Patriotism Sells (But Only If You Mean It)

People are not just buying products, they’re buying into ideas. Value. Identity.

And one idea that’s especially sticky is homegrown pride.

Consumers want to know where their stuff comes from. They want it to mean something. Not in a performative, rah-rah kind of way but in the “this brand gets me” kind of way.

The brands that win speak from the heart. They understand that national identity is more than geography, it’s belonging.

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The Psychology of Patriotic Resonance

Humans want to belong. We want to find our tribe. When patriotic marketing is done right, it taps into that primal desire, forging a powerful “us” that transcends transactions.

Research shows a strong link between patriotism and purchase intention:

• 88% of customers say trust isn’t optional.
• 94% are more likely to stick with brands that are transparent.

Case Studies:

When Patriotism Hits and Misses

Let’s move from theory to real life.

The best way to understand what makes patriotic marketing soar, or stumble, is to see it in action. We compared two campaigns that went all-in on national pride. One sparked applause. The other sparked… a whole lot of backlash.

To compare public sentiment towards these two distinct patriotic marketing campaigns, we analyzed 4,265 online mentions (social media, news, and blogs) over a 5 month period post-launch. This comparative analysis provided a view of public response and highlighted the critical role of authenticity.

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Aylmer - The Canadian Soup (2025)

Tongue-in-cheek? Yup.

Totally on brand? Also up.

Aylmer Soup leaned into the local-love vibe with a cheeky campaign reminding Canadians that imported soup might come with a “tariff aftertaste.” It was clever, timely, and very Canadian.

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Why it worked:

The Aylmer campaign didn’t try to manufacture patriotism. It simply reflected the pride many already felt, then gave them a reason to smile and a reason to buy. By sounding like a neighbor instead of a national brand, Aylmer made itself not just recognizable, but relatable. That’s what transformed a funny ad into a brand-building moment.

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Nike - Betsy Ross Sneakers (2019)

This marketing move came in waving a historical flag… and left waving a white one.

Nike meant to celebrate American heritage with its “Betsy Ross” sneakers. But the symbol came with baggage: a complicated backstory that sparked debate and backlash.

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What went wrong:

Nike underestimated the cultural complexity of the symbol and overestimated their control of the message. In a hyper-connected world, symbols don’t speak in a vacuum. Once public sentiment took over, Nike found itself reacting to the conversation instead of leading it. The product meant to evoke pride but it ended up triggering a very different kind of national conversation.

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Pros and Cons of Using Patriotic Messaging

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Inside Chime's Growth Engine

FINANCIAL SERVICES REPORT: OUT NOW

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In our latest deep-dive, we unpack how Chime rewrote the playbook for financial marketing leveraging empathy, culture, and social fluency to become a dominant force in the U.S. digital banking space.

And yes we included a 90- to 180-day action plan at the end. Because insights are good. But results are better.

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Open Tabs

CONSIDER THESE FOR YOUR WATER COOLER CHAT

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That’s a wrap for this edition.

Go forth and market like you mean it. ✨