Taiwan Election Dolls

ANCHOR:
Some candidates for political office hold rallies, others broadcast commercials attacking opponents, or canvass the streets with truck-mounted loudspeakers.
But one candidate for the Taiwan presidency is taking a decidedly different approach this year. Let's find out more.

STORY:
Taiwan presidential candidate Frank Hsieh is a lawyer with a sarcastic sense of humor. He is banking on sales of erasers, coasters and dolls bearing his likeness to help propel himself and running mate Su Tseng-chang into office.
Assistant Marketing Director Annie Sun of the chain store Happy Taiwan says
these souvenirs bring out political platform with various themes such as Taiwanese traditional culture, city impressions, and cultural integration.

Happy Taiwan's wares include pillows shaped like Taiwan to showcase the
Democratic Progressive Party's emphasis on building a Taiwan identity separate from China, which claims the self-ruled island as its own.

The 40 types of souvenirs also include human-shaped piggy-banks that
look like Hsieh, a nod to a campaign slogan that Taiwan will be
"prosperous" despite nagging economic issues.

[Chou Pei-hong, Customer]:
"Ever since we began to have elections, merchandise like these are hardly seen, it's good for campaigns or advertisements."
Other advocates come into the store to show support.

[Yang Sang-chuan, Customer]:
"We all have different ways to express support, and I choose this way to support them because it seems they don't have a lot of campaign funds, so I will contribute a little bit."

Japanese and Hong Kong tourists are also among the buyers, Sun said,
since much of the merchandise carries symbols of Taiwan and can pass as
tourist souvenirs.

[Annie Sun, Assistant Marketing Director, "Happy Taiwan"]: "We hope this merchandise will represent Taiwan's creativity, in a cute and interesting way, and at the same time effectively promote Taiwan's industry."
Hsieh's campaign approached the owners of Happy Taiwan to make and sell
the souvenirs, which they have done since December.

About 1,000 people drop into the Taipei store per day to check out the
merchandise priced between $1 to $29 per item.

Category:

News & Politics

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• taiwan
• election
• dolls
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• Frank
• Hsieh