Student Uncovers Two Personalized Chewing Gum Applications for Political Campaigns

Written by Shelley Sweeney
VP/GM Service Bureau/Direct Mail Sectors, Xerox Corporation

My son’s recent campaign for class vice president reminded me that the checklist of items to review and proofread expands exponentially when personalization is involved. In an odd twist, however, an inadvertent oversight by his campaign led Thomas to find two applications for personalized gum in his run for office.
Like any good candidate, Thomas wanted to push the envelope in campaign innovation. I was only too happy to help him brainstorm creative approaches, and I suggested using gum with personalized packaging. He liked the idea, envisioning his photo and campaign slogan on the wrapper: “It’s a promise…vote for Thomas.”
To produce the gum, I recommended www.mychewinggum.com, which is operated by Personal Media Solutions b.v., a Xerox iGen Press customer and Xerox Premier Partner member, in the Netherlands.
All went well. The site was easy to use. The slogan fit neatly on the wrapper. Thomas made the order far enough in advance for the gum to arrive as the campaign was getting underway.
Unfortunately, we overlooked a key detail: Thomas’s high school doesn’t permit food to be used in campaigns for class office. That created a new problem: what do you do with 300 packages of sugar-free chewing gum?
We found an answer soon after the election results came in. Thomas won, and it turns out that personalized chewing gum can also be a memorable ‘thank you’ favor at victory celebrations.
What types of applications have you found for personalized food packaging? What uses can you imagine for personalized packaging?
Interested in learning more about the opportunities surrounding digitally printed packaging? You may want to check out:

• From Fodder for the Recycling Bin to Keepsake: A Package I Care About
• Personalized Chocolate Boxes Net $100,000 in a Single Holiday Season
• The 5 Senses at drupa 2012: Best of the Best Winners
• It’s Time to Focus on Digital Packaging Opportunities

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Shelley Sweeney, vice president and general manager of Xerox’s Service Bureau and Direct Mail Sectors, will speak on “Relevancy Delivers in Multi-Channel Marketing” April 16 at the Xplor Users Conference, Tampa Bay, Fla. See how you can attend the session or how to attend the 2013 Xplor User Conference.