Report: Pure Michigan campaign brought in $98 million in 2016

In 2015, the Pure Michigan campaign prompted a record-setting 4.6 million visits to the state and brought in almost $98 million in tax revenue, according to research firm Longwoods International. The data, designed to measure the effectiveness of the campaign, was announced in Lansing this week as part of the Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

The marketing effort, launched in 2006 as a regional program and expanded to nationwide audiences in 2009, has put out scores of short, cinematic ads featuring the natural beauty of destinations all over the Mitten. A recognizable visual style and the voice-over work of native son Tim Allen has made them easy fodder for parodies, but it is hard to deny how good they make our state look.

Travel Michigan spent $12.7 million on the advertising effort in 2015 and expects to spend even more in 2016. The group is getting ready for the summer travel season with a $12 million national ad buy featuring a new crop of ads that spotlight Michigan’s craft beer industry, the farm-to-table restaurant scene and - at long last - the soul of Motown.

There is no end in sight for the campaign, which plans to shift its focus from specific destinations to appeals to interests and seasons in 2016. And with a return on investment like that, we don’t expect Pure Michigan to fade away anytime soon.