Obamaweek had a recent Q&A with Harvard Business School professor John Quelch, author of Greater Good: How Good Marketing Makes for Better Democracy, on how marketing is used in the 2008 election. His take on the candidates:
What brands or products do you associate with the candidates?
A month or two ago, Obama—the candidate of the educated elite—was associated with the Starbucks brand; Clinton—the candidate of the blue-collar worker—with Dunkin’ Donuts. Now, Obama is the new Prius and [John] McCain the old Ford F-150 pickup truck. In 1998, the Democratic candidate, Michael Dukakis, was caricatured as an elitist policy wonk whose supporters were “limousine liberals.” Today, these people are no longer in limousines, they are in Priuses. Obama has to avoid the rap Dukakis fell into of being defined by his opponent. Obama has to move quickly to define himself as a change agent for the mainstream, equally comfortable in a Honda as a Volvo.
Notice that Prof. Quelch does not see Obama as an American car. His words, not mine. If I had to pick a car for Senator Obama, it would be the Chevy Volt. A lot of promises, but not much to back it up. A car based on hope, as they say.