Michigan launched the “Pure Michigan” tourism advertising campaign in 2006, featuring the voice of actor Tim Allen.
The campaign was created to promote Michigan as a travel destination by highlighting its Great Lakes shoreline, small towns, forests, outdoor recreation, and cultural attractions. Tim Allen, who was born in Denver but grew up in Michigan, became the recognizable narrator of the campaign’s radio and television advertisements.
The branding presented Michigan as more than an industrial state, emphasizing natural scenery and leisure travel. Its reflective, cinematic advertisements helped distinguish the state from neighboring destinations and became a model for place-branding campaigns.
“Pure Michigan” was initially developed for Travel Michigan and later became closely associated with the state’s tourism identity. The campaign’s name is sometimes confused with Michigan’s official state slogan, “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you,” which comes from the state’s coat of arms.