How do you feel about the Pure Michigan Campaign (Detroit: crime, construction)

green_mariner · 06-02-2016, 08:29 PM

I'm not a Michigander, but I have friends that are Michiganders and I want to get the perspective from Micihiganders about the Pure Michigan tourism campaign.

Meemur · 06-02-2016, 08:51 PM

They spawned the Not So Pure Michigan parodies, which have made me laugh endlessly. I'll not link them because they aren't work safe (bad language!) but they can be googled easily enough.

I'm from SE Michigan originally. I've always been amazed at how those ad people can capture footage of a festival where someone isn't puking or some parent isn't screaming at a kid. And those shots of the UP: how they seem to manage to get them on sunny winter days, I'll never know. I don't think I've ever seen the sun for more than 45 minutes per day after Thanksgiving, if that. And all that powder snow! Maybe those clips were actually from Utah. MI snow tends to be fairly wet a lot of the time.

I saw the first Pure Michigan commercial when I was living in Ohio. It was effective for my neighbors: they decided to take a trip up to Holland for the tulip festival, only they didn't check on I-94 or I-75 construction and spent a long time sitting in traffic. I knew better.

One thing about moving: all the travel ads out here are for MN, MO, and KS! The ones for KS tend to be sports and restaurant - themed. I'm always hungry after I see those.

michmoldman · 06-03-2016, 05:37 AM

I love the commercials, but after a trip near Pictured Rocks last year I've kinda lost my fondness a bit. What was once a joyful trip to see nature and get away from the craziness, is now like a zoo. People everywhere, trash in the woods including lots of dirty diapers people just toss aside, property damage from people driving like idiots, crowded beaches full of kayaks and drunks, and on and on. It's great for the state but unfortunately once people discover little known places, they usually ruin it.

canadian citizen · 06-03-2016, 06:38 AM

Here in Ontario, we get quite a few Michigan tourist TV ads on local stations.

While the ads are beautifully shot, and nicely made........Many people here in Ontario won't go, because of the crime problems in the USA. We also have access to dozens of US TV channels on our cable services, from cities across the US. That means that we see the problems on a daily basis, brought to us by US media outlets.

Nightly news of mass shootings, riots at political rallies, and examples of US border officials acting in very outrageous fashion ( strip searching Canadian women by male DHS officers ) and in general the danger of life in the USA, make many of us stay home.

I am sure that most Americans see this as "a normal way of life " but we Canadians see it as a dangerous place to visit. I used to cross the border as a commercial driver, as many as 3 times a week, delivering to points all over the US, so I have had personal experience in this matter. I quit because of the lack of personal safety in your country.

Jim B.

green_mariner · 06-03-2016, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michmoldman

I love the commercials, but after a trip near Pictured Rocks last year I've kinda lost my fondness a bit. What was once a joyful trip to see nature and get away from the craziness, is now like a zoo. People everywhere, trash in the woods including lots of dirty diapers people just toss aside, property damage from people driving like idiots, crowded beaches full of kayaks and drunks, and on and on. It's great for the state but unfortunately once people discover little known places, they usually ruin it.

I live in the suburbs of Atlanta and Kennesaw Mountain is a major haunt of mine. I am happy to see alot of people come and see the mountain. Like you, I don't like the trash being left. I feel like litter can come from anyone, even the locals. I think the discovery of a place, well, there needs to be a preparation, people need to be reined in, there needs to be punishments for littering/damage caused.

michmoldman · 06-03-2016, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadian citizen

Here in Ontario, we get quite a few Michigan tourist TV ads on local stations.

While the ads are beautifully shot, and nicely made........Many people here in Ontario won't go, because of the crime problems in the USA. We also have access to dozens of US TV channels on our cable services, from cities across the US. That means that we see the problems on a daily basis, brought to us by US media outlets.

Nightly news of mass shootings, riots at political rallies, and examples of US border officials acting in very outrageous fashion ( strip searching Canadian women by male DHS officers ) and in general the danger of life in the USA, make many of us stay home.

I am sure that most Americans see this as "a normal way of life " but we Canadians see it as a dangerous place to visit. I used to cross the border as a commercial driver, as many as 3 times a week, delivering to points all over the US, so I have had personal experience in this matter. I quit because of the lack of personal safety in your country.

Jim B.

Most of Michigan is quite safe especially the further North you go (Where most of the beauty is)
There really isn't much danger in most of Northern Michigan.

green_mariner · 06-03-2016, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meemur

They spawned the Not So Pure Michigan parodies, which have made me laugh endlessly. I'll not link them because they aren't work safe (bad language!) but they can be googled easily enough.

I'm from SE Michigan originally. I've always been amazed at how those ad people can capture footage of a festival where someone isn't puking or some parent isn't screaming at a kid. And those shots of the UP: how they seem to manage to get them on sunny winter days, I'll never know. I don't think I've ever seen the sun for more than 45 minutes per day after Thanksgiving, if that. And all that powder snow! Maybe those clips were actually from Utah. MI snow tends to be fairly wet a lot of the time.

I saw the first Pure Michigan commercial when I was living in Ohio. It was effective for my neighbors: they decided to take a trip up to Holland for the tulip festival, only they didn't check on I-94 or I-75 construction and spent a long time sitting in traffic. I knew better.

One thing about moving: all the travel ads out here are for MN, MO, and KS! The ones for KS tend to be sports and restaurant - themed. I'm always hungry after I see those.

I know about that. I hate it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsR0DeY7f1g

I really hate the spoof for this reason. Yes, I am aware there are some problems going on in Michigan. That said, I don't have that degree of hatred to make fun of the Pure Michigan campaign.

As for me, I read about Michigan as a kid, and a big part of me still see plenty of reasons to visit Michigan.

green_mariner · 06-03-2016, 07:52 AM

Interesting take on Pure Michigan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBe_GXZwGbA

michigan83 · 06-03-2016, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadian citizen

Here in Ontario, we get quite a few Michigan tourist TV ads on local stations.

While the ads are beautifully shot, and nicely made........Many people here in Ontario won't go, because of the crime problems in the USA. We also have access to dozens of US TV channels on our cable services, from cities across the US. That means that we see the problems on a daily basis, brought to us by US media outlets.

Nightly news of mass shootings, riots at political rallies, and examples of US border officials acting in very outrageous fashion ( strip searching Canadian women by male DHS officers ) and in general the danger of life in the USA, make many of us stay home.

I am sure that most Americans see this as "a normal way of life " but we Canadians see it as a dangerous place to visit. I used to cross the border as a commercial driver, as many as 3 times a week, delivering to points all over the US, so I have had personal experience in this matter. I quit because of the lack of personal safety in your country.

Jim B.

Not to be dismissive of your opinion... but it seems rather silly to fear an entire state of 10 million residents, most of whom spend their entire lives living in very safe places. Most of Michigan is just as safe as most of Ontario. Simply crossing the border at Sarnia/Port Huron or wherever has almost zero impact on your personal safety. In fact, when I cross that border, Sarnia feels less safe than Port Huron.

Meemur · 06-03-2016, 10:54 AM

OP, I love John's (Kerfoot) Not So Pure Michigan parodies because I lived through the realities of a lot of that stuff. See the one about Jobbie Nooner . . . OMG! It was so true. I skipped class that day to go riding with "some random dude with a boat."

Here's another video you will hate, but watch it because you'll understand what makes a lot of us former (and current) residents so cynical. It's Michael Moore's first documentary, "Roger and Me" about what happened to Flint when GM pulled out. I'm not finding the full version online right now, but it was up a few weeks ago. I recommend that to everyone who is interested in Michigan. Your library or Netflix may have it, as well.

Canadian Citizen -- ditto what others said about the northern parts of the state. Yes, Detroit is still really scary, but once you get north of it, toward the Thumb and farther up, it's not bad.