It was’t very long ago that the award-winning “Pure Michigan” was close to ending indefinitely. But, some emergency funding from the Michigan state legislature saved the campaign, which supporters argued helped bring in in $1.3 billion to Michigan businesses and $93 million in state taxes from tourism money.
In just a few months, “Pure Michigan” went from dying to getting honored with the David Ogilvy Award for Excellence in Advertising Research last night in NYC, an award bestowed on the campaign and McCann Erickson Detroit by the Advertising Research Foundation. George Zimmermann, Vice President of Travel Michigan, said in a statement to the press, “Research has been the key component of our advertising strategy since the campaign was launched in 2006. Thanks to the efforts of McCann Erickson and Longwoods International, the Pure Michigan brand has made a major impact on Michigan tourism.”
Congrats, McCann Erickson. Congrats narrator Tim Allen, who was apparently worth his speculated $750K annual salary for his contributions to the campaign. Congrats Detroit ad scene, who many are saying is dying a slow, painful death. And, finally, big congrats to the “Great Lakes State.”