Barack Obama owns Greater Washington DC

Gabe has noticed, so has Geoff Livingston, this is an inauguration like no other. The other night at the local grocery store I saw Obama cookies, and they were playing patriotic songs over the sound system.

Barack Obama is Princess Di, Elvis, and Tiger Woods all rolled into one. Even the Financial Times has noticed it:
Brands jostle to jump on US inaugural wagon

Pepsi, which once styled itself the choice of a new generation and used celebrities such as Britney Spears for Super Bowl commercials, is using the inauguration to unleash its “Pepsi optimism project” campaign.

Obama-esque slogans such as “hope” and “yes you can”, and a redesigned red, white and blue logo that bears a strong resemblance to the Obama campaign image will be plastered across buses and train stations in Washington DC. Pepsi, which is sponsoring a symposium featuring film director Spike Lee, was tapping into “a cultural movement”, said Mr Cooper.

Ikea has erected an Oval Office in Washington’s Union Station featuring “fiscally responsible furnishings” under the message that “change begins at home”.

I think everyone in DC will be watching, either on TV or online. I will be joining the flickr party. It is going to be quite a day.