Is lipstick coloring race to the White House?
If you're not absolutely, positively, thoroughly sick of the presidential campaign by now, you've been living under a rock the last two years.
I tried to figure out how I might be able to ride the coattails of this historic, marathon race to the White House by revealing something new and interesting about the candidates or their daunting campaigns, and there it was in my in-box: a lipstick contest.
Attendees at the American Association of Cosmetology Schools annual convention voted in a straw-poll lipstick election earlier this month in Miami.ÊThe contenders? Two limited-edition lipstick shades by Hot Pants Cosmetics - Palin Pink and Obama Berry - launched during the convention. Proceeds will go to CUT IT OUT!, a program of the Salons Against Domestic Abuse Fund.
If the results of this straw poll are any indicator, Obama could be in trouble. Palin Pink beat out Obama Berry by a margin of 20 percent.
Hot Pants Cosmetics (check it out at www.hotpantscosmetics.com) is selling both of the new presidential shades of lipstick on its Web site for $19.99 a tube through Election Day.
This is a brilliant marketing scheme, given the attention lipstick has gotten during the McCain-Obama race. First there was the "lipstick on a pig" controversy. Then there was Sarah Palin's joke during her speech at the Republican National Convention: "What's the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom? Lipstick."
If lipstick can get this kind of marketing boost during a presidential campaign, it got me wondering what other products might be enjoying a surge in sales during this hotly contested race.
A quick Internet search found a company selling baseballs autographed by John McCain for $105 and T-shirts depicting Palin as Rosie the Riveter for $7.99.
Global news agency AFP (Agence France-Presse) blew the lid off a substory in the presidential race - the race for presidential memorabilia. The news organization ran a story in late July saying Obama was "trouncing" McCain in the sales of merchandise such as T-shirts, badges and baseball caps. It even quoted a sidewalk vendor saying "everyone is going for Obama."
Other marketers also said Obama merchandise was outselling McCain memorabilia. Among the hot sellers were "the latest in political fashion chic: pajamas that feature the Obama ÔO' logo," AFP said. They're called Ojamas.
It could be argued that the Republicans have been too busy outfitting Palin to worry about peddling T-shirts and baseball caps. On Wednesday the national media revealed the Republican party has spent more than $150,000 on clothes and accessories for the VP hopeful and her family since she was chosen as McCain's running mate. We can only speculate how much of that went for lipstick.
Word is the party spent $75,000 in a single trip to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis and nearly $50,000 in Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri and New York City.
Even Palin's husband, "First Dude" Todd Palin, was outfitted to the tune of $4,902 at Atelier, a top store for men. And the Palins' new baby, Trig, got $295 worth of new duds at an exclusive babywear shop.
All this while many Americans are struggling to survive during an economic crisis rivaling the Great Depression is sure to raise eyebrows about the party's judgment in spending that kind of money on high-end clothing.
A bigger investment in McCain-Palin baseball caps and T-shirts may have been the way to go during these tough times. Here's an idea: "Joe the Plumber" pants - baggy and low-riding, of course.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com