Here’s a sampling of what big and small businesses are doing to promote democracy and their businesses at the same time. Here are some of the election day’s marketing activities and specials making the news today.
Chitose Suzuki/AP
Babeland, a store defined by spokeswoman Pamela Doan as “a sex-positive, women-friendly retailer for sex toys and accessories,” is just one of many businesses offering voters an incentive to go to the polls Tuesday. Summing up the promotion, Doan said: “Sex crosses party lines.” Read more…
Starbucks is providing voters nationwide with a free cup of coffee if they reveal a ballot stub or “I Voted” sticker. Voters in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia can also earn a cup of coffee at a local Eat’n Park outlet. Read more… Update: To comply with a federal statute, Starbucks has extended the offer to everyone, vote or no vote, reported seattlepi.com.
Interestingly, some of these promotions may be illegal, as written here at ktla.com, Nationwide Offers of Freebies for Voters is Illegal in California.
How about 7.5 things you can get for free on Election Day in Seattle? Courtesy seattlepi.com. Among the above mentioned, add:
- Krispy Kreme. It won’t get you a chocolate glaze, but an “I voted” sticker is good for one star-shaped red-and-blue-sprinkle doughnut at Krispy Kreme.
- Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Participating scoop shops are giving away a free scoop of ice cream between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday. Forecast calls for a high of 49 degrees, so you can be sure it won’t melt.
- Rock the Vote. A reader blogs that MTV’s Rock the Vote is offering free music downloads in exchange for a pledge to vote.
- Irwin’s Cafe. On a reader tip, we learned that the neighborhood cafe Irwin’s in Wallingford is offering a “pay-what-you-want” promotion all day on Election Day.
- Cupcake Royale. This tip came from the folks at West Seattle Blog: All three Seattle locations of the popular cupcake shop will be giving out one free babycake to each customer who voted and a free “I’m pro-cupcake and I voted” sticker to anyone who buys 12 cupcakes Tuesday as part of their “Vote, Babycake, Vote” promotion.
- Full Throttle Bottles. Pizza, coffee, cupcakes. Guess all we needed was booze. Erika Cowan of Full Throttle Bottles, a specialty beer and wine seller in Georgetown, says voters get 11 percent off All day Tuesday.
- Chick-fil-a: Get a free Chicken Sandwich for all voters.
- Shane’s Rib Shack: Get an entire free “Vote America Meal” of three chicken tenders, fries, and a 20 oz drink.
- Daily Grill: Free Happy Hour Appetizer on Election Day. (CA, DC, MA, MD, OK, OR, TX, VA, WA)
- California Tortilla : Free taco (DE, MD, DC, PA, VA, WV)
- If you simply pledge to vote, you can download these awesome songs for free:
- Maroon 5 – Not Falling Apart
- Sara Bareilles – Many The Miles
- Phantom Planet – Dropped
- Raining Jane – Incline
- Menomena – Wet and Rusting
- Michael Franti and Spearhead – Hey World (Don’t Give Up Version)
- Ry Cuming – Home
- The Duke Spirit – This Ship Was Built To Last
- If you live in Dallas, enjoy FREE TATTOO REMOVAL.
- Free beer – Voters only – HandleBar – Pensacola, FL
- Free Beer (or soda) at Todd Conner’s Pub – Baltimore, MD
- Free Car Wash with Voting Receipt on 11/4 – Haddad’s – (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Free Bus Service – Charlottesville, VA
- Free TTA transit service to seniors and Medicare Card Holders on Election Day (Huntington, WV & Ironton, OH)
- Capital Metro – free rides on all fixed route bus service for Election Day (Austin, TX)
Still more deals are listed here from Dealighted.com.
Nothing like riding a high visibility event for some free publicity.
And don’t forget to vote.
Vote Today.
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