FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Emily Capron, Experience ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT:Emily Capron, Experience Grand Rapids616.233.3577ECapron@Experiencegr.comPURE MICHIGANGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (June 3, 2013) Experience Grand Rapids, the official destinationmarketing organization for Kent County, announced today the launch of the nationalGrand Rapids commercial in partnership with the Pure Michigan campaign. See the commercialhere: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moQiXZO6R1A.Being one of five national partners with Pure Michigan, Experience Grand Rapids invested$500,000 in a $1 million national campaign, doubling its 2012 investment. The commercial willair on ten major networks nationally for three weeks beginning June 3. The ten networksinclude: HGTV, Cooking Channel, Bravo, Food Network, TLC, Oxygen, WE tv, OWN, TravelChannel, and The Weather Channel. Additional benefits of the national campaign includeincreased exposure on Michigan.org, Pure Michigan blog and newsletter features andparticipation with the Pure Michigan 400 and Pure Michigan/MyCokeRewards promotions.The 2013 Grand Rapids Pure Michigan commercial, narrated by Tim Allen, will feature thevisitor experience of Grand Rapids including dining, craft beer, art and views of the lakeshore.creative energy, diverse culture and scenic beauty make this the perfectdestination for a summer said Doug Small, president of Experience Grand Rapids.Partnering with Pure Michigan on a national level was the next step for our city. The continuedmomentum behind this advertising campaign will help with our continued successes inmarketing this area to out-of-

The 2012 Grand Rapids Pure Michigan regional marketing campaign, conducted by LongwoodsInternational, attracted an incremental 381,100 visits to the area yielding a local impact on theeconomy of $101.5 million. This campaign included TV and radio spots that aired in Chicago,South Bend, Toledo, Traverse City and Lansing. The research study indicates that theawareness and recall of the Grand Rapids television commercial increased substantiallyfollowing the second year of the campaign.The value of tourism continues to grow in Kent County with hotel room revenue at an all-timehigh of $127,092,448 during 2012. This figure is 11.1 percent higher than the previous recordThe time is right for Grand Rapids to increase its awareness nationally. With the addition ofSouthwest Airlines, retaining the title of BeerCity USA 2013 and the increased growth in ourmetro population there is an amplified momentum time to ramp up our marketing efforts. We look forward to the positive impact this nationalcampaign will have on our whole community and an abundance of new, economic developmentopportunities that far transcend tourismFor more information on Pure Michigan, visit michigan.org.# # #About Experience Grand RapidsEstablished in 1927, Experience Grand Rapids (EXGR) leads the marketing of Grand Rapids/Kent County as apremier convention & visitor destination providing a significant positive impact to the West Michigan economy.Previously named the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau, EXGR represents the secondlargest city in Michigan with over one million residents.