Do you know the good feeling after getting a new haircut or hair color and you can’t stop looking in the mirror? Change is always fun and exciting, so we thought it was time Hello West Michigan needed a makeover of its own. We are excited to introduce… drumroll please… Our new 2021 branding colors! TA-DA!
As you’ll notice, each of the colors have a unique name paired with them. These names are no coincidence, they’re named after different things that remind us of West Michigan! You’re probably familiar with our signature ‘Hello Blue’ color, but let’s see what else has been added to our palette.
We’re going to break down our color names with Michigan fun facts to give you a better understanding behind our reasoning for our rebranded names.
Hello Blue – We selected this color as part of our rebranding in 2011, when we adopted the name Hello West Michigan for the organization. It represents the water all around us and is a happy way to say “hello” to new residents.
Dark Berry – Michigan is home to many berry farms and berry-picking opportunities. There are 600 blueberry farms alone in Michigan—that’s not even counting the other types of berries! When adding strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries into the mix, Michigan is native to over 800 berry farms. Michigan berries are sweet and add the perfect fresh touch to any baked dessert.
Honey – Michigan ranks 8th in the nation for honey production producing over 5 million pounds of honey valuing at $12 million annually. Even just a drop of homemade Michigan honey adds a bright sweetness to any dish.
Lake Effect – Michigan is the only state that touches 4/5 of the Great Lakes. Known as the “Great Lake State,” Michigan was actually named after the Great Lake, Lake Michigan. Standing anywhere in Michigan, you are never more than 6 miles away from a body of water or 85 miles from a Great Lake. Our nearby lake is what makes West Michigan cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It also creates our famous “lake effect snow” which turns West Michigan into a sports playground each winter.
Sand – Along with many Great Lakes comes the miles of sand beaches lining their shores. Michigan is home of many beaches and beautiful shorelines that connect to the Great Lakes. Other famous beaches around the world don’t seem that special when you’re used to the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. Summer days on the beach may have drawn to a close for the season, but have you ever visited the beach in the winter to see the variety of ice and sand formations? Visit our website to locate the beaches across the 13 regions in West Michigan!
Lemonade – What goes better with a hot, sunny West Michigan beach day than a cold, refreshing glass of lemonade?
Green Apple – Apples are Michigan’s largest, and most valuable fruit crop. The state harvests over 900 million apples a year. Michigan also has a plethora of apple orchards during the fall! Residents and visitors look forward to picking apples and rewarding themselves with the warm, apple cider donuts that just melt in your mouth! (For an apple orchard suggestion, reference our previous blog where our intern, Samilla, tried cider and donuts for the first time!)
Cherry Blossom – One of the best places to see cherry blossoms in Michigan is on Old Mission Peninsula, near Traverse County. Mid-May to mid-June are the best times to see cherry blossom trees in Michigan. And you can return in July to eat the ripe fruit at their annual Cherry Festival.
Light Mulberry – Red mulberries are local in Southwestern Michigan forests. Dark purple, red, and white mulberries can be found scattered throughout Michigan—Ann Arbor is home to ripe, dark purple mulberries best for baking berry desserts!
Calder – Alexander Calder was an American sculptor known for his large public sculptures and mobiles. La Grande Vitesse, commonly referred to as “The Calder,” is located in downtown Grand Rapids near City Hall. It was the first public sculpture funded by the National Endowment of the Arts. The shape can be found represented in the city logo, on street signs, and manhole covers. Where else can you spot the Calder around town? Michigan is fortunate enough to be home to 9 of Calder’s famous sculptures—6 of them being in Grand Rapids!
And just to make things more fun, I decided to assign a character or personality to each color to really showcase their roots. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@hellowestmich), and Instagram (@hellowestmichigan) as we showcase each of our new branding colors and their origin story.
