GRANHOLM - Forbes Ranks Pure Michigan One of All-Time Best Tourism Campaigns

"The showcasing of Michigan's vast beauty, from our world-class beaches to top-ranked golf courses, creates local business activity and jobs for our workers," Governor Jennifer M. Granholm said. "This campaign is helping travelers choose Michigan while diversifying and growing our economy."

Forbes ranked the Pure Michigan campaign sixth best, saying, "this campaign sells with its simple and universal message: that sometimes we all need to get away from life's stresses and relax a bit." Clearly, the three judges agreed. Ranking the campaigns were Peter Greenberg, travel journalist; Rudy Maxa, contributing editor with National Geographic Traveler magazine; and Tom Parsons, publisher of BestFares.com

"Having the Pure Michigan campaign recognized as one of the best campaigns ever is quite gratifying," said George Zimmermann, vice president of Travel Michigan, a business unit of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "This award-winning campaign has produced a dramatic increase in the number of travelers seeking Michigan tourism information."

The Pure Michigan tourism campaign went national for the first time this year and ran through June on 15 cable channels: Golf Channel, Travel Channel, A&E, Bravo, Style, Fine Living, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, E!, DIY Network, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox News.

"There are millions of Americans who know little or nothing about the vibrancy, heritage, culture, arts and entertainment in our great cities, our sandy beaches and stunning overlooks along America's longest fresh-water coastline, or the majesty and recreation in our 19 million acres of magnificent forests," Zimmermann said. "The Pure Michigan campaign is designed to introduce to the nation the attributes that make Michigan such a popular and unique destination."

For each dollar Michigan spent on out-of-state advertising from 2004 through 2008, new visits to Michigan stimulated by that advertising created more than $40 of spending at Michigan businesses and generated $2.86 in new state tax collections.

Created by the Birmingham, Michigan, office of McCann Erickson, the Pure Michigan campaign is accomplishing exactly what it was designed to do, showcasing Michigan's greatest assets, activities and attractions. McCann's Chief Strategy Officer Mark Lantz explains their approach: "The campaign is intended to entice out-of-state travelers from neighboring states about one place that still feels magic, mythic, authentic, untamed, unspoiled, uncompromised, timeless and true. It's pure Michigan. We wanted to communicate to consumers what makes Michigan special and identify experiences you get here that you can't get anywhere else."

To view the Pure Michigan campaign go to michigan.org and click on "View our Ads" at the top of the page.

Travel Michigan, a division 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. For Michigan travel and golf news, go to michigan.org.

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