9 CMOs of Iconic Brands Talk "Brand America"

A version of this post originally appeared in Forbes. 

As an immigrant and now citizen of the United States, I am always in awe of all things American. I asked the following questions to eight top CMOs: “What do you think "Brand America" stands for in 2016?” And “how does "Brand America" influence how you have built your company brand?”

I engaged the CMOs charged with both the privilege and responsibility of being custodians for some of the most admired American brands spanning a wide range of sectors—from consumer goods, to fast food, to B2B and hospitality.

Despite their category, I found that each brand has an important and foundational anchor in what “Brand America” truly means to them. The adventurous ethos of “Brand America” is supported by Wyndham, Chevrolet and Dunkin’, all of which continue to facilitate the spirit of exploration central to this nation’s founding. It is championed by brands like Keds, Bloomberg and Hallmark, which espouse the value of freedom, opportunity and inclusiveness and aim to facilitate the self-expression of all the individuals they touch. “Brand America” is made tangible by brands like Mary Kay and McDonald’s which emphasize both the individual and collective efforts of their team members.

The CMO responses were thoughtful and varied—evidence of the diversity that many believe strengthens the American nation. While common themes emerged, such as an enduring optimism and an unwavering faith in hard work, many had surprising new observations on the role of “Brand America” and what it means to some of the nation’s most iconic brands. I share their edited responses below:

Ellen Junger, CMO, SVP Corporate Brand Development at Hallmark

Despite all the political rhetoric, Brand America has always stood for optimism, possibility and inclusiveness. Like many brands, the day to day reality of “Brand America” doesn’t always live up to its potential, but continuing to aspire to the origins of the founding of the country are still the root of “Brand America” and why it’s a great country today.  While “Brand America” hasn’t overtly influenced what we do on a day to day basis, many of the tenets that make America great are what Hallmark thinks about as the DNA of our brand, our core beliefs and values that come from our founder JC Hall and in the continued family leadership of our company.  Our vision of making a genuine difference in every life, every day is very similar to that same sense of possibility, optimism and inclusiveness of “Brand America”. 

Sheryl Adkins-Green, CMO at Mary Kay, Inc.

In its purest form, a brand is a promise—a promise of what a customer or client can expect from an individual or organization, whether that be a company, or university or a government. I believe that “Brand America” stands for opportunity. No other country offers more opportunity for people to pursue their goals and live to their fullest potential.  Opportunity is the foundation (no pun intended!) of the Mary Kay brand. In 1963, our founder, Mary Kay Ash took her life savings of $5,000 and started her own business from a tiny storefront in Dallas, Texas with 5 products and a dream. Today, Mary Kay Inc. is providing 3.5 million Independent Beauty Consultants around the world a flexible opportunity to own their own business and leverage their full potential. @SherryAG

Deborah Wahl, CMO at McDonald’s USA

Brand America:  Inclusive, hope and opportunity.

McDonald’s, as an iconic American brand, shares these values and aspirations. It’s how we view our relationship with our crew and what a job at McDonald’s offers to anyone. Inclusiveness creates strength and a better future. It leverages the talents and qualities of many and brings them together to create opportunity. This is what makes America unique, this is what makes McDonald’s an enduring brand. @DeborahWahl

Emily Culp, CMO at Keds USA

Brand America stands for empowerment, freedom and self-expression. It’s all about embracing entrepreneurial spirit and celebrating multifaceted people. Keds was built on the idea of Brand America. Founded in 1916 by the U.S. Rubber Company, the Keds brand was created to empower women by enabling them to go where they want to go and be who they want to be. Keds is an iconic brand, with notable women of both the past and present wearing our shoes including Jackie O, Yoko Ono, Marilyn Monroe, Ciara and Allison Williams. We continue to champion the values that Keds was founded upon—female empowerment, the celebration of multifaceted entrepreneurs and trailblazers. @EmilyCulp

Josh Lesnick, Executive Vice President, CMO at Wyndham Hotel Group

Brand America is not only about products made in America, it’s about experiencing all of the great destinations and sites that America has to offer. As the world’s largest hotel company, we want all of our guests to take advantage of the great value and experiences our brands offer. Many of our iconic hotels such as Super 8, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Travelodge, and Ramada have a rich heritage synonymous with American travel and drive vacations.  

Super 8, positioned as “An American Road Original” was started in the 70’s in Aberdeen South Dakota providing a low-cost, high-quality stay for people who were traveling in the central part of the country. Today there are 1800 Super 8 hotels in the U.S. and Canada and another 800 in China ensuring guests all around the globe can experience this American original. Travelodge dates back to the 20s and more than 50% of its hotels are located next to America’s best national parks. The Travelodge brand is positioned as “Your Base Camp for Adventure”, and we have formed a marketing partnership with the National Parks Conservation Association enabling our guests to enjoy wherever their adventure takes them.

Timothy Mahoney, CMO, Global Chevrolet and Global GM Marketing Operations Leader

I like to think that no matter what is happening in the world at any given moment, that there is an enduring belief in the optimism and determination that are at the core of what has made America great for centuries. And for Chevrolet, we use that same optimism and determination to fuel our ingenuity and ultimately deliver engaging products with technologies to help keep drivers safe and connected, and services that will reshape the future of transportation—here in the U.S. and around the world. @tjmahoney56

 Deirdre Bigley, CMO at Bloomberg

At the very core of the American brand is a belief that we are a nation of immigrants capable of building a better life through hard work. We believe in opportunity. We believe in freedom. We believe in being good neighbors globally. We believe we are the greatest nation in the world. I hope I'm not alone when I say I am committed to that brand, and believe in the core brand essence of America.

 By directly connecting our work at Bloomberg LP to Bloomberg Philanthropies, we are rising above the hateful noise and focusing on what really matters. All the profits of Bloomberg LP work to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. There is amazing work being done for the environment, the arts, education, public health and government innovation, including helping the world's mayors improve city life. I'm proud of our brand, what it means to America and globally, and the stand it takes every day without fail. @DeirdreBigley

John Costello, President, Global Marketing and Innovation at Dunkin' Brands, Inc.

I think Brand America has traditionally stood for freedom, optimism and opportunity for all with a can-do attitude. Brand America has evolved in the past few years to include fighting global terror in order to protect those three core values. Those three core values are central to Dunkin's mission to energize, inspire and reward consumers. We summarize that in America Runs on Dunkin. @JohnCostello307

I am proud to call America my home. These eight CMOs shared answers that exemplify the essence of “Brand America” to them.

In the final analysis, it became apparent to me that there is no single definition of “Brand America.” Like America’s enduring principles and general promise of opportunity, these CMOs spoke of brands that aim to accommodate the pursuit of infinite personal aspirations. It is clear to me that the American brand—like any great brand—comes to life in individual experience.

A version of this post originally appeared in Forbes. 

Margaret Molloy is the Chief Marketing Officer at Siegel+Gale, a leading strategic branding and design firm. Follow @MargaretMolloy.