Weber Shandwick Detroit Will Help MEDC Market Michigan

Help with national and international public relations and other story telling efforts

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Strategic Fund and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation today selected Weber Shandwick’s Detroit office to help build the Pure Michigan brand through web, media, public relations and digital marketing. 

“Weber Shandwick combines a respected, top-tier Michigan-based team with a 74-country global network that will help us market Michigan nationally and around the world,” said MEDC President and CEO Mike Finney. "The agency better matches the talent, goals and growing capabilities of our own re-energized MEDC Marketing and Communications team." 

In January 2011, the MSF and the MEDC made the decision to consolidate all of their marketing and communication programs under the popular Pure Michigan brand, which began in 2006 as a tourism campaign featuring the voice of Michigan-born actor Tim Allen. Gov. Rick Snyder in March signed legislation giving the Pure Michigan campaign a stable source of support, now budgeted at $25 million. 

"The Weber Shandwick Detroit office is made up of Michiganders who help our clients tell their success stories, so we are all passionate about sharing the important stories of Michigan's comeback," said Andy Schueneman, Weber Shandwick Detroit’s general manager and senior vice president. 

A leading global public relations agency, Weber Shandwick last year was named Global Agency of the Year in 2010 by The Holmes Report for the second year a row, Agency of the Decade by Advertising Age and Digital Firm of the Year by PR News. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). 

The agency will help MEDC with national and international public relations, and a host of other marketing and communication initiatives including:

• Destination and economic development efforts, including media relations, video and written content creation, roundtables with site selectors who help businesses choose new locations, webinars, social media and blogger outreach.
• Digital and media strategy and planning.
• Email marketing, platform development and search engine optimization.
• Familiarization trips.

"As we've broadened and strengthened the capabilities of our own Marketing and Communications team throughout 2011, we've looked for partners with similar vision and priorities and Weber Shandwick offers the perfect fit," said Elizabeth Parkinson, MEDC Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. 

During the past five months, the MEDC communications team has redesigned and consolidated its MichiganAdvantage.org website and launched a series of new digital publications including MEDC Daily, Michigan Tourism Update, This Just In, Now Hiring, Job Connect, and Michigan Talent Network News, as well a weekly internal publication serving MEDC's expanded staff of more than 500 staffers. 

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.