Phoenix Studios
What the change in brand America means for America’s brands
28th April
/
5 min.
For decades, Brand America has stood for something bigger than the sum of its policies. It was the ultimate meta-brand — an ideological halo that gave U.S. companies a global competitive edge. “Made in the USA” became shorthand for innovation, fairness, entrepreneurial spirit, and democratic stability. Whether it was jeans or jet engines, software or soda, American identity implied excellence and integrity.
But under the new U.S administration, that identity is fracturing — not at the edges, but at its core. And the consequences could be lasting.
This isn’t just about redrawing trade maps or rewriting executive orders. It’s about the very meaning of “American” in the eyes of the world. And for the thousands of global companies that depend on Brand America’s halo — from B2B cloud providers in Boston to banks in Charlotte — this is more than a soft power issue. It’s a risk to growth, trust, and long-term brand equity.
From Consistency to Chaos
Brands, as Harvard’s Jill Avery describes, are “meaning systems” — networks of associations that shape how we understand and trust an entity. Brand America once offered a set of clear, dependable meanings: rule of law, fairness, meritocracy, global cooperation. Now, that brand is being re-coded.
Trump’s second term has brought an acceleration of executive actions that undercut democratic norms. Among them:
The expulsion of thousands of international students on vague “national interest” grounds.
IRS audits and funding cuts targeting universities, law firms, and NGOs accused of “politicized activities.”
Cuts to Department of Justice enforcement, including the rollback of foreign bribery and white-collar crime investigations.
A “Trade Emergency” declaration imposing tariffs up to 145% on imports from Europe, China, and Mexico.
Taken together, these moves represent a rebranding of the United States — from a principled, law-based power to a transactional, inward-looking state where politics, not principles, determine outcomes.
A Halo Turned Hazard?
For years, American firms benefited from Brand America’s prestige — especially in tech, finance, education and professional services, where trust and openness were implicit in the national brand. But what happens when that halo dims?
A European central banker told the FT, “We used to treat American firms as a default standard — their contracts, their ethics, their people. Now we read the fine print twice. The trust is gone.”
It’s not just rhetoric. According to Pew Research, global confidence in the U.S. government dropped 30 points across NATO allies within the first 90 days of Trump’s second term. And a 2025 Ipsos survey found that 42% of global B2B buyers were “actively reassessing” partnerships with U.S. firms due to political risk — up from 18% in 2021.
Hollywood: The Cracked Mirror
No industry has exported Brand America more effectively than Hollywood. For most of the 20th century, American cinema was the world’s storytelling engine. Hollywood portrayed the U.S. as moral compass, global guardian, and reluctant-but-heroic saviour — in everything from Saving Private Ryan to Captain America.
But today, that story is a harder sell. Hollywood’s “America-as-saviour” formula is now met with scepticism, even ridicule. International box office revenue for such films has declined sharply. As one Variety analyst put it, “The world no longer buys the idea that the U.S. is the moral compass. They’ve seen too much.”
Hollywood’s fall from grace isn’t just cultural. It’s commercial. The diminishing pull of Brand America in film mirrors the erosion of American moral leadership — and the soft power that once elevated its global business ambitions.
For decades, Brand America has stood for something bigger than the sum of its policies. It was the ultimate meta-brand — an ideological halo that gave U.S. companies a global competitive edge. “Made in the USA” became shorthand for innovation, fairness, entrepreneurial spirit, and democratic stability. Whether it was jeans or jet engines, software or soda, American identity implied excellence and integrity.
But under the new U.S administration, that identity is fracturing — not at the edges, but at its core. And the consequences could be lasting.
This isn’t just about redrawing trade maps or rewriting executive orders. It’s about the very meaning of “American” in the eyes of the world. And for the thousands of global companies that depend on Brand America’s halo — from B2B cloud providers in Boston to banks in Charlotte — this is more than a soft power issue. It’s a risk to growth, trust, and long-term brand equity.
From Consistency to Chaos
Brands, as Harvard’s Jill Avery describes, are “meaning systems” — networks of associations that shape how we understand and trust an entity. Brand America once offered a set of clear, dependable meanings: rule of law, fairness, meritocracy, global cooperation. Now, that brand is being re-coded.
Trump’s second term has brought an acceleration of executive actions that undercut democratic norms. Among them:
The expulsion of thousands of international students on vague “national interest” grounds.
IRS audits and funding cuts targeting universities, law firms, and NGOs accused of “politicized activities.”
Cuts to Department of Justice enforcement, including the rollback of foreign bribery and white-collar crime investigations.
A “Trade Emergency” declaration imposing tariffs up to 145% on imports from Europe, China, and Mexico.
Taken together, these moves represent a rebranding of the United States — from a principled, law-based power to a transactional, inward-looking state where politics, not principles, determine outcomes.
A Halo Turned Hazard?
For years, American firms benefited from Brand America’s prestige — especially in tech, finance, education and professional services, where trust and openness were implicit in the national brand. But what happens when that halo dims?
A European central banker told the FT, “We used to treat American firms as a default standard — their contracts, their ethics, their people. Now we read the fine print twice. The trust is gone.”
It’s not just rhetoric. According to Pew Research, global confidence in the U.S. government dropped 30 points across NATO allies within the first 90 days of Trump’s second term. And a 2025 Ipsos survey found that 42% of global B2B buyers were “actively reassessing” partnerships with U.S. firms due to political risk — up from 18% in 2021.
Hollywood: The Cracked Mirror
No industry has exported Brand America more effectively than Hollywood. For most of the 20th century, American cinema was the world’s storytelling engine. Hollywood portrayed the U.S. as moral compass, global guardian, and reluctant-but-heroic saviour — in everything from Saving Private Ryan to Captain America.
But today, that story is a harder sell. Hollywood’s “America-as-saviour” formula is now met with scepticism, even ridicule. International box office revenue for such films has declined sharply. As one Variety analyst put it, “The world no longer buys the idea that the U.S. is the moral compass. They’ve seen too much.”
Hollywood’s fall from grace isn’t just cultural. It’s commercial. The diminishing pull of Brand America in film mirrors the erosion of American moral leadership — and the soft power that once elevated its global business ambitions.
For decades, Brand America has stood for something bigger than the sum of its policies. It was the ultimate meta-brand — an ideological halo that gave U.S. companies a global competitive edge. “Made in the USA” became shorthand for innovation, fairness, entrepreneurial spirit, and democratic stability. Whether it was jeans or jet engines, software or soda, American identity implied excellence and integrity.
But under the new U.S administration, that identity is fracturing — not at the edges, but at its core. And the consequences could be lasting.
This isn’t just about redrawing trade maps or rewriting executive orders. It’s about the very meaning of “American” in the eyes of the world. And for the thousands of global companies that depend on Brand America’s halo — from B2B cloud providers in Boston to banks in Charlotte — this is more than a soft power issue. It’s a risk to growth, trust, and long-term brand equity.
From Consistency to Chaos
Brands, as Harvard’s Jill Avery describes, are “meaning systems” — networks of associations that shape how we understand and trust an entity. Brand America once offered a set of clear, dependable meanings: rule of law, fairness, meritocracy, global cooperation. Now, that brand is being re-coded.
Trump’s second term has brought an acceleration of executive actions that undercut democratic norms. Among them:
The expulsion of thousands of international students on vague “national interest” grounds.
IRS audits and funding cuts targeting universities, law firms, and NGOs accused of “politicized activities.”
Cuts to Department of Justice enforcement, including the rollback of foreign bribery and white-collar crime investigations.
A “Trade Emergency” declaration imposing tariffs up to 145% on imports from Europe, China, and Mexico.
Taken together, these moves represent a rebranding of the United States — from a principled, law-based power to a transactional, inward-looking state where politics, not principles, determine outcomes.
A Halo Turned Hazard?
For years, American firms benefited from Brand America’s prestige — especially in tech, finance, education and professional services, where trust and openness were implicit in the national brand. But what happens when that halo dims?
A European central banker told the FT, “We used to treat American firms as a default standard — their contracts, their ethics, their people. Now we read the fine print twice. The trust is gone.”
It’s not just rhetoric. According to Pew Research, global confidence in the U.S. government dropped 30 points across NATO allies within the first 90 days of Trump’s second term. And a 2025 Ipsos survey found that 42% of global B2B buyers were “actively reassessing” partnerships with U.S. firms due to political risk — up from 18% in 2021.
Hollywood: The Cracked Mirror
No industry has exported Brand America more effectively than Hollywood. For most of the 20th century, American cinema was the world’s storytelling engine. Hollywood portrayed the U.S. as moral compass, global guardian, and reluctant-but-heroic saviour — in everything from Saving Private Ryan to Captain America.
But today, that story is a harder sell. Hollywood’s “America-as-saviour” formula is now met with scepticism, even ridicule. International box office revenue for such films has declined sharply. As one Variety analyst put it, “The world no longer buys the idea that the U.S. is the moral compass. They’ve seen too much.”
Hollywood’s fall from grace isn’t just cultural. It’s commercial. The diminishing pull of Brand America in film mirrors the erosion of American moral leadership — and the soft power that once elevated its global business ambitions.
What Comes After the Myth?
There’s a certain tragic irony here. For years, companies benefited from the myth of America. Are they now likely to be sullied by its potential unravelling?
When a Swiss investor refuses to back your IPO because your legal protections depend on a politicized DOJ — that’s Brand America. When a Kenyan developer picks a Canadian cloud provider to avoid secondary sanctions — that’s Brand America. When your German tech team refuses to relocate due to unpredictable visa rules — that’s Brand America.
You can’t opt out of the national brand you carry — especially when it’s in crisis. These aren’t dystopian fantasies. They’re logical extensions of the policies and perceptions already unfolding.
Rebuilding from Within: What American Brands Can Actually Do
At its peak, Brand America projected certainty — legal, economic, moral. Today, it projects ambiguity, volatility, and perceived hostility. But not all is lost. Many U.S. companies can recalibrate — actively expressing values they believe America should represent: openness, fairness, innovation, equality. This must go deeper than PR. It must touch brand codes, governance, and global storytelling.
1. Diagnose how US provenance is impacting your brand health
Brands need to know how “Americanness” is now perceived in key markets, as well as the perception of their own connections to America — through formal brand tracking, buyer research, and frontline feedback.
2. Internationalise when needed
Multinational brands should consider how prominently their U.S. identity appears beyond domestic borders — and adapt. Sub-brands or regional faces can buffer perception risks. Localized messaging can emphasise a global mindset. Netflix and Apple have succeeded globally by decentralizing their “Americanness.”
3. Use brand assets to signal different values
Brand symbols — colours, language, formats — carry meaning. Brands can visually and verbally counter negative narratives by leaning into inclusive, human-centred design and storytelling.
4. Lead with clarity, support with feeling
In a time when public discourse feels fragmented and emotional volatility is high, brands should avoid leaning too hard into sentimentality. What customers value now — especially in B2B — is clarity, competence, and calm. But that doesn’t mean emotion has no role. Once a brand has clearly articulated what it stands for and what it delivers, emotional cues can help build trust and human connection over time. Especially for companies operating in complex or controversial sectors, empathy and tone matter — but they must follow substance, not replace it.
5. Re-benchmark your equity every year
Go back to the basics and use tools like Keller’s “Brand Report Card” to review:
Trust: Are your claims still believed?
Relevance: Are you solving the right problems?
Meaning: What associations does your brand carry?
Consistency: Do your values hold in different regions?
In short: manage your brand like a diplomat. With intent, nuance, and global fluency.
Final Thought: A New Chapter Still Worth Writing
Brand America might be in trouble. But trouble isn’t the end. It’s the inflection point.
For decades, U.S. companies benefited from a tailwind of global admiration. Now, the wind has shifted. But it hasn’t died. The same world that’s sceptical of U.S. politics still craves principled leadership and commercial integrity. If Brand America no longer stands for what it once did, American brands can still step forward and show what it could mean.
They can be the new ambassadors — not through flag-waving, but through bold hiring, ethical sourcing, humane storytelling, transparent governance. Not by pledging allegiance, but by building belief, they might just earn back the trust that politics has shaken.
Sources:
Pew Research Center, “Global Attitudes Toward the U.S.,” March 2025
FT, “Universities Fear Chill After Federal Crackdown,” April 2025
White House Fact Sheet, “Trade Emergency Declaration,” April 2025
Variety, “Why Hollywood’s Global Halo Is Fading,” February 2025
Ipsos Global Business Survey, “Brand Country Effects,” 2025
UCLA, “Diversity and the Global Box Office,” January 2024
Axios, “Anti-American Sentiment Driving Business Decisions,” April 2025
What Comes After the Myth?
There’s a certain tragic irony here. For years, companies benefited from the myth of America. Are they now likely to be sullied by its potential unravelling?
When a Swiss investor refuses to back your IPO because your legal protections depend on a politicized DOJ — that’s Brand America. When a Kenyan developer picks a Canadian cloud provider to avoid secondary sanctions — that’s Brand America. When your German tech team refuses to relocate due to unpredictable visa rules — that’s Brand America.
You can’t opt out of the national brand you carry — especially when it’s in crisis. These aren’t dystopian fantasies. They’re logical extensions of the policies and perceptions already unfolding.
Rebuilding from Within: What American Brands Can Actually Do
At its peak, Brand America projected certainty — legal, economic, moral. Today, it projects ambiguity, volatility, and perceived hostility. But not all is lost. Many U.S. companies can recalibrate — actively expressing values they believe America should represent: openness, fairness, innovation, equality. This must go deeper than PR. It must touch brand codes, governance, and global storytelling.
1. Diagnose how US provenance is impacting your brand health
Brands need to know how “Americanness” is now perceived in key markets, as well as the perception of their own connections to America — through formal brand tracking, buyer research, and frontline feedback.
2. Internationalise when needed
Multinational brands should consider how prominently their U.S. identity appears beyond domestic borders — and adapt. Sub-brands or regional faces can buffer perception risks. Localized messaging can emphasise a global mindset. Netflix and Apple have succeeded globally by decentralizing their “Americanness.”
3. Use brand assets to signal different values
Brand symbols — colours, language, formats — carry meaning. Brands can visually and verbally counter negative narratives by leaning into inclusive, human-centred design and storytelling.
4. Lead with clarity, support with feeling
In a time when public discourse feels fragmented and emotional volatility is high, brands should avoid leaning too hard into sentimentality. What customers value now — especially in B2B — is clarity, competence, and calm. But that doesn’t mean emotion has no role. Once a brand has clearly articulated what it stands for and what it delivers, emotional cues can help build trust and human connection over time. Especially for companies operating in complex or controversial sectors, empathy and tone matter — but they must follow substance, not replace it.
5. Re-benchmark your equity every year
Go back to the basics and use tools like Keller’s “Brand Report Card” to review:
Trust: Are your claims still believed?
Relevance: Are you solving the right problems?
Meaning: What associations does your brand carry?
Consistency: Do your values hold in different regions?
In short: manage your brand like a diplomat. With intent, nuance, and global fluency.
Final Thought: A New Chapter Still Worth Writing
Brand America might be in trouble. But trouble isn’t the end. It’s the inflection point.
For decades, U.S. companies benefited from a tailwind of global admiration. Now, the wind has shifted. But it hasn’t died. The same world that’s sceptical of U.S. politics still craves principled leadership and commercial integrity. If Brand America no longer stands for what it once did, American brands can still step forward and show what it could mean.
They can be the new ambassadors — not through flag-waving, but through bold hiring, ethical sourcing, humane storytelling, transparent governance. Not by pledging allegiance, but by building belief, they might just earn back the trust that politics has shaken.
Sources:
Pew Research Center, “Global Attitudes Toward the U.S.,” March 2025
FT, “Universities Fear Chill After Federal Crackdown,” April 2025
White House Fact Sheet, “Trade Emergency Declaration,” April 2025
Variety, “Why Hollywood’s Global Halo Is Fading,” February 2025
Ipsos Global Business Survey, “Brand Country Effects,” 2025
UCLA, “Diversity and the Global Box Office,” January 2024
Axios, “Anti-American Sentiment Driving Business Decisions,” April 2025
What Comes After the Myth?
There’s a certain tragic irony here. For years, companies benefited from the myth of America. Are they now likely to be sullied by its potential unravelling?
When a Swiss investor refuses to back your IPO because your legal protections depend on a politicized DOJ — that’s Brand America. When a Kenyan developer picks a Canadian cloud provider to avoid secondary sanctions — that’s Brand America. When your German tech team refuses to relocate due to unpredictable visa rules — that’s Brand America.
You can’t opt out of the national brand you carry — especially when it’s in crisis. These aren’t dystopian fantasies. They’re logical extensions of the policies and perceptions already unfolding.
Rebuilding from Within: What American Brands Can Actually Do
At its peak, Brand America projected certainty — legal, economic, moral. Today, it projects ambiguity, volatility, and perceived hostility. But not all is lost. Many U.S. companies can recalibrate — actively expressing values they believe America should represent: openness, fairness, innovation, equality. This must go deeper than PR. It must touch brand codes, governance, and global storytelling.
1. Diagnose how US provenance is impacting your brand health
Brands need to know how “Americanness” is now perceived in key markets, as well as the perception of their own connections to America — through formal brand tracking, buyer research, and frontline feedback.
2. Internationalise when needed
Multinational brands should consider how prominently their U.S. identity appears beyond domestic borders — and adapt. Sub-brands or regional faces can buffer perception risks. Localized messaging can emphasise a global mindset. Netflix and Apple have succeeded globally by decentralizing their “Americanness.”
3. Use brand assets to signal different values
Brand symbols — colours, language, formats — carry meaning. Brands can visually and verbally counter negative narratives by leaning into inclusive, human-centred design and storytelling.
4. Lead with clarity, support with feeling
In a time when public discourse feels fragmented and emotional volatility is high, brands should avoid leaning too hard into sentimentality. What customers value now — especially in B2B — is clarity, competence, and calm. But that doesn’t mean emotion has no role. Once a brand has clearly articulated what it stands for and what it delivers, emotional cues can help build trust and human connection over time. Especially for companies operating in complex or controversial sectors, empathy and tone matter — but they must follow substance, not replace it.
5. Re-benchmark your equity every year
Go back to the basics and use tools like Keller’s “Brand Report Card” to review:
Trust: Are your claims still believed?
Relevance: Are you solving the right problems?
Meaning: What associations does your brand carry?
Consistency: Do your values hold in different regions?
In short: manage your brand like a diplomat. With intent, nuance, and global fluency.
Final Thought: A New Chapter Still Worth Writing
Brand America might be in trouble. But trouble isn’t the end. It’s the inflection point.
For decades, U.S. companies benefited from a tailwind of global admiration. Now, the wind has shifted. But it hasn’t died. The same world that’s sceptical of U.S. politics still craves principled leadership and commercial integrity. If Brand America no longer stands for what it once did, American brands can still step forward and show what it could mean.
They can be the new ambassadors — not through flag-waving, but through bold hiring, ethical sourcing, humane storytelling, transparent governance. Not by pledging allegiance, but by building belief, they might just earn back the trust that politics has shaken.
Sources:
Pew Research Center, “Global Attitudes Toward the U.S.,” March 2025
FT, “Universities Fear Chill After Federal Crackdown,” April 2025
White House Fact Sheet, “Trade Emergency Declaration,” April 2025
Variety, “Why Hollywood’s Global Halo Is Fading,” February 2025
Ipsos Global Business Survey, “Brand Country Effects,” 2025
UCLA, “Diversity and the Global Box Office,” January 2024
Axios, “Anti-American Sentiment Driving Business Decisions,” April 2025
Phoenix Studios
