During election season, voters wear their presidential choices everywhere they go. Whether it is to the grocery store, to class or even to bed, voters literally wear their presidential choices on their sleeves, backs and fronts.
And in this election year the apparel ranges from designer T-shirts and bags by Juicy Couture, Vera Wang and Marc Jacobs to buttons, bumper stickers, biker bandanas and yamakas.
Presidential apparel – swag or chum as many may call it – isn’t exactly the newest form of marketing on the block, but the material culture of our time really uses this swag to sway votes and show pride throughout an election. The campaigns, whether Republican or Democratic, take swag seriously.
“Branding or marketing is important with the different themes of messaging,” said John Berge, Nebraska state director of Obama for America. “People want to be a part of it. People want to be a part of the ‘we’ in ‘yes, we can.'”
College students across many campuses show their support through shirts and buttons. With prominent presidential candidates representing both Democratic and Republican parties, a sense of identity is made clear with just a simple name.
“I don’t think swag makes too much of a difference in campaign results, but it is a great way to spark interest and discussion,” said Katy Spratte, president of College Republicans. “It’s important to get the vote out and wearing swag is a good way to encourage others to care.”
Swag can also serve as a symbol.
“Showing who you vote for affects the campaign by giving others the opportunity to show [your] colors in your neighborhood,” Berge said.
On Creighton’s campus, Brian Martens, president of College Democrats, helped design a shirt for those students who support Obama. The slogan of choice for their shirt was “Barack & Roll” with graphics of guitars and musical notes.
“We were trying to make it look like a rock T-shirt – everyone liked the shirts and we ended up selling 100 total, which I think was fantastic,” Martens said.
Creighton’s College Democrats felt that having a shirt distributed throughout campus would get Obama’s name out there as well as put a plug in for their organization.
“Being on the mall makes the College Democrats visible. People get excited about the election when they see that others really care,” Martens said.
This year’s election is important and showing one’s sense of pride in either the Democratic or Republican side will be a significant strategy to the election. Blue or red, good design or bad design, what really catches a voter’s eye is the branding of a candidate’s name. By putting out the name of the candidate, voters have a chance to market the campaign.
“Marketing is smart. Voters are willing to show and endorse their candidate,” said Dr. Matt Seevers, a marketing professor in the College of Business. “They are like walking billboards and are a way to get beyond the impersonal.”
Seevers said, branding is used as a symbolic device. Branding develops an association for the brand and becomes a believable product by talking the talk and walking the walk. With voters proving their loyalty to the respective parties, they continue to canvas in neighborhoods and give independents the benefit that their candidates will be successful.
“Branding in this election is more than just a button: it is everything you do – language, attitude and values,” Seevers said.
Presidential names become a brand in themselves. Shirts and buttons aren’t just swag anymore, it’s what voters call “Obama wear” or “McCain wear.”