Have you seen the movie Forrest Gump?  Do you remember when Forrest was on his “run.”  Someone handed Forrest a t-shirt which he used to wipe mud off of his face.  He handed the t-shirt back and spoke calmly, “Have a nice day.”  The mud imprint left on the t-shirt looked like a smiley face.  This led us to believe that that is how the famous t-shirt came to life, the bright yellow face with “Have a Nice Day” typed underneath.

This simple shirt has evolved over the years, taking on new shapes and costumes, and declaring updated messages, but the basic, recognizable design has stood for years.

This is mobile marketing.  A walking billboard.  A human ad.

The concept of the “smiley face” can be applied in politics.  Not only for satire and poking fun, but as a useful tool in a political campaign.

Volunteers Volunteer to Volunteer

Your entire staff should sport your apparel.  When your volunteers hit the streets to pass out literature and solicite yard sign sites, they should be decked out in something that bares the name of the candidate.  T-shirts are cheap and universal.

Volunteers have signed up to promote you.  Put them to work as mobile ads canvassing the neighborhood.

Have you ever thrown away a free T-shirt?

Purchasing t-shirts to give away at parades, social functions and campaign parties is a great way to get your name out.  Nobody is going to take your shirt home and throw it in the trash.

It’s about staying-power.  Many candidates spend money on useless items that either end up in a landfill or are only ever seen by the recipient.  What good is a cheap plastic bottle opener if it is thrown in a junk drawer and used only by the person opening the bottles?  Sure, you only spent $.30 on the item, but that was $.30 nobody will ever see.  Once your $4.00 t-shirt has been seen by 100 people, it has paid for itself.

For Keepsake, Give Them Something They Want

You can spend your campaign budget the way you want.  Obviously, there are many items that are “must haves”-yard signs, palm cards, web sites-but, make sure you save some room for hand-outs.  You don’t want to show up at a potential voter’s door with nothing for them to remember you by.  And you don’t want that something you give them to not benefit you in any way.

Everyone needs a t-shirt.  Everyone needs to vote for you.  Hey, if the shirt fits, wear it.