Which Presidential Candidate Spends the Most on Promotional Products?
The 2016 presidential election is projected to be the most expensive in U.S history. The Los Angeles Times reports that political advertising spending—which makes up the bulk of all campaign costs—is projected to hit $6 billion by Nov. 8. This year, marketing spend alone will be almost as much the entire 2012 election, and total costs for 2016 are estimated to reach $7.5 billion.
All those contributions have to go somewhere. Campaigns are required to disclose financial information to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), an independent regulatory agency. The FEC makes these filings public, giving citizens the closest possible view inside a campaign and an idea of how their contributions are spent.
The most recent release of campaign finance information covers costs for January 2016 and includes spending for the six candidates still in the race. The filings show not only how campaigns generate their budgets, but also how they spend them.
Kyle A. Richardson is the editorial director of Promo Marketing. He joined the company in 2006 brings more than a decade of publishing, marketing and media experience to the magazine. If you see him, buy him a drink.