A Review Of “Obama Inspired” Campaign Merchandise

“Scarlett Johansson and Anna Wintour are hosting a fashion event in New York City to benefit President Obama’s reelection campaign… The event is part of Runway to Win, a project by fashion designers designed to bolster the president in 2012.” (Byron Tau, “Scarlett Johansson, Anna Wintour Pitch In For Obama,” Politico,1/20/12)

TONIGHT, OBAMA’S HIGH FASHION FRIENDS UNVEIL HIS “RUNWAY TO WIN” FUNDRAISING EFFORT

“Anna Wintour Is Apparently Pulling Strings To Get Fashion Brands To Design Merchandise For Barack Obama’s Reelection.” (Jenna Sauers, “Anna Wintour Is Putting Designers To Work For The Obama Campaign,” Jezebel, 1/9/12)

• Wintour, “A Prominent Democratic Fundraiser” And Obama Supporter, Has Corralled 22 Fashion Designers To Participate In Her “Runway To Win.” “Under Wintour’s program, called Runway to Win, goods from 22 designers including t-shirts, totes, and scarves will go on sale online this Thursday. Wintour has been a prominent Democratic fundraiser, and has hosted fêtes for Obama at her house. Runway to Win is modeled on a similar 2008 program organized by Wintour, called Runway to Change.” (Jenna Sauers, “Anna Wintour Is Putting Designers To Work For The Obama Campaign,” Jezebel, 1/9/12)

Team Obama Is Marketing “Obama-Inspired Apparel” Made By “Twenty-Three Top American Designers” To Its “Fashion-Conscious” Supporters. “President Obama’s re-election campaign is about to get a strong dose of fashion sense – something manager Jim Messina says he really needs. Twenty-three top American designers on Thursday will unveil a new line of ‘Obama-inspired’ apparel and accessories that campaign aides said will be marketed and sold to fashion-conscious Democratic supporters.” (Devin Dwyer, “Obama Markets Celeb-Designed Fashions For 2012 Campaign,” ABC News, 1/10/12) 

• Obama’s “Runway To Win” Includes Items Designed By Tory Burch, Tracy Reese, And Jason Wu. “The collection of trendy t-shirts, tote bags and scarves – dubbed ‘Runway to Win’ – will feature pieces designed by Tory Burch, Tracy Reese and Jason Wu, according to an announcement on the campaign’s website. All are favorites of First Lady Michelle Obama.” (Devin Dwyer, “Obama Markets Celeb-Designed Fashions For 2012 Campaign,” ABC News, 1/10/12) 

                                                                                                                                                BUT OBAMA DOESN’T HAVE A MESSAGE TO SELL  

“Take This Quiz: If President Barack Obama Wins A Second Term, He Has Promised That He Will Do … What Exactly?” (John F. Harris And Carrie Budoff Brown, “What Exactly Would Obama Do In A Second Term?” Politico, 1/24/11)   

• “There Are People Who Follow The President Closely Who Couldn’t Answer That Question.” (John F. Harris And Carrie Budoff Brown, “What Exactly Would Obama Do In A Second Term?” Politico, 1/24/11

Obama’s Agenda – “If Voters Give Him Four More Years – Is Blurry.”  “As he stands before the nation Tuesday evening to present his State of the Union address, Obama is a president whose positions may be well-known but whose agenda — what he actually intends and can reasonably expect to achieve if voters give him four more years — is blurry.” (John F. Harris And Carrie Budoff Brown, “What Exactly Would Obama Do In A Second Term?” Politico, 1/24/11)

Obama “Doesn’t Have A Story To Tell” For The 2012 Campaign. “The irony here, of course, is that for the moment, Barack Obama doesn’t have a story to tell. … And the list of Obama’s accomplishments—repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; health care reform; Wall Street reform; student loan reform; green energy investment, etc.—is not going to cut it either.” (Michael Scherer, “Mitt Romney’s Rhetorical Evolution: From Listmaker To Storyteller,” TIME’s ”Swampland”, 12/28/11)

When Asked What Phrase Would Define His 2012 Campaign, Obama Replied, ‘We’re Still Working On It.” “The man who made ‘change we can believe in’ and ‘yes, we can’ hallmarks of the 2008 presidential race is still searching for a catchy phrase to define his next campaign. ‘We’re still working on it,’ President Obama told ABC News’ Barbara Walters when asked about his slogan in an exclusive pre-Christmas interview.” (Devin Dwyer, “Obama On Campaign Slogan: ‘We’re Still Working On It’,” ABC News’ “Political Punch”, 12/27/11)

Politico’s Mike Allen Noted That There Was “Real Nervousness” In The Obama Campaign That “There’s Not A Message.” POLITICO’S MIKE ALLEN: “Right, and Chuck what we picked up on was real nervousness among the Obama campaign about the fact that there’s not a message. And you’ve talked about it here on the show, on Meet the Press, Savannah asked what their message is. You know the bumper stickers that just say ‘Obama 2012’ might as well say ‘message to come.’ As you know, Obama’s campaign manager Jim Messina said okay, we’re going to build the machine and they will come. They told us yesterday they’ve had a million conversations so far. But it’s not clear yet this president is going to do. I had an interview the other day with Valerie Jarrett where we asked her, okay, say you win–”MSNBC’s CHUCK TODD: “What are you going to do?” ALLEN: “Yeah, what does January 2013 look like? And she mentioned jobs and some things that are carried over. And I said to her, like you didn’t mention entitlement reform, like they have not said what their big thing is. And people who love the president worry about that. But I can tell you they said they believe the intangibles, the personal connection is what ultimately will do it for them. One person said to me, we still have Michael Jordan.” (MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown,” 12/29/11)

SO IT’S NO WONDER THE END PRODUCTS ARE STRICTLY MERCHANDISE

Obama Is “Taking Cues From Top Marketers” To “Raise Money Off Of Campaign Merchandise.” “Yoga pants. Hoodies. Wine and Martini glasses. Kids apparel. Cat and dog collars. Basketball shirts. Spatulas. An apron that says ‘Fired up and ready to grill,’ a wry reference to the famous Barack Obama campaign slogan. When it comes to raising money off of campaign merchandise, President Obama’s team is taking its cues from top marketers, outflanking the GOP competition with a wide variety of innovative branded products” (Lynn Sweet, “Obama 2012 Product Calendar: Yoga Pants Wine Glasses, Onesies, And Pet Collars,” Chicago Sun-Times, 12/6/11)

• “Obama 2012 Product Calendar: Yoga Pants Wine Glasses, Onesies, And Pet Collars.” (Lynn Sweet, “Obama 2012 Product Calendar: Yoga Pants Wine Glasses, Onesies, And Pet Collars,” Chicago Sun-Times, 12/6/11
• “And Taking A Cue From Christmas Merchandisers Who Know How To Move Product, The Obama Store Is Offering A 20 Percent Off Deal Until Dec. 17.” (Lynn Sweet, “Obama 2012 Product Calendar: Yoga Pants Wine Glasses, Onesies, And Pet Collars,” Chicago Sun-Times, 12/6/11) 

Joe Biden Can Holder: $10

Golf Divot Tool: $15

Martini Glass Set: $30

Dog Sweater: $35

Cufflinks: $40

Marc Jacobs Crew Neck: $45

Tailgate Pack: $65

Tory Burch Tote: $75
 

Thakoon Panichgul Scarf: $95

Limited-Edition Basketball Jersey:  $95

CREATING AN OBAMA MESSAGE THAT SEEMS OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Too Many High Fashion Celebrity Events Make Obama Seem “Out Of Touch” With The American People. “The downside risk for President Obama is that too many high fashion celebrity events like this one could make the president seem out of touch in an election season where the top issues are jobs and a struggling economy.” (Byron Tau, “Scarlett Johansson, Anna Wintour Pitch In For Obama,” Politico, 1/20/12)

Runway To Win Is Marked By “Exclusive, Limited-Edition Merchandise.” “Four years after the success of Runway to Change, designers and the fashion community are putting their considerable talents back to work to support President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign by creating exclusive, limited-edition merchandise—including everything from nail polish to tote bags to T-shirts—and donating the full proceeds to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint fund-raising committee authorized by Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee.”(“Runway to Win: 23 Designers Create Exclusive Pieces To Support President Obama’s 2012 Reelection Campaign,” Vogue Daily, 1/12/12)

Obama’s “Runway To Win” Markets “Blandly Patriotic” Apparel And Accessories. “Fashion designers — including several who dress first lady Michelle Obama — are lending their talents to President Obama’s reelection bid, but those efforts may have been wasted on the blandly patriotic Obama apparel and accessories of ‘Runway to Win.’” (Maura Judkis, “’Runway To Win’s’ Designer Apparel Bores,” The Washington Post, 1/31/12)

• “The Collection Is Meant To Raise Funds For The Campaign And Will Be Available Feb. 7, But Its Uninspired Look Might Not Send Voters To Booths, Let Alone Buyers To The Store.” (Maura Judkis, “’Runway To Win’s’ Designer Apparel Bores,” The Washington Post, 1/31/12)

The Message Conveyed By Obama’s “Runway To Win” Collection “Doesn’t Seem To Have Evolved From The 2008 Last Cycle Beyond Jettisoning The Word ‘Hope.’” “Certainly, political shirts and totes must convey a message, but the message put forth by these designs doesn’t seem to have evolved from the 2008 last cycle beyond jettisoning the word ‘Hope’ — and many of the shirts are such such [sic] straightforward takes on the logo or flag that they may as well have been designed by the campaign staff, rather than those who regularly appear on the pages of Vogue.” (Maura Judkis, “’Runway To Win’s’ Designer Apparel Bores,” The Washington Post, 1/31/12)