Opinion: During the cold war, when the world last squared off in existential geopolitical confrontation, the US had an exhilaratingly cool reputation. Behind the Iron Curtain, ordinary citizens were desperate for a can of Coke or a pair of Levi’s.
Now, as the world descends into another geopolitical battle, American brands are discovering the price of being unpopular.
As the US government’s opprobrium against Europe increases, European consumers are paying close attention. Between September 2024 and September 2025, overall exports of US whiskey and bourbon dropped by nearly 17%. A popular new Danish app has appeared that offers to help users identify brands’ links to the country — so they can be boycotted. Estonia’s tech-savvy government is testing a US-free IT system. France also wants state employees to use domestic alternatives to US software.
Although Tesla’s European sales have plunged, for most US companies, anti-American feelings have not resulted in devastating losses. But the effects may be felt over time. As McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski pointed out, the damage is reputational — and reputational loss is hard to regain.
Very accurate. These days, American brands are either boring or tarnished because of their association with the United States/Israel. When i lived in Canada, I was shocked by how many of my colleagues would not even go anywhere close to Starbucks or McDonalds because of their CEOs’ Israel-first policies
Yup. Sold all my Carhartts.
The point of going shopping in the US is that you go to Ross Dress for Less and get a Michael Kors bag for $30 or Levis jeans for $30.
American brands are all made in India and China anyway. There are no “american” clothes.
Feels like American culture lost its cool for some time. I remember 90s and early 00s, western movies still had their mystique. Then everything from US, romcoms, MTV, hiphop, hollywood was cool. American culture is perhaps more dominant than ever nowadays with netflix, internet, and english, but it the aura is gone.
* Posted from an iPhone on an American social media platform.
7 comments
Opinion: During the cold war, when the world last squared off in existential geopolitical confrontation, the US had an exhilaratingly cool reputation. Behind the Iron Curtain, ordinary citizens were desperate for a can of Coke or a pair of Levi’s.
Now, as the world descends into another geopolitical battle, American brands are discovering the price of being unpopular.
As the US government’s opprobrium against Europe increases, European consumers are paying close attention. Between September 2024 and September 2025, overall exports of US whiskey and bourbon dropped by nearly 17%. A popular new Danish app has appeared that offers to help users identify brands’ links to the country — so they can be boycotted. Estonia’s tech-savvy government is testing a US-free IT system. France also wants state employees to use domestic alternatives to US software.
Although Tesla’s European sales have plunged, for most US companies, anti-American feelings have not resulted in devastating losses. But the effects may be felt over time. As McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski pointed out, the damage is reputational — and reputational loss is hard to regain.
**Read the full story, here:** [https://www.ft.com/content/32762810-35b2-43ca-bd8c-502b95b73b83?segmentid=c50c86e4-586b-23ea-1ac1-7601c9c2476f](https://www.ft.com/content/32762810-35b2-43ca-bd8c-502b95b73b83?segmentid=c50c86e4-586b-23ea-1ac1-7601c9c2476f)
Victoria – FT social team
Very accurate. These days, American brands are either boring or tarnished because of their association with the United States/Israel. When i lived in Canada, I was shocked by how many of my colleagues would not even go anywhere close to Starbucks or McDonalds because of their CEOs’ Israel-first policies
Yup. Sold all my Carhartts.
The point of going shopping in the US is that you go to Ross Dress for Less and get a Michael Kors bag for $30 or Levis jeans for $30.
American brands are all made in India and China anyway. There are no “american” clothes.
Feels like American culture lost its cool for some time. I remember 90s and early 00s, western movies still had their mystique. Then everything from US, romcoms, MTV, hiphop, hollywood was cool. American culture is perhaps more dominant than ever nowadays with netflix, internet, and english, but it the aura is gone.
* Posted from an iPhone on an American social media platform.