You love ‘em and you know it! Those iconic Michigan brands that you eat or drink all the time, but probably don’t even realize were made right next door.

There’s just something about the way those brands represented themselves that made you believe the products were commonplace everywhere. We call that smart branding, so powerful that Michigan residents believe it’s a normal part of everyday life.

So when’s the last time you tried these products? If it’s been a while, maybe it’s time to rediscover your love for them. As you do, take a moment to appreciate the ingenuity behind their work.

 

Four Michigan Brands We Probably Have at Home

1. Faygo

To you as a Michigander, Faygo is just a normal soda that’s always been a part of your life. Remember all those cans containing a variety of flavors that your parents took to picnics at Kensington Metropark or Belle Isle? Which is your favorite flavor? Redpop? Grape? Orange? Cotton Candy? They are all fun! And fun and Faygo go hand-in-hand. Perhaps that concept is what made Faygo what it is today.

 

2. Vernors

What do Detroit and a Boston Cooler have in common? Vernors of course!
The soda was founded by pharmacist James Vernor in the mid-1860s. Today, you can buy Vernors at nearly every convenience store and supermarket throughout Michigan and many other states.
But it’s more than just a drink. A dollop of vanilla ice cream with Vernors becomes a Boston Cooler, a twist on the root beer float.
And many people swear that Vernors can even calm an upset stomach. Coincidence? Or the work of a brilliant pharmacist?

 

3. Better Made

In Michigan, Halloween trick-or-treaters come home with a bag or two of Better Made potato chips in their baskets, and the chips are often the snacks of choice in schools and at concession stands. Better Made’s parent company was founded in August 1930, and today, Better Made uses 60 million pounds of chip potatoes every year.

 

4. Kellogg’s

We know you have a box of the cereal in the pantry, not to mention a few snack bars stashed away in your car and a protein shake at work. Founded in 1906 in Battle Creek based on corn flakes, Kellogg’s products now range from Apple Jacks and Pop Tarts to Special K Shakes and Nutri-Grain Bars. Kellogg’s is everywhere, all the time!

 

What are Your Favorites?

Smart branding and marketing strategies are what give products a certain flair that sets them apart from their competitors – so much so that consumers see the products as everyday staples.

These are only a few of the Michigan brands that we eat or drink regularly, but there are so many more. What are some of your favorites?