It seems there is no separation anymore between politics and business, politics and sports, politics and entertainment. Duke Professor Aaron Chatterji writes about the phenomenon in the New York Times. He looks at where we’re headed, and it’s a scenario I don’t relish.

Brands are likely to become even more segmented into red and blue, strengthening the association between liberals and Priuses and conservatives and Cracker Barrel. Corporate brand campaigns could soon resemble political campaigns, with efforts to identify the most intensely loyal consumers for repeat purchases as opposed to attracting new ones.

Mainstream brands may become as common as moderate politicians — that is, a rare, perhaps extinct, species in today’s political environment.

On Monday, March 5, Professor Chatterji will expand on business and politics at the Shaftesbury Society presentation at JLF.