Ford Motor Company is always quick to remind us that it assembles more vehicles and employs more workers in the U.S. than any other automaker, which, along with its stellar COVID-19 response, has also made it one of the most trusted companies in the U.S. So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Ford also finished as the fourth most patriotic brand in the U.S. in Brand Keys’ 2021 Most Patriotic Brands in America study.
On the downside, Jeep topped the most patriotic brand list for the 19th straight year, but it’s worth noting that the only other automaker to make the list was Tesla, which came in 30th place. Meanwhile, Walmart finished second, followed by Disney and Amazon, which tied with Ford for fourth place. Ford moved up three spots this year, improving its position on a list that attempts to rank companies based on consumers’ perception of “patriotism.”
“Between the pandemic and politics, there’s no shortage of challenges facing brands,” said Robert
Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a New York-based brand engagement and customer loyalty
research consultancy. “Brands always have to compete in their categories but now they must battle in a pandemically limited marketplace and within shifting socio-political contexts, factors that have changed consumers’ lives dramatically along with their definitions ‘patriotism’ as it relates to brands.”
Brand Keys’ 2021 Most Patriotic Brands in America study polled 5,804 consumers from nine U.S. Census regions and asked them which of 1,172 brands they considered to best represent patriotism. That consumer mix was specifically curated to include a balanced group in terms of gender and political affiliations.
Ford’s improvement this year can largely be attributed to its pandemic response, which includes extensive PPE production, according to Brand Keys. “Last year the pandemic affected how consumers viewed patriotism and brands,” Passikoff said. “Some sectors got a ‘pandemic pop’ because they were there when consumers needed them most.”
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Comments
I like how Jeep is number 1 despite the fact that THEY ARE LITERALLY OWNED BY AN ITALIAN COMPANY!!!!!!
Not so sure you’re right about that, Stellantis is the owner of Jeep, along with many other brands of cars, their HQ is in the Netherlands. Here is the result of an one second search:
Stellantis N.V. is a multinational automotive manufacturer, formed in 2021 on the basis of a 50-50 cross-border merger between the Italian-American conglomerate Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the French PSA Group. It is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. As of May 2021, Stellantis is the sixth-largest automaker worldwide (behind Volkswagen Group, Toyota, the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Allia…
Italian and French car company….
Yes, what could go wrong?
Without seeing the questions posed to the participants in this indubitably thorough and scientific study, I suspect the phrases and words used on the survey very effectively blurred the lines between patriotism and jingoism. And that very effectively blurs the line between a company being patriotic, or using marketing efficiently. It is all determined by one’s own definition of patriot and patriotism, two words not defined easily or uniformly by everyone in a room full of people who would assert they, themselves, bear that standard.
You could not be more correct. The sad thing about “polls” is: the way a question is asked, can easily front load the result(s)-finger on the scale as they would say. Ford is a very large Multi-National corp. not an American Corp, as it once was, as is jeep (Stellantis). It would be a little like voting for Coke, as they are sold in almost every country in the world, maybe not N.Korea, or Iran, but everywhere else (perhaps an exception here and there). Plus without defining “Patriotic” each respondent is left to their own interpretation. I don’t like ford using “American” when they are trying to sell mexican made imports with their name on it. But with all that said, I’m sure the big boys at ford are slapping each other on the back.
Compared to Dodge and General Motors Ford is extremely American. I was at a commerce convention with the international electronics company I work for in France in 2019 and learned how much more “foreign” Didge and General Motors is that most actual foreign brands. Ford motor was not even close to them in this area. Yes all the big three has manufacturing facilities in other countries but Ford is much more American than them.
Ok, here’s my take on what an American auto company is. Ford created by Henry Ford is a Family run company still to this day. Not a conglomerate corporation. Multinational in the sense they build cars in many countries, but the Ford Family holds the reins of the business. It doesn’t matter where the parts come from or where a particular vehicle is built. They have to compete in a world market if they want to survive. Talk about patriotism what about the owners of those 8 out of 10 cars on the road having a foreign name plate on them? We’re shooting ourselves in the foot not supporting our American automakers and businesses. I have never owned a foreign car and don’t intend to. I’ve owned only Ford since 1996 and have been totally satisfied with their quality and endurance. When renting a car on vacation I ask for a Ford or another American car if none is available. I’m not driving on an American road in a foreign car.
Bob M, I’m with you, 100%, when it comes to American made cars, or anything else where I have a choice (within reason), I am even willing to pay a little more to get American Made goods, if necessary. I drive a Ford, and have own many, many fords. I don’t’ have nor will I ever own a mexican made ford, I am not buying a name plate, I am buying something Made in the USA. As of late, ford’s major problems have come from chinese made components (ford plants in china) and/or designs from outside of the U.S., example the 2.0 four bangers, chinese transmission. Ford knows how to build the longest lasting trucks, and the easiest to service trucks, and the best looking trucks in the world, for some reason, the current leadership is determined to use foreign parts, and build large numbers of vehicles outside the U.S., for sale in the U.S.. I hope they change their policies, go back to what got them where they are.
Amen Bob!
The far majority of WalMart’s product line is Made In China!
It is a shame, walmart has spent years showing (almost demandind) their supplier how to move operations to china, fire all their American employees, and import inferior goods back to the U.S.. When ever possible I buy American made, it is sometime just not possible to purchase American made, but I really don’t like buying from a country with concentration camps in full operation, far to many, would rather look the other way than bring things like that up. What a shame.
The participants of the survey were not totally aware of the gist of the questions…
Walmart made its fortune on importing Chinese goods…amazon also is a Chinese importers big time….Jeep is now foreign owned so that leave Ford and Disney as the true. TOP American brands in the top four.
One could ask if Levi is a great American Co? Well, they still have their HQ in SF, CA, but their plants are all over the world, everywhere but in the USA! At least ford still has some plants in the US.