1-21-13: Time to Celebrate with Obama Inaugural Watches

The number of people participating in the 57th Presidential Inauguration is impressive:

2800 groups asked to march in the Inaugural parade
28, 189 people will have a seat on the Inaugural parade route
50,000 volunteers have offered to help out
700,000 are expected to attend the Inauguration

So how come only 5,000 people across the country will be able to buy a 2013 Obama Inaugural watch?

"We planned it that way," said Jack Goldenberg, President, Obama Watches, the company making the 2013 Obama Inaugural Watch. "It wouldn't be a limited edition if we made a million of them."

Obama Watches seems to have cornered the market on presidential timepieces. Since 2008,Obama watches has produced 28 Obama for President and 2 Obama Inaugural watches.  The company's watches have some political and historic significance. Three of their watches are in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution and several of them may be in the White House. In 2008, Goldenberg handed then-candidate Obama five Obama Watches at the request of the Democratic party.

It all began rather quietly. In 2007, Goldenberg wore a single Obama for President watch he made to a friend's birthday party. "I wasn't planning to make any more," said Goldenberg. "It was just a one-man viral crusade supporting Obama's candidacy." The next day five friends contacted him asking, "Where can I get one of those Obama watches?"

So in 2008, Goldenberg started selling 5 different Obama for President Watches. Many featured photos of the candidate and carried campaign slogans like, "Yes We Can" and "Time for a Change," while others took a more comical approach, like, "Love Your Mama. Vote Obama."

Goldenberg is quick to point out that Obama Watches are not sanctioned by the President's re-election committee. Nevertheless, that's not stopping his customers from ordering watches to wear to the Inauguration and Inaugural Balls.

In 2009, the Inaugural watch was sold in 16 venues throughout DC. The watches sold out before noon leaving some Inaugural attendees disappointed. That's why the 2013 Inaugural watch will only be sold online at the company's Web site, ObamaWatches.com. The watches go on sale on January 14, one week before the Inauguration.

Obama Watches customers are opting to wear one of the company's 29 other Obama Watches to the festivities in the nation's capital. Many are choosing the "Barack Around the Clock" watch to wear with their ball gowns and formal wear. To accommodate various dress styles, the watch has been produced in three different colors.    
The "Barack Around the Clock" timepiece features the President with a Mona Lisa-like smile and wearing oversized sunglasses.

ObamaWatches.com leans a little to left when they market their products. All Obama Watches are "Guaranteed to be more accurate than Mitt Romney." During the 2012 campaign, the company had a "Mitt Romney Changed his Mind" Sale every day.

If Inaugural Watches strike a chord with consumers, it won't be the first time Goldenberg has hit marketing pay dirt. He helped launch some of America's best selling icons, including the Happy Meal and Cabbage Patch Kids.