• Whip Inflation Now (WIN)

    President Gerald R. Ford inherited a nation in dire economic straits. A debilitating recession that combined high unemployment and a stagnant economy with rampant inflation posed many difficult challenges. With a degree in economics and 25 years of Congressional budgeting experience, President Ford plunged headfirst into the crisis. His first and most public move was to combat inflation. He declared inflation “public enemy number one.” Ford’s economic advisors devised a Whip Inflation Now or WIN program in the fall of 1974. It focused on a variety of voluntary anti-inflationary initiatives that individual citizens and businesses could embrace. Early enthusiasm for the program generated massive quantities of handmade and mass-produced material, including buttons, signs, clothing, stickers, ephemera, and much more. Unfortunately, enthusiasm waned by the New Year as the program failed to generate the results people had hoped for and the program quickly died out.

    WIN Football
  • Hand-knit, “WIN”- patterned sweater sent to President Gerald R. Ford for support of his Whip Inflation Now campaign.

     

    Accession Number: 1983.92
    Dimensions: 30 x 50”
    Donation Date: Unknown
    Donor: Unknown

    WIN sweater
  • Red and white “WIN” campaign button. “Plant a WIN garden” printed in white on a red background in the shape of a tomato.

     

    Accession Number: 2006.42.97
    Dimensions: 2.25” diameter
    Donation Date: October 2, 2006
    Donor: Gift of Dr. Mark D. Griffith

    WIN button
  • Whip Inflation Now wristwatch with “WIN” in white on a red background and a navy blue, cloth strap.

     

    Accession Number: 1987.481.1.1
    Dimensions: 8.5 x 1.25”
    Donation Date: November 25, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Hale E. Dougherty, M.D., Dirty Time Company

    WIN wristwatch
  • Red and white tray with eight matching coasters, all sporting the WIN logo.

     

    Accession Number: 1987.493.1.1
    Dimensions: 11.25” diameter
    Donation Date: October 22, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Herb Stone (President of Media Merchandising)

    WIN serving tray and coasters
  • White, plastic Whip Inflation Now (WIN) sign. The top half is composed of a likeness of the red WIN button with “Whip-Inflation-Now” in blue text below. The bottom half depicts a nefarious character with pockets full of money and wearing a red "Inflation" scarf being whipped by Uncle Sam. Small wooden blocks adhered to the back would be used for mounting the sign. The donor mailed this sign, along with another, and thousands of WIN buttons to President Gerald R. Ford in support of the WIN Program.

     

    Accession Number: 1987.617.3
    Dimensions: 26 x 16”
    Donation Date: December 11, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Robert J. Slavsky, President, Shaw & Slavsky Inc.

    WIN sign with figures
  • Roll of red and white “WIN” stickers.

     

    Accession Number: 1987.537.1.3
    Dimensions: 1.5 x 3.25”
    Donation Date: October 17, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Edward Magnus, Flexible Tape & Label Co.

    WIN stickers
  • Orange Whip Inflation Now booklet with a front cover depicting a caricature of a man wearing a suit decorated with dollar signs. The man is lighting a cigar with money. The booklet contains 80 small blank sheets of paper.

     

    Accession Number: 2006.42.10
    Dimensions: 4 x 3”
    Donation Date: October 2, 2006
    Donor: Gift of Dr. Mark D. Griffith

    WIN pamphlet
  • World War II era victory license plate featuring the American flag next to “HELP WIN.” In an accompanying letter, the donor finds the plate appropriate to President Gerald R. Ford’s WIN program by pointing out that “HELP WIN” could stand for Hope Everyone Lowers Prices and Whip Inflation Now.

     

    Accession Number: 1987.546
    Dimensions: 4.5 x 10”
    Donation Date: October 24, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Oscar Haessler

    WIN license plate
  • National Football League (NFL) official game ball with “WIN” painted on it in bold white paint.

     

    Accession Number: 1987.225.1
    Dimensions: 12 x 9” diameter
    Donation Date: October 23, 1974
    Donor: Gift of James E. Houston

    WIN Football
  • One of twenty identical WIN bumper stickers sent by mail to President Gerald R. Ford for the Whip Inflation Now campaign. Red text on white background reads, “Help Your Country * Help Yourself / Whip / Inflation / Now!”

     

    Accession Number: 1987.551
    Dimensions: 16 x 3.75”
    Donation Date: October 19, 1974
    Donor: Gift of the Hesik Co.

    WIN bumper sticker
  • White with red trim WIN t-shirt mailed to President Gerald R. Ford in support of his inflation fighting efforts. Features a WIN logo with “Because we can’t afford / to lose” printed underneath. Sent by Tom Hoff, Executive Vice President of Quality Wear, with a letter stating, “Consider the excellent publicity to be gained from awarding these ‘walking messages’ to your army of inflation fighters.”

     

    Accession Number: 1987.556.1.1
    Dimensions: 28 x 34”
    Donation Date: October 19, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Tom Hoff

    WIN tee-shirt
  • Whip Inflation Now (WIN) garden kit. The white box states, “Whip inflation Now- With Intelligent Nutrition” and encourages children and adults to use the package to grow their own food. Approved by the “WIN Gardeners Club of America.” Documentation and seeds are found within. The set also includes a small membership card for President Gerald R. Ford for the WIN Gardeners Club of American. The creator of the kit enclosed a letter explaining why he developed the kit and extended to Ford the very first membership into the group.

     

    Accession Number: 1987.584.1
    Dimensions: 9.5 x 15 x 2”
    Donation Date: October 23, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Davis “Seed King” Lott, WIN Gardeners Club of America

    WIN seed packets
  • Medium-sized, white t-shirt with red, white, and blue text that reads, “OK / America / Whip Inflation Now! / New Jersey Is…” One of three t-shirts mailed by the donor to the White House in support of President Gerald R. Ford’s WIN Program. A letter enclosed stated, “recently my wife and I listened to a televised speech you gave on your W.I.N. Program, and were not only impressed by it but were moved to join in the crusade! For the first time in many, many years I no longer feel apathetic about what’s happening to our wonderful country, because for the first time in many, many years you, Mr. President, have given the American people a say in our country’s welfare and have made it publicly known that you are working for us, for our problems.”

     

    Accession Number: 1987.587.1
    Dimensions: 13.25 x 12.25”
    Donation Date: October 23, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Howard Weinstein

    WIN t-shirt
  • Red, white, and blue “WIN” duffle bag with two black handles.

     

    Accession Number: 2006.42.4
    Dimensions: 11.5 x 18.5 x 13”
    Donation Date: October 2, 2006
    Donor: Gift of Dr. Mark D. Griffith

    WIN duffle bag
  • White, plastic Whip Inflation Now (WIN) sign. Small wooden blocks adhered to the back would be used for mounting the sign. The donor mailed this sign, along with another, and thousands of WIN buttons to President Gerald R. Ford in support of the WIN Program.

    Accession Number: 1987.617.2
    Dimensions: 20 x 26”
    Donation Date: December 11, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Robert J. Slavsky, President, Shaw & Slavsky Inc.

    WIN sign
  • Deck of white playing cards featuring a blue “WIN” logo. Sent to the White House as samples and with a letter stating, “we hope you will enjoy your bridge game with these.”
     

    Accession Number: 1987.540
    Dimensions: 3.5 x 2”
    Donation Date: October 27, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Arrco Playing Card Co.

    WIN playing cards
  • Caricature of President Gerald R. Ford wearing a “WIN” football helmet. The piece has mat board boarder about 2" wide. Handwritten note on the back reads, “Let my love, like sunlight, surround you and give you illumined freedom. ~Tagore."

     

    Accession Number: 1989.305.1
    Dimensions: 16 x 12”
    Donation Date: September 24, 1975
    Donor: Gift of Kay Herold

    WIN cartoon
  • Red and white “WIN” button made popular during President Gerald R. Ford’s Whip Inflation Now campaign.

     

    Accession Number: 1992.248.1
    Dimensions: 1” diameter
    Donation Date: December 23, 1991
    Donor: Library Transfer – William J. Baroody Files

    WIN button
  • White campaign tab with “WIN” in bold, red letters accompanied by a small red fish.

     

    Accession Number: 2006.16.27
    Donation Date: December 29, 2005
    Donor: Gift of Dr. Mark D. Griffith

    WIN button
  • Sterling silver pin featuring “WIN” logo and housed in a black presentation box. Sent with a selection of WIN emblems to President Gerald R. Ford by Joseph Roth, President of the Karbra Co., Inc. Accompanying letter states, “please accept them with my wish that all your endeavors may be crowned with success.”

     

    Accession Number: 1987.503.10
    Dimensions: 2.5 x 2.5”
    Donation Date: October 31, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Joseph Roth

    WIN sterling silver pin
  • Whip Inflation Now ordering book for the Ever Ready Label Corporation. The booklet contains red text on a white background, with ordering information for WIN merchandise. The donor sent the booklet along with an assortment of WIN stickers to President Gerald R. Ford in support of the WIN Program.

     

    Accession Number: 1987.609.5
    Dimensions: 6 x 3.5”
    Donation Date: November 28, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Henry B. Rosenberg

    WIN booklet
  • Two red “WIN” earrings mounted on a red, white, and blue plastic backing. The backing says, “Whip Inflation Now,” and features an image of the Capitol.

     

    Accession Number: 2006.42.36
    Dimensions: 3.75 x 3”
    Donation Date: October 2, 2006
    Donor: Gift of Dr. Mark D. Griffith

    WIN earrings
  • Whip Inflation Now (WIN) themed baby bib. Features an image of a toddler on a tricycle pulling a baby in a wagon, who in turn pulls a toy dog, all under a WIN logo sun. Text under image states, “Start A Car Pool.” Trimmed in yellow. One of three baby bibs mailed to President Gerald R. Ford from Jerome M. Karp, President of Kiddie Products Inc. His enclosed letter states, “On the campaign trail it is the IN thing to do, to kiss babies. Although you are not now actively campaigning, we know that babies are still attention getters… we are behind you and your efforts.”

     

    Accession Number: 1987.555.3
    Dimensions: 12.5 x 10.5”
    Donation Date: November 27, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Jerome M. Karp

    WIN child's bib
  • Red, white, and blue needlework that reads, “WIN – 1974.” Housed within a gold-toned, wood frame.  An inscription on the attached metal plaque states, “To the Ford Family From Judy Roberts Stitchery, Inc.” The donor mailed the needlework to President Gerald R. Ford in support of the Whip Inflation Now campaign.

     

    Accession Number: 2004.310
    Dimensions: 11.75 x 18.75 x 2”
    Donation Date: November 25, 1974
    Donor: Gift of Judy Roberts

    WIN needlework
  • WIN Football
  • WIN sweater
    WIN button
    WIN wristwatch
    WIN serving tray and coasters
    WIN sign with figures
    WIN stickers
    WIN pamphlet
    WIN license plate
    WIN Football
    WIN bumper sticker
    WIN tee-shirt
    WIN seed packets
    WIN t-shirt
    WIN duffle bag
    WIN sign
    WIN playing cards
    WIN cartoon
    WIN button
    WIN button
    WIN sterling silver pin
    WIN booklet
    WIN earrings
    WIN child's bib
    WIN needlework
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