America is a brand. And if you are an American, you are an affiliate or brand ambassador. Theoretically, we’re paid in “freedom” and the benefits of living in this country. But are we being paid in full?
As both consumers and ambassadors, the questions to ask ourselves are:
“What is the value proposition? Does America deliver on its brand promise of freedom and justice for all? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? What are the benefits of my brand loyalty? And what are the costs of buying in?”
In this episode of Marketing Muckraking, I’m exploring America the brand and the history of patriotic advertising, both for the country and its companies.
Did you know that the Pledge of Allegiance was originally written by a Christian socialist copywriter for The Youth’s Companion newspaper in 1892 as a way to sell more newspapers? Readers who sold the most newspapers were awarded a free flag!
The Pledge of Allegiance was advertising, first and foremost.
Join me as we examine America the Brand through:
Copywriting – there’s no brand with more consistent language around “freedom” and “happiness” than America
Pain Points — the American brand appeals to our sense of scarcity and our fear of what would happen to us if we lived anywhere else.
Opt-Ins — when we vote, we opt in to a sense of political efficacy that keeps us invested in what we’ll get in return. Do our politicians deliver?
Accept No Substitutes — as schoolchildren, we’re taught that the USA is the greatest country on Earth and everything else falls short. Is it true?
Brand Loyalty — branding is meant to justify a higher price because of our emotional connections. What price do we pay for loyalty to Brand America? Is it worth the extra cost?
Branding, at the end of the day, is the engineering of a reputation.
America The Brand has sold us on a reputation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
If any other brand sold us this message and failed to deliver, we would stop buying. So why do we keep buying into this one?
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ABOUT THE SHOW:
Welcome to Marketing Muckraking, the show that asks not simply what brand culture can do for us, but what it’s doing to us — with your host, creative director, brand strategist gone wild, and the court jester of online business, Rachael Kay Albers — making fun of business and making business fun.
This is the show for rebels, revolutionaries, and renegades who run businesses that burn the rulebook. If you’re sick of business podcasts with all the answers — I’ve got nothing but questions.
Where we swap B-School for FREE SCHOOL, easy for honest, and goal digging for marketing in pursuit of meaning.
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MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE:
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