Seems a lifetime ago that Obamania swept the nation culminating with the historic inauguration ceremony on January 20.
Check out Hoofy & Boo’s report from that day for a refresher. After a year on the job, the rock-star frenzy surrounding the president and his family has taken on a more sober note. Still, their status as endorsers of choice endures. It came front and center again this month with two unauthorized uses of their images that got plenty of publicity for the perpetrators.
While she does renounce fur, First Lady Michelle Obama took animal rights group PETA to task for using her image without permission in an ad campaign bearing the headline “Fur-Free and Fabulous!” Obama was depicted along with TV tycoon Oprah Winfrey, model Tyra Banks, and singer Carrie Underwood.
In the same week, Weatherproof garment company erected in Times Square a larger-than-life-size photograph of the president standing in front of the Great Wall in China while wearing one of the company’s windbreakers. Tagline: A Leader in Style. The president of Weatherproof recognized the coat in the Associated Press photograph and used a magnifying glass to confirm it was in fact a Weatherproof.
A bevy of products got the benefit of the Obama Effect this past year. J. Crew, Planters Trail Mix, Honest Tea, White House Black Market were all touched in one way or the other. And if Bill Clinton was strictly a McDonald’s man, Obama’s cravings helped put Five Guys Burgers and Fries on the national map.
Herewith, a look at the fate of ten products touched by the Obama election:
Five Guys Burgers and Fries
Bill Clinton was a McDonald’s man. Obama’s photo-documented craving for the higher-end Five Guys Burger and Fries helped boost awareness of the fast-growing franchise (ranked seventh fastest growing by AllBusiness.com). The site raised its awareness ranking for Five Guys to number 101 from number 163 the previous year. Meanwhile, its overall AllStar rank dipped slightly from 40 to 42 and its financial strength ranking dropped from number 91 to number 131. The five guys from the Murrell family created the eatery in 1986, offering a simple menu of hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, fries cooked with peanut oil, and drinks.
Portuguese Water Dog
Few had ever heard of the rare Portuguese Water Dog breed until the April arrival of “First Dog” Bo, all decked out in his multi-colored Hawaiian lei. With prices running $1,800 to $2,500 per pup and a waiting period of up to a year, it’s not the dog for everyone. While the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America reported a sharp uptick in consumer interest, the number of registered breeders didn’t grow. “I have to say the first four weeks it was ridiculous,” said Florida breeder Lou Allingham. “I had a call a day, sometimes two. It has scaled down dramatically.”
Aretha’s Inauguration Hat
Who remembers what she sang? All eyes were on that hat. The grey Swarovski crystal-studded cheapeau with the enormous bow worn by Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin became the icon of the inauguration with a Facebook page of its own by week’s end. Hat designer Luke Song of family-owned Mr. Song Millinery in Detroit (since relocated to Southland, Michigan) became an international fashion celebrity. Before January 20, 2009, The Songs' staff made about 100 hats a day. Now they make more than 500. Aretha’s original is destined for the Smithsonian. But the inauguration-style hat, which can be purchased online, is still a bestseller at $179, with more than 5,000 units moved last year. The Songs are now entertaining proposals for a reality TV series, reports sister Lillian. (Just for the record, Aretha sang “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”).
State of Hawaii’s Tourism
Images of its celebrated native son—then a buff president-elect—frolicking in the surf couldn't compete with the economic downturn to sustain the tourism business of the Aloha State. Hawaiians attribute part of their dismal year to Obama himself for publicly chastising corporate junkets after the lambasted AIG post-bailout bash. The state reported more than 100 corporate trip cancellations were made after Obama’s remarks. Record state unemployment and Furlough Fridays became part of the educational lexicon, with schools closing as a cost-saving measure.
