Fall & Seek with Pure Michigan

Release Date

LANSING, Mich. – As Michigan ushers in the vibrant colors of the fall, Pure Michigan has launched a new adventure to inspire travelers to explore the state this season. Fans are invited to join the scenic routes of three travelers as they journey across Michigan over the next six weeks, with checkpoints along the way determined by votes on the Pure Michigan Facebook and Instagram pages.

 Fall & Seek logo with biker riding on trail through fall colors

Shalee Blackmer, Dan Price and Gene Yoon will each spend two weeks exploring a different route in Michigan – Blackmer in the Upper Peninsula, Price traversing the Northern Lower Peninsula and Yoon navigating his way through Southern Michigan. Each stop along the way will be determined by the fans of Pure Michigan. Voting starts today, September 12, with Blackmer kicking off her two-week UP adventure in Copper Harbor. The first round of voting will decide whether she travels on to Marquette or The Porcupine Mountains. Price will begin his journey on September 25 in Manistee and Yoon hits the road October 8 starting in Grand Rapids.

 

“Fall in Michigan offers countless opportunities to chase the color and discover the hidden gems found along backroads and byways,” said Dave Lorenz, Vice President of Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “As Shalee, Dan and Gene chase the bounty of fall across the state, we are excited to engage with our fans and help inspire their next Pure Michigan Scenic Route.”

 

Polls for each stop will be live for 36 hours on Facebook and Instagram with fans casting their vote by commenting about which location they want the travelers to visit next. During the voting period, Blackmer, Price and Yoon will be exploring each destination and sharing their experiences on social media using the hashtags #PureMichiganScenicRoute and #FallandSeek.

 

More information on Blackmer, Price and Yoon, as well as their scenic route adventure can be found at michigan.org/fall. Pure Michigan invites travelers to share their own fall travels using the hashtag #PureMichiganScenicRoute on Twitter and Instagram and to share their favorite fall road trips on the Pure Michigan Facebook page.

 

Travelers looking to plan their fall getaway can order a free Fall Travel Guide at michigan.org or access the digital guide. Feature articles in this year’s fall guide include Weekends, showcasing five cities with distinct flavors for a 48-hour getaway, Ore, Lore & More highlighting the Upper Peninsula’s heritage sites, Unique Retreats, Flavors of the Field and Hike Paddle Bike with autumn’s best trails and adventures handpicked by Michigan experts.

 

In addition to ordering online, the Fall Travel Guide is available in the 14 Welcome Centers located throughout Michigan. Leaf peepers can also sign up to receive a weekly fall color update at michigan.org/fall.

 

The Pure Michigan campaign is promoting fall through its advertising campaign including, regional and in-state television and radio spots, targeted digital campaign and out-of-home placements including billboards in regional and in-state markets and wrapped double decker buses in Chicago.

 

This year, 12 partners have ads running as part of the broadcast campaign, in addition to the Pure Michigan brand spots. These partners are Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Escanaba, Frankenmuth, Gaylord, Grand Rapids (television), Holland, Kalamazoo, Michigan Apple Committee, St. Joseph (television), St. Ignace and Washtenaw County.

 

Fall passion partners for this year can be found as Featured Destinations on michigan.org/fall and include Grand Rapids, Beachtowns, Kalamazoo, Manistee, South Haven, the Upper Peninsula, Great Lakes Bay Region, Holland, Jackson, Keweenaw Peninsula, Muskegon, the Michigan Wine Council and Traverse City.

 

Brand spots this year again include: Deep Breath, Open Road, 14 Clubs, Harvest Time, Story of Detroit, Small Batches and Perfect Spot for television and Catch Up, Nature’s Great Show, Soul, Field Trip, Games on the Grass, and Here’s to the Curious on radio. The commercials will run in regional markets including Chicago, Ill.; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo, Ohio; Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and South Bend, Ind.; Green Bay and Milwaukee, Wis.; St. Louis, Mo.; and Southern Ontario. In-state markets include Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Traverse City. The fall digital campaign will also reach Minneapolis, Minn.

 

This year’s total fall advertising budget of $3,149,602 includes $1,016,138 in funding committed by private sector partners through the Travel Michigan Ad Partnership and Passion Partners programs.

 

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community and talent development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy.  For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org.  For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Visit Pure Michigan Talent Connect at www.mitalent.org for more information on Michigan’s online marketplace for connecting job seekers and employers.  Join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

 

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Media Contact: Michelle Grinnell, 517-241-0251, [email protected]