Promotional Products Through the Centuries
Apr 9, 2019
We’ve written here before that one of the earliest uses of promotional products was campaign buttons for George Washington. Of course, they’ve been a staple of political campaigns ever since. The National Museum of American History has an exhibit of some of them from the past two centuries. Here are a handful of our favorites.
A torchlight carried in support of Abraham Lincoln, who was a fan of nighttime campaign parades


A replica log cabin, once mounted to a pole for carrying, that served as a rally piece for William Henry Harrison
Hand fans emblazoned with Barry Goldwater’s face and the slogan “Goldwater Fan Club”


Sheet music for a Richard Nixon campaign song, composed for his first presidential run
A hat in the shape of a cheese wedge from the 1996 Bill Clinton-Al Gore campaign


A pot holder featuring candidate Dwight Eisenhower’s likeness
A coloring book about ecology, distributed by George McGovern’s campaign in the 70’s, as an attempt to connect with earth-conscious voters

Favorite Quotations
“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.”
~ Andrew Carnegie
