Source: 01_Gemini_AI Generated-patriotic-marketing-strategies
Capitalism is on the rise. We are witnesses to the fact that this ideology has gone up and beyond to impact and shape the global market as it is right now. As it grows, more and more businesses are set up. The industry keeps on growing without any sign of decrease. And as they grow, the change shape and form to devise new methods to produce profit.
Today, businesses and advertising has seeped into every corner of our life- be it our newspapers, sports matches, television programs and social media. Nothing is left untouched. But as businesses increase, so does their competition. In a locality where people only like to consume one type of dish, only one of the many businesses will profit. What to do then? Find a new strategy.
What is Patriotic Marketing?
Patriotism, an ideology, is a strong emotion which has dictated the emotions of many in the past. It translates to a strong sense of devotion and attachment to one’s country. A sense of unity and company is established when the patriotic feeling is evoked. It is fair to feel this way though; who doesn’t love the place they were belong to.
In an age when Capitalism is at its peak, why would anyone think that capitalists won’t use this emotion to their profit? Patriotic marketing is one of the many techniques devised to keep the audience engaged. It refers to marketing campaigns that evoke patriotism through catchphrases, colors of the flag, pictures, and slogans and lure the audience by advertising a sense of pride and honor.
This kind of advertising is especially effective when a national holiday is coming up. While it is already very relatable for every citizen, national holidays connect history and legacy which further enhances the pride people feel.
Now, let’s understand one thing. While we talked about capitalists above, there are a lot of other groups that also use patriotic marketing to their benefit. There are filmmakers, musicians, and artists who also use this particular strategy to keep the audience hooked. Profits generated attest to the fact that patriotic marketing is a very smart way of advertising.
What is its impact?
Advantage
While this campaign invites skepticism in regards to its usage, it undoubtedly has one awesome benefit as well. Unity amongst countrymen is the first and foremost advantage offered by patriotic marketing. Humans are social creatures and we have only made it so far because of our tendency to stick together. Feeling connected to the rest of your community is indeed a very good feeling. If the ads in this type of campaign have the ability to unite people, then it’s an advantage for sure.
Relation between consumption and citizenship
Even if it feels like this is something relatively new, it is not. There have been many instances in history when the ruling body has asked its people to help regain footing for the country. Patriotism is not a new thing and so isn’t marketing.
One example is given by Historian Lizabeth Cohen, concerning the situation of the US after the World War II, when policy makers, business, and labor leaders are requested the Americans to increase their consumption as it is their ‘civic responsibility of reconstructing the nation’s economy’. After intensive research, it has been established that when a country is threatened, the consumption behaviour at an individual level also gets influenced quite a lot. Consumerism is easily adopted in such situations, without any special thought.
It has been found that “advertising metaphors transform consumption into a ritualistic means of affirming one’s nationality”. Many people understand that overconsumption, even for the country, can be wasteful and rise consumer debts. Many feel that consumer freedom and conspicuous consumer spending are culturally significant phenomena. But both groups strongly believe that consumption has a direct and collective impact on the economic condition of the country and that consuming any less would lead to an economic slowdown. This belief has been constructed by patriotic marketing which makes citizens feel responsible for not buying into patriotic advertising.
Why is overconsumption bad?
I have repeatedly mentioned overconsumption in the upper portions. Is it a bad thing? Yes. How so? Let’s see.
The correct term to go with is ‘excessive personal consumption’- when one individual consumes more than required. Contrary to what the governments in the past have told their citizens, excessive personal consumption does more harm than good. According to a study in 2021, rich people who overconsume have larger carbon footprints and a larger share of global emissions. It also means that we are consuming our resources faster- reportedly 1.7 times the normal pace. This means that future generations would require 1.7 earths to keep up with their rate of consumption. Do we have 1.7 earths? I don’t think so.
Capitalism stops at nothing to advertise and produce for the sake of generating profits. Patriotism is a feeling which surpasses the borders of ethnic differences of the majority and minorities to group together everyone as ‘one’. Both are strong factors to have an impact on the human psyche. To mitigate and avoid overconsumption, it becomes the responsibility of the consumer to stay aware.
Resources
- Tsai, W. H. S. (2010). Patriotic advertising and the creation of the citizen-consumer. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 2(3), 76.
- Yoo, J. J., & Lee, W.-N. (2015). Calling It Out: The Impact of National Identity on Consumer Response to Ads With a Patriotic Theme. Journal of Advertising, 45(2), 244–255.
- admin. (2021, February 5). The Logo Company. The Logo Company. https://thelogocompany.net/patriotic-themed-marketing-branding/
- Verma, H. (2021, December 23). Patriotic Marketing – What is it and How are Brands using it to Drive Customers. StartupTalky; StartupTalky. https://startuptalky.com/patriotic-marketing-india/
- Valladares, F. (2023, May 10). Excessive personal consumption has serious global consequences. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/excessive-personal-consumption-has-serious-global-consequences-205085
How Overconsumption Affects the Environment and Health, Explained. (2024, January 4). Sentient. https://sentientmedia.org/overconsumption/
