2026
9
US American Identity and Patriotism Consumer Report 2026
2026-01-29T22:02:13+00:00
REPDB1B0FFE_A70A_43FC_9B0F_FEA70AF3FCE9
4995
190778
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Report
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The upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives at a moment marked by political volatility and an evolving sense of American identity. However, American pride remains a powerful…
US
Consumer Insights
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US American Identity and Patriotism Consumer Report 2026

"As America nears 250 years, resilient patriotism coexists with diverse identities, redefining how Americans connect, celebrate and belong."

Lisa Dubina, Associate Director, Culture & Identity

Lisa Dubina, Associate Director, Culture & Identity

The upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives at a moment marked by political volatility and an evolving sense of American identity. However, American pride remains a powerful constant: more than three quarters of US adults say they are proud to be American, even as the meanings and expressions of that pride differ across age, race and political affiliation.

Despite ongoing social and political tensions, 41% of US adults are already planning distinctive ways to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary. This early engagement signals not only enduring patriotic sentiment but also a collective desire for connection and unity at a time of widening partisan divides. As the country approaches this symbolic national milestone, brands have an opportunity to strengthen a sense of shared identity by honoring deeply held American values, while also acknowledging the generational and cultural nuances reshaping what national pride looks like today.

The brands best positioned for positive impact will be those that unite rather than polarize. Brands should explore ways to bridge the gap between shared American values and the nuances of modern American pride. Marketers should prioritize inclusive, human-centric approaches that reflect the diversity of consumer experiences and American perspectives. Regarding 250th anniversary planning, consider extending efforts into year-long activations that celebrate the country’s past, while also reinforcing a sense of shared humanity for the future.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Evolving definitions of patriotism and outlook on sources of American pride
  • The economic and political tensions shaping Americans’ national identity, as well as consumer spending
  • Generational shifts across the US, informing new identity narratives and opportunities for resonance
  • Gaps between consumers’ own national identity and pride vs their perceptions of the country’s reputation abroad
  • Marketing approaches that can foster unity among American audiences and avoid creating further division and polarization
  • Key commercial opportunities spanning food and drink, travel, retail and cultural engagement around America’s 250th anniversary celebration

Report Scope

This report investigates how US consumers define American identity and patriotism today, uncovering both traditional and emerging sources of pride across generations, regions and cultural backgrounds. It highlights opportunities for brands to engage authentically – particularly around the country’s 250th anniversary – without amplifying political polarization.

Consumer Research Methodology

For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through Kantar Profiles to explore consumers’ outlook and attitudes towards American identity and patriotism. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in December 2025 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents by gender, age, household income, region, race, ethnicity and parental status so they are proportionally representative of the US adult population using the internet. Mintel also slightly oversamples, relative to the population, respondents who are Hispanic or Black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results and allow for more precise parameter estimates from our reported findings. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanic consumers who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in our survey results.

While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanic consumers can be of any race.

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    • Note: data collection scope and context
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for American identity and patriotism
    • Opportunities
    • Focus on shared-values storytelling that puts the people before the politics
    • Embrace modern patriotism, as reframed by Gen Z
    • Market America’s 250th anniversary as a 365-day celebration
  2. THE MARKET

    • Ongoing economic concerns are likely to impact consumer spend as well as “made in America” considerations
    • Redefining patriotism for a divided era
    • Graph 1: “I’m proud to be an American/live in the US” – any agree, by generation and political affiliation, 2025
    • A disruptive second Trump presidency has US consumers on edge
    • By the numbers: a look at the US’s generational shifts
    • Graph 2: population, by generation, 2010-24
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Americans’ personal identity
    • Internal aspects of identity that are abstract and/or not involving another individual are more important to consumers’ sense of self
    • Graph 3: “extremely important” aspects of personal identity – internal and external, 2025
    • Young consumers are more likely to view their identity as multifaceted and in flux, while older consumers are more firm on what’s most important
    • Graph 4: “extremely important” aspects of personal identity, by generation, 2025
    • Family, faith and community strongly inform how Americans live their life
    • Graph 5: outlook on personal identity – agreement, 2025
    • White and Black consumers are more likely to emphasize the influence of faith, while younger generations emphasize dedication to local community
    • Graph 6: “My personal faith influences how I live my life” – agreement, by race and ethnicity, 2025
    • Graph 7: “I consider myself dedicated to my local community” – agreement, by generation, 2025
    • Role of American identity
    • American pride is widespread; however, American identity is not the most important facet of consumers’ sense of self
    • Graph 8: outlook on American pride and identity – agreement, 2025
    • Older generations express strong patriotism; younger generations engage with it more cautiously and contextually
    • Graph 9: “I’m proud to be an American/live in the US” – agreement, by generation, 2025
    • Graph 10: “My American identity is more important than other aspects of who I am” – agreement, by generation, 2025
    • Patriotism-themed messaging should be immigration-sensitive and inclusive, avoiding assumptions of uniform national pride
    • Graph 11: “I’m proud to be an American/live in the US” – agreement, by race/ethnicity, 2025
    • American pride and symbols are increasingly overlapping with political identity, requiring brands to tread carefully with certain patriotic cues
    • Graph 12: “I’m proud to be an American/live in the US” – agreement, by political affiliation, 2025
    • Amid the political divide, brands can help remind Americans of values that unite rather than divide the country
    • Perceptions of America
    • Powerful and politically divided are the top ways consumers describe the US
    • Graph 13: perceptions of the US – personal vs other countries’ perceptions, 2025
    • Consumers assume the US has a bad rep among other countries: what this could mean and how brands can respond
    • For older consumers, patriotism endures despite clear-eyed national critique
    • Graph 14: personal perceptions of the US, by generation, 2025
    • Patriotism unites older consumers; shared humanity resonates more with youth
    • Graph 15: “Despite on-going political division, Americans have more in common with each other than differences” – agreement, by generation, 2025
    • The Party Line: a social experiment connecting US Republicans and Democrats by payphone
    • American patriotism and pride
    • Consensus on the meaning of American patriotism could be an opportunity to foster unity despite continued political divisiveness
    • Graph 16: outlook on patriotism – agreement, 2025
    • The view that supporting US troops is a core element of patriotism varies by political belief
    • Graph 17: “American patriotism means supporting US troops” – agreement, by political affiliation, 2025
    • Although veterans and active military are common sources of national pride, consumers express pride across many domains brands can credibly engage
    • Graph 18: sources of US pride (any rank up to three), 2025
    • Yuengling debuts its commemorative America 250th Anniversary Lager packaging
    • Citing a diverse range of American figures and successes is more likely to resonate with Gen Z consumers’ multifaceted national pride
    • Graph 19: sources of US pride (any rank up to three), by generation, 2025
    • Budweiser blends brand, patriotism and unifying values in one Super Bowl spot
    • America’s 250th anniversary: planning and celebrating
    • Consumers are aware of and already planning ways to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary
    • Gen Z adults in particular are an advantageous audience for marketing around the country’s 250th anniversary
    • Graph 20: awareness of and plans for America 250 anniversary, by generation, 2026
    • There are many opportunities across categories for brands to engage consumers with commemorative 250th anniversary marketing
    • Graph 21: how consumers feel they are likely to celebrate/acknowledge America 250, 2025
    • Mintel SPARK concept: a commemorative and educational board game
    • Among consumers who are already planning activities for the US’s 250th anniversary, patriotic travel, tourism and hosting are more likely
    • Graph 22: how consumers are likely to celebrate/acknowledge America 250, by anniversary awareness and planning, 2026
    • Brand USA’s America the Beautiful campaign brings to life the many unique travel experiences the country has to offer
    • For some, the anniversary celebrations could extend beyond the 4th of July, expanding the opportunities for brands
    • Graph 23: count of ways consumers are likely to celebrate/acknowledge America 250, 2025
    • Burpee offers home gardeners the chance to plant a taste of American history
  4. APPENDIX

    • Report scope
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Repertoire analysis methodology
    • Mintel Spark
    • US generation groups
    • Abbreviations and terms

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