# Pure Michigan
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Michigan
> Source revision: 1356101108
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|Tourism marketing campaign for the U.S. state of Michigan}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}
thumb|right|"Pure Michigan" state welcome sign
'''Pure Michigan''' is as an [advertising campaign](/source/advertising_campaign) by the [State of Michigan](/source/State_of_Michigan) to market itself as a travel and tourism destination. It was launched in 2006[{{cite news |last = Mitchell |first = Kyle |date = May 4, 2026 |title = 20 years since debut of 'Pure Michigan' tourism slogan |url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7nWLawQVp0 |location = Grand Rapids, Michigan |publisher = [WOOD-TV](/source/WOOD-TV) |access-date = May 12, 2026 |via = YouTube }}] featuring the voice of actor and comedian [Tim Allen](/source/Tim_Allen),[{{cite web |author= Michigan Economic Development Corporation |author-link= Michigan Economic Development Corporation |url= http://www.michiganadvantage.org/Travel-Marketing/ |title= Travel Marketing: Pure Michigan |publisher= Michigan Economic Development Corporation |access-date= November 12, 2012}}] using the title song from ''[The Cider House Rules](/source/The_Cider_House_Rules)'' as the background music in television commercials.[{{cite news |last1 = Lawler |first1 = Emily |date = March 22, 2015 |title = Could the 'Pure Michigan' Music Change? New Tourism Chief Looks to Keep the Brand Fresh |url = https://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2015/03/could_the_pure_michigan_music.html |work = MLive |access-date = December 4, 2018 }}]
The Pure Michigan campaign received state and international attention beginning in 2008[{{cite news |first= Anne |last= Holcomb |date= May 12, 2008 |url= http://blog.mlive.com/kzgazette/2008/05/pure_michigan_tourism_campaign.html |title= 'Pure Michigan' Campaign Aims to Draw Out of State and Canadian Travelers |work= [Kalamazoo Gazette](/source/Kalamazoo_Gazette) |access-date= May 9, 2009}}][{{cite news |last= Gustafson |first= Sven |date= July 3, 2008 |url= http://www.mlive.com/rebrandingmichigan/index.ssf/2008/07/pure_michigan_ads_pay_off.html |title= Award-Winning 'Pure Michigan' Travel Ads Pay Off |work= Business Review |publisher= [Booth Newspapers](/source/Booth_Newspapers) |access-date= May 9, 2009}}][{{cite news |agency= [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) |date= March 23, 2009 |url= https://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2009-03-24-michigan-tourism_N.htm |title= Michigan to Launch National and Canadian Ad Campaign in Face of Tourism Decline |work= [USA Today](/source/USA_Today) |access-date= May 9, 2009}}][{{cite news |last= Creager |first= Ellen |date= March 24, 2009 |title= Pure Michigan brings home the bacon: But will it halt downward slide in Michigan tourism? |work= [Detroit Free Press](/source/Detroit_Free_Press) }}][{{cite news |last= Youssef |first= Jennifer |date= May 8, 2009 |url= http://www.detnews.com/article/20090508/BIZ/905080342/1001/rss2 |title= Ad Blitz Revs Up Virtual Visits to Michigan |work= [The Detroit News](/source/The_Detroit_News) |access-date= May 9, 2009}}] when Michigan Governor [Jennifer Granholm](/source/Jennifer_Granholm) approved $45 million in additional funding for the Pure Michigan campaign from the 21st Century Jobs Trust Fund.[{{cite press release |last= Boyd |first= Liz |date= April 8, 2008 |url= http://michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-23442_21974-190126--,00.html |title= Governor Granholm Signs Michigan Promotion Bills, Announces Historic Investment in Marketing Michigan |publisher= Office of the Governor |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080422042635/http://michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-23442_21974-190126--,00.html |archive-date= April 22, 2008 |access-date= May 9, 2009}}] The unprecedented tourism fund amount for the state allowed the Pure Michigan campaign to be broadcast on a national level beginning in March 2009.[ Annual funding for fiscal 2014 was $29 million.][{{cite news |url= http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20130306/NEWS/130309917/state-tourism-industrys-plan-for-next-5-years-more-than-pure |title= State Tourism Industry's Plan for Next 5 Years: More than Pure Marketing |newspaper= [Crain's Detroit Business](/source/Crain's_Detroit_Business) |first= Amy |last= Lane |date= March 6, 2013 |access-date=July 18, 2014 }}]
Pure Michigan also refers to the brand created by Travel Michigan and embodied by the organization's website. The site was relaunched in March 2008 to support the Pure Michigan brand.[{{cite press release |last= Borgstrom |first= Kirsten |date= March 18, 2008 |url= http://www.michigan.org/PressReleases/Detail.aspx?ContentId=78b625d1-8d99-4d99-9e5c-7faeba2745c6 |title= New Michigan Tourism Web Site Launched |publisher=Travel Michigan |access-date= May 9, 2009}}] Travel Michigan is itself a division of the [Michigan Economic Development Corporation](/source/Michigan_Economic_Development_Corporation), a state-funded [economic development corporation](/source/economic_development_corporation) founded in 1999 to support the economic development of Michigan.[{{cite web |author= Michigan Economic Development Corporation |url= http://www.michiganadvantage.org/About-MEDC/ |title= About Michigan Economic Development Corporation |publisher= Michigan Economic Development Corporation |access-date= November 12, 2012}}] Campaign commercials and radio announcements depict Michigan as adventurous and rustic.
In August 2012, Secretary of State [Ruth Johnson](/source/Ruth_Johnson) unveiled new [license plates](/source/vehicle_registration_plates_of_Michigan) using the Pure Michigan logo.
[{{cite news |first= Jonathan |last= Oosting |date= August 22, 2012 |url= http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/08/secretary_of_state_unveils_new.html |title= Secretary of State Unveils New 'Pure Michigan' License Plate to Replace Standard Offering |work= MLive |publisher= Booth Newspapers |access-date= May 29, 2015}}] These plates were released to the public in April 2013.[{{cite news |title= New License Plate Pushes 'Pure Michigan' |first= Mark |last= Brush |date= April 8, 2013 |url= http://michiganradio.org/post/new-license-plate-pushes-pure-michigan-vote-your-all-time-favorite#stream/0 |publisher= [Michigan Radio](/source/Michigan_Radio) |access-date= May 29, 2015}}] The logo is also used on retail projects sold in the state.[{{cite news |first= Melissa |last= Anders |date= December 13, 2012 |title= Pure Michigan Is Everywhere: Slogan on Everything from License Plates to Bars of Soap, Holiday Gifts |url= http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/12/pure_michigan_is_everywhere_sl.html |work= MLive |publisher= Booth Newspapers |access-date= May 29, 2015}}] At the end of 2014, legislation signed by Governor [Rick Snyder](/source/Rick_Snyder) extended the branding to the state's heritage route program, renaming them [Pure Michigan Byways](/source/Pure_Michigan_Byways).[{{cite news |first= Becky |last= Lehndorff |date= March 27, 2014 |title= Route US 23 Closer to Becoming Part of Pure Michigan Campaign |url= http://thealpenanews.com/page/content.detail/id/529030/Route-US-23-closer-to-becoming-part-of-Pure-Michigan-campaign.html?nav=5009 |work= [The Alpena News](/source/The_Alpena_News) |access-date= October 14, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141020073254/http://thealpenanews.com/page/content.detail/id/529030/Route-US-23-closer-to-becoming-part-of-Pure-Michigan-campaign.html?nav=5009 |archive-date= October 20, 2014 |url-status= dead }}][{{cite press release |first1= Sara |last1= Wurfel |first2= Dave |last2= Murray |name-list-style= amp |url= http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-57577-344557--,00.html |title= Gov. Rick Snyder Signs Bills Focused on Creating Good Government Practices: Also Signs Memorial Highway, 'Pure Michigan Byways' Bills |date= December 31, 2014 |publisher= [Office of the Governor](/source/Governor_of_Michigan) |access-date= January 1, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150103071754/http://www.michigan.gov/snyder/0,4668,7-277-57577-344557--,00.html |archive-date= January 3, 2015}}]
In the late 2010s, following the election of Governor [Gretchen Whitmer](/source/Gretchen_Whitmer), the brand was threatened with discontinuation, but has been revived as of 2022 with new commercials and both the standard and Mackinac Bridge license plates continue to use the branding a decade after their introduction.{{cn|date=March 2023}}
== See also ==
*{{portal-inline|Michigan}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Pure Michigan}}
* {{official site|http://www.michigan.org}}
* [http://www.MichiganBusiness.org Michigan Economic Development Corporation website]
Category:Tourism campaigns
Category:Tourism in Michigan
Category:2006 introductions
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pure Michigan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Michigan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Michigan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.