election year and attack ads

so we all know whenever there is a major election both sides do their best to slander and libel each other as best they can without actually doing anything illegal. well it seems this year that the attack ads have spilled from the poltical arena into the comercial avenue. here's a couple examples...

on the local level: van halen was recently in town. to celebrate this occasion the station 106.7 "The Drive" (sorry, don't know the call letters offhand) would air ads for the concert calling themselves the "official detroit van halen station." they would then spout off how many more van heln songs they have played in the past 24 hours when compared to WCSX and WRIF, the other rock stations. other stations in the area have been doing this as well, namely the pop music stations comparing how much commercial time each plays in any given hour.

on a more national level: we have all the major beer companies running for "president of beers." so far i have only heard attack ads from budweiser and molson, but how long will it be before other beer companies begin airing thiers?

now my question is, has this always gone on during election years or is this just something new? either way, it really has to stop. the presidential candidates are setting a horrible, not to mention annoying, example to follow.