Female First gave a generally positive review, saying that the song was not the best on the album but that it was "fun" and "upbeat" and praised its reference to Chevrolet as well as its "positive shout-outs" to America's coasts. Pop Spoken described the song as "slightly lackluster". iMedia Monkey also offered a mixed reaction, complimenting the song's "perfect balance of radio friendly choruses and interesting instrumentation"; however, they stated that the song was not "ground-breaking" and was generally "more of the same". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic criticized the song for "copying" Cyrus' song. Regarding the appearance of the song's video, MTV Style's Chrissy Mahlmeister noted that Lovato is getting in the "patriotic spirit", sporting an "all American" look which included a "crocheted white dress with a brown belt, denim jacket". Mahlmeister stated that she "ditched her typically edgy, all-black ensembles" seen in her previous music video for "Heart Attack". The music video for "Made in the USA" released on July 17, 2013 on Vevo and was directed by Ryan Pallotta and Lovato. The video is about a love story of a young American couple (portrayed by Aimee Teegarden and Dustin Milligan). At one night, the girl (Teegarden) goes with her friends to the carnival where she sees the boy (Milligan) for the first time, as the boy begins to dating with her along the way. One day, the boy leaves the girl behind, and it is revealed he is a soldier being deployed in the middle of the war. He promises to return, and meanwhile, the girl is left alone at home. The two attempt to stay in contact by writing letters to one another, and the girl anxiously awaits his correspondence. The climax of the story portrays a chaotic scene with the boy in a battlefield, shots ringing all around him. Simultaneously, the girl begins to shut herself in her room, worried about her boyfriend, and it seems as if he will die. In the end, the boy returns home and reunites with the girl. On May 11, 2013, Lovato performed "Made in the USA" for the first time at the 2013 edition of Wango Tango. On June 28, 2013, Lovato performed the song during her appearance at the "Good Morning America" concert series, sporting a similar outfit to what she was seen wearing in the single's music video behind-the-scenes sneak peek.