April 25, 2012
"Scan to Vote" T-Shirts Rock the Vote
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 3 MIN.
PromoJam has teamed up with Rock the Vote, Junk Food, and Threads for Thought to launch the first-ever "Scan To Vote" social media powered QR Code t-shirts for the 2012 election year.
Made from 100% organic cotton, the tech-savvy eco-shirts were specifically created to engage, educate and inspire youth in America to register to vote directly from the piece of technology that they use most - their smart phone.
Youth in America now spend more time online and on social networking sites (via their smartphones, tablets or computers) than they do on any other form of media. This Millennial Generation is diverse and huge in number, making up nearly one quarter of the entire electorate in 2012, which evokes both the challenge and the opportunity.
Rock the Vote, the largest nonpartisan youth voter registration organization in the country, is dedicated to building the political power of young people by engaging them in the electoral process, urging politicians to pay attention to issues that matter to young voters, and protecting their fundamental right to vote.
The t-shirt has always been a symbol of self-expression. Understanding that the most effective way to reach youth is through social networks and their phone, Junk Food X Threads for Thought, PromoJam and Rock The Vote have created a t-shirt stylishly embedded with social media QR code technology to reach youth via platforms they care about most - fashion, technology, entertainment, social networks, and music.
Debuting at the ultimate cross-section of technology, entertainment and music - the SXSW Festival in Austin Texas - the "Scan To Vote" QR Code-tees are destined to make a huge impact. Following SXSW, the "Scan To Vote" QR Code-tees will hit the road with Rock The Vote, touring America's most popular youth-events including Coachella, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. The tees will be for sale exclusively nationwide at select premium retailers and on both Junk Food Clothing's and Threads for Thought's websites.
When people scan the QR Code graphic on the tee with their smartphone, a customized PromoJam mobile experience will launch on their phone. From this mobile page, people will be able to watch educational and inspiring videos about the election, take social actions such as "LIKE-ing" Rock The Vote on Facebook, and registering to vote strait from their smartphone!
While the entire form can be completed from their mobile phone, in most states, excluding Colorado, individuals must still print, sign and mail in the voter registration form. The QR tool takes individuals through a step by step process on their smart phone to fill out information and repopulates a PDF document that is then emailed to them. From there, all they have to do is print, sign and mail it to their Board of Electors. The address is already printed on the paper as a self-mailer.
PromoJam, RtV, Junk Food, and Threads for Thought all want to encourage people to register to vote and this is how they are working with Rock the Vote to make it easy.
Rock the Vote's mission is to engage and build political power for young people in our country.Founded twenty-one years ago at the intersection of popular culture and politics, Rock the Vote has registered more than five million young people to vote and has become a trusted source of information for young people about registering to vote and casting a ballot.
Rock the Vote uses music, popular culture, new technologies and grassroots organizing to motivate and mobilize young people in our country to participate in every election, with the goal of seizing the power of the youth vote to create political and social change.
LINKS:
To view the mobile webpage, scan the QR-Code or type the URL into your smartphone browser: http://rockthevote.promojamgo.com/register
www.junkfoodclothing.com
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A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.