Patriotism in the Supermarket

Patriotic marketing is the order of the day in the United States. Coca-Cola is covering its cans in the American flag, and it isn’t the only one.

Flags in the front yard, the national anthem being passionately belted out: It is commonly known that Americans have a thing for patriotism.

The branding industry obviously feels obligated [to show patriotism], in anticipation of the presidential elections on Nov. 8. At any rate, several companies are encasing just their products in a new – and thoroughly American – guise.

The beer brand Budweiser was the first, whose cans on the supermarket shelf will no longer be known under their usual name, but simply as “America” until further notice. Coca-Cola is now following suit and wrapping its newly and very expensively redesigned cans in stars and stripes above the line, “I’m proud to be an American.”

Behind the new covering is the affiliated party’s partnership with the United Service Organizations, an organization that supports American military forces and their families, this year celebrating its 75th anniversary. There is also an accompanying promotional campaign challenging Americans to send thank you messages to troops around the globe.

In light of so much commitment to the homeland, the chocolate producer Hershey will not be outdone. After all, for the first time in the course of its 122-year company history, it is ostensibly encroaching upon the traditionally silver letters of its brand name. It is now being displayed in red, white and blue type on its brown packaging. But this is probably less in regards to the presidential election and more of [an homage] to the Olympic games. The color scheme is to be understood as support for the U.S. team.

The chewy candy under the brand name Skittles now also [has] a red, white and blue “America mix,” Burnett’s Vodka has a “USA party edition” – and it happily goes on and on. It is no wonder that in the face of the huge number of repackaged and re-dyed products the advertising industry, which is constantly thirsting for mass movements, has instantly declared a new trend: Patriotic marketing is the order of the day in the United States. Whether “Donald Rump“ also counts [as patriotism is in question]. That is the name of the new shade of color by a nail polish producer from San Francisco. It is said that Donald Trump’s skin tone was the inspiration. The [polish] is a dull orange. But the makers did not have to throw away new packaging: The nail polish by “Bootie Babe” has always come in small bottom-shaped bottles.