Experience the Pure Michigan Lake Effect This Summer

Release Date

May 12, 2016

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan offers America’s perfect summer destination – with long days, comfortable temperatures and endless possibilities to experience the Pure Michigan Lake Effect. Building on the national cable advertising campaign that has been running since March, Travel Michigan has launched its regional warm weather advertising campaign and a new Lake Effect marketing campaign to highlight Michigan’s vast summer offerings.

The Lake Effect builds on Travel Michigan’s efforts to expand the Pure Michigan campaign into activity or “passion”-based campaigns in addition to traditional destination and event-focused efforts. The Lake Effect campaign encompasses the summer months in Michigan and speaks to memories made during a day spent at the lake.

“Michigan has so much to offer visitors, but the diversity and quality of the lake experiences found all throughout the state is one of the things that sets us apart from other summer destinations,” said Dave Lorenz, Vice President of Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “The Lake Effect is really about a state of mind and it is another way that we can celebrate summer in Pure Michigan.”

As part of this campaign, Travel Michigan has launched a Lake Effect landing page, michigan.org/lakeeffect, which will allow visitors to find their perfect Michigan lake vacation. By choosing the activities they enjoy, such as sunrises on the lake, playing in the sand, grilling out and enjoying a local wine visitors will be provided with a lake experience that fits their wish list.

The campaign also includes digital advertising, inspiring people to head to michigan.org to plan a lake getaway using the concept of Lake Signs. The Pure Michigan social channels will utilize the hashtag #PureMichiganLakeEffect to engage with fans on lake advice and their favorite lake vacations. For those who want to show off their lake pride, the lake signs being utilized for the digital campaign are also available on the Pure Michigan store.

This year’s warm weather regional advertising campaign will feature radio, television, billboards, bus wraps and digital efforts in local markets throughout the Great Lakes region. 36 industry partners are participating in the regional advertising campaign this summer, in addition to the six national partners.

The Upper Peninsula is a new regional advertising partner for 2016 with the television spot Timeless and True running in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Chicago markets. Several partners – Escanaba, Frankenmuth, Porcupine Mountains and Silver Lake Sand Dunes – are running radio spots on Pandora for the first time.

Pure Michigan radio brand spots, including Here’s to the Curious, Gone Fishing, Soul and Songs of Summer will be running in markets including Chicago, Ill.; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo, Ohio; Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wis., Indianapolis, Ft. Wayne and South Bend, Ind. and St. Louis, Mo. Bulletin boards featuring Grand Haven, Silver Lake Sand Dunes, Detroit and Lake Superior will also be displayed in select out-of-state markets as well as Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Traverse City in Michigan.

The total budget for the warm weather advertising campaign is $7,041,303, including $3,158,200 from industry partners participating in the Travel Michigan Advertising Partnership Program. The goal of this program is to extend the marketing reach of Michigan’s travel industry and the Pure Michigan campaign.

The 2016 Official State Travel Guide is also available to help inspire and plan a Pure Michigan summer vacation. Visit michigan.org to order a free copy of the guide, or to access the universally accessible digital edition. Travel guides are also available at the 14 Welcome Centers across the state.

National Partners

Ann Arbor

Grand Rapids

Great Lakes Bay Region

Mackinac Island

The Henry Ford

Traverse City

Regional Partners

Alpena

Beachtowns(Silver Lake Sand Dunes, Muskegon, Grand Haven, Holland, Saugatuck, South Haven, St. Joseph)

Binder Park Zoo & Battle Creek

Blue Water Area(Port Austin, Harbor Beach, Port Sanilac, Lexington, Port Huron, Marysville, St. Clair, Marine City, Clay/Algonac)

Charlevoix

Cheboygan Area

Coldwater Country

Detroit

Escanaba

Frankenmuth

Gaylord

Holland

Jackson

Kalamazoo

Keweenaw Peninsula

Lansing

Ludington & S.S. Badger

Mackinaw City

Manistee

Manistique

Michigan Wines

Michigan’s Adventure

Mount Bohemia Adventure Resort

Mt. Pleasant

Muskegon

Petoskey Area

Porcupine Mountains

Sault Ste. Marie

Silver Lake Sand Dunes

South Haven

St. Ignace

Sunrise Coast(Rogers City/Presque Isle, Alpena, Au Sable/Greenbush/Oscoda, East Tawas/Tawas, Au Gres, Harrisville)

Tecumseh

Upper Peninsula

Ypsilanti

Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit: michiganbusiness.org. For Michigan travel news, updates and information, visit michigan.org.

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Editor’s Note: Watch the Pure Michigan Lake Effect video on the michigan.org homepage or at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08K_AyJ8ANE