I don’t know how widespread this is, but this weekend I’ve noticed more than one Labor Day sale being promoted with star-spangled trappings.

For instance, Circuit City has actually branded its sales event the “Red, White & Blue Sale”. And Macy’s has used the American flag in most print and television ads I’ve seen for their Labor Day advertising.

I’m just not seeing a natural affinity for Fourth of July-style imagery with Labor Day. I guess it’s hard to latch onto another marketable theme for this holiday. I guess you could hit upon a “celebration of the working world” campaign without coming off as too proletariat; but maybe it’s safer to just stick with unassailable patriotic colors (even though it strikes me as somewhat bland, in this context).