• USA Today, Thursday, September 13, 2012 9:25 AM

Politically themed ads are hitting the airwaves. Brands like Maker's Mark, 7-Eleven, Boston Market and FedEx might be taking a risk, though, per one analyst. "This is a tight election with massive polarization," says Daniel Howard, marketing professor at Southern Methodist University. "This is not something I'd want to associate my brand with." 7-Eleven, for the fourth-consecutive presidential election, is selling coffee in red or blue cups (party specific) and the company is keeping its won poll, which the company says has mirrored election results. Maker's Mark bourbon has brought in James Carville and Mary Matalin for a party they can both support: The Cocktail Party. Boston Market has a micro-site with a voting function, and FedEx Office has a TV spot where two politicians agree to a clean campaign. They don't.

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