How Does Campaign Merchandise Label Candidates?

The campaign retail stores of the recent candidates offer numerous amounts of merchandise. From the typical buttons and bumper stickers to the more unique polo shirts and clocks, McCain, Clinton, and Obama demonstrate their ways of including everyone. While the merchandise may not unveil any hidden value or purpose of a candidate, it shows how campaign strategy focuses around culture conformity. A candidate wants to reach out to various groups of people who are from all walks of life. The typical saying of "quality over quantity" still resonates around these merchandising techniques. Design critics are able to describe Obama and Clinton as focused on the working class and that McCain broadens his inventory by offering "lesiure-class items" such as sailing jackets. The critics of this article feel that the accessory department of the candidate's inventory reveals the most. With such everyday tools like rulers and ice scraper, it seems that Obama's 'hope bracelet' offers the most sentimental value. These three candidates demonstrate various levels of merchandising technique and while some feel that it really does not give one an edge over the other, a strategy is a strategy. Each candidate tries to target people who are going to show undying support as well as trying to swing confused voters. At the end of the day, a McCain sailing jacket over a Clinton "I'm your girl" button is not going to be the end all be all decision of a voter, but it certainly grasps people's attention.