Battle Creek's Turnkey Merchandise Programs will be running the new merchandise program for Michigan's award-winning tourism program Pure Michigan.
The merchandise line includes sweatshirts, T-shirts, golf shirts, hats, umbrellas, travel mugs, golf balls and more. Apparel sizes range from infants to adults. Gift cards are also available.
Hundreds of requests for Pure Michigan logo merchandise have come in since the initial launch of the campaign in 2006, says a Travel Michigan official.
"The primary goal of the merchandise program is to expand the reach of the Pure Michigan brand," says George Zimmermann, vice president of Travel Michigan, a business unit of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Zimmerman says over the past year Travel Michigan has worked to create a line of merchandise -- all made in the U.S.A.
Turnkey Merchandise Programs will serve as retailer and wholesale fulfillment supplier.
"A portion of the sales will be earmarked to support the Pure Michigan advertising campaign," Zimmerman says. "We know the sales income won't solve our long-range funding challenge, but every dollar helps."
The
Pure Michigan fall advertising campaign was eliminated this year as a result of state budget woes. Gov. Granholm has been urging state legislators to free up $25 million for the campaign, which helps bring in money to local destinations across the state.
Travel Michigan markets the state's tourism industry and provides information services to visitors.
Turnkey Merchandise Programs partners with clients to provide e-commerce solutions, branded and licensed merchandise development, turnkey catalog programs and marketing support to non-profit, corporate, sports and entertainment brands. Turnkey Merchandise Programs is a partnership between two companies: DP
& Company, which offers the capabilities of a full-service
advertising ageny, and EPI, which offers data analytic services, website
development, advanced warehouse management functions and freight
distribution.
Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: George Zimmermann, Travel Michigan
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