Has anyone outside of Michigan seen the Pure Michigan ad campaign? Anyone in Texas, California, Iowa, or any other state? The taxpayers are spending another $25 million on it. With the state budget the way it is, I wonder why the Chambers of Commerce or other voluntary-membership business and tourist-promotion organizations can't just get the money together and fund it themselves. There's better things to do with $25 million. Such money could be used to send more than 3,000 Detroit schoolchildren to a good private school. Or serve twelve MILLION meals at a soup kitchen. Or more than 160,000 dental checkups and cleanings for kids in impoverished families.
Well, at least the government isn't spending tens of millions to build new private sports stadiums.
Anyway, are you seeing these ads anywhere? How do they look to you? What impression do they give you of the state?
Addendum: What about other ad campaigns that make it into Michigan? I've seen many. But the first ones that come to mind are the ones for San Antonio, Texas. They sort of did make me want to go there. And it's a city I never hear of otherwise. The others are the ads for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama. A sort of high-faluting thing that even for someone who does not golf, does dispel Alabama's backward image ("Banjos playing through the broken glass") somewhat.
Also, here is the top link for Atwood the Adorable. Way to go Torch Lake Views!
Suomi Summer
7 hours ago
17 comments:
It sounds like something Winnipeg did: they came up with a new catch phrase for 2 mill, didn't advertise it at all, and I think it's gone now because everybody hated it. Spirited Energy. THAT makes me want to visit. At least yours is hopefully getting out there and makes it look calm and relaxing - where ours make us sound uneducated. And our roads are falling apart, but the logo thing is obviously more important, right? K done ranting... :)
Not sure about the financing, but the Michigan ad by Jeff Daniels
is effective, IMO.
There are print ads on the CTA trains and buses. Once I heard someone say, "huh, Michigan never looked so good".
My guess is that the campaign is designed as an investment to bring in additional revenues. How does the cost compare with the amount of sales tax collected in the state? I have no idea--just asking.
Shuanna: No, I never heard of those!
One of the worst I remember was Hamilton Ohio somehow semi-officially renaming itself to "Hamilton!"
Which on the one hand could denote excitement. Or on the other hand, could mean that the city has become a swear word, sort of like "Belgium!" in Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Far and away the best example of something like this is "Atwood the Adorable" in northwestern lower Michigan. Someone took what looks like mailbox letter stickers from Ace Hardware and added "The Adorable" to the city limit sign for tiny Atwood. Cost to taxpayers? Zero. Did it catch on? Yes, it did.
BB: Thanks for reminding me of that. Do you mean the "Upper Hand" spots? I had no idea those aired outside the state.
Foofa: Welcome to the blog also. Do you mean Chicago?
PJ: They say it has a high return, but perhaps it is an example of corporate welfare?
'Morning, d. I am tickled that you highlighted my Atwood the Adorable post. As it happens, I agree with you about the ad campaign, too. Corporate welfare.
Those of us who want to encourage tourism--and I do--should publicize the delights that await the traveler on our own dime. That's not a government function, but an industry function and/or a voluntary community function.
Government's role is to keep the roads in repair, the water clean, and the parks well-kept. Harumph!
Tickled.
I've seem the Michigan ads and I, too, wonder why they've chosen to spend the money that way. If you want people to move to your state, you must offer a growing economy and jobs otherwise it is an exercise in futility to try to lure them there.
Cube: Yeah, there's only so much PR can do.
A friend of mine in GA spoke of a Pure MI ad airing there talking about there being a limited number of sunsets a person can see in a lifetime. He said it was sobering, and made him want to come. Of course, he's already working on his plans to move here...
Saw the 'longest freshwater coastline ad today. Impressive. I looked it up. Its true.
A bit disconcerting, the place I confirmed the ad's
statement was at Unneccessary Knowledge.com!
BB: Ontario's coast might be longer? But of course that is not a state.
The rest of the Great Lakes States only have a small part of the border as a lakeshore. With Michigan, it's most of it.
I'm in Austin and nope, haven't seen it.
Crap, wait. I cancelled cable last October and only watch Netflix, Hulu Plus and get DVD's/BluRays from blockbuster.
So basically I'm no help at all.
Good grief. That's a lot of money to advertise a state. And no, I've not seen it.
Guess I'm pretty used to tourism campaigns from other countries, Canadian provinces, other states of our own country. Calling it corporate welfare seems to be stretching the definition pretty far.
It's really stretching it if we are talking about promotion national parks, state parks (government resources). But it gets closer to corporate welfare if it gets involved with hotels, casinos, etc.
Basically, it's about business promotion. Business should be encouraged to foot the bill.
Since your blog tip, I have been seeing a plethora of Michigan ads
on the telly. More even than Nexium!! If the credulous viewers will
pester their Docs for 'purple pills', they
should be flocking into Muskegon, Ann Arbor and East Lansing by now....
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