Once upon a time, there was a flag-carrying airline that decided it was not so good for business to be too associated with the country it was based in. So, in came the image consultants, and with them came the grafitti artists who let rip over the fins, and everyone was happy, because it was more ethnic. Except the passengers, who got stroppy, demanded a return to traditional values, and who quite liked BA the way it was!
I think AA should learn the lesson, and stay as AA. I would bet there isn't an airline out there based in a country that everyone adores....