Swag for Sale
It annoys his opponents, but Donald Trump is a showman and a marketer, and he has built his name into a brand. The money his campaign pulls in from merchandise is, to use a phrase, huge, from the original red “Make America Great Again” hats to all manner of merchandise with the Trump Pence campaign logo.
He and his people have also been great about vamping off of current events to turn a dollar. When some complained about plastic drinking straws as being harmful to the environment, they put out pink and red plastic draws, with “I Heart Trump” in gold print…package of 10 for $15. And when Nancy Pelosi handed out ceremonial pens with her signature on them, used to sign the impeachment resolution, the Trump folks countered with their own identical fine tip markers…5 for $15. And don’t forget the infant one-piece, with the phrase “I cry less than a Democrat”…$18 each. And of course, all manner of ball caps, ranging in price from $25 to $50 each.
One idea that was announced last week, however, might be crossing whatever line there is regarding politics and good taste these days. Last Thursday, campaign manager Brad Parscale went to the White House to show the boss prototypes of a new product with the Trump Pence logo…face masks. We know this because he tweeted a photo from the waiting room outside the Oval Office of himself wearing a white one. Apparently the president loved the idea and signed off…and later that day, Parscale modeled a blue one, for those wanting a different color.
These masks have become ways for folks to express themselves, from sports team logos to patterns to camouflage. But this may not be such a great plan. The COVID-19 pandemic that requires so many to wear masks in public happened while Trump was in office…not that it was his fault, not that anyone else could have done a better job managing it…but do we need that reminder directly tied to a candidate.
Admittedly, that’s pretty good real estate for a campaign logo…but perhaps cooler heads have prevailed at the campaign, because the masks are not offered for sale on line. Yet.
