Gnarly wave under red text over ocean-blue background. 

This specific slogan, “Where’s the Beach,” evokes a feeling of longing or contrast (perhaps someone stuck at work or in a non-beach environment), using the beach motif as an idealized escape. It can be a literal question or a metaphorical one, similar to asking, "Where's the getaway?" or "Where's the escape?" It plays into vacation and holiday culture. The wording indicates a fun, relaxed tone, typical of quirky souvenirs associated with summer and beach life. Its bright colors and wave design convey the easygoing feeling of being on vacation, while echoing the look of surf towns and coastal getaways. The phrase expresses a lighthearted, joking desire to be somewhere sunnier. Buttons like this let people showcase their moods and their love for the beach as the ultimate destination.

Red text encircled by blue and white checkered border over white background. 

“Show me where to get a drink” implies the question “would you like to get a drink with me?” in a forward manner. It is one of a series of suggestive novelty buttons issued by Johnson Smith & Company in the 1930s. The buttons in this series all share the visual features of blue and white alternating rectangles around the perimeter of the button with red sans serif font boasting flirty expressions. The frivolous and fun nature of these buttons and other novelty goods produced in the 1920s and 1930s was purported by Johnson Smith & Co. as “provid[ing] an escape for people wracked with economic struggle brought on by WWI and the Great Depression” (Johnson Smith Company, LinkedIn).

Johnson Smith & Co. originated in 1914 as a novelty item mail-order company based in Chicago, IL. The company later moved to Racine, WI, Detroit, MI, and ultimately, Bradenton, FL. Though their website is now defunct, it was active as of 2012. Johnson Smith & Co. often advertised in print media aimed at young adults such as Action Comics, Boys’ Life, Popular Mechanics, and MAD. These ads and larger catalogs were influential in the development of American graphic design.

Plump salesman with a briefcase of samples below black text over white background. 

Hal Hoffman was an editorial cartoonist for the New York Evening Journal.  Hoffman's illustrations were sometime harsh social commentary, like this syndicated 1914 illustration featured in the Wilmette, Illinois's Lake Shore News about poverty and children not receiving holiday gifts.  

White text over purple background. 

This is most likely a reference to Steven Martin’s Excuse Me track on his first comedy album Let’s get Small. The album was released in 1977 and made it to No. 10 on the Billboard Pop Album Chart. “Well, excu-u-use me!” became one of Steven Martin’s most famous catchphrases and became a comedy phenomenon. Martin frequently hosted Saturday Night Live and the “excuse me” bit would begin with him talking about something that would steadily enrage him to the point where he would exclaim “Well, excu-u-use me!” paired with his signature body language.

The phrase “excuse me” is commonly used. Even people who have never heard the track are familiar with the over exaggerated sentiment of “Well, excu-u-use me!” used to express outrage.

Video of “excuse me” bit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zANvYB93u2g

Weird parents read spooky tales to affectionate kid underneath white text. 

“Weird Parents” is a book by Audrey Wood, first published in 1995. She is the author of more than thirty children’s books. “Weird Parents” is about a boy who must contend with his weird parents. His mother packs strange food in his lunch box, and his father does weird things in public, like imitating a chicken. 

Yellow text over brown and blue stripes over yellow background. 

A reference to the popular Latin phrase, “Veni, Vidi, Vici” coined by General Julius Caesar around 47 B.C. after a swift, decisive victory at the Battle of Zela. The phrase translates to I Came, I Saw, I Conquered and has been widely referenced across popular culture from a speech by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to famous rapper Jay-Z in his song Encore. 

Blue text over white background. 

“Use it or lose it” is an idiom that means if someone does not use something, they might lose the opportunity to use it in the future. It is most often used to encourage people to keep using their skills or abilities, so they do not become rusty or forget them. It can be applied to many different areas of life such as physical fitness, cognitive ability, and even finance. For example, if someone does not use their muscles regularly, they will weaken over time. Similarly, if they do not practice mental fitness, their cognitive abilities may decline. In terms of finances, some companies have a “use it or lose it” policy for flexible spending accounts (FSAs), which means that any money left in the account at the end of the year is forfeited.

Rainbow text over black background.

During the 1980s, retail stores gave away promotional items with purchase including many pinback buttons. Unique, also known as Unique-Boutique, was a the large retail store in New York City that had multiple departments selling graffiti spray-painted clothing, vintage duds, and fashionable bright neon attire. Although Unique was effectively advertising during the 1980s, it went out of business in the early 1990s.

White text over black background. 

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Hot-pink text over light-pink background. 

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