Did you catch The Office season finale last night? If not, you missed out on Andy Bernard’s campaign button:
So who is your choice for branch manager? While Robert California was a strong candidate, Busy Beaver‘s vote is for Andy— a button-wearing man is a smart man in our book!
Get your own “Andy for Manager?” button now at busybeaver.net.
It’s officially wedding season! From party favor to bridal party buttons, Busy Beaver has been getting a ton of custom wedding button requests. Check out these campaign-themed wedding buttons designed by Keith Rein of Paper Thin Design:
Inspired by the location— the wedding took place on a farm the groom owns in Georgia— Rein came up with an “old timey political banquet” theme for the invitations. The bride and groom loved the idea and even came up with the slogans for their custom 2.25-inch buttons:
At the wedding, each bridesmaids pinned a bride button to their dress and all the groomsmen wore a groom button as part of their boutonniere. Buttons were available for guests— everyone chose which “candidate” they supported and donned the appropriate button:
Good luck Tom and Jenna— may your lives together be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, and full of custom buttons.
Create custom buttons for your wedding! Shop now at busybeaver.net.
Historically, the choice for campaign buttons has always been the 2.25-inch button; I like Ike, and Ike liked a 2.25-incher. But with this year’s crop of Chicago political button orders we’ve seen a variety of different sizes. Oval buttons, square buttons, even cute 1-inch round buttons— they are all hitting the campaign trail in 2011.
With local Chicago elections next Tuesday, we expect to see campaign buttons galore on our morning commute. And maybe Rahm Emanuel.
Political button collector, Andy Sturdevant. Photo by Jennifer Brandel
Andy Sturdevant collects campaign buttons, “used in an election as political advertising for (or against) a candidate or political party, or to proclaim the issues that are part of the political platform.
Political buttons date as far back as President George Washington. They have taken many forms as the technology to create an image and mass production has allowed. In the late 18th and first half of the 19th century they were sewn-on clothing buttons, whereas the modern forms typically have pins on the back and are therefore also called pin-back buttons.”
Busy Beaver uses the term “Button” in its company name to reference this century-old tradition of expression.
Andy Sturdevant explains in a Soundmarks piece for WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “I collect these vintage campaign buttons of left-leaning Democrats from the last 60 years or so…I like wearing them around…some bring up the most incredible responses from people!”
Click here to listen to the WBEZ story about political buttons.
Want to contribute your story to Soundmarks? Click here for more stories, and e-mail nwhite@chicagopublicradio.org
Andy Sturdevant displays vintage campaign buttons. Photo by Jennifer Brandel
Gold Obama Busy Beaver Button on eBay
Busy Beaver Button Co. auctioned a custom, gold President Obama political button on eBay.
There was such a response that journalist Dave Hoekstra wrote a cover piece about Busy Beaver Button Co. for the Chicago Sun-Times called Pushing Buttons. Click here to watch the video.
Gold-bama was sold to a private individual, and all proceeds went to the campaign. Obviously, it paid off.
Here are screen shots of the article. Enjoy!
What do you do when an historic event takes place a few miles from your button company? Pass out free buttons!
Busy Beaver Button Co. gave out glow in the dark buttons to illuminate the Obama Rally at Grant Park on November 4, 2008. Four hundred people were psyched to get these buttons commemorating Obama’s Victory Speech in downtown Chicago.
High spirits were contagious. It was totally amazing and crazy and awesome. Gobama!
Here’s a selection of photos the Victory Rally. There’s even more on the Busy Beaver Button Co. Flickr.
Busy Beaver Button Co. designed and made the glow in the dark 2.25-inch Obama Victory Button. Do you want one? Buy it from the Busy Beaver Etsy Store.
