The most popular brands in America are icons, household names, and reminders of childhood pleasures.

Like the quintessential American success story, many popular brands rose from humble beginnings, thanks to drive, hard work, and a bit of luck.

Black & Decker started out as a machine shop in Baltimore, and J.M. Smucker sold apple butter from a horse-drawn wagon. DoveBars debuted in a candy store on Chicago’s South Side. The founder of Lay’s sold potato chips from the back of his car while he traveled, and Milton Hershey peddled caramels from a pushcart.

Popular brand slogans have become part of the lexicon. People ask “Where’s the beef?” and know not to squeeze the Charmin. Products like Oreos and M&M’s have simply become universal favorites.

Many product-makers saw a real or perceived need and filled it. Lowe’s met the demand for home improvement goods as families bought homes and filled the suburbs after World War II. Procter & Gamble introduced Crest with fluoride to tackle widespread tooth decay, Listerine told the world about halitosis and offered a treatment, and Pringles addressed the issue of broken potato chips.

In recent months, household names Lysol and Clorox have battled to meet the extraordinary demand from customers anxious to stock up on disinfectant products to fight the spread of COVID-19.

To uncover the most popular brands in America, Stacker consulted YouGov polling data collected between May 2019 and May 2020. Each brand is ranked based on the weighted proportion of each American demographic with a positive opinion of the brand.

By: Ellen Dewitt
From: Most popular brands in America

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