Red and White Win

 Bold white text centered on a bright red background.

This button attempted to raise awareness for Gerald Ford's WIN (Whip Inflation Now) campaign. In the last years of the Nixon presidency, and continuing on into the Ford administration, America's economy suffered three inflationary 'shocks'—rising food prices, rising energy prices, and the end of the Nixon wage-price controls program. Consequently, the US underwent double digit inflation between 1974 and 1976. 

The WIN campaign began in 1974, when Ford addressed to the National Commission on Inflation, urging both public and private action to curb supply and demand. In a speech to Congress on October 8th, 1974, Ford declared inflation "public enemy number one," and proceeded to argue for a series of proposals that would curb supply and demand, effectually bringing inflation under control. 

Unfortunately for Ford, the general public did not embrace the "WIN" campaign. Many skeptics wore the pin upside down, explaining that "NIM" stood for "No Immediate Miracles," or "Nonstop Inflation Merry-go-round," or "Need Immediate Money."