Oddly Timed “Captain America” Promotion Offers You A S.H.I.E.L.D. Badge For Free

So you saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier. You have been keeping up with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. You know the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going through some pretty big changes lately. You might be a little perplexed then to learn about a promotion running now between Marvel and CafePress. Is it too late to join S.H.I.E.L.D.? Find out after the jump.

Like you would order a custom t-shirt or coffee mug, Marvel and CafePress have joined forces to offer fans their own, custom S.H.I.E.L.D identification badge until May 25. The promotion, which actually began March 25, was mentioned on the Captain America and Marvel Facebook pages today:

Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D., new agents! Get your own free S.H.I.E.L.D. ID Badge printed with your photo, name and agent details here at CafePress – and remember to carry it with you at all times (you know, for security clearance).

It’s a great idea, and while it makes perfect contextual sense as a promotion run prior to The Winter Soldier, it certainly feels like the marketing team behind this was a month or two late in executing its rollout.

Custom S.H.I.E.L.D. identification badges would have been a perfect idea four years ago when Iron Man 2 was about to hit theaters. Fans could have received these at the beginning of S.H.I.E.L.D’s growing presence in the Marvel films, and many viral marketing initiatives could have been developed specifically for those having “agency clearance.” Now that we all saw the organization literally crash and burn at the end of Captain America, the novelty of it is somewhat lessened, though I am sure this will still be a popular get, especially those that want to be a Hydra agent for Halloween.

Here’s hoping we’ll witness some sort of a S.H.I.E.L.D. rebuild in the coming films, and as official agents, we might be a part of it.