Making merch out of memes: Biden, Trump and other 2024 candidates turn criticism into campaign profit – By Savannah Kuchar (USA Today) / Aug 12, 2023
Presidential campaigns are all about branding.
And good merchandise is a key part of the process. Along with a means of fundraising, campaign swag can be a creative convoy for spreading candidates’ names or slogans.
Political merchandise has been part of American history since the country’s first president, with “Long Live the President” buttons sold at George Washington’s inauguration. These products became a tool for campaigns almost two centuries ago, when William Henry Harrison spun Martin Van Buren’s criticism that he would “sit the remainder of his days in his log cabin” into his winning persona as “The Log Cabin and Hard Cider Candidate.”
But flipping campaign criticism into a new slogan didn’t end with Harrison and Van Buren. From President Joe Biden to GOP underdog Doug Burgum, several 2024 presidential candidates have also found ways to turn taunts or insults into campaign products − and profit.
