The 2016 Presendential Election
The 2016 elections will not only include the election of a new president of the United States, but also election of one-third of the US Senate, the entire US House of Representatives, and governorships in 12 states. Countless statewide and local elections will take place as well, which means Americans will see plenty of bumper stickers, t-shirts, and political campaign buttons all over the place in 2016.
Political campaign buttons, believe it or not, have been around since our very first president, George Washington, only back then they were actual engraved brass clothing buttons. Political branding got started in earnest with the 1840 "log cabin" campaign of William Henry Harrison, and picked up momentum during the Civil War era. Campaign buttons as we know them today became popular in the 1896 election between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan.
Campaign buttons reflect personal sentiments, national mood, and the cultural zeitgeist.
Tangible Campaign Collateral Still Immensely Popular
Are tangible tokens of political campaigns outdated now that so much interaction and news delivery happens online? Not at all. Sure, the "selfie" with a candidate has mostly replaced the autographed lawn sign, but bumper stickers, signage, and political campaign buttons are as popular as ever. The emergence of televised campaign ads certainly didn't do away with campaign buttons and bumper stickers, and so far the internet age hasn't done so either. People still crave campaign memorabilia they can hold in their hands. Custom campaign buttons remain popular because they're small, wearable, and can be designed to convey a message through imagery, font, and word choice.
Campaign Buttons Can Become Powerful Historical Tokens
Many generations later, a huge number of American people recognize the "I LIKE IKE" button as an icon of mid-20th century presidential politics. These inch-and-a-half diameter buttons were distributed widely, with a background divided into dark blue, white, and red horizontal stripes. The middle section contains "I LIKE" in red, and below it, in white, in a larger font is the word "IKE" in blue. There's nothing particularly notable about it, yet it may be the most widely recognized political campaign button in history. And now, 60-plus years later, Americans still enjoy displaying their political allegiances on their lapels.
The Age of the Selfie Pairs Perfectly With Political Campaign Buttons
Expect to see lots of political campaign buttons in selfies in 2016.
Every candidate running in a high profile election in 2016 needs to get comfortable with the selfie, because there's basically no way to avoid them. Some candidates embrace them more than others, and some, like Rand Paul, have staffers to raise a backdrop behind selfie-takers to create a cohesive "branding" effect. Political campaign buttons belong in selfies just as much as candidates' faces do. The selfie with Hillary Clinton taken while wearing one of her campaign buttons is anchored in time and conveys a message much more clearly than it would without a campaign button. In the age of the selfie, political campaign buttons could prove especially effective.
Design Custom Campaign Buttons and Connect With the Past and the Future
Designing custom campaign buttons has to be a considered process. A button should be readable, with a clear message, and it should have something that sets it apart other than the candidate's name. That said, designing custom campaign buttons can be fun. When you design that campaign button just so, you're not only connecting with a political tradition that goes back to the very beginnings of our country, you could be creating the next "I LIKE IKE" that will be remembered decades from now.
With social media sharing, it's possible that more people than ever will see political campaign buttons in the lead-up to the 2016 races. There are even Pinterest boards dedicated to displays of custom campaign buttons. Designing custom campaign buttons is now easier than ever, because you can do it online, customizing them with the exact background, font, wording, and image you want. Political campaign buttons are a longstanding American tradition that's just as relevant in the social media age, and you can bet that at least one button from a 2016 election will gain historic significance over time. It might even be the one you design!
