It is highly noted that lapel pins are nice, beautifully designed items, which are used mainly for promotion and recognition. This is where size and effectiveness go their opposite ways. Lapel pins are very small, but despite its size, it manages to deliver its message very well across to the people who see it. Actually, lapel pins are so effective, the properly designed ones may tell a whole story to a total stranger, and may be understood by a person from another culture, or country.
When you think about it, "all lapel pins, are campaign lapel pins". Since campaign is defined as "a series of operations undertaken, to achieve a large-scale objective"; this dictionary definition would imply that everything a lapel pin is used for is a campaign. The fund raising event, aimed at receiving funds for rebuilding the orphanage, a charity ball for the support of the war veterans of the Vietnam War, or the cocktail party at the hospital, for the awareness of breast cancer victims. These are but a few of such activities focused on achieving a large-scale objective, a "greater goal"; and therefore considered a campaign.
Campaign Lapel Pin Statements:
. Human Rights Campaign - this pin is designed with two bars of the same length and thickness parallel to each other, expressing that all people are treated equal. If you are unable to wear the more colorful human rights campaign shirts, this is the perfect alternative; wear it anywhere, at the office, on top of your uniform, A good way to say you're concerned.without the placards.
. Presidential Race Campaign Pins - what's there more to say? Wear these campaign lapel pins, and you'll tell people you come in contact with, which candidate you support for the Presidency. Get ready for a lot of comments though.
. Military Lapel Pins - These pins express a very subtle campaign, more denoting rank and achievement; these pins would make anyone looking feel a tingle of patriotism, and sincere concern for the betterment of ones nation.
These are only a few of the campaign pins which have already been made; there are a lot more variations of such campaign pins.but all of them aimed at delivering the message of a greater cause.
With regard to the type of process optimal for campaign lapel pins, the most popular would be the Cloisonné, the Soft Enamel Types, and the Offset Printed.
. Cloisonné Lapel Pins
Pins made through the Cloisonné process are die-struck from a copper bronze base. A die is separately made to imprint an image onto the metal base. The pin outline and cut-outs are then cut by using a separate mold. The colors are individually hand crafted with a mixture of a glass-like powder and are fired one at a time, raising the temperature to 1,600 F for around two to four minutes. This two step process makes sure that a bleeding of the colors is avoided. At the last step, the pins are polished by hand and are electroplated with either gold or silver.
. Soft Enamel Lapel Pins
This process of soft enameling is on the similar manufacturing principle of making die struck pins, but is given the option of utilizing color enamel to fill the recessed sections of the pin. This technique results in a 3-Dimensional illusion on the design when combined with the raised polished portions.
. Offset Printed Lapel Pins
Using the offset printed process, an image of the design is transferred from a photographic negative onto the surface of the base metal. This offset printed style of lapel pin is often picked when a gradient of color shift is necessary in recreating the design, such as campaign photographs, where the candidate's face is required in the design. With the offset printed process manufacturers are able to print images, pictures, and camera ready artwork.
