MEDC "Upper Hand" Campaign Wins Global Recognition

Telly, Hermes Creative award competitions honor MEDC campaign with seven awards

Michigan Economic Development Corporation President and CEO James C. Epolito today announced the MEDC’s “Upper Hand” business marketing campaign has received seven global awards for television spotsfeaturing actor and Michigan native Jeff Daniels, print advertising, trade show displays and brochures. 

“Our award winning ‘Upper Hand’ campaign has been instrumental in showcasing to the world that Michigan is a great place to do business,” Epolito said. “This campaign, coupled with historic levels of funding to promote our state, will go a long way in transforming our economy and helping companies grow here.” 

The Telly Awards, a worldwide advertising competition, awarded the business campaign with one silver award in the business-to-business campaign category and one bronze award for a 60-second “Eco Peninsula” television spot created for the campaign.

The Hermes Creative Awards, an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional materials and programs, and emerging technologies, awarded a platinum award for the television advertising campaign, gold awards for the MEDC North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) display and the “Upper Hand” print advertising campaign and honorable mentions for the MEDC’s NAIAS Green and Blue brochures. 

The “Upper Hand” campaign, which made its debut in June 2006, highlights CEOs who expand their businesses in Michigan – with a goal of encouraging other businesses to choose Michigan for the site of future job creation. In the series of television spots, Jeff Daniels invites C-level business executives to consider the state of Michigan when choosing a business location for a move or expansion. The campaign has received four Telly Awards, five Hermes Awards, a Golden Cassette Award, and one Communicator Award since its inception.

The MEDC business marketing initiative focuses on Michigan’s key business-attraction tools, including its competitive business environment, world-renowned universities, highly skilled workforce and the MEDC’s $2 billion 21st Century Jobs Fund. These tools give Michigan businesses the “Upper Hand.” Since the campaign’s inception, DP+Company has produced television, radio, print and Internet advertising pieces.

“The economic climate in Michigan cannot change over night, but to know we are helping to tell Michigan’s positive economic stories and help support this change gradually is extremely gratifying,” Mark Petrosky, DP+Company CEO and partner said.

The Telly Awards, in its 29th year, is based in New York and honors the best in television commercials and programs. The competition receives more than 14,000 entries annually from around the world.

The Hermes Creative Awards are administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. This year, the awards competition received more than 4,000 global entries. 

Duffey, Petrosky & Company (DP+Company) is a full-service advertising and marketing services agency with clients in healthcare, retail, automotive, retail catalog marketing and electronic and digital communications. Providing both business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing, the DP+Company team touts decades of experience in strategic planning, creative services, public relations, print and broadcast production, media planning and buying, interactive and relationship marketing and database and direct marketing capabilities. For more information, visit www.dp-company.com.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.