How Buying Merch Helps Supporters Stay Loyal

Have you ever seen people wearing shirts or hats supporting an organization, or cars with bumper stickers for a candidate? This happens a lot, especially during elections. Why do people do this? A famous psychologist named Robert Cialdini talks about two things called commitment and consistency. 

Commitment is like making a promise to yourself. It’s when you decide something in your mind, and you feel like you should stick to it. Consistency means acting in a way that doesn't go against what you’ve decided or what you believe in. Cialdini says that people don’t like to seem flaky. Once they say they will do something, or they start to support something, they usually keep doing it.

So, how does this connect to people buying and wearing things that show who they support in politics? When someone buys a shirt or sticker that supports a campaign or organization, they’re showing everyone which side they are on. It’s like making a public promise. This shirt or sticker becomes a reminder of the promise they made.

But there’s more. Once people show off who they support, they usually keep supporting them in other ways. They might defend their favorite cause in conversations, help out in campaign events, or make sure to vote for them. Wearing the stuff they bought reminds them and tells others that they’re serious about their support.

Cialdini also says that promises are strongest when people make them actively, in public, and by choice. Buying and wearing campaign merch ticks all these boxes. Supporters decide to buy it (active), wear it where people can see it (public), and nobody is forcing them to do it (by choice). This makes them more likely to stay true to their promise.

In the end, campaign merch like shirts and stickers can be pretty powerful. Politicians can use this to their advantage by making cool gear that people will want to wear. When supporters wear it, they’re likely to stay loyal and support in other ways.

So, next time you see someone rocking a political bumper sticker or hat, remember it’s not just fashion - it’s a sign of a promise they’ve made to support that campaign or organization, and chances are, they’re sticking to it!

Interested in adding merch to your ActBlue page? Get started with MerchBlue today.