Just imagine: In the 2020 presidential election, you could have the option of voting for Donald Trump, Kanye West, or billionaire Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.
At least you can if startup SalesLoft, an Atlanta-based startup that helps salespeople sift through leads, gets its way.
At this week's Dreamforce conference in San Francisco, SalesLoft has been handing out "Vote for Benioff" buttons:
Matt Weinberger
Those buttons ended up becoming a sought-after piece of Dreamforce memorabilia after actor Adrian Grenier, best known for his role as Vinny Chase on HBO's Entourage, took to his Instagram to spread the word (and volunteer as Benioff's running mate):
Stop by 3rd at Metreon Moscone where we're hard at work on the #Benioff2020 Campaign Trail!http://t.co/yDcInEPVJC pic.twitter.com/CUJBbT0HOo
- SalesLoft (@SalesLoft) September 17, 2015
Matt Weinberger
With 170,000 registered attendees, it can be hard to stand out at Dreamforce, Salesforce's annual conference/celebration of itself. Last year, SalesLoft hired a Marc Benioff impersonator to promote the startup. This year, it's a presidential campaign.
Of course, this is just a clever marketing gimmick, and Benioff hasn't actually announced any intention to run. But Benioff is no stranger to political causes, memorably using his influence earlier this year to pressure Indiana into changing its discriminatory anti-gay law.
And, of course, like certain current presidential candidates, Benioff isn't above slamming the competition.