Sticker Mule's risky new strategy: going all

Until July 13, the X account of Sticker Mule, a New York-based printing company, was largely used to promote products and contests — retweet this post for a chance to win money or a Tesla Cybertruck. But after a gunman took aim at Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Sticker Mule posted something more substantial that proved to be a game-changer for the company.

"I don't care what your political views are but the hate for Trump and his supporters has gone too far," the post said. It went on to note that Trump has five kids, including a teen, and that "kind-hearted, compassionate" people support him. "Don't limit your friendships, and diminish your happiness by indulging in political hate," the post said.

It was the first time a Sticker Mule post had been signed by its CEO and co-founder Anthony Constantino, and intentionally or not, marked a radical change for the company. Since then, the company's X feed has been increasingly political, and a giant sign endorsing Trump was installed on the company's headquarters in Amsterdam, New York. The New York Times wrote about the company, and Trump himself gave Sticker Mule a shoutout on Truth Social.

It was, in many ways, the kind of free media exposure that companies and the publicists pine for — but, of course, it came with a cost.

People who dislike the former president responded strongly, both to the social media post and a similar message sent out via the company's email list the Monday after the assassination attempt. Some customers announced they would stop using Sticker Mule, and competitors pounced, with one competing company offering a "Bye Donkey" deal for "everyone jumping off that other company."

In an interview with the Deseret News, Constantino, who moonlights as a professional boxer in Mexico, acknowledges that sales have dipped in the past three months even though the attention has also won him new customers. "I think we took a hit over the situation, but I tell people it's not uncommon to pay an upfront cost to solve a problem. ... But it will work out in the long run. Especially if the situation gets fixed."

By "the situation" he doesn't mean a Democrat occupying the White House — although he wants Trump to win.

He is talking about the political climate that is causing rifts between families and friends, and making Trump supporters afraid to speak their mind. The solution, as Constantino sees it, is for more people to speak out.

"Trump supporters are defined by the people who are willing to speak, but sometimes the people who are willing to speak aren't the best representatives," he said. "All the people who have nothing to risk speak up. They end up defining the Trump voter, and they make it easy for Trump voters to get smeared and defamed. It's not good for either side, really."

So Constantino is now trying to to use his growing platform to change the narrative about Trump, promoting him as the "Max Happiness President" — a Republican counterpart to Vice President Kamala Harris's "joy and vibes." He's started a political action committee called StickerPAC that offers Trump stickers with messages such as "Awesome people love Trump" and "Trump for Peace." At age 41, he's starting a new chapter in the life of the 14-year-old company, and one for himself as well.

Before Trump's first candidacy, Constantino was politically disengaged, but after a Democrat friend talked to him about Trump's presidential bid in 2016, he started paying attention and was disturbed by how Trump was represented by the media. "I had no real interest in him, I didn't really even know much about him other than that everyone knew the name Trump. I didn't even watch 'The Apprentice,'" he said.

But Constantino watched Trump talk about a building a wall "that has a big beautiful door because we want people coming to this country legally" and noticed how news coverage often omitted the language about the door. "That was kind of a wake-up moment for me. He was being misrepresented. That's when I started paying closer attention to him."

Sticker Mule's social media feed occasionally tilted politically right prior to July 13, but Constantino was shaken by the assassination attempt and soon the account was all in for Trump, to the point of posting commentary on the vice presidential debate and on "Saturday Night Live" skits involving Trump. He also wrote a long post encouraging Trump supporters to likewise speak out, saying, "Opinions change and your job is to help them. Don't let the hate bother you."

He added: "It's not good for either side that 10+ million people have been programmed to hate all Trump supporters. Let's fix this problem together and unify the nation. If you like Trump, respectfully talk to your friends, talk to your family, talk to your neighborhoods, and, maybe, consider talking to your customers. As long as you are respectful, I suspect, you'll be happier for having done something to make America and the world a happier place."

Some people pointed out in the comments that Trump himself needs to learn this lesson, with one person noting that Trump recently wrote on social media "I hate Taylor Swift." Another person commented, "I would suggest the best thing you can do to try and bridge the divide ... is to admit that your man played a very big part in bringing US political (discourse) to this point. You can admit his faults and still support him."

Constantino hasn't had the chance to have this conversation with Trump, although he said he has spoken briefly with Donald Trump Jr. and the campaign is aware of the controversy over a giant, illuminated "VOTE FOR TRUMP" sign that he had installed atop Sticker Mule's headquarters in New York, earlier this month. (Citing safety issues and zoning rules, the city sought a restraining order, which was later vacated by a judge.)

The building has now become something of a gathering spot for Trump supporters in the region, with a " Sunday at the Sign " event planned Oct. 20 and another on election night. The sign, and its promotion, has also shown Constantino to be a master marketer, which is a good thing for the CEO of a company that sells a variety of printed materials such as buttons, T-shirts and yard signs — and, somewhat inexplicably, its own branded hot sauce .

Constantino is convinced Trump will win, but if not, he doesn't see Sticker Mule's incursion into politics as a bad thing — "Long term, it makes the brand more interesting," he told me. Just like Trump himself makes a campaign more interesting?

"Hopefully he will win and then people will calm down, and say, look, 'He's going to be in for four years, let him do his thing,'" Constantino said. "He's a great entertainer too. ... You watch him, he makes you laugh. It's like a free comedy show while he does a great job of running the country."