September 21, 2026

What Restaurant Brands Can Learn From a Summer of Unity

Brands that only borrow the date will treat each occasion as a fresh campaign and start from zero.

Brand purpose used to be the thing every marketer chased. Now many have quietly backed away.

In a divided America, the lesson most companies have taken from recent marketing failures is to avoid purpose entirely. But that retreat means missing the kinds of opportunities that create distinction and consumer connection, and can drive sales. Two years of research by Bailey Lauerman points to a better approach: leaning into togetherness. Over 90 percent of Americans want a more unified country, and 54 percent believe brands have a role to play—up from 49 percent two years ago.

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