How marketers use patriotism to pick your pocket—and how to outsmart them

Marketers are experts at tapping into emotions and creating urgency to drive decisions, often without consumers realizing it. For veterans, this can look like patriotic language such as “Patriot Approved” or packaging adorned with eagles, all carefully designed to evoke pride and loyalty, nudging you toward making a purchase.

It’s not just advertisements that employ these tactics. Social media posts, headlines, and memes are often crafted to provoke reactions and encourage sharing, bypassing critical thinking. The goal? To get you to act quickly—whether it’s buying a product, spreading a message, or engaging with content.

Recognizing the Tricks

Marketers frequently use bold promises and flashy claims to grab attention. Phrases like “life-changing” or “the best [product] of your life” are meant to appeal to emotions rather than logic. Studies or statistics cited in these promotions may not always be reliable or authentic, designed instead to create a sense of credibility and urgency.

Tools to Stay Informed

To avoid falling for these tactics, a few simple strategies can help:

1. Verify claims: Fact-checking websites like Snopes and FactCheck.org are excellent resources for evaluating the validity of advertisements or viral posts.
2. Use reverse image search: This can help trace the origins of photos or graphics to determine if they’ve been manipulated or taken out of context.
3. Ask critical questions: Who benefits from this claim or message? If the answer isn’t you, it’s worth reconsidering.