LANSING – Pure Michigan was recognized by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Tuesday night with three Adrian Awards in the gold, silver and bronze categories.

The awards received by Pure Michigan include the following:   

Pure Michigan Hidden Gems: Influencer Press Trip
Influencer Marketing (Gold)
Planet D: “6 Surprisingly Caribbean Water Adventures to do in Northern Michigan”
Matador Network: “12 facts about Northern Michigan that will surprise you”

Pure Michigan took home a gold medal in the influencer marketing category for its “Pure Michigan Hidden Gems” coverage by The Planet D Adventure Travel Blog and Matador Network. During this trip – created to reach the adventure travel audience – influencers Dave and Deb of The Planet D were invited to discover some of Michigan’s hidden gems and best kept secrets while experiencing outdoor recreation, attractions and the beautiful scenery the state is known for.

Dave and Deb visited Northern Michigan, starting out on the shores of Lake Michigan, traveling east and ending on the Sunrise Coast Lake Huron. The trip included a tour of the Earl Young “mushroom” houses in Charlevoix, an archipelago adventure on Beaver Island – the largest island in Lake Michigan, Hemingway haunts in Petoskey and stand up paddle boarding (SUP) among the shipwrecks of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena. 

In addition to the content, including A love letter to Michigan, that was shared on The Planet D and Matador Networks sites and social media channels, Dave and Deb shared scenes from their visit in real time on social media and did a takeover of the Pure Michigan Snapchat channel.

Falling in Love with Pure Michigan: Drone Footage of Tahquamenon Falls
Online Feature Placement (Silver)
Stunning drone footage of Tahquamenon Falls was captured by Dustin Dilworth and D3 Imager and shared by Pure Michigan to provide a unique view of the Upper Peninsula as the fall colors peaked with vibrant hues of red, yellow and orange. It was shared on Pure Michigan’s Facebook channel, providing a view few rarely get to experience. The post garnered 2.7 million views, 52,991 shares and roughly 6,000 comments. It was picked up by multiple media outlets, including Condé Nast Traveler, earning Pure Michigan a silver medal for its social media reach and use for traditional media outreach.

Michigan.org: How to Build a Pure-ly Unique Website
Digital Marketing (Bronze)
Pure Michigan launched the new michigan.org site in the beginning of 2017.The new site is part of an ongoing initiative by Travel Michigan to evolve the Pure Michigan campaign into activity, or interest-based marketing, in addition to its traditional marketing strategies. The site allows for a better user experience with more personalization, extended integration with social media assets and an overall experience more aligned with the Pure Michigan brand.

Last fall, the michigan.org redesign was named Best Travel Website by the Web Marketing Association as part of the 2017 WebAwards.

“These efforts were creative opportunities to bring awareness to some of Michigan’s hidden gems and travel treasures to audiences and travelers beyond Michigan,” said Dave Lorenz, Vice President of Travel Michigan, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “The use of travel influencers and digital content, like drone footage and 360-degree video, allows us to provide travelers with a more immersive experience in the awareness and planning process and to showcase our state’s scenery and recreation opportunities.”

Since 2013, the Pure Michigan campaign has been recognized with 23 Adrian Awards. The HSMAI Adrian Awards are open to all travel-related industries with categories in advertising, digital marketing and public relations, receiving more than 1,000 entries annually.

The Pure Michigan brand was created by the Birmingham, Michigan office of McCann Detroit.


Pure Michigan works with Weber Shandwick’s Birmingham office and Travel & Lifestyle practice to help build the Pure Michigan brand through web, media, public relations and digital marketing. Miles Partnership and Michigan-based TwoSixDigital developed the michigan.org redesign working in partnership with the Travel and web development teams at MEDC.