Since it seems six zillion candidates are contending for the Democratic nomination for president, this summer has been showing us the hopefuls are intent on pulling out all the stops to earn an opportunity to unseat President Donald Trump. Thanks to interviews, magazine articles, campaign stops and other opportunities, many are making tireless overtures to the country. But nobody should overlook how their debate slate can factor into the whole process of winning votes.
In his second run at the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders is heavily touting health care, and an exchange over a Medicare measure at Tuesday’s debate saw Sanders bark “I wrote the damn bill” at Ohio representative Timothy Ryan. Mere hours later, Sanders announced a promotional sticker featuring those same words, available to anyone who made a donation to his campaign.
Don't tell me what's in Medicare for All. I wrote the damn bill! #DemDebate
Make a contribution and get our sticker now –> https://t.co/cGNDyKXZ5k
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 31, 2019
While, frankly, many of the figures who took to the Ford Theatre Tuesday and Wednesday have zero chance at securing the nomination, Sanders will likely be among the handful of individuals who will make 2020 interesting. Based on his Tuesday appearance, one could say he is not looking to wait until the new year rolls around to be boisterous. Campaign merchandise, regardless of whether one is an incumbent or an aspiring officeholder, possesses a long history, and Sanders is relying on this micro-moment to add to his war chest.
Through the sticker, which Vox supposes will soon become one of many promo goods that bear the “I wrote the damn bill” retort, he is striving to find a way to intensify belief in his Medicare-for-all stance. Whether that, along with his other policies, will catch on among enough voters certainly remains to be seen, but it has become immediately apparent that his team realizes that he can generate some funds from the reprimand directed at the aforementioned Ohio congressman.
Sanders, or someone helming his account for him, took to Twitter to note that a donation of any size will land someone the sticker that features the politician holding a megaphone and declaring, “I wrote the damn bill.” Among those who felt “the Bern” in 2016 and who have either retained that vibe or have come down with it this election cycle, the promotional product will resonate as a must-have, especially since it comes with a pay-what-you-want price tag.
Whether it will generate as much funding as the Trump campaign’s Trump Straws is anyone’s guess. But it’s yet another reminder that merchandising, for political campaigns, is nearly as important as policy. That’s good news for the promo industry.
