America has a major anniversary next year. With a national initiative underway and additional efforts taking place in additional states, how do you create a strategic and creative platform for Virginia’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026? How do you:
· Make it inspiring, inclusive and educational?
· Create energy that encourages both celebration and lasting civic engagement?
· Build pride and a deeper understanding of Virginia’s vital role in the founding of America?
Simple, right?
When VA250 Chair Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP and past Presidential candidate, was wrestling with those questions, she called Brand Federation. We were honored to help.
Our first step was to dig deep into the efforts of the VA250Commission. We led multiple meetings with Carly, VA250 Executive Director Cheryl Wilson, and the VA250 team to understand their efforts to-date. We needed to understand what was working and where they felt they could use the most help.
What we found was a team of dedicated pros who were busy coordinating events and promotional activities across Virginia, but there was a missing strategic and creative idea to unify their individual tactics. That’s where we focused our efforts.
We convened and led working groups with key stakeholders, including legislators, business leaders, and representatives from indigenous tribes and diverse communities from across the commonwealth to discuss their hopes for the celebration.
We heard unanimous excitement for the opportunity to build a more inclusive and constructive dialogue about what it means to be an American, a strong belief that Virginia’s contribution to the founding of the nation is unequaled and under-appreciated, and a desire for a platform that invites not only Virginians, but also anyone curious about the founding of the nation, to learn the stories of Virginia’s contributions.
Working with our creative partners at English Major LLC, we developed multiple directions from those meetings. We created four strategic themes to explore: “History Everywhere,” “Breadth of Stories,” “Leadership,” and “Looking Back, Looking Ahead.” Each of the thematic areas contained possible platform articulations and generated vigorous debate.
But one idea kept rising to the top from the Leadership theme: America. Made in Virginia.
It represented an explicit statement of Virginia’s leadership that served as an invitation to understand Virginia’s vital role in America’s founding. It was a reference to the historical events and the ongoing engagement that Virginia hoped to create, and it was a nod to what could inform our nation's future.
Making America. Made in Virginia.
Once we landed on the branding, we began developing creative assets.
· We created a platform video that brought the idea to life.
· We built a design system that used the brand platform to connect the nearly 2,000 events and tactical efforts undertaken by VA250.
· We created a working group of VA250 team members and partners to coordinate the implementation of the platform across multiple channels.
· We even helped VA250 recruit a new marketing director to manage the effort.
Where we go from here
As we move into America’s semiquincentennial anniversary year, Virginia is poised to lead the way in celebrating this milestone event. America. Made in Virginia. is being used as the foundation for every VA250legislative, fundraising, marketing, and event creation effort. It’s been met with unanimous support and excitement, from the governor’s office to the celebrations in towns and cities across the state. We’re proud to have helped shaped the galvanizing idea for VA250’s efforts to educate, engage, and inspire all Americans in 2026 and beyond.
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