Urban Outfitters Gets Political

Urban Outfitters is capitalizing on a presidential election year by violating the unwritten rule of retail: never get political. The retailer, which has a history of selling controversial items, is offering a range of merchandise bashing Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. That includes a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “IDK NOT TRUMP THO.”

Total Retail's Take: Urban Outfitters seems to embrace the notion that "all press is good press." The retailer has found itself in the headlines a lot in recent years, and most often not for the right reasons. Yet this move to insert itself into the political arena with anti-Trump merchandise may be smart for a couple of reasons. One, Urban Outfitters’ target demographic is millennials, which polls have shown overwhelmingly support Hillary Clinton. Two, Urban Outfitters is headquartered — and has stores — in Philadelphia, site of the Democratic National Convention next week. That will bring a captive audience of Hillary supporters that will be eager to get their hands on anti-Trump merchandise. Consider it a sort of home-field advantage.