At the top of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, visitors still pause for the same ritual. Some sprint the staircase with determination. Others raise their fists toward the skyline, recreating a movie scene that has become part of Pennsylvania’s cultural vocabulary. Nearby, someone unwraps a cheesesteak, while another reaches into a bag of hard pretzels for the drive home. None of it appears on the Commonwealth’s official flag.
But perhaps it would if Pennsylvanians were designing one today.
A new survey suggests residents are more likely to define Pennsylvania through everyday experiences than traditional state emblems. Instead of heraldic shields and historical symbolism, respondents gravitated toward icons rooted in popular culture, local food and shared identity—offering a glimpse into how modern branding has evolved beyond official mottos and state seals.
Custom Made Casino surveyed 3,014 people nationwide, asking respondents to imagine redesigning their state’s flag using symbols that best represent life there today.
For Pennsylvania, the winning choice was Rocky Balboa standing atop the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, followed by the cheesesteak and a bag of hard pretzels.
The selections reflect three distinct threads of the state’s identity.
Rocky has become an international symbol of determination and perseverance, even though the fictional boxer originated on a movie screen rather than in history books. The Philadelphia steps have since become one of the state’s best-known tourist destinations, drawing visitors eager to recreate the iconic climb.
Food proved just as important.
The cheesesteak finished second, underscoring its enduring place in Pennsylvania’s cultural identity—and the spirited debates that continue over where to find the best one.
Hard pretzels rounded out the top three, a nod to Pennsylvania’s long-standing role as the nation’s leading producer of the salty snack. From family-owned bakeries to major manufacturers, pretzel-making remains deeply woven into the Commonwealth’s food heritage.
The survey found other states embracing similarly contemporary symbols.
Colorado respondents chose a craft IPA can, reflecting the state’s influential brewing culture. Florida selected an HOA golf cart, while Hawaii favored the poke bowl. Illinois respondents picked the parking ticket, New Yorkers opted for a $3,000 studio apartment floor plan, Tennessee chose the pedal tavern, Texas selected a suburban mega truck, and Washington residents favored the Amazon delivery van.
Together, the responses suggest that many Americans now define state identity less through official history than through recognizable moments of everyday life—whether that means favorite foods, common frustrations or familiar cultural touchstones.
“State flags are one of the oldest forms of place branding,” said Adam Marks, founder of Custom Made Casino. “What this survey shows is that people think about state identity in a much more modern, everyday way.”
Rather than reaching for historical symbols, Marks said respondents “picked the foods, frustrations, habits, stereotypes, and local details that feel instantly recognizable now.”
The survey offers a lighthearted exercise rather than a proposal to redesign any official state flag. Still, the results illustrate how residents increasingly associate place with lived experience as much as historical tradition.
For Pennsylvania, that means a fictional boxer, a beloved sandwich and a bag of pretzels may say as much about the Commonwealth’s identity as any coat of arms ever could.
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