The lefty ice cream makers Ben & Jerry recently launched a new flavor called "Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream." Described on their website as, "the sweet taste of libery in your mouth," the new ice cream is one of the first mainstream examples of overtly political branding. The Vermont guys appeared on Colbert's show to introduce the ice cream and talk about how half the federal budget currently goes to the Pentagon, at the expense of much-needed social programs.
In today's MySpace culture of wearing our personal beliefs and preferences on our sleeves, brands will find it increasingly difficult not to have a point of view on the critical issues of our time. Divisive topics ranging from the Iraq war, global warming, Intelligent Design, and gay rights are going to influence consumer choices more and more. It has already happened in the eco arena, where owning a Toyota Prius has become the equivalent of a very public membership to the Sierra Club.
As consumers become more emboldened about their political views, brands that are unafraid to make statements will take the lead. Like the Mac vs. PC ads by Apple, we've entered an era where the brand choices we make say more about us than what school we went to or what city we're from. It's just a matter of time before political analysts will be able to predict the outcomes of elections based on the sales of sodas and ice cream.
