Do a search online for “political campaign products” and you’ll get thousands of results. But, open the door to any of these linked resources and take a closer look.
According to Jeff Nicholson, owner of Stowe, Vermont-based Websticker.com, the reason for the abundance of generic, outdated looking campaign products is twofold, “Most candidates and organizations don’t realize the true marketing potential of certain custom campaign products, and if they do, they mistakenly believe that high-level custom design and creative work are financially out of reach. Not all custom campaign products are created equal, but at Websticker.com we help separate the good, the blah, and the totally awesome, and offer free design services to maximize effectiveness. It’s unfortunate that many candidates and campaigns are not capitalizing on the full exposure and advertising capabilities of professionally designed and produced promotional products.”
Nicholson adds, “Many people mistakenly still think advertising is all about the number of impressions. In politics, pure name recognition still definitely counts. But, making a good impression and encouraging word-of-mouth, that’s what can really make the difference in a campaign.”
Marketing and advertising have changed tremendously over the last twenty years. Now more than ever it is about standing out from the crowd and being talked (tweeted, blogged, commented…) about that creates buzz. People no longer have the patience or attention span to be force fed advertising from strangers. So, what does this mean for Political Campaign Products? How can candidates and campaigns stand out?
According to Nicholson, “Campaigns should focus on the main custom campaign products that generate word-of-mouth (are seen by a lot of people) and are viewed as testimonials, not paid ads. That means yard signs and, the most important, promotional stickers. I don’t say “bumper stickers” because I’d encourage people to think beyond the bumper — beyond the same layout, colors, shape and size as everyone else. Once your identity is established on these two essential products the design components can be utilized on other needed campaign products like banners, lapel stickers, buttons, door knob hangers and other custom political products dictated by what best fits the individual campaign. Give supporters the tools they need to spread the word.”
Websticker.com has a webpage showcasing recommended political campaign products but also recommends you contact them to go over personal goals and needs. They also share many design tips and ideas at their website which can be helpful when contemplating more powerful design layouts for your campaign products.
Freely Creative, Inc. was founded in 1991 and launched its online presence as Websticker.com in 1997. Websticker.com offers free consultations, free design work and top quality products for “When You Want Your Name To Stick.” To learn more and meet the staff, visit www.websticker.com.
