I've never told anyone I work for American. I have noticed, though, that non-aviation people that know me and have heard me explain the difference will continually refer to me as 'working for American'. Apparently the distinction only matters to me. Hell, even my wife struggles with it apparently because she never refers to either Envoy or American.... she just says I work for "the airlines". Plural like that... as if I worked for ALL airlines. lol