November 06, 2018
Frank Ocean Offers Free Merch To Midterm Voters
The swag from the music star was available at four pop-up shops – one each in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Miami.
Attention! If you are in the Miami area 🌴, have proof that you voted and love the amazing Frank Ocean, head to @lowereastcoast to stop by and get some free merch that Frank Provided for all voters! It’s dope asf btw 🔥!!!! #blonded pic.twitter.com/QiSvKPW2sx
— myles (@mylestdavis) November 6, 2018
Another pop culture persona has used branded merchandise to motivate people to get to the polls for the midterm elections on Tuesday.
We recently reported on the free-swag-if-you-vote initiative from Brendan Fowler and Denim Tears by Tremaine Emory.
Now, rapper/singer/producer Frank Ocean has launched a campaign that seeks to incentivize people to vote by offering free imprinted shirts. This week, Ocean announced pop-up shops in Miami, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta would be giving out the swag to individuals who vote.
To score the shirts, Ocean’s team was asking merch hunters to present pictures of themselves at the ballot box to prove they voted. After it was pointed out that such pics at the ballots could be illegal, proponents encouraged the swag seekers to snap selfies outside polling places instead.
The tees – and the locations they were being offered in – were intended specifically to support Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke in Texas, and Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum.
At the Frank Ocean pop up in Miami! Vote and get free merch. Open until polls close or til they run out! pic.twitter.com/TPE3qgzRig
— Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) November 6, 2018
The shirts’ messaging encourages people to “come out come out come out” to vote and references the 42% -- a nod, it seems, to the percentage of eligible voters in America who do not vote.
Some were definitely digging the Frank Ocean merch.
s/o frank ocean for the free merch ju huuuurrrrrd pic.twitter.com/C47E5xCSX2
— donnie narco (@DADECOUNTYFILTH) November 6, 2018
free frank ocean merch today only!! Bring proof of you at the booth! #vote #frankocean #ElectionDay2018 pic.twitter.com/uVrfhxcoFy
— Jo (@Jordannbragg) November 6, 2018
Others weren’t really vibing the tees.
The frank ocean merch you get for voting is meh
— M8Y (@tosteezyformost) November 6, 2018
As promotional products professionals, you have to view these merch-for-voting campaigns with interest, regardless of your political persuasion. They’re compelling testimony to the power of promotional products – and the expanding role swag has in political campaigns.