Redefining Tattoo Care with Natural Solutions | Erin Murray of Mad Rabbit

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All right, welcome to today’s episode of Pathmonk Presents. Today we are joined by Erin Murray. She’s the Chief Brand Officer at Mad Rabbit. Erin, welcome to the show.

Erin Murray: Thank you. I’m excited to be here.

Rick: Oh, we’re excited to have you, Erin. And let’s start with the basics a little bit. Tell us a little bit about the big idea behind Mad Rabbit and, if you were explaining it to a friend over coffee, how would you describe it?

Erin Murray: Mad Rabbit is an integrated tattoo care brand for those who are tattoo-obsessed. What I found really interesting about the brand when I joined several years back was that the industry didn’t really have great care. It had been stuck in the same cycle of using petroleum-based products—products that aren’t really great for tattoo healing. The brand got its beginnings because of that. One of the co-founders got a couple of tattoos, experienced really bad healing results, and thought, “There must be other customers like me out there who are having the same sentiment.” And that’s how the brand was born.

Rick: That’s cool. I know personally—I have some ink myself—and I used to use all those products that wouldn’t let my skin breathe. It was a mess for the healing. I’m glad that over the years, more companies like Mad Rabbit are taking a more natural approach with products that are actually good for your skin and don’t mess up your newly tattooed art. That’s great.

Erin Murray: I agree. I think the customer really looks at the tattoo artist as the expert, and in many ways they are—in terms of the tattooing process. But when it comes to the healing process and skin regeneration in general, and just keeping your skin bright and vibrant so that ink can show through, there are a lot of other elements required to get a great result. Most people think, “Oh, tattoos—I should treat it like a wound.” In some ways, yes, but they’re micro wounds. One of the key things we learned is that the skin needs to breathe to heal properly—to flake instead of scab—because the ink can show up irregularly. Those were just some interesting insights I learned about the brand when I first joined.

Rick: That’s interesting. Which type of customers are the best fit for your products? Obviously, people with tattoos, but we were just talking offline—there are different key problems you solve for different people. Can you expand on that a bit? Is it just for the person with the tattoo or is it also about the tattoo artist?

Erin Murray: Yeah. We started the brand in a very different way than most. Most brands start by going after the tattoo artist. We went after the end-to-end consumer—the person getting the tattoo, looking for post-tattoo care. That helped grow the brand significantly. Since then, we’ve recognized opportunities to build relationships and product assortments for tattoo artists. So now, our customers include consumers getting tattoos or reviving old tattoos, tattoo artists who are seen as the expert, and also distributors who serve tattoo studios.

Rick: Got it. So I’m curious—how do most people discover you at this point? Any go-to channels?

Erin Murray: Meta still drives a lot of new customer acquisition, even though we’re trying to be less dependent on it. The birth of TikTok has really helped too. We launched in about 2,000 Walmart stores in September 2023, and retail has become a big discovery channel. Amazon plays that role as well. So we think about full funnel lifecycle and how we acquire across formats.

Rick: So you were originally digitally native and then transitioned into retail. How much of a role does your website play in bringing in clients these days? Anything that works particularly well—or anything you’re looking to improve?

Erin Murray: We’re currently improving the UX and UI. It’s mostly small tweaks—like updating language from “cleansers” to “new tattoo care” or “how to heal my tattoo.” Using insights we already have to make it easier for customers to shop. We’re still a solid digital business—around 20–25% of revenue. A lot of loyal customers. And we’re focused on how to re-engage people who find us in places like Walmart, tattoo shops, or Amazon. That includes native social content, membership, and subscription opportunities.

Rick: Got it. Maybe from your experience—you’ve been with Mad Rabbit for a while, but possibly even from past roles—what actually makes a website convert? I love hearing about tool stacks or little tactics that have worked for you.

Erin Murray: What’s really helped us is video. Early on, we built pop-up videos right on the product detail page (PDP). People don’t read; they skim. So within seven seconds or less, they need to understand what a product does. Adding that increased conversion almost twofold. We tested it on top sellers and saw a big opportunity. Also, before-and-after content has been huge—showcasing the healing process, flaking skin, and how our product helps has been instrumental. Shock and awe with value right away.

Rick: That’s cool. I love the mention of video—something we use a lot at Pathmonk too. Go check out Pathmonk.com 😉 But seriously, the idea of grabbing attention early on is key. Let’s switch gears a bit, Erin. I want to talk about you as a leader. What’s a typical workday like? You work at a pretty cool company, and you’re wearing a leather jacket right now—which says a lot.

Erin Murray: Every day brings new challenges or opportunities. One thing I love about the brand is how much individuality is celebrated. We all have different interests but work closely together. And we’re all tattoo-obsessed in our own ways. Currently, I’m relaunching a product for our professional channel, so I’m making sure the team is aligned and deliverables are on track. I spend a lot of time on product marketing and innovation, working on reformulations and making sure the products are as clean as possible while balancing tariffs and costs. I consider myself the steward of the brand—helping to guide it toward our goals, acquiring and nurturing customers, and guiding our team.

Rick: Sounds like a lot. And I know you’re up early and start your day strong. There’s a flood of content out there—so how do you stay focused and keep learning? What inspires you or keeps you ahead?

Erin Murray: Tattoos aren’t super niche anymore, but tattoo care still is. I’ve spent most of my career in beauty—skincare, haircare, color cosmetics, and body care. I look at best-in-class TikTok shop brands, even if they have nothing to do with tattoos. I saw supplements and K-beauty leading the way. I try to stay inquisitive—understand what’s working and how we can apply those strategies in a way that feels authentic to Mad Rabbit to grow market share.

Rick: It’s all about crossover—human psychology and behavior. Doesn’t have to be your industry as long as it connects. Thanks for sharing. Now we’re almost at the end of the interview, so let’s jump into rapid fire. The rule is simple—short and crisp answers. Ready?

Erin Murray: Okay, great.

Rick: What’s the latest book you picked up?

Erin Murray: It’s called Hanging the Moon—about a woman in the 1920s who repairs vehicles. I love cars and motorcycles.

Rick: Cool. If you had a magic wand and could fix one frustrating thing in your work life with tech, what would it be?

Erin Murray: All of the PDP tactical setup. It’s awful—very tedious.

Rick: I’m sure vendors are lining up right now! Maybe related—what’s one repetitive task you’d love to put on autopilot forever?

Erin Murray: Probably email responding. But I do love audio emails and texts now. Everything is audio for me—it’s become my most used tool.

Rick: If you could go back and give your past self a quick pep talk at the start of your marketing journey, what advice would you drop?

Erin Murray: Stay nimble. Things change too quickly.

Rick: Keep it simple and nimble. Love it. Erin, thank you for being on the show. I’ll give you the last word—if someone forgets everything else from today’s conversation, what’s the one thing they should remember about the work you’re doing?

Erin Murray: Tattoo care is a growing category—it’s no longer niche. And if you haven’t thought about getting a new tattoo, maybe this will inspire you.

Rick: Where should people go if they want to check out Mad Rabbit?

Erin Murray: Walmart—we’re in about 2,000 locations. Amazon.com and MadRabbit.com.

Rick: Amazing. Go check out Mad Rabbit—I know I’ll use it for my next piece. Thanks again, Erin. Hope to see you soon.

Erin Murray: Thank you.