- Patriotism Drives Consumer Profits:
- Brand Keys Releases 25th Annual 2026 Index
- Proves Brands Embodying American Spirit See Boost in Engagement, Sales, and Loyalty Ahead of U.S. 250th Birthday
- Jeep, Coca-Cola, Ford, Levi Strauss and Disney in Top Spots
NEW YORK, NY May 18, 2026 – As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, patriotism is more than flags and fireworks. It’s a powerful emotional value that shapes who we are, which brands we trust, and what we buy.
“As we gear up for the 250th party, more brands are viewed through a political lens – and authentic patriotism is more important than ever,” said Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, the New York–based brand loyalty and engagement research consultancy. (www.brandkeys.com) that conducted the 25th annual survey.
“When a brand truly embodies patriotism, it goes beyond marketing-as-usual and holiday sales. It taps into a deep well of shared history, pride, and purpose, driving stronger loyalty, consumer engagement, and better behavior in the marketplace.”
Top Brands Reflect the American Spirit
In that spirit, Brand Keys’ 25th annual Most Patriotic Brands survey has identified the top 100 brands Americans feel best embody the value of “patriotism.”
For 2026, the top 10 are:
- Jeep
- Coca-Cola
- Ford
- Levi Strauss
- Disney
- Amazon
- Walmart
- Hershey’s
- Ralph Lauren
- Weather Tech
100 Brands, 14 Categories
The top 100 Most Patriotic brands fell into 14 consumer categories, with nearly half (45%) the brands falling into three categories: Food & Beverage, Apparel & Footwear, and Media & Broadcasting.
You can access America’s Top 100 Most Patriotic Brands here: https://brandkeys.com/
While the annual survey focuses on for-profit brands, the U.S. Armed Services are always included and again rank highly. “They remain among America’s trusted symbols of patriotism,” noted Passikoff. “And we thank them for their service.”
Methodology
This year’s survey by 9,720 consumers, ages 18 to 65, balanced across the nine U.S. Census regions for gender and political affiliation, evaluated 1,200 brands across 120 categories using emotional, psychological, and higher-order statistical analytics. “We used this market-proven, independently validated approach to isolate and quantify the single value, patriotism,” noted Passikoff, “Then we ranked them according to the percent-contribution they make to brand engagement and loyalty. The results correlate extraordinarily highly with positive consumer behavior, sales, and brand profitability.”
Authentic Patriotism Powers Profits
Brands that authentically reflect American values forge deeper loyalty by connecting with customers’ heritage, national pride, cultural identity, lifestyle, and traditions, not just through products or holiday promotions.
“Politicians talk about patriotism; brands prove it,” observed Passikoff. As America turns 250, patriotism isn’t just a celebration of our history – it’s a test of authenticity,” added Passikoff. “Brands that can believably embody what America aspires to be – innovative, resilient, and united – will lead the next era of brand loyalty and profitability.”
“Because when brands get patriotism right, consumers don’t just stand up and salute, they go out and buy.”
About Brand Keys, Inc.
Brand Keys is the world’s leading brand loyalty and consumer engagement research consultancy. Founded in 1984 and based in New York City, the firm specializes in identifying and quantifying emotional and psychological drivers of consumer behavior. Utilizing independently validated, higher-order statistical analytics, Brand Keys provides predictive insights that correlate directly with positive consumer actions, increased sales, and brand profitability. For more information, visit www.BrandKeys.com
For more information about where other brands were ranked for “patriotism” this year — or to activate your brand’s recognition or learn more about values that drive engagement, loyalty, and profitability — contact Leigh Benatar at leighb@brandkeys.com.