American Culture Still Matters for Global Brands
Last week, Guinness debuted its first campaign with Uncommon Creative Studio, "A Lovely Day"-a sweeping, 5,057-mile journey across the U.S. spotlighting real people, diverse communities, and the passions that unite them. More than a brand film, it's a journalistic ode to the richness of American life, delivered through a lens of optimism and humanity.
It also arrives at what can only be described as an "interesting" cultural moment.
Global perceptions of the U.S. have shifted. Significantly. Recent data shows that the average net favorability of the U.S. has declined by roughly 20 points worldwide, with marked dips in key consumer markets like Europe and Canada. Driven by geopolitics, cultural polarization, and economic unease, America is under a sharper lens than perhaps ever before.
So why are global brands still so invested in showing up here-and showing off?
Let's start with the obvious: scale. The U.S. continues to represent an unmatched commercial opportunity. Despite economic fluctuations, it remains one of the most resilient consumer markets in the world. That resilience isn't just appealing to established giants, it's also proving magnetic for direct-to-consumer challengers.
Take ME+EM, the U.K.-based womenswear brand. Known for its clean silhouettes and data-informed design strategy, they've doubled down on U.S. expansion. After a successful digital push, they've moved into brick-and-mortar, with stores in New York City, the Hamptons, and now Texas. The commitment signals not just short-term ambition, but long-term belief in the American shopper's continued global influence.
That influence extends far beyond GDP. The U.S. is often the launchpad for brands aiming to embed themselves in the cultural zeitgeist. Just last year, Guinness was at the center of a TikTok phenomenon with the "Split the G" challenge-an unplanned but potent moment of viral cultural relevance. Similarly, Puma's new "Go Wild" campaign, its largest global initiative, debuted in the U.S. this March. For a German heritage brand, gaining traction stateside is more than symbolic; it's essential toward engaging Gen Z audiences at the intersection of sport, identity, and authenticity.
With 17% of all TikTok users based in the U.S., and roughly 34% of ad revenue generated here, success in America can mean amplification everywhere.
The U.S. is also uniquely valuable as a cultural testbed. With its intricate diversity-ethnic, geographic, and ideological-it serves as a global microcosm. It's where brands can pressure-test both universal insights and hyperspecific strategies. Guinness' film leans into this idea, exploring the connective tissue of American life. Toyota's latest campaign for the 2025 4Runner does something similar, pairing broad themes of adventure ("Your Window to the Wild") with a more targeted sub-campaign, "4Runner Landia," created with agency Conill to reach Hispanic audiences. The campaign even includes a contest to win land-an offer rooted in cultural nuance and aspiration.
In that way, America isn't just a place to sell products. It's a place to refine ideas, build resonance, and test what it means to connect with people on a human level. As campaigns increasingly pivot toward emotional storytelling and values-led positioning, brands are turning to the U.S. as a litmus test for what works-and what endures-across communities, cultures, and digital channels.
There's also a reason Guinness ends its film with the line, "People need people." It's a universal sentiment, but its resonance in the U.S.-with its division, complexity, and promise-feels especially timely. The film's soundtrack choice, Paolo Nutini's "Iron Sky," underscores that. It's a track woven with themes of resistance, justice, and unity-featuring audio from Charlie Chaplin's 1940 speech in The Great Dictator. It's a reminder that some ideas don't belong to one country or another. They belong to all of us.
And right now, for global brands, the U.S. remains one of the most powerful places to express them.
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