1

Backyard Barbecues

Image: Maude Frédérique Lavoie

You say American, you smell a barbecue, isn’t that right? Backyard barbecues are probably one of the most American traditions there is and it is all about that summer fun we all love!

Casual gatherings on a hot summer day to grill some meat is a favorite pastime for all. Adults chat while grilling some burgers or hot dogs, and the kids play. Everyone has fun!

This tradition, like many others, is about good food, good company, and having a great day outdoors.

2

Gameday Tailgating

Image: Scott Madore

Pre-game events? Isn’t the game enough? A tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food.

Hours before kickoff, fans tailgatein the parking lot with burgers on the grill and a football to toss. It is a fan gathering, a get-together to celebrate your team and get you in high spirits for the game ahead!

3

Family Game Nights

Image: Stephen Harlan

All it takes are those simple traditions, and sometimes they are the best traditions. A night of family games is an ideal opportunity to spend a few hours around the table having quality time with the ones you love.

Board games, card games, or even video games! It all comes down to bonding, some good-natured rivalry, and some potentially-not-very-serious debates on how to interpret the rules.

4

Turkeys Pardon

Image: Claudio Schwarz

If you don’t comply with many national traditions, this is one you definitely can’t evade. Thanksgiving has many rituals surrounding the holiday, but probably the most bizarre one is the ceremony by means of which the president officially grants a live turkey their pardon.

This is exactly as it sounds, traditionally, the president is gifted a turkey whose life is spared from the stove. The origins of this tradition are disputed but, regardless of who was the first to do so, this tradition continues today and it is one of the things that make Thanksgiving an amazing holiday!

5

Black Friday Shopping

Image: CardMapr.nl

The end of the year can easily become a chaotic time with all the gifts one has to get ready. Just as thousands of turkeys go unpardoned by the president, many shoppers take time to find the right Christmas gifts for their loved ones. The national weekend shopping kicks off with Black Friday, a day in which sales are high and shoppers are on alert . This shopping spree continues with Small Business Saturday and ends with Cyber Monday.

However this is one tradition that can escalate rather quickly, haven’t we all witnessed deadly stampedes or frantic arguments to get that one item?

6

Baby Showers

Image: Ajeet Singh

Celebrating a new child is customary in many cultures. All over the world babies to come are honored in many ways, but the American way is something else.

Baby showers are the traditional way to celebrate the mother and the child. They are gatherings in which friends and family "shower" the mother with gifts for the baby to come. It is worth noting that this tradition has evolved and it includes gender reveals now too.

Thanks to social media and the quick spread of news, baby showers have become a tradition in many countries now, but it all started in America!

7

Supersized Food

Image: Visual Karsa

You’ve surely been to McDonalds or Starbucks, have you ever stopped and thought about how they offer you different sizes of food and cups ? Why is that?

Well, this is already embedded in the American DNA. In our country, fast food or takeaway orders come in different sizes. And that is not all, the smaller size is not small at all; a nd the biggest is exactly as the title says, supersized.

This practice can be traced to the 70s when marketing directors saw a way to sell more for lower prices. This tradition became customary in many countries too, but each nation adapted their sizes to their customers.

8

Trick-Or-Treating

Image: Nick Fewings

Halloween is a festive time, customs come out and decorations get put up. Many cultures follow these traditions, but America is different in that children in our country go on a door-to-door hunt for candy. But that is not all, the practice is not complete until a child says "Trick or treat!"

Lovely as they are to see, the magic words are a requirement to get those precious pieces of candy they will later enjoy with their friends and family . They only have to hope the giver doesn’t require a trick from them!

9

Display Of National Symbols

Image: Serena T

If you are one to watch movies often, we have a challenge for you: try and spot the American flag in the movie you’re watching. No, we don’t work in the film industry, we know for a fact that American pride is shown in many ways, and displaying the American flag is probably the most common one.

Houses all over the country display a flag, American movies have at least one scene in which you can spot it, and the colors dress thousands of objects in all kinds of celebrations . Is there a flag in your front yard?

10

Road Trips

Image: Raphaël LR

Americans are hard workers, but like everyone else, they await those well-deserved holidays to get their feet up and chill out. Regardless of the available budget, which may vary from family to family, road trips are highly popular in our nation and they are not so common in other countries.

Mostly because of how vast the American territory is , road trips are the perfect way to travel and see all the wonders the United States has to offer. True Americans go on at least one road trip in their life, have you done it already?

1

John F. Kennedy’s favorite

Image: Florida Memory

We all have our favorite movie or book, and JFK was no exception. America’s 35th president had a clear literary favorite : Ian Fleming’s James Bond series .

In fact, some credit President Kennedy with boosting Fleming’s popularity in the American market. Shortly after taking office, JFK hosted a dinner with several notable figures—including the creator of Bond. Following that meeting, sales of Fleming’s books skyrocketed in the US, eventually leading to the famous film adaptations!

2

Jefferson and speeches

Image: J. Amill Santiago

Thomas Jefferson was one of the great political figures who helped shape this country. And with such talent—along with his political and diplomatic skills—you might not expect that the Sage of Monticello had a hard time speaking in public. But it’s true! According to historical records, Jefferson preferred writing, as public speaking made him uneasy—even panicky at times. So much so that he delivered only two public speeches during his time in office!

3

Adams and Jefferson's caper

Image: sq lim

Before becoming rivals, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were very good friends. In fact, they shared not only political ideals but also everyday adventures. In 1786, while traveling in England, the two—both devoted fans of Shakespeare —visited the house where the playwright was born. Legend has it that before they left, they decided to take a souvenir: a small piece of the wooden chair said to be where Shakespeare once sat while writing!

4

William McKinley's lucky charm

Image: Library of Congress

President William McKinley was known for the red carnation he often wore in his suit lapel—a flower many said he considered a good luck charm . Once, during the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, a little girl approached him to say hello, and the president handed her his signature flower. Strangely, just moments later, he was shot by a man in the crowd. McKinley died eight days later from his wounds.

5

Andrew Jackson's temper

Image: Giorgio Trovato

President Andrew Jackson was famously a hot-tempered man. It's believed that the 7th president fought in more than 100 duels!

According to a well-known story, in 1806, Jackson challenged a man to a duel after the man insulted his wife, Rachel. The opponent fired first and struck Jackson in the chest. But the bullet didn’t stop him —Jackson stood his ground and returned fire, mortally wounding the man. Though he survived, the bullet seriously injured Jackson, and some say it remained lodged in his chest for the rest of his life.

6

Ulysses S. Grant's last-minute decision

Image: Library of Congress

Ulysses S. Grant, commanding general of the Union Army during the Civil War and later the 18th president, was also invited to attend Ford’s Theatre with President Abraham Lincoln on the night of Lincoln's assassination. But at the last minute, Grant declined the invitation in order to visit his grandchildren. That decision may very well have saved his life.

7

Washington's teeth

Image: Ryan Quintal

Contrary to the popular myth, our first president’s teeth were not made of wood. However, it’s true that George Washington suffered from serious dental problems . In fact, he began losing his teeth before the age of 30. While his dentures weren’t wooden, they were made from a mix of materials—including ivory, copper, silver, and even animal and human teeth!

8

James A. Garfield's skills

Image: Sean Foster

President James A. Garfield was well known for his impressive oratory and writing abilities. But his talents didn’t stop with English—he was also fluent in Greek and Latin. In addition, Garfield was reportedly ambidextrous: he could write with both hands , even simultaneously. Surprisingly, he allegedly could write in two different languages at the same time—one with each hand! Hats off to him.

9

Andrew Johnson's childhood

Image: Yasamine June

Andrew Johnson didn't have an easy childhood. In fact, he started working at a very young age —when he was just 10 years old, his mother sent him and his brother to apprentice as tailors. They ran away two years later, but Johnson’s skill with fabrics stayed with him well into adulthood. It’s said he designed and sewed his own suits while in office.

10

Abraham Lincoln's hobbies

Image: Jacob Thorson

Abraham Lincoln wasn't just the leader who guided the country through the Civil War and became the 16th president—he was also a regular person, just like us, with a wide range of passions and hobbies (many, many hobbies!).

President Lincoln had a curious mind and surprisingly varied interests. He loved reading (especially Shakespeare), exploring logic and mathematics, playing chess and the violin, caring for animals (especially cats), and even had a talent for mimicking voices. In addition, he was a skilled wrestler in his youth, reportedly competing in around 300 matches and losing only once!

1

Pepsi: "Is Pepsi OK?"

Image: NIKHIL

If you’ve ever asked for a Coke and heard, "Is Pepsi OK?", you’re not alone—it’s a common scenario that has become a cultural cliché. In 2019, Pepsi embraced that moment and turned it into an ad campaign.

Featuring celebrities, the ads leaned into the joke and confidently rebranded Pepsi as more than just "OK."

2

Westinghouse: "We Can Do It!"

Image: Nayani Teixeira

Westinghouse Electric’s We Can Do It! poster, created during World War II to boost morale among female workers , later became a symbol of female empowerment in the 1970s.

Initially unrelated to the Rosie the Riveter character, the poster eventually gained widespread use in advertisements and pop culture, celebrating women’s strength and independence.

3

Pan-American Coffee Bureau: "Give yourself a coffee break!"

Image: Jakub Dziubak

In the 1950s, the Pan-American Coffee Bureau popularized the concept of the "coffee break" with a campaign that encouraged workers to relax while drinking the popular beverage .

By the 1960s, coffee breaks had become so essential that the United Auto Workers union demanded them in their contracts, even threatening a strike if they were not included.

4

Marlboro: The Marlboro Man

Image: Brendan Stephens

Created in 1954, the Marlboro Man transformed Marlboro from a women’s cigarette into a symbol of rugged masculinity . The iconic cowboy became so recognizable that by the late '90s, nearly 90% of schoolchildren knew him.

The character was retired in 1998 as part of a tobacco industry settlement that banned the use of human and cartoon figures in advertisements.

5

Ad Council: "Friends don't let friends drive drunk."

Image: Aedrian Salazar

Launched in 1983, the "Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk" PSA became a cultural milestone, directly addressing the widespread problem of drunk driving .

At the time, alcohol was involved in roughly half of all car crash fatalities. The campaign played a key role in shifting public attitudes and helped reduce that number to around 31% in the decades that followed.

6

Levi Strauss & Co.: "A Guide to Casual Businesswear"

Image: Varun Gaba

In the 1980s, "Casual Fridays" gained popularity , but many companies quickly regretted the trend as employees began showing up in overly casual or sloppy attire. In 1992, Levi Strauss & Co. capitalized on the situation by releasing A Guide to Casual Businesswear , promoting its Dockers and Levi’s brands as polished, workplace-appropriate options.

By 1995, Levi’s reported record sales of $6.2 billion, helping to redefine "business casual" and promoting a more professional yet relaxed dress code in the workplace.

7

Snickers: "You’re Not You When You’re Hungry"

Image: Shyam Mishra

Snickers’ Super Bowl ad featuring Betty White, in which hunger causes a man to momentarily "become" her during a football game , became an instant hit and introduced the now-iconic tagline: "You’re Not You When You’re Hungry."

The campaign's humor and relatable message made it highly successful, with the concept evolving over the years through new scenarios and celebrities.

8

KFC: "FCK"

Image: Aleks Dorohovich

During a 2018 chicken shortage , KFC used humor to manage the crisis with a bold ad that featured an empty bucket and the letters "FCK" in place of its logo .

This self-aware and cheeky approach helped diffuse customer frustration and strengthened the brand’s connection with its audience through honesty and wit.

9

Pepsi: "Pepsi Challenge"

Image: NIKHIL

Pepsi’s second entry on this list is the iconic "Pepsi Challenge," a blind taste-test campaign that invited consumers to compare Pepsi and Coca-Cola .

By focusing on taste and showing that many participants preferred Pepsi, the campaign successfully shifted public perception and boosted brand loyalty during the fiercely competitive "Cola Wars" of the 1980s.

10

Nike: "Just Do It"

Image: wuyi

Launched in 1988, Nike’s "Just Do It" campaign featured athletes like 80-year-old marathoner Walt Stack to inspire people from all walks of life to take action.

The slogan quickly resonated with audiences, sparking countless personal stories of bold choices and perseverance. It has since become one of the most enduring and recognizable taglines in advertising history.

11

California Milk Processor Board: "Got Milk?"

Image: engin akyurt

Launched in 1993, the legendary "Got Milk?" campaign emphasized the importance of milk through a study showing how people felt when they ran out .

With its clever use of celebrity endorsements and pop culture references, the campaign ran for over two decades and produced hundreds of memorable ads nationwide, cementing its place as one of the most influential marketing successes in advertising history.

12

Dove: "Real Beauty"

Image: Matthew Tkocz

Launched in 2004, Dove’s "Real Beauty" campaign aimed to boost self-confidence by challenging traditional beauty standards.

Featuring real women instead of professional models , the campaign focused on diversity, aging, and natural imperfections, promoting a more inclusive and empowering definition of beauty.