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News February 20, 2024

Presidential Merch ‘Battle’ Heats Up With $400 Trump-Themed ‘Never Surrender’ Sneakers

The high-top trainers sold out almost immediately. President Joe Biden and Republican candidate Nikki Haley have also released swag with feisty themes.

By  Christopher Ruvo

In the theater of American politics, branded merchandise has become a battleground.

None is bigger than a presidential election year like 2024, and the swag salvos are intensifying.

Candidates Donald Trump, Nikki Haley and incumbent Joe Biden have all debuted branded merchandise with multi-layered aims that include galvanizing supporters, landing jabs on rivals and raising funds to fuel campaigns.

2024 election on US flag

The latest headline-grabbing example has ties to former President Trump, now a Republican candidate in 2024.

Through a licensing agreement, a company called CIC Ventures released 1,000 Trump-themed high-top sneakers that retailed for $400 and sold out almost immediately after coming to market over the weekend. The gold sneakers feature a “T” Trump logo and American flag branding around the ankle top. Tapping into an anti-establishment defiance that the former president often leans into in public addresses, the sneakers were dubbed “Never Surrender High-Tops.”

CIC released two other Trump-themed tennis shoes: the bright red “Red Wave” ($199) and the white-colored POTUS 45 ($199), both of which reference the fact that Trump was the United States’ 45th president. Meanwhile, CIC was also retailing “Trump Victory47” cologne and perfume for $99 per bottle. If Trump were to prevail in the 2024 election, he would be the nation’s 47th president.

CIC Ventures noted that the merch was not made or sold by Donald Trump – or The Trump Organization or its affiliates and principals. In a 2023 financial disclosure, Trump reported owning CIC Ventures, media reports indicate. Trump reportedly signed at least 10 of the “Never Surrender” high-tops and was promoting the trainers at a sneaker convention on Feb. 17 in Philadelphia.

“This is something that I’ve been talking about for 12 years, 13 years. And I think it’s going to be a big success,” Trump said of the sneaker collection.

Trump, whose “Make America Great Again” hats during his 2016 campaign and subsequent presidency were among the most successful promotional products of all time, has also released official campaign merchandise that takes shots at opponents. For instance, there’s a can cooler that says, “The Only Thing Worse Than A Warm Beer Is…” and then shows Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Elsewhere, one T-shirt reads “Joe Biden Owes Me Gas Money,” while another depicts Biden as a puppet and refers to him as “Beijing Biden.”

Joe Biden lawn signs

‘Dark Brandon’-themed yard signs from the Biden campaign turn a nickname that was originally pejorative into support for the president’s re-election campaign.

The current president’s campaign has struck at opponents with messaging through merch, too. Stickers and downloadable digital phone wallpapers for sale from Biden read “Together, We Will Defeat Donald Trump Again.”

Then there are T-shirts, mugs and yard signs that feature “Dark Brandon.” It’s reference to a meme that started life as a pejorative reference to Biden, harkening to the anti-Biden phrase “Let’s Go Brandon.” However, the image has morphed into a kind of Biden alter-ego and come to be used positively (and often humorously) by supporters of the president, sometimes as a means for celebrating what they view as his political victories or policy achievements.

As such, by featuring the meme on merch, the Biden campaign has given “Dark Brandon” an ironic embrace, mocking opponents and aiming to pump up the president’s base.

Haley has also hit out assertively through merch messaging. Last month, for instance, Trump threatened that anybody who contributes to Haley’s campaign for the Republican nomination for president will be “permanently barred from the MAGA camp.” Sensing opportunity, the Haley campaign took less than a day to begin selling T-shirts with the phrase “Permanently Barred” printed on them – another example of flipping a negative into a positive with a bit of sardonic irony.

The Haley campaign has taken other swipes at Trump in swag it sells. One T-shirt reads “Make America Normal Again” – a play on Trump’s MAGA. Some Haley promo products highlight a feminist theme that intends to help the candidate stand out against male counterparts. “Sometimes It Takes A Woman” reads a sticker, while a T-shirt is emblazoned with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s famous quote: “If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.”

As election politics intensify, merch will likely continue to figure prominently. Perhaps that’s a good thing for promo: Some industry leaders believe the use of swag in the presidential election could help stimulate promo business more broadly this year.