In a nation divided, could brands be the thing to bring us a little closer together?

Peter Baker of The New York Times recently wrote that 2024 will see, “the clash of two presidents of profoundly different countries, the president of Blue America versus the president of Red America.” The divide is about far more than just liberal versus conservative, Baker says; rather, “race and religion and culture and economics and democracy and retribution and most of all, perhaps, about identity.” No one seems to see unity on the horizon. No matter the outcome, one thing feels certain: we will likely remain deeply divided for years to come.

What’s more, every traditional institution—from the military to the media, the courts to the churches—draws similarly divergent perspectives. Concepts like shared trust and collective admiration feel quaint at best. In a deeply divided nation, is there any neutral meeting ground?

This brand is my brand, this brand is your brand

We wanted to see where brands fell in this divide. Today, are there “red” brands and “blue” brands? Liberal brands and conservative brands? It’s a research question that might have sounded bizarre a decade ago, to think that a bag of potato chips, a type of home insurance, a bottle of beer, or a brand of tennis shoe would have a certain political affiliation. But the role of brands in our lives has evolved, polarization has become all-encompassing, and it’s not insane to say we may now live in a world of blue jeans and red ones.

We diagnosed 245 brands by asking over 20,000 people a simple question: “Does this brand share your values?” We then looked at the responses according to the respondents’ stated political affiliation. Do Democrats and Republicans “share values” with the same brands? Or are there brand camps, divided along party lines?

The results surprised us. The vast majority of brands we tested (70%) were neutral. Meaning, the affiliation between Democrats and Republicans was not notably different.

Political ‘Affiliation’ of 245 Brands

Methodology: We categorize a brand as liberal’ or ‘conservative’ leaning by comparing the percentage of self-stated Democrats who strongly feel the brand shares their values to the percentage of self-stated Republicans who say the same. When those proportions are greater than 10pts apart, we call the brand leaning, otherwise we classify them as neutral.

Customers crave neutrality

This neutral zone might be where Americans want brands to be. A recent CNBC study suggested that consumers were growing disinterested in brands championing causes. According to the study, 58% of citizens believe it’s inappropriate for companies to take stances on social, cultural, and political issues (versus 32% who believe it’s appropriate). Democrats and younger people tend to look more favorably on brands taking stances, while older people, lower-income people, and Republicans especially dislike it.

Additionally, the percentage of Americans who do want brands to speak out on current events has fallen in recent years, possibly because of an over-saturation of brand virtue-signaling with no real substance behind it, general political burnout, or, more practically, an economic environment that makes them more price-sensitive and less interested in anything else.

In a context of consumer fatigue, is the conclusion for brand leaders simply, “pipe down and lower your prices?” Or can you build a brand that’s politically neutral but still rich with meaning?

‘Neutrality’ doesn’t mean ‘no values’

For mass brands focused on broad growth, we strongly believe winning companies still stand for deep, meaningful values—but those values:
(a) are integral to what they’re selling and
(b) transcend the political spectrum.

It’s Dove with authenticity and real beauty, Crocs with comfort and self-expression, T-Mobile becoming the “un-carrier,” Brooks selling shoes designed to make you feel more alive. These are all brands that have 65%+ “love” with both Republicans and Democrats that still have meaningful, clear values.

In short, brands should stand for universal human needs, aligned with who they are and what they sell, and not spend too much time tacking onto partisan issues that, increasingly, Americans don’t want them talking about anyway.

There’s also emerging evidence this “neutrality” can be good for business. We analyzed the indexed stock price growth of “neutral” versus “polarized” brands from January 2022 through today, and found that “neutral” brands had consistently stronger financial performance.

The unifying power of brands

Which brings us to our broader point. There’s a way to interpret “neutrality” negatively: Brands should be pillars of progress and, even in the face of boycotts and backlash, stand up for what they believe in. But looking at this data from a different angle, “neutrality” comes closer to unity.

According to a July 2023 Pew Research Poll, when thinking about politics, 90% of Americans sometimes or always feel “exhausted.” Most feel angry. Few feel hopeful. Even fewer, excited.  

It’s a disillusioned landscape. And to be sure, the issues that divide us matter a great deal. They’re huge and important and will surely be fought hard for. But nearly everyone also wishes we lived a little less divided.Brands can be a bridge. They can play a part in connecting us over what we share—a love of running, a passion for cars, a favorite campground, a family pastime. One thing that’s true across America, red or blue: brands play a vital role in our lives. We think they can play a role in bringing us together. This brand was made for you and me.