Does “Made In The USA” Still Resonate?

With Fourth of July just around the corner, there’s been no shortage of patriotic pitches over the airwaves.

But New Balance appears to be going one step further by aligning its entire brand campaign behind a red-white-and-blue theme: “The only athletic footwear manufacturer making shoes in the US.”

In today’s Wal-Mart world, I wonder: How many people really care any more? And not just with their hearts, but with their pocketbooks, since New Balance shoes typically sell at a premium.

Have we all just gotten so used to the idea of global sourcing that “Made in the USA” no longer resonates?

Or, does this strangely somber (and grimly tinged) video fail to deliver the emotional connection needed to make me genuinely care?

I feel a bit guilty admitting this but the video actually made me think less of the New Balance brand, seeing the rather low-tech way that the shoes are manufactured.

And what’s with the bottle of Gatorade and cup of coffee on the worker’s table in the freeze-frame above? Does that say “craftsmanship” to you?

Update on Wed, July 8, 2009 at 10:15AM by Frank J. Oswald

AIN’T THAT AMERICA? It turns out that only about 25 percent of New Balance’s shoes are manufactured in the United States. So is this commercial misleading as well?