Kentuckians come in many shapes and sizes, but there is one thing we have in common: our pride for the diverse state. A handful of Kentuckians have even gone as far as tattooing their love of the state on their body with the help of brand loyalty. Kick-ass campaign Kentucky for Kentucky covers Instagram and social media sites alike while promoting Kentucky products, people and places. Kentucky for Kentucky is a growing small business located in the heart of the Bluegrass.

Kentucky for Kentucky was created with one purpose in mind: rebranding the Kentucky state slogan of “Unbridled Spirit.” Most Kentuckians understand that the slogan is well known across the state, but it isn’t the most clever way to describe a state full of talented, genuine-hearted people. In May 2013, KYforKY asked their Facebook friends who would like a “Kentucky Kicks Ass,” tattoo. Not only did KYforKY pay for the tattoos, but fifteen volunteers took them up on the challenge. The footage of the tattooing is available on the KYForKY website.

KYforKY created a kickstarter campaign in 2011 to rebrand Kentucky with the slogan, “Kentucky Kicks Ass.” Since then, the campaign has taken off. It has created t-shirts and other items, as well as ink. All the people tattooed in Lexington for the KYforKY campaign were tattooed at Charmed Life. The tattoo artists who participated are Robert Alleyne, Jason Armstrong — who are co-owners of Charmed Life — Scott Updike and Wes Meek. Charmed life was established in 1999 and has been going strong for 16 years. They’ve also recently participated in the Lexington Tattoo Project.

The Lexington Tattoo Project is a collaboration of Kentucky artists of Kurt Gohde and Kremena Todorova. The artists tattooed verses from a love poem about Lexington onto  human canvases. Since its inception, the project has became a local and national phenomenon.

One of those tattooed with the Kentucky Kicks Ass logo, Hampton Fisher, was born and raised in the Bluegrass state and embodies a Kentucky-proud citizen. Fisher was excited to add the Kentucky Kicks Ass slogan to his collection of Kentucky-proud ink, saying, “I love my state,” and that he is happy to be a billboard.

Not only is KYforKY a great campaign, they are also clothing Kentuckians with their great low-key fashion. One of the more common t-shirts from KYForKY is a simply printed, “Y’all” shirt. Other items such as “Heaven must be a Kentucky kind of place,” are printed onto bourbon glasses and baby outfits, making for great gifts.

The campaign recently posted on their Instagram to remind their followers of the tattoo promise, and the responses were astounding. The future of this campaign is promising, but how could it not be when your fans are willing to brand a logo onto themselves? Kentuckians are proud of where they come from and it is obvious this brand is more than just a slogan. It is a way of life.