We just released the results of our 24th annual Brand Keys Most Patriotic Brands survey. I usually write about it because “patriotism” is an important value for both brands and consumers. It’s also important brands and marketers understand what drives authentic patriotism. Who can, can’t, should, and shouldn’t try to capitalize on patriotism. The hows, the whys, and the wherefores of the truly patriotic brand. How to be authentic and to avoid being seen as performative. Also, new this year, a bit of political-patriotism analysis.
What with the 2025 survey results, and the baseball season underway, and July 4th close at hand, I was inspired to re-read Ernest L. Thayer’s classic, slice-of-Americana poem, Casey At The Bat. If you’re not familiar with the piece, it’s worth a quick read. I took my inspiration (and the trochaic meter) from him. So, with admiration (and apologies) to Mr. Thayer, here’s this year’s Most Patriotic Brands column:
The marketplace was crowded, and the rivals fierce and loud,
As countless brands vied mightily to captivate the crowd.
Yet in the noise and neon, one hope still shone so bright —
A truly patriotic brand stood for what was true and right.
They weren’t born in boardrooms or from trends that come and go —
They rose upon real values that folks like you all know:
Hard work, the love of country, and the bonds of kin and soil,
With labels reading Made Right Here and crafted with true toil.
They honor all our veterans and treat them with due care,
And gave back to their communities with a purpose firm and fair.
On holidays like Fourth of July, Memorial Day with pride,
They don’t pitch just a blowout sale — but tears were not denied.
Some brands had tried this path before, with only skin-deep pride —
Their “patriotic” gimmicks met with skeptics far and wide.
For customers can smell the fake, the hollow, and the slick,
And brands that feign devotion lose consumers just as quick. 
The roads roar with engines bold — Jeep thunders through the land,
With grit beneath each rugged wheel and freedom close at hand.
“Built for those who braved the wars,” its heritage loud and clear,
It honored vets and service and drove hearts far and near.
Through factory floors where workers craft with discipline and pride,
WeatherTech stood tall and firm, with patriotism wide.
Its Super Bowl ads were not just hype — they showed the real and raw,
Of jobs kept on American soil, and loyalty to law.
Now some retailers are baffled, and analysts do write:
“How can a brand compete this way and still be in the fight?”
But truth be told, the secret lies not deep within a chart —
Each of these brands earned loyalty showing true patriotic heart.
Then came the day, a market shift, a test to prove its might,
The headlines grim, the stocks askew — would patriotism fight?
With steady hand and purpose pure, the brands stood tall and true,
And found their loyal fans had grown – and share and profits too.
The flag was high, the Fourth is near, fireworks soon to fly,
And folks were rating patriots ‘neath freedom’s spacious sky.
The brands stood tall, a mighty list, with scores that made hearts cheer,
While Washington’s own power halls brought shrugs – and worse, a sneer.
The House and Senate lumbered in with ratings cold and flat,
A measly twenty-something each – no pride in that, in fact.
The Presidency fared better, though not quite a soaring feat,
While brands like Disney, Ford, and Coke marched in patriotic beat.
Each brand on our list has found a way to lift the nation’s name —
Not just through clever copy lines, but action, heart, and flame.
The stars and stripes can truly shine when purpose leads the way,
And loyalty is earned with truth — not something you just say.
Photo by Megan Ellis on Unsplash
