In light of recent economic hardship, it appears that most advertisements/companies are focused more on mentioning the low cost or how we could save money by using a certain product rather than talking about it's overall quality. Companies seem to be taking advantage of the economic stimulus checks people are receiving by having sales and offering discounts in that name. They realize that this may be the first time in a while that people have come across a few hundred dollars of disposable income and many hurting organizations are competing to be the place in which we spend that money
As always, heavy marketing is being utilized by the two current candidates for the presidency. Barack Obama is going under the phrase of "Change". Realizing that change is what people seem to want, McCain responds with a similiar "Change we can believe in". Perhaps the greatest marketing strategy for these candidates is the picking of their Vice President. The VP realistically does not have much more power than the President decides and candidates often make their choice based upon who would gain them the most votes and support (instead of who they think would be best). Such marketing strategies would include picking a governor or senator from a key state they need to win. Despite their primary differences and disagreements, names mentioned are Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton. Romney would provide a business-like image to convince voters that the McCain camp would have the answers to the struggling economy, while Hillary (or perhaps even another woman) would help ease the former Clinton supporters who are still upset about her loss.