• by Tanya Gazdik , May 9, 2025

Actor Harrison Ford touted Jeep's patriotism in a spot that debuted during this year's Super Bowl. 

With tariffs dominating the news, consumers are more attuned to “Made In the USA” than ever before. 

However the reality of manufacturing locations, perceptions remain strong that some brands are “more American” then others. Brand Keys' 24th annual Most Patriotic Brands survey has identified 2025’s top 50 American brands consumers feel best embody the value of “patriotism.”

Jeep was once again deemed the most patriotic brand for a 24th consecutive year, followed by Ford, Coca-Cola, Levi Strauss, Apple, Walmart, Disney, Harley Davidson, Amazon and Ralph Lauren. The complete top 50 Most Patriotic Brands list will be released June 9.

Consumers care more about patriotism this year, with 85% (+5) rating patriotism as “extremely” (45%) or “very” (40%) important. Ten percent (10%) thought it “somewhat” important. Only 5% said it was “not very/not at all” important, per Brand Keys.

Brands that can authentically engage consumers via “patriotism” always see better behavior, better ROMI, and better bottom lines -- even in a more economically challenged and politically charged brandscape, says Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, the New York-based brand loyalty research firm that conducts the annual survey.

“It may be redundant for me to say this, but consumer engagement with ‘patriotism’ is entirely emotional,”  Passikoff tells Marketing Daily. “It’s a near-instantaneous reaction that people have. They automatically connect all the dots, factor in the history and heritage of a brand, and unconsciously recognize how much the brand stands for that single value.” 

A brand that truly resonates the value “patriotism” taps into a deep well of shared identity, cultural pride, and collective values that significantly strengthen consumer loyalty and positive brand behavior, he says.

To determine national brand rankings, a sample of 7,460 consumers, 18 to 65 years of age -- balanced for gender and political affiliation -- assessed 1,350 brands in 140 B2C, B2B and D2C categories. Psychological and higher-order statistical analyses were used to isolate and quantify the single value of “patriotism.” These metrics that have been independently validated to correlate highly with sales and profits.

“These assessments do not mean to suggest other brands are not patriotic or don’t possess patriotic resonance or intent,” Passikoff says.  “But how brands are ultimately seen – on all values, by all consumers – is more complicated, more exacting, and more partisan today. It takes more than fireworks, wrapping your brand in the flag, or blowout 4th of July sales to meaningfully connect brands and patriotism.”

While the annual Brand Keys survey focuses on for-profit brands, each year assessments for the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and Space Force are collected. “Consumers rated the armed services #1 again this year,” notes Passikoff. “We recognize that and thank them for their service.”

Consumers ranked the brands on this year’s Top 50 list higher for patriotism than politicians, including the U.S. President, the Senate, the House of Representatives and both political parties. 

The top 50 brands in this year’s list averaged a 76% patriotism score (military brands rated 100%). Government institutions fared far worse: with the President (unnamed): 37%, House: 25%, Senate: 28%, Supreme Court: 44%, DNC: 29% and RNC: 22%.

“Brands are seen as unifying and trustworthy -- political entities as divisive, self-serving, and using patriotism as a partisan tool -- not a winning strategy," Passikoff says. With consumers viewing everything through a political lens, the value of patriotism is more important than ever.”