Mother's bump for hire is delivering the goods

Julz Thomson has become something of a celebrity with her novel advertising space. Picture / Paul Estcourt

The auction of advertising space on Julz Thomson's growing tummy has turned the pregnant Aucklander's usually brief trips to the shops into something of a "celebrity walk".

What started out as a fun idea by Ms Thomson's partner, Gerrard Simmons, to make the most of her "bump" and the attention she received has prompted numerous radio interviews, television news appearances, an exclusive magazine feature - and even a new internet business, (see link below).

The couple, from Green Bay in Waitakere City, auctioned off Ms Thomson's tummy space on TradeMe, with the promise that she would wear the winning bidder's advertising T-shirt every day until her baby was born.

"The interest from other mums-to-be was so huge [that] I figured it would be a neat way for other women who are proud of their pregnancy bump to have some fun and earn themselves a bit of money for their child," says Ms Thomson.

Through the website, pregnant women can register and be matched with a business that wants them to wear their logo on a T-shirt. Ms Thomson will receive a small commission for making the match.

When Ms Thomson auctioned off her own bump on TradeMe, the competition between several bidders drew more than 21,000 hits and numerous on-line comments.

Lawrence Raukete, of Mailman Solutions in Auckland, won the auction for $255 and promptly presented Ms Thomson with half-a-dozen T-shirts which read: Mailman Solutions - The Mailman Always Delivers. The business provides Customs clearances for its clients.

"Now when I go out to the supermarket or the bank or anywhere public, I have people asking me what it is that Mailman Solutions does exactly - so I'm handing out Lawrence's cards left, right and centre."

She has already signed a contract with a women's magazine for a story when her baby is six weeks old.