What part did promotional merchandise play in the Presidential elections?
A blog by Patrick Collister
In the run-up to the American election the two candidates tried raising funds and drum up support through merchandising.
Both candidates had online stores.
Team Trump have mugs at $30, playing cards, $25, cufflinks, $50, a range of t-shirts at $30, and caps from $25 to $45.
Not sure how well the colouring books showing him as a super-hero have been selling.
Team Joe have pretty much the same. Provocative t-shirts but also but dog and cat collars, $28, and, sadly now sold out, fly-swatters (after a fly settled on Veep Mike Pence’s head for a good two minutes in the vice-residential debate).
Naturally, neither party has been able to resist the opportunity the marketing opportunities the pandemic provides.
Trump has issued a commemorative coin, celebrating his resistance to and recovery from Covid-19. Yours for $100 at whitehousegiftshop.com
On the other side you can buy Biden hand-sanitiser for $8 – with Joe’s plan for combating Covid on the label.
In China, where most of this paraphernalia is made they sold more Trump-branded merchandise to America than Joe-stuff.
Of course, plenty of other hopefuls are piling into the election with merchandise to sell. There is some weird stuff out there.
The Trump-scented candle; the Make America Great Again Christmas tree baubles, the Donald J Trump toilet brush….
At Halloween homes could be decorated with Trumpkins. Orange on the outside and hollow inside.
Major acknowledgment to Ad-Age, where this topic first aired. Their article is here.
– Patrick Collister
