PPB October 2020

Celebs And Promo Encourage Americans To Vote Celebrity partners, from movie stars to nano influencers, can significantly assist brands with getting the attention and sales they’re looking for. With election season around the corner, brands are enlisting the help of many high-profile personalities to advertise election-related products and get Americans to the polls on November 3. Many of these brands and celebrities are using promotional products to better communicate the message, and are doing so in notable ways. The upcoming election also presents an opportunity for brands, both large and small, to offer styles—such as the trending ones in this article—to build brand awareness alongside the important issue of voting. Let’s take a look at a few of them. During the 2020 Democratic National Convention, former First Lady Michelle Obama donned a custom necklace by Black- owned business ByChari, which delicately spelled out the word “vote” around her neck as she encouraged viewers to do just that. The necklace, requested by Obama’s stylist, was handcrafted by Jamaican-born, Los Angeles-based jewelry designer Chari Cuthbert for the former First Lady, though according to Forbes , she had no idea that Obama was planning to wear it to the DNC. The outcome? Sales soared for the woman- and minority-owned business; Obama delivered a critical message by encouraging viewers to vote while also helping to support Cuthbert’s business and providing viewers with the opportunity to do the same. Other companies are encouraging Americans to vote with bolder messaging, and also teaming up with nonprofits to do so. In a recent partnership with Rock The Vote, Levi’s designed t-shirts and hoodies with the nonprofit’s logo, and teamed with model and TV personality Hailey Bieber and filmmaker Oge Eguonu to help raise awareness. Meena Harris, a lawyer, activist, children’s book author and founder of the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign, joined forces with Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker to offer a limited-edition t-shirt from Phenomenal Woman that reads “Votes For Women,” celebrating August 26, the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, and donated all proceeds to the nonprofit Monumental Women. And recently, Los Angeles-based apparel brand Michael Stars teamed up with journalist, feminist and activist Gloria Steinem for its #TheTeeInVote collection of voter merchandise, which features caricatures of Steinem’s likeness, including her signature hairstyle and glasses, alongside the word “vote.” The collection dedicated $50,000 from collection sales to be used toward supporting the work of nonprofits Black Voters Matter, Voto Latino and March On. patrimonio designs ltd / Shutterstock.com. It won’t be long until the Men’s Sunset Pullover Hoodie becomes a go-to favorite for recipients. Super soft with a lightweight fit, it’s made from the company’s signature sustainable fabric blend of 50-percent USA-grown Supima cotton and 50-percent micromodal; modal is made from recycled beech wood. And as Marine Layer says, it’s the perfect item to “pull over” when “the sun starts to set.” Available in men’s XS-2XL in charcoal and black (shown), and in a complementary women’s style. Marine Layer, Inc. / PPAI 690355, S1 www.marinelayer.com TREND: Loungewear Wha t ’s Tr end i ng | OCTOBER 2020 | 35 INNOVATE