There’s a chance of snow in the forecast across Michigan for the next few days. A new Pure Michigan ad is called “Chance of Snow,” too, but deep-pocketed skiers across the country can only see the ad online…
Throughout the fall political campaigns, as the Center for Michigan hosted debates across the state, we asked candidates what was more important – funding film incentives, funding Pure Michigan, or cutting both programs so Michigan could cut taxes? The response was almost universal. Every candidate but one said to fund Pure Michigan.
It’s sickening to have to repeat for the umpteenth time the economic logic for Pure Michigan, but here it is, courtesy of the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association…
“A Longwoods International report released Feb. 4 said the summer 2009 Pure Michigan national ad campaign motivated 680,000 new trips to Michigan from outside the Great Lakes region. Those visitors spent $250 million at Michigan businesses last summer and paid $17.5 million in state taxes. The national campaign which aired ads in all 50 states generated $2.23 in revenues for every $1 spent on the ads, Longwoods concluded. Longwoods also measured the impact of Pure Michigan summer 2009 advertising on residents of regional markets — Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Ontario. Longwoods found the regional campaign improved its return on investment to Michigan from $2.86 in 2004 to $5.34 in 2009.”
Fully funding a national ad campaign like that costs $30 million – an amount the outgoing Legislature has been unable to locate throughout 2010, despite uniform pleading from newspaper editorial pages, dozens of tourism industry leaders, and readers of this newsletter who have sent piles of emails to Lansing.
For those reasons, the Traverse City Record-Eagle recently called this “one of the most do-nothing Legislatures in Michigan’s long history of do-nothing Legislatures.”
In all likelihood, the House and Senate will adjourn for the holidays without taking up the Pure Michigan question again, as the Detroit News reported this morning.
So, the ads remain dark. Too many hotel rooms will remain dark.
Our representatives and senators turned out the lights.
But there is an easy fix come January.
The $30 million needed to run Pure Michigan amounts to less than four-tenths of one percent of the state’s always-overburdened general fund budget of about $8.2 billion.
Fully paying for Pure Michigan would cost less than $4 out of every $1,000 in the general fund.
Those would-be legislators nodded in unison on the campaign trail – Pure Michigan was the one government program with Pure Support.
“The ‘Pure Michigan’ marketing campaign is a prime example of a government program that provides great value to the state, returning more than two dollars for every one dollar of taxpayer investment,” Gov.-elect Rick Snyder said back in early October on the campaign trail. “Pure Michigan is helping to boost the tourism industry and create jobs – it’s a program we need to keep.”
It’s an easy campaign promise for all involved to deliver on in January.
Here, let’s give ‘em a little push.
Contact the following incoming leaders and tell them now is the time to support Pure Michigan…
HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER JASE BOLGER
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER RICK HAMMEL
9 Comments
I contacted all five leaders you mentioned to try to restore full funding to Pure Michigan. I am a member of the Bronner family here at BRONNER’s CHRISTmas WONDERLAND and have supported this great program since its inception. Our hope is that our legislature and governor realize the great ROI this program accomplishes and restore it to full funding.
Keep up the good work at The Center For Michigan
Like Bob, I too have contacted all five of the leaders to restore full funding of the Pure Michigan campaign. We are a small community that has experienced significant revenue generated as a result of this outstanding ad campaign. We receive over 200,000 visitors each year to our two small museums, that ride the train and enjoy our winter and summer festivals. Our retailers, service providers and non-profit groups depend in large part to the sales generated from tourism. Pure Michigan is shear genius, well researched and incredibly effective at developing revenue stream for our entire state. Cindy Timmerman, Exec. Dir. Coopersville Area Chamber of Commerce and Marketing Dir., Coopersville DDA.
Here is the message I’m sending to the five leaders listed:
Funding the Pure Michigan ads is such a logical choice for the tourism industry and state’s economy, how could you not? But I’m writing for a bigger, long-term reason.
There are so many causes for despair in our state. Something that lifts spirits and burnishes pride may be the first step in a recovery that goes deeper than pockets. The Pure Michigan ads are so beautiful and inspiring they make me feel differently about living in Michigan. I feel pride in my life choice to remain here. I email them to my daughters in Chicago and Portland, OR, and I know their message helps develop a positive image of their home state.
Decision-makers in those hip, tech-savvy, future-oriented businesses see the Pure Michigan ads too, and they get a different view of Michigan from what they’ve heard about the Rust Belt. They will locate where they can attract the best employees. Let’s make those businesses and employees want to come here!
Perhaps the reason the Pure Michigan ads are so successful is they show off the beauty of our state in a very entertaining way. Tim Allen’s voice and the Cider House Rules music is a hard combination to beat. The creators of this campaign deserve the utmost in praise, not only for the revenue this campaign has brought to our state, but also the positive exposure and enhanced quality of our image.
Despite such an overwelming success, our elected politicians can’t find a way to fund it. My cynical theory is that the revenue created is distributed directly to the people – the hotels, motels, shops, and restaurants – and not to the state coffers and the sticky fingers of our politicians where they and the lobbyists can allocate it as they choose. Funding for such a program is a defined obligation, an accountable outlay with nebulous returns as viewed by our myopic officials .
Another program which our state officials are trying to kill is the Film Incentive program which, if allowed to develop, could provide the diversity our state economy needs. Spokeswoman Michelle Begnoche defined the program (Nov. 18, 2010 Free press); “The incentives were not designed to fill the state coffers. They were designed to create jobs, help local businesses and keep our young minds and talent here in Michigan. They are doing all of these things and providing direct economic benefits to our communities.” Film companies are projected to spend $650 million directly to the businesses and citizens of Michigan by the end of this year.
The Pure Michigan ad campaign and the Film Incentive program are very similar in the support they require and the benefits they deliver yet both are under assault by our politicians. Something stinks in Lansing.
I contacted my State Senator and Representative as well as Governor elect Synder. Thus is the text I sent to the Governor-Elect
Governor – Elect Synder, I know you are pragmatic, business focused and results oriented. I can’t think of too many other state funded initiatives that fit those criteria better than the Pure Michigan campaign. Not only do we have positive measurable results, we have the beginning of a way to have others think differently about Michigan.
The young men and women who will create our future will be as attracted to these ads as are those seeking a beautiful spot to vacation in. Pure Michigan is a way to change the perception that we are a rust belt relic to Michigan as a destination, a dynamic place to be and enjoy life. A place to stay and savor the good life.
I urge you to work hard to restore our state, but Pure Michigan should be an easy yes for you.
By the way, I am not affiliated with the tourism industry at all, just a resident who loves his state as you do.
Does anyone else find it ironic that supporters of Pure Michigan can find the money to print up billboards encouraging the legislature to fund this program, yet are conspicuously absent when it comes to stepping up to the plate and paying for the shortfall themselves?
If Bronner’s and Coopersville consider this ad campaign so essential, why don’t they join with other businesses and governments to fund it? It’s surprising they would apparently limit their advocacy to writing letters and commenting on this site when they say so much is at stake.
KG-1,
I offered to donate personal funds to the state (contacting both my State Senator and State Representative).
However I think you may be overlooking something. I imagine most of the supporters of the Pure Michigan campaign are taxpayers in Michigan. We are asking the states politicians – our representatives, to take our tax dollars and direct some of them to a very useful campaign. I look at my tax dollars as funding for many programs, a number of them do not benefit our family personally yet I pay them.
Merry Christmas
Mr. Bauer, I will give you credit for having the courage to be one of the very few willing to put their money where their mouths are at.
It is a sad commentary that there were not more who were willing to do the same.
Merry Christmas to you and yours as well.