Just in time for National Voter Registration Day, Shinola has announced a new partnership with I am a voter — a nonpartisan, nationwide campaign that encourages voting and civic engagement — and released an “I Voted” themed timepiece.
“As a brand, we’ve always set out to create meaningful and lasting change in the community — be it in our hometown of Detroit or wherever we’ve opened our doors — and we intend to do this tenfold with the I Voted watch and initiative,” says Shannon Washburn, CEO of Shinola.
By partnering with I am a voter, the Detroit brand will be able to offer shoppers the opportunity to register to vote, make a voting plan, and find their polling place in Shinola stores. Instructions with QR codes will be displayed near registers, and shoppers can use their smartphones to access the information.
“We want to encourage people to use their voice and be represented, all while demystifying the process and emphasizing the importance of taking action with their vote,” Washburn says. “That’s why this year, Shinola will be observing Election Day as a paid company holiday, to allow our employees to get out there and vote in any way they can.”
To coincide with the announcement of the partnership, the brand has released an I Voted Detrola, a sleek red, white, and blue unisex timepiece. A press release from Shinola says the watch, priced at $395, is meant to serve as a “symbol of civic duty.” The I Voted Detrola is available for purchase at shinola.com and at Shinola stores.
Through a collaboration with Detroit art gallery 1xRUN, Shinola is also offering 30 limited-edition versions of the watch that feature customized nylon straps by artists Alexander John. Available now on 1xrun.com, the timepiece is $495. Shinola and 1xRun have pledged to donate $3,000 from the sales of the watch to the Detroit Pistons’ Get in the Game: Vote initiative.
Shinola and I am a voter will continue the conversation past National Voter Registration Day with a digital panel on Sept. 24. The online event will feature Washburn; Mandana Dayani, founder of I am a voter; Arm Tellem, and Detroit Pistons vice chairman; former Pistons player Rick Mahorn; and a special video appearance from Anthony Mackie, actor, producer, and co-founder of I Am a Man. The free event, which guests can sign up for by clicking here, will cover why voting matters and how to get involved with the Election nationally and locally in Detroit.
The news of Shinola’s election initiatives comes just a few months after the brand partnered with Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, a full-service regional philanthropic organization, to support local heroes in healthcare. In May, Shinola pledged to donate $197,500 to the organization through sales of The Champ timepiece. Read our conversation with Washburn about the mission of that partnership, here.
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