Hey there, former student! Are you struggling under a tremendous amount of student-loan debt? Did you major in something that will never get you a job, like sculpture or dance or history or English or anything really because jobs are kind of scarce right now? Do you not really care about how you look, or at least care more about eating and paying rent? If the answer to all those questions is an enthusiastic and desperate "Yes," then have I got the solution for you: sell your face as ad space! You probably already own at least one article of clothing with a corporate logo on it, after all. And it's not like you're really doing anything with your forehead. That's a wasted resource, my friend.
This sounds like something out of an undergrad's sci-fi story, but U.K. students Ross Harper and Ed Moyse have made the ridiculous a reality. With a combined debt of $80,000, the two launched the aptly named website BuyMyFace.com in October, and have since earned more than $50,000. Companies or individuals can purchase space by the day — the price started at £1 but has increased steadily — and can have anything they'd like painted on the hungry young faces of the two creators. (They do say there are limits to what they'll put on there, but they also say they're "desperate," and I think we all know that broke college grads are very willing to compromise their principles for some dough. How else would the porn industry keep going?)
It's not as extreme as it sounds, mind you: Harper and Moyse don't walk around with logos and slogans on their mugs all day. They simply upload pictures of themselves with the day's order and link to the advertiser's website, hoping that increased attention to their project will lead to increased traffic. It seems to be working, though I think their execution of this idea shows a lack of commitment/over-abundance of standards. I'm waiting for the twenty-something debtor who agrees to get a logo tattooed on their face. That's got to be worth a monthly stipend, at least.
