Trump vs. Clinton: How the Design of Their Merchandise Stacks Up
On the political front, Hillary is racking in donation dollars, while Donald Trump‘s campaign had a mere $1.3 million to its name as of May 31st. But what about their swag? T-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers, tote bags. Sure, online purchases won’t sway either campaign significantly, but it’s interesting to look at how the polar-opposite presidential candidates are marketing themselves through merchandise. 6sqft compared the goods from both camps, and found that while Hillary’s merchandise is much more colorful, playful, and plentiful, and even features designer collabs, the Donald sticks to his message and caters to a very specific audience.
T-Shirts
Tee by Marc Jacobs (L)
Not only does Hillary have her standard assortment of tees ($25-$35), but she has a special “Made for History” collection that features options from big-name designers like Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenberg, Tory Burch, and Joseph Altuzarra. Each designer provides a quote about why they’re supporting Hillary, and the shirts sell for $45. She also has custom state tees for $35.
Trump’s tees are pretty standard and all are red, white, and blue. They range from $25 to $35 and only get as creative as a grey background.
Accessories
Hillary has quite a selection in this department — phone cases ($35), tote bags ($25-$35), a tie ($45). And of course, she’s sure to have a male and female hat, both $35. She even has a temporary tattoo set!
Trump’s accessories begin and end with the hats, which range from $25 to $30.
Housewares
In addition to clever mugs that say “Red, White & Brew ($25),” you can buy an “H is for Hydration” water bottle ($15) or “Chillary Clinton” koozies ($10 for two). The $55 stitch throw pillow is a nice play on a traditional feminine pastime.
Though much of Trump’s success came from investing in residential real estate, he falls flat on the domestic front. All you’ll find here are two plain coffee mugs ($20 and $25).
Buttons and Signs
Clinton’s campaign offers tons of categories of “____ for Hillary” buttons and bumper stickers ($5), including women, military families, and Latinos. She also has clever phrases like “love trumps hate” and “#HillYes.” Her posters are fun and colorful; we’re partial to “The Art of Politics” by Brooklyn artist Julia Rothman ($30).
Not surprisingly, all of Trump’s rally materials are red, white, and blue and say “Make American Great Again.” Where he outdoes Hillary is in his rally packs, which include everything from pom poms and bullhorns to tees and hats. They also range in price from $40 to $335. For $5, you can get a button with Trump’s face on it.
Other
Hillary has plenty of merchandise that Trump doesn’t, but what stands out the most is perhaps her pride collection. Her rainbow pantsuit tee ($30) is both fun and political, and there’s even an entire pride pack for $35.
The only bonus we found on Trump’s site was this $15 dog shirt.
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You can buy merchandise from Clinton’s campaign here and Trump’s campaign here.
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Trump’s merchandise is just sad. Interesting to see how their aesthetics match up so closely with their politics.
Really? You think the Clinton stuff is dishonest and hypocritical and symbolizes corruption? Weird, I’m not seeing it.