How'd that Chihuahua get there?
There's a market for all kinds of inane, bizarre renditions of the American flag. Let's look at the branding and economics which make them possible.
Thanks for being here. This week’s subject came to me when reader Spencer sent me the above image, without context. I offered to plug something of his as thanks, but he doesn’t have anything he wants to showcase. Instead, he asked that you all visit the Horny Yoda Twitter account, which I agree is funny.Â
As always, I’m in desperate need social proof. If you haven’t yet, consider following me on Twitter and hitting the heart button if you enjoy my writing.
Although the juxtaposition of all three elements in the above flag is insane on its own, where you’ll really get stuck is pondering how a dog ended up as a religious adherent. Dogs can’t read or write; however, the American Psychological Association states the average dog can learn up to 165 spoken words. Are 165 words enough to imbue a canine with religion? The American Kennel Club, a registry of purebred dogs, tells me Chihuahuas are a national symbol of Mexico. Mexico’s dominant faith is Roman Catholicism, which is obviously why this Chihuahua is looking up at a cross and not some other symbol. I suppose the dog’s Catholic faith is the only thing in this collage which makes any sense.Â
In 2018, wholesale US flag sales topped just over $300 million. According to the most recent stats I could find, over 60% of all Americans own an American flag and over 50% own some kind of American flag based piece of apparel. Given how broadly this data is labeled, I assume respondents could self-report as owning patriotic items if they’re in possession of a Blue Lives Matter/Chihuahua/Cross themed flag.Â
The U.S. Federal Flag code, which exists, states:
The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
and
The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.Â
As the law states above, it’s illegal to make and sell flag merch. This particular law, as you may have noticed, is not enforced. Given the proliferation of stuff with flags on it and its victimless nature, it would be a waste of resources to do so.Â
Banning the sale of this merch would also run counter to the American ethos selling branded merch. Branding, as this newsletter has explored before, creates a shared identity for company and customer alike. Why buy an Igloo cooler when there’s a Yeti cooler for 65% more? A Yeti branded cooler means something. Also, if that’s true, and it is, is there any meaning in meaning? Perhaps a subject for another post.Â
Also, selling flag stuff is hard. The Gucci logo is both powerful and can only be used by Gucci. Selling stuff with the American flag on it isn’t as straightforward. The branding of the flag is just as powerful (if not more so) and carries enormous recognition, but there are no restrictions on its use.
It’s the lack of restrictions and the American impetus to innovate which gives rise to our beloved Chihuahua flag. To make headway in a crowded, homogenous market, one has to differentiate. Bear in mind, a prerequisite for this requires production costs low enough such that filling even the tiniest of niches can be profitable.Â
The American flag stands for many things: Liberty, justice, equality, freedom, etc. Each of these values has broad interpretations. Democracy, etc. This affords a lot of latitude to anyone desiring to make a variation on the flag: any image which one feels strongly about can ride the coattails of those aforementioned values, thereby creating associations.Â
This is how anyone keen to make a buck selling something that resembles the flag does so. Once you’ve differentiated, you just need to be the best at AdWords, search engine optimization, and various other forms of online marketing to ensure you get people on your site and close sales.Â
Finally, all of the above elements combine to facilitate the requisite differentiation, which is what in turn renders us so many bizarre and outright stupid variations on the theme. Because it’s all so cheaply and quickly made, there’s no association between America and literally anything else that can’t be made. This, especially in the context of the reactionary and useless Blue Lives Matter flag, diminishes whatever brand value one perceives American flag iconography to have in the first place.Â
In a country where intellectual property is sacrosanct, it’s ironic America's own brand has so few protections.
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JoeWrote. Joe looks at the intersections of economics, politics, culture, and entertainment through a practical and humorous lens. Check out his recent post, The Case for Public Starbucks.