http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=712638 Presidential face-off
Firm uses mask sales to predict outcome of election
By DORIS HAJEWSKI
dhajewski@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Jan. 29, 2008
A New Berlin costume retailer is aiming to unmask the identity of the next president ahead of the election, based on its sales of likenesses of the candidates' faces.
Jalem Getz, Buycostumes.com president, says candidate masks are a new form of the bumper sticker. BuyCostumes.com, the largest online costume retailer in the U.S., has predicted accurately the outcomes of the 2000 and 2004 elections by tracking sales of masks of the candidates, founder Jalem Getz said.
This year, Getz saw an opportunity to generate publicity and sales early by selling 99-cent likenesses of eight primary candidates and reporting on the sales volume every week, from now until the general election in November. "The more popular the mask, the more likely the candidate would win," Getz said.
The company on Tuesday started selling paper face masks of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, John Edwards, Rudy Giuliani and Ron Paul. The first popularity rankings will be released in seven days.
Getz is promoting the masks with news releases and e-mails to people who have shopped with Buycostumes.com. In addition, he's contacting the campaigns in hopes of selling the inexpensive masks to supporters of the candidates.
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More at link above...
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If you're interested in the masks or other election-related party stuff (they have some cool Democratic Party supplies):
http://www.buycostumes.com/Search_All_election/Category/0/results1.aspx