News Hospitality Pure optimism?
Pure optimism?
Order Reprints
Follow @MiBiz
 |
|
While funding for the popular Pure Michigan tourism advertisements doesn’t match what Travel Michigan had last year, the group is optimistic that it can still have an impact with about half of the funds used in 2009. GRAPHICS COURTESY OF TRAVEL MICHIGAN |
By Lisa Mackinder | M+C
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
MICHIGAN — While permanent funding for the Pure Michigan campaign remains elusive, in March the promotion did receive a much-needed injection of cash when the legislature appropriated $14.9 million in the final budget for 2010.
That represents both good and bad news for tourism folks. It’s bad because that number totals only half of the $30 million allocated for Pure Michigan the previous year, but it’s good because the amount is much higher than the $5.4 million initially directed toward the campaign during the budgeting process.
“With $5.4 million we would have done virtually no advertising,” said George Zimmermann, vice president of Travel Michigan. “At least we’re still advertising this year.”
With half the dollars, Travel Michigan faced a dilemma — concentrate on regional advertising only in markets like Ohio and Indianapolis or wage another national campaign, albeit a bit shorter and smaller. Travel Michigan chose the latter approach. According to Zimmermann, it will use $8.9 million on a cable buy that started May 3 and will run through June.
“It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s the best we can do,” Zimmermann told M&C, saying “walking away” from a national campaign would have meant losing all that had been accomplished — like motivating 680,000 new trips to Michigan from outside the Great Lakes region last year.
Photo Gallery |
| Click on the gallery images to view full-size photo. |
|
|
In 2009, Travel Michigan spent $10 million on a buy that aired Pure Michigan 7,900 times on 15 cable channels. He indicated $8.9 million means advertisements will run fewer weeks.
To maintain a national presence, Travel Michigan canceled all regional spot TV advertising, all in-state billboards and all production of new TV commercials this year for airing in 2011.
Though expressing disappointment about cancellation of regional TV spot advertisements, many area CVB directors displayed gratitude for continuation of the national campaign.
“As disappointed as we are that they’re pulling regional, I’m glad they’re continuing national,” said Jill Emery, tourism manager at the Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
With the state maintaining a national campaign, Emery believes it “opens our community” to those who might not otherwise know about it. She used an example of a couple that came to the Muskegon welcome center last year. According to Emery, they saw the Pure Michigan advertisements, went to the Pure Michigan website and that led them to Muskegon.
“It does make a difference,” said Emery.
Janet Korn, VP for marketing at Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention and Visitors Bureau, also views the glass as half full. Though acknowledging the lack of billboards will have some impact on the greater Grand Rapids area and that cancellation of those billboards and regional spot TV advertising places greater pressure on individual CVBs, she’s still optimistic.
“Last year was the only year of significant investment,” she said of the Pure Michigan campaign. “$15 million is still more than before.”
Sally Laukitis, executive director of the Holland Convention and Visitors Bureau, also recognized the importance of the national campaign, noting that after Pure Michigan aired last year, “the results were instantaneous.” But not being able to follow that up with regional spot TV advertising and in-state billboards this year, she guesses there might be a decline in the number of visitors.
“But we are trying to be proactive rather than reactive,” said Laukitis.
Although the Holland CVB laid out its media plan before Pure Michigan’s budget shrunk, she had a feeling that cuts might happen. To get into the Wisconsin market, the Holland CVB started marketing with Ludington’s Lake Michigan Carferry, owner of the S.S. Badger, and Lake Express in Muskegon.
When asked if Pure Michigan’s regional cancelations would impact the Kalamazoo area, Renee Newman, Discover Kalamazoo’s communications and marketing manager, offered a “yes and no.” Though Discover Kalamazoo didn’t utilize Pure Michigan for events and conferences, Newman said it did get the word out about Michigan as a destination.
“The regional ads got people moving in the state,” said Newman.
Even with canceled regional spot TV advertising and a scaled back national campaign, Jodi Bowen, director of communications at the Battle Creek/Calhoun County VISITOR AND CONVENTION Bureau, still believes Pure Michigan will continue to make introductions and therefore make it easier to bring events and visitors to the area.
“The Pure Michigan campaign is highly effective and will help to introduce people not familiar with our state (to) all that it has to offer,” said Bowen. “Bringing visitors in from further away means they will stay longer and ultimately invest more into our state economy.”
Despite cuts to Pure Michigan and the economy, the CVBs remain upbeat about the tourism season — and some even noted strong preseason numbers. For one, Bowen said the season in Battle Creek shows promise. Based on hotel occupancy, the area is maintaining and even seeing a slight increase in visitors compared to last year.
“We are expecting to see this trend continue through the summer based on the variety of events we have booked throughout Calhoun County,” she said.
In Grand Rapids, Korn is banking on a good tourism season, too. Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park had record turnout for the “Butterflies are Blooming” exhibit and just recently welcomed its 6 millionth visitor. Plus, Korn said the site’s Chihuly exhibit is another big draw. At the end of the summer, Grand Rapids also has two large national conventions. If early indicators hold, Korn has reason for optimism.
“Things are already up over last year,” she said. M&C
