The world's most powerful brand: The American Dream
If you’re reading this blog with a political bias, I am politely asking you to drop any preconceived notions and consider what I write with kindness in your heart and mind. That’s my frame of mind and voice (if you could hear me talking). This is meant to be a non-political post, so please read it as such.
No brand of a political party, cause, or candidate has anything like the emotional power, global awareness and ability to deliver on the promise like the American Dream — the simple premise that anyone, from any background, can come to this country and if one works hard and follows the rules, has an honest opportunity to pursue life, liberty and happiness.
The American Dream has endured for nearly as long as America because it is truly unique in the annals of human history. It’s the first and best case study of how powerful a nation can become when it rises up above the tribalism that separates so much of humanity and unites us through our diversity. America’s uniqueness translates into a rich tapestry of benefits that have fueled our rise to pre-eminent superpower and have established an economic foundation unrivaled in history.
Natural geographic barriers like oceans (east and west), desert (south) and dense woodlands and mountains (north), afford our country security to grow and prosper while so many other global competitors (i.e., competing brands) have to worry about protecting their borders from aggressive land-based competitors. This natural advantage played out twice in the twentieth century wars when the European powers tore themselves apart and destroyed hundreds of years of investment and infrastructure. While Europe (and many parts of Asia) burned, American industry prospered behind our oceans and benefited from the transfer of wealth as American businesses provided the capital, credit and equipment that fueled the old world's self-immolation. Out of the ashes of the old world, rose a new American-dominated goliath. And with the rapid spread of telecommunications, the promise of the American dream was broadcast around the world.
What’s more, our ability to project our power in defense of global shipping has created superhighways of global commerce for the United States and all of our allies. Trade routes have only accelerated the introduction of our goods and culture (and values) to foreign markets; they’ve provided a venue to import people, ideas, talent and capital to our shores. And has those ideas — and talent — have flowed into our country to chase their American dream, the social dynamics within our country have been constantly challenged.
The simply truth is that the American experience hasn’t been easy, and it won’t get any easier. As everyone knows in branding and marketing, you have to constantly defend the brand. The American Dream is, and always has been, under assault from people wanting to redefine the brand for their own selfish reasons. Our country was founded by rich, white, (often) slaveholding men who treated everyone else, including women, as their property. We’ve fought a civil war, advocated for suffrage, and struggled for civil rights in ways that have constantly expanded access to the American Dream. We’ve experienced countless waves of immigration that have brought us (overwhelmingly) hard working citizens from every ethnic background, religious belief and cultural orientation. When you objectively consider the overall “balance sheet” of the American Dream through the long lens of American history, the only possible conclusion is to say diversity is overpoweringly positive on our “ledger.”
When you consider the staying power of a brand, what makes it powerful is a brand’s ability to connect with emerging generations, not just the current generation. That’s why I think Disney has such an advantage as brand; there is always an older generation ready to pass along its love and affinity for all things Disney to the next generation. The American Dream is no different. The brand requires each generation to pass along the love for freedom, prosperity and individual expression to our sons and daughters.
People have always struggled to ensure the American Dream is available to everyone. That struggle plays out in today’s headlines just as powerfully and contentiously as it played out in earliest days of our republic. And it is up to each and every one of us to honor our obligations as citizens and do our part to ensure the American Dream stays alive and well for the generations to come.
So what do you think? From a brander’s perspective, I’m curious about how others perceive the American Dream. That’s why I’m asking you readers to share your branding thoughts about the pillars of the brand and answer a couple questions:
· What three values do you believe best embody the American Dream?
· What images bring the America Dream to life to you?
· What do you think is the biggest threat to the continuation of the American Dream?
Share your thoughts in the LinkedIn comments (or you can message me directly) about what makes the American Dream such a powerful and enduring brand. Our team will be fleshing out the brand architecture of the American Dream in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more information and insights about the world’s most powerful brand.
Executive Director, CDI at Wellstar Health System | ACDIS Advisory Board Member
6 年As an immigrant, I understand what a blessing it is to be able to live and raise a family in this great country. I wish more of us could get an opportunity to travel abroad, and see how easy we have it here. All we have to do is work hard and stay on the right side of the law. There is no way your kids won't have a better future than you if you do just these 2 things sincerely in this country. This isn't necessarily the case in many other countries, which is why we should all feel lucky to call ourselves Americans. Despite of the tough times we face right now, our nation will come out stronger, and hopefully, more united than ever before. God bless America.
Attorney at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
6 年In my experience the American Dream meant this: If you set a goal, work hard, conduct yourself honorably, persevere through difficult times, learn from your mistakes, adjust and adapt to the constant change around you and sacrifice today in pursuit of tomorrow’s promise then you will earn the opportunity to achieve your goal. It’s a dream. And not all dreams come true. Sometimes the dream dies and you have to dream another one. Not everyone has the same goal in their dream. But that, in my experience, is the American Dream. In my family this American Dream has been handed down through the generations. And it has had the same specific goal for every generation: For the children to have a better life than the parents. In my family a “better life” meant a “better education” with more “educational opportunities.” That was the American Dream of my great grandparents, my grandparents, my parents and myself.
Consultant
6 年The American Dream certainly means opportunity for many of the people living outside of our borders. The problem is, for many living inside the borders... it's a bit different. They forget that America and her freedoms were forged out of the cauldron of history where most people lived in poverty, most people lived under tyranny, where individual lives were largely superfluous. Our constitution changed all that and for the first time a nation was founded on the premise that individuals had freedoms endowed by God which could not be taken away by government. The articulating of those individual freedoms and the explicit restrictions on what government could do unleashed to the greatest extent thus far seen, the ingenuity, steadfastness, industry and humanity of... well... humans. It's not the DNA of Americans that makes America the greatest nation on earth and the American Dream the light that beckons people from around the world... it is our Constitution that dictates a rule of law vs. a rule of man. Most of man's history is a story of tyranny and poverty. America changed that. That will return unless someone can teach Americans about the legacy our Founding Fathers left us. If Object 9 seeks to do that I applaud you.
CDI specialist
6 年The fairness of our system based on the constitutional rights we have, the freedom we do ferociously defend that’s the brand that attracts millions to our country that’s what makes it so strong , that gives automatically, possibilities that no one can have no where else in this planet , “ we the people” that’s the most powerful brand