Nothing screams summer and fun in the sun like the greatest holiday in American history — you may know it as Independence Day, the Fourth of the July, or the largest fireworks celebration of the year. 

And while your 2020 celebration may not include crowded firework shows, neighborhood pool parties, and big family BBQs, people will nonetheless take this day to celebrate our great country’s independence. 

From a marketing standpoint, this national holiday has long brought brands together and purpose-driven initiatives to the forefront. American ideals of diversity, unity, and inclusion are common traits that comprise the most successful Fourth of July marketing campaigns. 

In this article, we’ve rounded up four purposeful Fourth of July campaigns from some of America’s leading brands.

Skyy Vodka Promoted Diversity & Inclusion 

Skyy Vodka released an initiative that would allow consumers to “do some good with their less-than-perfect firework photos” rather than delete them.

The spirits brand teamed up with WWE superstar John Cena and the National Diversity Council. They encouraged fans to post their “sad, blurry, or just plain bad” firework photos to #SparkChange.

For every Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter post with the hashtag #SkyyVodka, Skyy donated $5 to the National Diversity Council. American wrestler John Cena kicked off the initiative with a social media post on July 1, influencing many of his fans and followers to post their own photos to #SparkChange as well.

Jamba Juice Saluted Military Families 

Grounded in a mission to inspire healthy living and support communities, Jamba wanted to pay a tribute to a unique population for the Fourth of July: the families of veterans.

The smoothie company has twice partnered with Folds of Honor, a national nonprofit committed to supporting the education of children and spouses of veterans killed or disabled while serving our nation.

With this partnership, participating Jamba stores sold signature tumblers to raise funds for educational scholarships. $2 from each tumbler purchased went directly to Folds of Honor, with the goal of raising $50,000 to send more students to college. The custom Jamba tumblers were designed by past Folds of Honor scholarship recipients.

On the social media front, Jamba encouraged people to share their personal salutes to service members and their families using the hashtag #JambaSalute. For every post tagged #JambaSalute from June 27 to July 4, Jamba donated $2 to Folds of Honor.

Old Navy Went Purple

Year after year, Old Navy is known for its iconic Fourth of July T-shirts. Last year, in honor of its 25th anniversary, the store launched its #BelongingLooksLike campaign that spanned the entire month of July. The campaign celebrated Old Navy’s commitment to inclusion.

As part of the campaign, Old Navy temporarily changed its dark blue logo to purple — both online and outside the Times Square flagship store. In addition, the clothing brand unveiled a line of purple T-shirts bearing American flags.

The limited-edition batch of purple T-shirts included just under 2,000 T-shirts — 1,994 T-shirts to be exact, a number that represents the year that Old Navy was established. The back of the shirt includes a message that explains why purple — it’s because purple is the color you get when you combine red, white, and blue. 

To further demonstrate its commitment to unity, Old Navy donated $25,000 to Open to All, a public engagement campaign that protects customers from discrimination. The campaign asks businesses to sign a pledge promising that when they open their doors, they are “open to all.” 

Pepsi Gave Back to Military Families 

A few years ago, Pepsi launched a photo-based activation asking consumers to post pictures of their iconic summer moments.

This patriotic campaign didn’t just run on the Fourth of July though — rather, it spanned the entire summer. From May 26 to August 31, each image added to Pepsi’s #Summergram virtual wall triggered a $1 donation from Pepsi to several charitable organizations. The group of charities, including the USP and Wounded Warrior, pledge to support military troops and families in need.

Final Takeaways

When we think of the #FourthOfJuly, we think of the epitome of summer. We think of fun in the sun, firework shows, and time spent with the ones we love. 

From a marketing perspective, brands have taken the day a step further by focusing on ideals that comprise our great country. For them, it’s a day to salute those fighting for our country, and to celebrate values of unity, diversity, and inclusion.