Take a look around (from the front window) and it’s hard to believe it’s an election year. What should have been an exciting few months will go down in the history books as one of mass illness and fatalities, coupled with business shutdowns and huge unemployment numbers. Instead of meet-and-greets, raucous rallies, hotly anticipated debates and two massive conventions, most people just look forward to a return to life’s basics: dining in at restaurants, visiting the salon and shaking hands.

The presidential election, and countless other state and local races across the country, will still happen this year, though what Election Day will ultimately look like is still anyone’s guess. With a dearth of political gatherings this spring and summer, promo for election offices and candidates at all levels of government has been a tougher sell (though the Trump campaign is an outlier – it raised $4 million in re-election merch in March and April). But savvy industry firms continue to sell where they can.

Patriot Signage (asi/76458) in Cincinnati, OH, has specialized in signs for government and elected officials for almost 30 years. President Kevin Keefe says sales are down about 15% because of the virus. While selling has been a slog, they’ve been able to continue filling orders for signs for front yards and roadsides, mainly for local and state candidates.

“Campaigns can’t hold in-person fundraisers, so the money to purchase signs is coming to them slowly, and that means slower-than-usual sales for us,” says Keefe. “Hopefully, with improvement in the COVID situation over the next month or so, we’ll see a promising bounce back in the third quarter.”

It’s a similar story at Express-A-Button (asi/53408) in Dakota, MN. General manager Brian Bergler says election orders have “pretty much dried up,” though they are seeing some sales from state and local races, more so than national. “Mostly, it’s buttons and door hangers,” he says. “I think national campaigns are using more social media and TV ads because everyone’s home and online. Generally, our items are handed out or sold at rallies and events, which aren’t taking place right now.”

A hand fan (FN100), like this one from Express-A-Button, can be mailed to supporters; they’ll appreciate them in social distancing lines during the hot summer months.

Tiffany Wu, sales manager at Bagworld (asi/37980) in El Monte, CA, says distributors have ordered their matte laminated totes, as well as backpacks, coolers and a tote with a patriotic stars and stripes design, for candidates’ local elections and for socially distanced Fourth of July promos. “They’re bundling them with other items and drop-shipping them to donors,” she says.

This Stars & Stripes tote (4077) from Bagworld is ideal as a thank-you gift for campaign donors.

Already, local election offices are planning for what the next few months and Election Day will hold, and they’re looking to distributors to help them be ready. Cathy Helton, owner of Business Promotions Unlimited (asi/153666) in Newberry, FL, says several supervisor of elections offices in her area have reached out to her asking for cheap single-use pens for upcoming primaries and the election. “They want people to sign in and then take the pen with them,” she says. “They’re asking for several thousand at a time, so I’ve been combing suppliers for large quantities of close-out inventory.”

Campaigns and interest groups have asked for sublimated face coverings as well; according to AZX Sport (asi/30250), they’re ideal “high-visibility” items for campaign supporters. Most campaigns include them for purchase at online stores, while some have mailed them to donors as a thank-you gift.

AZX Sport has two-ply and four-ply polyester masks available with sublimation, ideal for campaigns. This two-ply style (PPE-MASK-POLYSUBL-2PWP) has a pocket for adding a filter.

“They’re perfect for candidates that want to deliver a message of support, health and safety right now,” says President Rob Kerton. “We’re able to provide quick quotes and virtuals and we can produce domestically, so we’re able to meet customers’ needs in a quickly changing environment.”

While direct mail pieces and easily shipped supporter items like buttons, bumper stickers and bags will still play a role in marketing this year, distributors can’t rely on traditional orders to get through these next few months. Consider swag for virtual events, says Dan Ekstein, partner and chief business development officer at Sagac Public Affairs (asi/316412), a marketing and communications consulting firm for corporations’ government affairs and advocacy efforts. Some campaigns have turned to experiences like virtual wine-tastings to build relationships with constituents, since the usual meet-and-greets and rallies are currently off the table.

“We’re so caught up in the crisis right now, but we have to look above the horizon line,” says Ekstein. “Have a 180-day battle plan. Think about your marketing and outreach activities, and review them weekly. Those calls for large quantities of yard signs aren’t coming in now. You can be angry, or you can make up for it by getting really tactical.”