As of: February 27, 2024, 10:00 a.m
By: Peter Sieben
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Amazon offers hundreds of AfD fan items.
Political messages and appeals to voters are conveyed via the product descriptions.
A no-go, say experts.
Berlin – You don’t have to wear blue if you’re an AfD fan.
Online shipping giant Amazon sells tons of T-shirts and hoodies with the party's logo in all sorts of colors.
Also in brown.
And depending on your preference, even with the portrait of AfD leader Alice Weidel on the chest.
In addition to clothing, Amazon also offers flags and numerous other merchandising items with AfD motifs.
You can usually get them directly from Amazon's “Merch on Demand” service. When you order, they are printed and then sent.
A special form of election advertising, especially in the super election year of 2024 with three state elections.
Experts are highly critical of this - some product descriptions in particular give cause for concern.
AfD fan articles on Amazon: “Against censorship and mainstream”
“This is a new phenomenon in party advertising,” says political consultant Johannes Hillje, who, among other things, researches the forms of communication used by extremist groups.
“Other parties and their supporters tend not to pursue such practices.” In fact, there are no fan articles from other parties on Amazon – only from the AfD.
And political messages are included on the offer pages.
The product description for a shirt with the print “AfD out of conviction” says, among other things: “Alice Weidel for Germany.
Be smart and choose blue for love of your homeland.
For all fans, choose the alternative for Germany (sic!).” And further: “For our children, freedom, security and Germany.
Against censorship and mainstream.
Perfect gift for demonstrations (...) resistance against the system.
Not a millimeter to the left.”
AfD merchandising: “Attempt to normalize radical content”
“This product placement is an attempt to normalize radical content.
You use a popular and reputable platform to place AfD messages,” says Hillje.
The messages include the usual slogans that are familiar from AfD events and right-wing extremist demos.
The Thuringian AfD leader Björn Höcke, who is classified as right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, has been propagating “resistance” against the “system” for years.
Years ago he freely quoted the anti-fascist playwright Bertolt Brecht in a speech: “When injustice becomes right, resistance becomes a duty.”
“Related products” on Amazon: boots with steel toes, imperial war flags
By the way, a saying that appears in Fraktur script on many sweaters on Amazon: items that you see as “Related Products” if you are interested in AfD shirts.
And not only that: Imperial war flags also quickly appear, boots with steel toes, knives or shirts with sayings like “Violence is a solution”.
Does that mean that buyers of AfD goods are also interested in such items?
When asked, Amazon would not say how the algorithm behind it works.
In general, the online giant is closing down on the topic.
Who are the clients for the AfD party advertising, how many items are sold - no comment.
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Clear political AfD messages on Amazon items
Not even the product descriptions, which are clear political messages.
When it comes to sponsored advertising, Amazon is actually very sensitive: “Political content, e.g.
"Campaigns for or against a politician or political party, in connection with an election, or content related to political or publicly discussed issues" are prohibited, the guidelines say.
This apparently does not apply to the AfD goods on offer.
This becomes even clearer, for example, with a shirt with the saying “Dogs shit on everything that is green”.
In the description there is a clear request: “Set an example in the next state election / federal election against left-wing politics and their unrealistic ideas (sic!).
Wear it at rallies and demos & stand up against ideologies that are destroying Germany.
Pro Weidel and pro AFD, against traffic lights.”
Political scientist: “I find this secret party advertising irritating to say the least”
Ursula Münch finds this “quite unsavory”.
The politics professor is director of the Academy for Political Education.
“I find this type of secret party advertising irritating to say the least.” It is incomprehensible why Amazon allows such political statements.
Another problem is that messages from extreme political forces are so normalized when they appear on a mainstream portal like Amazon: “It's just a click away.
Nobody has to go to a dubious fan shop to buy shirts like this.”
Amazon provider of AfD flag suddenly disappears - entire shop is offline
It is often difficult to find out who the providers are.
The party initially did not comment on whether the AfD itself commissioned the shirts and fan items directly or indirectly: there was no answer to questions for weeks.
The AfD only got in touch after the article was published.
The request was apparently lost, it was said.
The AfD does not sell any advertising materials through Amazon, the answer was: “Any advertising materials with the name or logo of our party that are sold there are offered without the consent or permission of the AfD.
We reserve the right to take legal action in each individual case.”
“Even if it is not a direct client, such fan goods would probably fit the AfD well,” says political consultant Johannes Hillje.
“We know this from demos: When the media is criticized on stage, the battle cry 'lying press' quickly comes from the crowd.
The AfD does not directly adopt the word, but shows that it appreciates it.
This is a strategy of heating up, as we also know it from Donald Trump.”
With such radical slogans, the AfD is signaling to its core electorate that it is the parliamentary representation of radical positions.
At least one retailer who recently sold AfD flags on Amazon with the inscription “AfD – Germany.
“But normal.” was found.
The provider was an online shop, supposedly based in a tiny town near Koblenz.
The person named in the legal notice was apparently not ready for a conversation - there was no answer when asked.
And what's more: the day after the request, the AfD offer on Amazon disappeared, the entire online shop was offline and the telephone number provided was no longer reachable.
Collaboration: David Huth
Note: The AfD only responded and sent a statement weeks after our press inquiry and a set deadline and after the article was published.
This was subsequently added to the article as an update.