at least on euro notes) than a ballpoint pen, doesn't permeate to the other side of the note as a felt tip pen would, and is quickly & easily erasable in case the payee gives you any grief regarding your illicit graffiti

A good reason to always carry a pencil with you!

Note: in case you would like to do this for the paper money in your own wallet, you should be aware of the high likelihood that the powers that be would consider it an offense against their claimed monopoly on legal tender issuance and regulation in your particular geographic neighborhood. Proceed at your own discretion and risk.

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[Arto]

I've also submitted this to /r/Bitcoin at:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/11glvr/guerrilla_marketing_for_bitcoin_on_a_20_note/

[HostFat]

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=64727.0

[Arto]

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=64727.0

Thanks, had not seen that! Glad that others have already had the same idea.

[FreeMoney]

is quickly & easily erasable in case the payee gives you any grief regarding your illicit graffiti

Seem like a good time for http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH_StQ6KdW0

[Arto]

is quickly & easily erasable in case the payee gives you any grief regarding your illicit graffiti

Seem like a good time for http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH_StQ6KdW0

"This video contains content from UMG, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds. Sorry about that."

But the title It Wasn't Me by Shaggy feat RikRok gives a hint as to what you meant

[VogueBlackheart]

Yesss.

For efficiency and quality control, perhaps a custom ink stamp is in order.

Maybe include a cheeky message as well:
[WARNING! Obsolete Currency. Replace with Bitcoin.]

Here's an example of a stamp I had made for use around the office:
http://i47.tinypic.com/2nq6tzq.jpg

[knight22]

I just LOVE this idea!

[knight22]

Here my first Canadian dollars ready to be unleashed!

[Portnoy]

Here my first Canadian dollars ready to be unleashed!

Oh great... 

Now everyone will think Sir Wilfrid Laurier invented Bitcoin and the Liberal Party of Canada is the central authority!   

[Arto]

Here my first Canadian dollars ready to be unleashed!

Excellent! Glad to see this notion has wings.

In the meantime, I've so far spent some half a dozen individual euro notes decorated thus, without any trouble. Over here in Germany, it's only the €100 and larger bills that receive close scrutiny wherein the illicit scribbling could be a problem, so it would seem safe enough to process any and all smaller notes as a matter of course. I now carry a pencil with me for that purpose.

[Arto]

For efficiency and quality control, perhaps a custom ink stamp is in order.

Maybe include a cheeky message as well:
[WARNING! Obsolete Currency. Replace with Bitcoin.]

That's a good idea, and I like the notion of a cheeky public service message instead of merely "bitcoin.org" by itself. Perhaps a quote like this:

Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value -- zero.

The use of a rubberstamp was also suggested by Mike Gogulski in the original thread:

The Conspiracy wants you, children. Oh, it wants you bad.

After I first saw "They Live" in late 1990, I had a rubber stamp made reading "THIS IS YOUR GOD" in big block letters of a size suitable for US banknotes. I'd stamp every one of the things that came through my hands for a year or two after that.

Nowadays I walk into a Tesco in Slovakia and buy something upstairs with a €10 note, getting a fiver back plus some coins. Unbeknownst to me, the five-euro note has a small tear on one corner. Take that note downstairs in the same Tesco, right afterwards, and try to pay for something and they'll refuse to take it. Sorry, you'll have to go to the bank ---and show ID--- to get the bloody thing replaced. Useless fucks.

So, my thought for this little bit of guerrilla marketing: Get a *small* rubberstamp made reading "bitcoin.org". Get some blue ink and dilute it down to something approaching the background of the €5 note. Stamp in an area where the mark won't be obtrusive, and not near the major security features. Make piles of them. Plenty will pass with no scrutiny at merchants, and at the end of the day you can always get a banked friend to take the pile you got tired of to his/her bank and ask for replacements, complaining that they've been collecting in the shop till.

[dunand]

Here my first Canadian dollars ready to be unleashed!

This clean place in the corner exist on all Canadian denominations and is perfect to write something.

[Arto]

Now everyone will think Sir Wilfrid Laurier invented Bitcoin and the Liberal Party of Canada is the central authority!  

I rather doubt the room for genuine confusion here.

Mind you, strategically speaking the next step here would be to have enough of these enhanced notes in circulation that some major news publication or another picks up on it. This is certainly a case where any publicity is good publicity, and will only serve to spread wider still both the notion of paper-money defacement as well as the word about Bitcoin.

Hmm, one wonders whether the sundry Occupy folks would be interested in (or might even perhaps already be practicing?) paper-money defacement as a viral, low-intensity form of civil disobedience and protest?

[Arto]

This clean place in the corner exist on all Canadian denominations and is perfect to write something.

Personally, I write only on the backside of the note. I'm not scribbling these for cashiers to notice, but rather consumers receiving change to scratch their head about. A second-order message, if you will.

[knight22]

From now on, every bill I will touch will be marked with bitcoin!

[Portnoy]

Now everyone will think Sir Wilfrid Laurier invented Bitcoin and the Liberal Party of Canada is the central authority!  

I rather doubt the room for genuine confusion here.

Ya think?   

Btw, this is not a new idea. The Discordians have been fnording dollars since the 60s, and no doubt they were
not the first to print slogans ( and/or counter-magick formulas ) on currency.

Hail Eris! 

[Littleshop]

I have been selling an item that could be miss-used for this purpose.  There is a DRM system contained within* that attempts to prevent the stamper from being used on money but if the stamp is used at an off angle the system does not always recognize that it is stamping on money and allows the ink deposit. 

http://cryptoanarchy.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=88

* not really

[hamdi]

well,
all nice and good,

but linking people to bitcoin.org drives them away in the same moment.


you expect they download the standard-client and fetch the whole blockchain?

the way it is presented on the bitcoin.org page it looks like an experimental opensource project with only a few users and a all in all very nerdy image.

people expect to see the next paypal.

an important rule - if you want to steal someones market share you don't have to be as good as him. you have to be wayyyyy better.


this incents me to start a totally different discussion - how should we represent bitcoin on www.bitcoin.org in a way, that normal users get hooked to the idea instantly, without all the crypto mumbojumbo and version number that indicate something that doesn't work??

[Arto]

I have been selling an item that could be miss-used for this purpose.  There is a DRM system contained within* that attempts to prevent the stamper from being used on money but if the stamp is used at an off angle the system does not always recognize that it is stamping on money and allows the ink deposit. 

http://cryptoanarchy.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=88

Looks pretty much like what the doctor ordered, but I'd probably want a different message imprinted. Any good hints as to where one might source customized rubber stamps like this?

[Arto]

but linking people to bitcoin.org drives them away in the same moment.

you expect they download the standard-client and fetch the whole blockchain?

the way it is presented on the bitcoin.org page it looks like an experimental opensource project with only a few users and a all in all very nerdy image.

people expect to see the next paypal.

In my view, Bitcoin.org is doing a decent job of highlighting popular alternative clients: http://bitcoin.org/clients.html

It may be true, however, that Bitcoin.org isn't the ideal landing page for this little crowdsourced propaganda experiment. If I do work my way up to an eventual rubber stamp solution, I'd probably lead with a cheeky tagline (see earlier) and follow with an admonition to just google "bitcoin". Let Google sort them out.

[hamdi]

yesterday i introduced a friend to bitcoin,

i showed him the blockchain.info wallet service and he instantly liked it.

blockchain.info is kind of a site which is good to show off bitcoin as whole.

[ercolinux]

I like the idea, but I agree that bitcoin.org is not the best page to land on when you're new in the bitcoin world.
Maybe landing on a youtube video like the weusecoins one, or the introductive post here on the forum is better but the url is too long to write down.
I'm thinkin in print a bunch of adesive labels with a qrcode on it, something like this (land on the youtube video) to stick on Euro around me

be free:use bitcoin

[Kupsi]

I like the idea, but I agree that bitcoin.org is not the best page to land on when you're new in the bitcoin world.
Maybe landing on a youtube video like the weusecoins one, or the introductive post here on the forum is better but the url is too long to write down.

I think weusecoins.com is a great site for people new to bitcoin.

[01BTC10]

It doesn't hold on the new Canadian polymer banknote.  

[knight22]

It doesn't hold on the new Canadian polymer banknote.  

Did you try with a permanent pencil? 

[guruvan]

Yesss.

For efficiency and quality control, perhaps a custom ink stamp is in order.

Maybe include a cheeky message as well:
[WARNING! Obsolete Currency. Replace with Bitcoin.]

I love this.

Add a "how to convert this to bitcoin" link and it'll be useful. People don't want to learn about money. They want to spend it. If they really wanted to learn about money, they wouldn't need bitcoin, because they would have forced politicians & bankers to not have such massively inflationary monetary policies.

[TheButterZone]

I like the idea, but I agree that bitcoin.org is not the best page to land on when you're new in the bitcoin world.
Maybe landing on a youtube video like the weusecoins one, or the introductive post here on the forum is better but the url is too long to write down.
I'm thinkin in print a bunch of adesive labels with a qrcode on it, something like this (land on the youtube video) to stick on Euro around me

be free:use bitcoin

Nice. There's even QR ink stamps out there.

[01BTC10]

It doesn't hold on the new Canadian polymer banknote.  

Did you try with a permanent pencil?  

Done!

I hope they are still legal tender  

[Arto]

It doesn't hold on the new Canadian polymer banknote.  

Did you try with a permanent pencil?  

Done! [...]
I hope they are still legal tender  

That's great! Please do let us know your experiences in spending these "enhanced" bills

Good thinking on linking to the .org instead of the .com, by the way. Any .com site would be a little suspect, and personally I'd be more inclined to check out a .org if I happened to be on the receiving end of one of these notes.

[BitLucky]

Why not have a qr code that links to a site that will accept that note and give bitcoins in return? (e.g. TO CONVERT THIS NOTE TO BITCOIN, SCAN HERE)

[ercolinux]

Why not have a qr code that links to a site that will accept that note and give bitcoins in return? (e.g. TO CONVERT THIS NOTE TO BITCOIN, SCAN HERE)

A bit tricky to do: how do you regulate the transaction? Pointing to an exchange will be wortless for a new user (registration and money transfer to obtain something that don't know how to use.
It can worth something maybe pointing to an informative site like weusecoins.org and put a small reward (some satoshi) on every bill redemable from it  (but again a lot of work to do: every note shall have a different code, or there will be a database of note numbers to avoid that someone use the same bill a lot of times). Not to mention that writing on note could be illegal in some countries so have a clear and direct connection from the altered note to a specific site could cause some legal problem.

[BitLucky]

Why not have a qr code that links to a site that will accept that note and give bitcoins in return? (e.g. TO CONVERT THIS NOTE TO BITCOIN, SCAN HERE)

A bit tricky to do: how do you regulate the transaction? Pointing to an exchange will be wortless for a new user (registration and money transfer to obtain something that don't know how to use.
It can worth something maybe pointing to an informative site like weusecoins.org and put a small reward (some satoshi) on every bill redemable from it  (but again a lot of work to do: every note shall have a different code, or there will be a database of note numbers to avoid that someone use the same bill a lot of times). Not to mention that writing on note could be illegal in some countries so have a clear and direct connection from the altered note to a specific site could cause some legal problem.

It doesn't matter which note it is, but any note can be converted to BTC. Perhaps by sending it to a BitInstant type service in the mail...

[01BTC10]

At this time, there is nothing mentioned in either the Canadian Bank Act or the Canadian Criminal Code (see Part XII; Offences Relating to Currency) concerning the defacement of bank notes.

While the Bank of Canada (who decides whether a bill is to be removed from circulation and replaced) does not condone writing on bills, those bills remain legal tender and can be used in commercial transactions. For more information, please feel free to contact any member of the Bank Note Communication and Compliance Team of the Bank of Canada at 1.888.513.8212.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_it_illegal_to_write_on_money

 

[mikegogulski]

I found an interesting document on this topic as regards countries currently using the euro:

http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/articles/euro/documents/elteg_en.pdf

Most countries mentioned in the report have no penalties for defacing/destroying notes or coins. However:

Belgium: Defacing a coin or note punishable by 1 week to 3 months prison and/or a fine of EUR 26 to 1000.

Ireland: Melting down a coin punishable by fine up to IEP 5000 (EUR 6343.87) and/or up to 2 years in prison.

Cyprus: Fine of up to EUR 1708 for "defeaturement" of notes or coins.

Malta: UP to EUR 1500 fine for any alteration to a banknote.

Slovakia: Up to 6 months prison for damaging the national legal tender.

The report suggests that such penalties would not normally be brought against an individual if the act was done for artistic purposes, for personal (non-exchange) uses only, and not in large quantities of notes/coins.

My suggestion is that if you're going to promote Bitcoin on circulating paper money, obtain a large quantity of the smallest denomination note commonly circulated. Mark these up and keep a small number of them with you for payments. Don't present more than one or two of them in any retail transaction. Use the smallest notes because they draw less scrutiny at retailers, and because they're the most likely to be returned to other customers as change (writing on CA$50 notes is cool, but acceptance of them at retail generally means that only the retailer and a bank clerk will see them before they get returned to the central bank for destruction and replacement). Experiment with colors. Contrast is best for getting the message spread, but if retailers are consistently refusing your bold red text on light blue notes, try a color that doesn't clash with the rest of the note's color scheme.

I think I'll order me a rubber stamp...

[01BTC10]

(writing on CA$50 notes is cool, but acceptance of them at retail generally means that only the retailer and a bank clerk will see them before they get returned to the central bank for destruction and replacement).

True, I thought about that but only had this denomination available in my wallet.

[Arto]

Euro banknotes which are mutilated or damaged to a minor degree, e.g. by having annotations, numbers or brief sentences placed on them, will in principle not be considered to be intentionally mutilated or damaged euro banknotes.

[mikegogulski]

(writing on CA$50 notes is cool, but acceptance of them at retail generally means that only the retailer and a bank clerk will see them before they get returned to the central bank for destruction and replacement).

True, I thought about that but only had this denomination available in my wallet.

That sounds like a good problem to have

[mikegogulski]

Euro banknotes which are mutilated or damaged to a minor degree, e.g. by having annotations, numbers or brief sentences placed on them, will in principle not be considered to be intentionally mutilated or damaged euro banknotes.

Good find. Shops may still reject them, though.

I just ordered 5 35mmx10mm "Bitcoin.org" stamps to give out to some local comrades. Should be a nice fit for the EUR 5 note. Happy day that I was able to do this anonymously and pay in cash next week when I pick them up!

Now I gotta find me some suitably-colored ink.

[Arto]

I just ordered 5 35mmx10mm "Bitcoin.org" stamps to give out to some local comrades. Should be a nice fit for the EUR 5 note. Happy day that I was able to do this anonymously and pay in cash next week when I pick them up!

Now I gotta find me some suitably-colored ink.

If you're able to source them, please consider offering a Bitmit listing for these stamps. I'm sure there would be some interest in them.

[BitLucky]

Euro banknotes which are mutilated or damaged to a minor degree, e.g. by having annotations, numbers or brief sentences placed on them, will in principle not be considered to be intentionally mutilated or damaged euro banknotes.

Good find. Shops may still reject them, though.

I just ordered 5 35mmx10mm "Bitcoin.org" stamps to give out to some local comrades. Should be a nice fit for the EUR 5 note. Happy day that I was able to do this anonymously and pay in cash next week when I pick them up!

Now I gotta find me some suitably-colored ink.

This is what I have: (£7 inc. postage)


Sorry for the poor quality photo!

[BitLucky]

I just ordered 5 35mmx10mm "Bitcoin.org" stamps to give out to some local comrades. Should be a nice fit for the EUR 5 note. Happy day that I was able to do this anonymously and pay in cash next week when I pick them up!

Now I gotta find me some suitably-colored ink.

If you're able to source them, please consider offering a Bitmit listing for these stamps. I'm sure there would be some interest in them.

D.I.Y. HERE and see results above ^

[knight22]

[

Very cool! Much more efficient with stamps!

[sunnankar]

I have been selling an item that could be miss-used for this purpose.  There is a DRM system contained within* that attempts to prevent the stamper from being used on money but if the stamp is used at an off angle the system does not always recognize that it is stamping on money and allows the ink deposit. 

http://cryptoanarchy.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=88

Too bad you do not have one:

LEARN HOW TO:
ScrewBanks.net
WeUseCoins.com

Simple and too the point. Too bad the What Is Bitcoin? video is not under the Screw Banks video. Don't underestimate the anger people have at the banks for all the bailouts, etc.

[mikegogulski]

This is what I have: (£7 inc. postage)

These look great! What all did you get for your 7 quid exactly?

I'll be collecting my stamps on Tuesday from a local vendor. I didn't put any kind of border on mine like on yours. I may be wrong about it but I suspect the chances of having a merchant reject a note would be higher in the case of a stamp with a border since it's more eye-catching. Will be interested to hear about your experience.

[BitLucky]

These look great! What all did you get for your 7 quid exactly?

I'll be collecting my stamps on Tuesday from a local vendor. I didn't put any kind of border on mine like on yours. I may be wrong about it but I suspect the chances of having a merchant reject a note would be higher in the case of a stamp with a border since it's more eye-catching. Will be interested to hear about your experience.

For 7 quid I got a customised self-inking stamp (see ebay link). It's good - I've stamped ~30 notes and not once have I been rejected. Normally I just show the reverse side to the vendor but it doesn't really matter either way. It takes a while for the ink to dry once stamped, and it does rub off eventually. So I would probably get a permanent, quick drying one next time. And maybe not black ink because it shows through the note slightly.

[knight22]

Here another bunch of bills ready to go into the wild!

[crazy_rabbit]

This is a brilliant idea! Although I would suggest "weusecoins" more then "bitcoin.org".

[Arto]

Here another bunch of bills ready to go into the wild!

Very nice! You Canadians are certainly rocking this thread in terms of putting words to action

[giszmo]

This is a brilliant idea! Although I would suggest "weusecoins" more then "bitcoin.org".

I would definitely suggest tu use something with the word bitcoin in it. Maybe bitcoin - better money or free money, ...

People that follow a link that they have no clue what it is about, will as well google a word and with this word being bitcoin, the message is clearer for those that know a little bit. Imagine somebody asking in a round of friends/the person who gave him the bill "what is weusecoins.org?" over somebody asking "what is bitcoin?".

[Arto]

This is a brilliant idea! Although I would suggest "weusecoins" more then "bitcoin.org".

I would definitely suggest tu use something with the word bitcoin in it. Maybe bitcoin - better money or free money, ...

People that follow a link that they have no clue what it is about, will as well google a word and with this word being bitcoin, the message is clearer for those that know a little bit. Imagine somebody asking in a round of friends/the person who gave him the bill "what is weusecoins.org?" over somebody asking "what is bitcoin?".

Exactly. As I said earlier in the thread, having curious people google "bitcoin" would probably be the best thing to do. Let Google sort them out.

[01BTC10]

Please excuse me (instead of attack me) if I’m wrong but isn’t it illegal everywhere to deface money? You are all posting pictures with the money you have defaced. If some government had a pet peeve against Bitcoin they might want to come after you to set an example. Or do you guys just think this is so unlikely that you’re going to do it anyway?

Not illegal in Canada 

[Arto]

Please excuse me (instead of attack me) if I’m wrong but isn’t it illegal everywhere to deface money? You are all posting pictures with the money you have defaced. If some government had a pet peeve against Bitcoin they might want to come after you to set an example. Or do you guys just think this is so unlikely that you’re going to do it anyway?

I can't speak for anyone else, but the jackboots are perfectly welcome to come after me for the illicit euro-note scribblings I've posted photos of. The publicity from that would only help spread the notion far and wide

However, read earlier in this thread for the fine print on what various states consider to be acceptable defacement of the paper money they issue. In short, nothing much to worry about as far as anybody posting photos so far is concerned.

[UPENtXF]

A color printer works nicely:  past discussion from the days when BTC was ~1USD... 

[kayrice]

My turn! http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1285rl/i_write_bitcoinorg_on_1_and_sometimes_5_billswhat/

[moni3z]

This is not new, I remember in the 1990s GG Allin had his fans write 'GG Allin' on every bank note they could find. There was also a track this dollar bill website where you would write on the bill the website address, then enter the serial number to see where it has been and add your own info. I think the page was shutdown as apparently it is illegal to deface currency.

Also in Canada there was the give the Queen a hitler moustache minor movement for awhile

EDIT.. guess this isn't illegal sites are still up
http://www.wheresgeorge.com/

[🏰 TradeFortress 🏰]

Saw it on reddit but this is pretty stupid really. People will think BTC is just a childish currency with anarchists or what.

[mikegogulski]

Please excuse me (instead of attack me) if I’m wrong but isn’t it illegal everywhere to deface money? You are all posting pictures with the money you have defaced. If some government had a pet peeve against Bitcoin they might want to come after you to set an example. Or do you guys just think this is so unlikely that you’re going to do it anyway?

Not illegal in Canada 

Ah, that’s why I don’t see any US dollars in this thread. I just thought the laws might be similar. They do it on dollars too with the “Where’s George” thing but that’s just for laughs. It’s not like Bitcoin where some government might want to get revenge on a person using some obscure law. Thanks!

Once upon a time in Orlando there was a head shop that sold stamps and green inked pads for putting a speech bubble above Washington's head on the $1 note that read "I grew hemp". All the ones coming out of their till as change to customers were stamped. They never had a problem.

[mikegogulski]

My stamps came in last week:




So far I've put at least 15 into circulation, zero hassle from merchants.

[istar]

This is a great way to get people to think Bitcoin is a joke by some teenagers...

[mikegogulski]

This is a great way to get people to think Bitcoin is a joke by some teenagers...

This forum needs a "rolls eyes" emoticon.

[knight22]

This is a great way to get people to think Bitcoin is a joke by some teenagers...

Maybe for stupid people but this is also a great way to attract more curious ones.

[RepairmanJack]

This cost all of $6 on ebay (free shipping even) :

https://i.imgur.com/Dc9nQ.jpg

[knight22]

This cost all of $6 on ebay (free shipping even) :

LOL way cool!

[Roger_Murdock]

While giving these to people helps spread the word, some may object to defaced money.

I just checked my wallet. Someone has already defaced my money! "Federal Reserve Note"? And it looks like somebody else added some kind of religious message? WTF?

[Lethn]

You guys really need to think things through more before you act lol!

[psybits]

I wish I'd seen one of these a year ago and got into bitcoin sooner ! So the lesson is keep doing it 

[SouthernComfort]

Great idea will definitely be doing this with American USD

[knight22]

Don't give up! I'm still doing it 

[Arto]

Nice one from Reddit just now, "It's time for Plan B":

I hope somebody recognizes the business opportunity for mass-producing rubber stamps like this and selling them for BTC... I for one would like to buy some!

[TheButterZone]

Damnit, someone ruined itstimeforplanb.com

[mhill12]

Bitcoin marketing a la "Where's George?" I love it.

I endorse this product and/or service.

[CasinoBit]

That's so simple yet so cool it's ingenious, wonder why no one has though about this before.