• by Tanya Gazdik , March 19, 2012

Michigan is launching a $12 million national ad campaign. It is the most the state has ever spent to promote the Great Lakes state as a tourism destination.

Creative continues the “Pure Michigan” theme that was launched in 2006.

TV will air nationally more than 5,000 times combined on A&E, ABC Family, Animal Planet, Bravo, CMT, CNN, the Cooking Channel, E!, Food Network, Fox News, the Golf Channel, HGTV, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, MSNBC, Nick at Nite, OWN, the Outdoor Channel, Oxygen, Style, The Learning Channel (TLC), the Travel Channel, USA, WE and The Weather Channel.

The national cable for spring/summer 2012 runs through June. This year, four private sector partners – Ann Arbor, Mackinac Island, The Henry Ford and Traverse City – are contributing $500,000 a piece for a combined $2 million toward the national advertising campaign as part of the Travel Michigan Partnership Advertising Program.

As part of this sponsorship, television spots featuring Ann Arbor, Mackinac Island, The Henry Ford and Traverse City will be included in the national advertising rotation beginning in mid-April. Ann Arbor is a new partner. This is the second year for partnerships with Mackinac Island, The Henry Ford and Traverse City. All partnership advertising also includes the Pure Michigan brand identity, a featured web presence on michigan.org and support for public relations and social media efforts.

Featured ads in the rotation can be viewed at michigan.org and include 14 Clubs, A Simple Sunrise, Dancing in the Streets, Gone Fishing, Lost & Found, Perfect Spot, Perfect Summer, Tee Times, The Potential of Water, Treasure and Up in the Air.

The Birmingham, Mich., office of McCann Erickson developed the strategy and creative for the Pure Michigan campaign in 2006. The campaign expanded from a regional campaign in 2006-2008 to a national campaign in 2009.

Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, is the State of Michigan’s official agency for the promotion of tourism. Travel Michigan markets the state’s tourism industry and provides valuable visitor information services. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a public-private partnership serving as the state's marketing arm and lead agency for business, talent and jobs, focuses on helping grow Michigan's economy.