US automakers have long infused their marketing campaigns with American pride and imagery. This summer, the combination of the nation’s 250th birthday and World Cup matches on US soil has them going full force with patriotic promotions.
America’s 250th Birthday Celebrations
A promotion from Jeep-maker Stellantis vows to give away Wrangler SUVs to 100 US residents legally named after the country’s first president – if the underdog Americans take home the World Cup trophy. Chevrolet is reviving its ‘Heartbeat of America’ campaign from last century as part of a yearlong push around the 250th.
Impassioned or nostalgic events like the World Cup and America’s milestone birthday give companies a chance to resonate more deeply with a wider range of potential customers, said Americus Reed, professor of marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Tapping into Cultural Milestones
For the carmakers, there’s an added benefit to the America-first messaging: appeasing US President Donald Trump, who has long had a fixation with American car factories and workers. Following the president’s barrage of tariffs in the spring of 2025, aimed at spurring US manufacturing investment, the automakers touted their American factory roots across media platforms.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
