The Michigan Economic Development Corporation paid more than 50 influencers over $500,000 combined over the past two and a half years as part of its “Pure Michigan” tourism campaign, according to a report from 9and10News.
The sponsored posts highlighted Michigan activities and culture, with the goal of drawing potential visitors and people considering a move to the state, the report said. The influencer spending sits within “Pure Michigan’s” broader marketing budget, which has totaled tens of millions of dollars over that period and included television, online advertising, and billboards.
Danielle Emerson, a spokesperson for the MEDC, said influencer partnerships are one piece of a larger strategy. “Influencers are one part of a broad strategy MEDC uses to accomplish our core mission of marketing every part of the state to current and prospective residents and businesses,” she said in a statement. She added that the agency uses a mix of influencers and traditional marketing methods when spending taxpayer dollars on tourism promotion.
“Pure Michigan,” which marked its 20th anniversary this year, has driven substantial tourism activity for the state. According to the Michigan Independent, out-of-state visitors made more than 789,000 trips to Michigan in 2024, spending a combined $1.3 billion and generating over $79 million in state tax revenue, according to a proclamation issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in May designating that month “Pure Michigan Month.” The campaign’s most recent push, announced in April, committed $6.4 million to target both out-of-state markets in major cities and in-state markets, including Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City.
Mariah Wellman, an assistant professor at Michigan State University who specializes in social media influencing, said the state’s approach reflects where audiences now get their information. “If we’re trying to build up communities of younger folks who will stay here for a long time and sort of pour into the state of Michigan, we’re going to go where they are, which means we’re going to use social media to attract them,” she said.
Wellman said the strategy applies both to attracting new residents and retaining current ones. “Whether we’re attracting new people or convincing the current people to stay where they are and continue to build our economy and build up their families and raise their children here, those people will most likely engage with this kind of content on social media,” she said.
She added that Michigan is not alone in this approach. “I think it’s reflective of larger conversations that many states are having,” she said. “In Michigan and beyond, people are talking about how we can maintain the communities of people that we have?”
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The Michigan Economic Development Corporation paid more than 50 influencers over $500,000 combined over the past two and a half years as part of its “Pure Michigan” tourism campaign, according to a report from 9and10News.
The sponsored posts highlighted Michigan activities and culture, with the goal of drawing potential visitors and people considering a move to the state, the report said. The influencer spending sits within “Pure Michigan’s” broader marketing budget, which has totaled tens of millions of dollars over that period and included television, online advertising, and billboards.
Danielle Emerson, a spokesperson for the MEDC, said influencer partnerships are one piece of a larger strategy. “Influencers are one part of a broad strategy MEDC uses to accomplish our core mission of marketing every part of the state to current and prospective residents and businesses,” she said in a statement. She added that the agency uses a mix of influencers and traditional marketing methods when spending taxpayer dollars on tourism promotion.
“Pure Michigan,” which marked its 20th anniversary this year, has driven substantial tourism activity for the state. According to the Michigan Independent, out-of-state visitors made more than 789,000 trips to Michigan in 2024, spending a combined $1.3 billion and generating over $79 million in state tax revenue, according to a proclamation issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in May designating that month “Pure Michigan Month.” The campaign’s most recent push, announced in April, committed $6.4 million to target both out-of-state markets in major cities and in-state markets, including Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Traverse City.
Mariah Wellman, an assistant professor at Michigan State University who specializes in social media influencing, said the state’s approach reflects where audiences now get their information. “If we’re trying to build up communities of younger folks who will stay here for a long time and sort of pour into the state of Michigan, we’re going to go where they are, which means we’re going to use social media to attract them,” she said.
Wellman said the strategy applies both to attracting new residents and retaining current ones. “Whether we’re attracting new people or convincing the current people to stay where they are and continue to build our economy and build up their families and raise their children here, those people will most likely engage with this kind of content on social media,” she said.
She added that Michigan is not alone in this approach. “I think it’s reflective of larger conversations that many states are having,” she said. “In Michigan and beyond, people are talking about how we can maintain the communities of people that we have?”
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