Pure Michigan

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"Pure Michigan" state welcome sign

Pure Michigan is as an advertising campaign by the State of Michigan to market itself as a travel and tourism destination. It was launched in 2008[1] featuring the voice of actor and comedian Tim Allen,[2] using the title song from The Cider House Rules as the background music in television commercials.[3]

The Pure Michigan campaign received state and international attention beginning in 2008[4][5][6][7][8] when Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm approved $45 million in additional funding for the Pure Michigan campaign from the 21st Century Jobs Trust Fund.[9] The unprecedented tourism fund amount for the state allowed the Pure Michigan campaign to be broadcast on a national level beginning in March 2009.[6] Annual funding for fiscal 2014 was $29 million.[10]

Pure Michigan also refers to the brand created by Travel Michigan and embodied by the organization's website. The site was relaunched in March 2008 to support the Pure Michigan brand.[11] Travel Michigan is itself a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a state-funded economic development corporation founded in 1999 to support the economic development of Michigan.[12] Campaign commercials and radio announcements depict Michigan as adventurous and rustic.

In August 2012, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson unveiled new license plates using the Pure Michigan logo. [13] These plates were released to the public in April 2013.[14] The logo is also used on retail projects sold in the state.[15] At the end of 2014, legislation signed by Governor Rick Snyder extended the branding to the state's heritage route program, renaming them Pure Michigan Byways.[16][17]

In the late 2010s, following the election of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the brand was threatened with discontinuation, but has been revived as of 2022 with new commercials and both the standard and Mackinac Bridge license plates continue to use the branding a decade after their introduction.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ Borgstrom, Kirsten (May 5, 2008). "Pure Michigan Summer Advertising Campaign Launches Today" (Press release). Travel Michigan. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  2. ^ Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "Travel Marketing: Pure Michigan". Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  3. ^ Lawler, Emily (March 22, 2015). "Could the 'Pure Michigan' Music Change? New Tourism Chief Looks to Keep the Brand Fresh". MLive. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  4. ^ Holcomb, Anne (May 12, 2008). "'Pure Michigan' Campaign Aims to Draw Out of State and Canadian Travelers". Kalamazoo Gazette. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  5. ^ Gustafson, Sven (July 3, 2008). "Award-Winning 'Pure Michigan' Travel Ads Pay Off". Business Review. Booth Newspapers. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Michigan to Launch National and Canadian Ad Campaign in Face of Tourism Decline". USA Today. Associated Press. March 23, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  7. ^ Creager, Ellen (March 24, 2009). "Pure Michigan brings home the bacon: But will it halt downward slide in Michigan tourism?". Detroit Free Press.
  8. ^ Youssef, Jennifer (May 8, 2009). "Ad Blitz Revs Up Virtual Visits to Michigan". The Detroit News. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  9. ^ Boyd, Liz (April 8, 2008). "Governor Granholm Signs Michigan Promotion Bills, Announces Historic Investment in Marketing Michigan" (Press release). Office of the Governor. Archived from the original on April 22, 2008. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  10. ^ Lane, Amy (March 6, 2013). "State Tourism Industry's Plan for Next 5 Years: More than Pure Marketing". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  11. ^ Borgstrom, Kirsten (March 18, 2008). "New Michigan Tourism Web Site Launched" (Press release). Travel Michigan. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  12. ^ Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "About Michigan Economic Development Corporation". Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  13. ^ Oosting, Jonathan (August 22, 2012). "Secretary of State Unveils New 'Pure Michigan' License Plate to Replace Standard Offering". MLive. Booth Newspapers. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  14. ^ Brush, Mark (April 8, 2013). "New License Plate Pushes 'Pure Michigan'". Michigan Radio. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  15. ^ Anders, Melissa (December 13, 2012). "Pure Michigan Is Everywhere: Slogan on Everything from License Plates to Bars of Soap, Holiday Gifts". MLive. Booth Newspapers. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  16. ^ Lehndorff, Becky (March 27, 2014). "Route US 23 Closer to Becoming Part of Pure Michigan Campaign". The Alpena News. Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  17. ^ Wurfel, Sara & Murray, Dave (December 31, 2014). "Gov. Rick Snyder Signs Bills Focused on Creating Good Government Practices: Also Signs Memorial Highway, 'Pure Michigan Byways' Bills" (Press release). Office of the Governor. Archived from the original on January 3, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2015.

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