MEDC Publications Take International Design Awards

Winning entries chosen from field of 8,500 worldwide

Communicator Awards. Three MEDC publications garnered seven awards. This is the second time MEDC materials have been recognized in 14 years of the annual international competition.   

“The award-winning ‘Upper Hand’ campaign along with historic levels of funding for business marketing and tourism promotion are helping people understand that whether you want to locate or grow a business or take a vacation, Michigan is a great destination.” Epolito said.   

Top honors in the competition went to the 21st Century Jobs Fund brochure with two Gold Communicator awards in the business-to-business and overall design categories. The piece features 78 proposals funded in the 2006 Commercialization Competition focused on market -ready research in the high-tech, high-growth industry sectors of alternative energy, advanced automotive and manufacturing, and homeland security and defense.

The bimonthly Michigan Business Report is being honored again in the competition, this year receiving three Silver Communicator awards in the corporate, government and overall design categories. In 2004, MBR was a winner of the Crystal Communicator Award of Excellence. The print and online magazine, now in its ninth year, has a circulation of 23,000. In addition, the Business Services brochure took two Silver Communicator awards in business-to-business and overall design.

The Communicator Awards is the leading international awards program honoring excellence in advertising, corporation communications, public relations and identity work for print, video, interactive and audio. The awards are judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts, an organization of professionals in the visual arts.  

The “Upper Hand” campaign, which debuted in June 2006, highlights CEOs that expand their businesses in Michigan – with a goal of encouraging others to similarly choose Michigan for the site of future job creation. In the series of television spots, actor and Michigan native Jeff Daniels invites C-level business executives to consider the state of Michigan when choosing a 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 a competitive business environment, world-renowned universities, highly skilled workforce and the MEDC’s $2-billion 21st Century Jobs Fund, that give Michigan companies the “Upper Hand.” Since the campaign’s inception, Duffey, Petrosky & Company (DP+Company) has produced television, radio, print and Internet advertising pieces.

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.