Pure Michigan Scores Prestigious ESTO Award for 2024 NFL Draft Campaign

 "On the Clock in Detroit: Sam's Selects" featuring actor and comedian Sam Richardson honored for its celebration of Detroit

Winning campaign combined business development, talent attraction, and tourism efforts to elevate Michigan as an ideal place to live, work, and play

LANSING, Mich., Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pure Michigan is building on its legacy as an award-winning travel brand with the addition of an ESTO Award from the U.S. Travel Association. The ESTO Awards are a cornerstone of the travel and tourism industry and have been recognizing excellence in destination marketing for over 40 years. The outstanding achievements of the "On the Clock in Detroit: Sam's Selects" NFL Draft campaign from Pure Michigan and Visit Detroit, in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's talent attraction campaign, were honored in the Digital Brilliance category in the 2025 awards.

The "On the Clock in Detroit: Sam's Selects" campaign harnessed the excitement of the 2024 NFL Draft to reintroduce Detroit to a national audience. The campaign follows Sam Richardson, an Emmy-award winning actor and comedian, as he drafts his top five favorite places in his hometown. Featured businesses included the Planet Ant Theatre, Fowling Warehouse, Paramita Sound, Lafayette Coney Island, and Hot Sam's Detroit. The digital campaign brought hometown pride to Detroit residents while winning over the hearts and minds of travelers, entrepreneurs, and prospective residents.

"On the Clock in Detroit: Sam's Selects helped show the world Detroit's swagger and boost interest in a record-setting 2024 NFL Draft," said Governor Whitmer. "In Michigan, we are proud of our work to host the NFL Draft, grow our economy and tourism industry, and bring more families, individuals, and entrepreneurs to Michigan from around the world. Congratulations to the Pure Michigan team for winning a prestigious ESTO Award. Let's keep working together to spread the word about Pure Michigan and build a bright future for our state."

"Detroit is a dynamic city with welcoming people and a rich culture, and we knew the 2024 NFL Draft was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase that on a national scale," said Kelly Wolgamott, Vice President of Pure Michigan. "Sam Richardson was an incredible partner to help us tell the story and we're honored to have this work recognized. As we gear up to celebrate 20 years of the Pure Michigan brand in 2026, we will look forward to continuing to inspire travelers to discover the fresh experiences found across Michigan's two peninsulas."

"Detroit and Southeast Michigan rose to the occasion for the 2024 NFL Draft, with a record-setting 775,000 people visiting Downtown Detroit and another 50 million watching on television," said Claude Molinari, President and CEO, Visit Detroit. "Sam Richardson is a proud Detroiter, and it was our pleasure to partner with him and our friends at Pure Michigan to amplify the incredible trajectory and hidden gems of our city."

The Sam's Selects campaign ran from April 11 to May 22, 2024, and included a 30-second spot on ESPN, a sponsorship with Barstool Sports during the draft, complementing earned media, and an extensive digital and social media across various channels.

The campaign generated an impressive return on investment and through Expedia bookings alone, the campaign helped generate over $2.6 million in gross hotel revenue. The integrated campaign drove 35.8 million paid media impressions, 248 million earned media impressions, and over 3.7 million organic social impressions. What's more, the campaign led to a sustained increase in Google searches for "Travel to Detroit" and "Move to Detroit." Content also earned positive social media endorsements from local businesses and was even recognized by sports legends, including Heisman Trophy winners and Detroit sports legends Barry Sanders and Desmond Howard.

This award-winning campaign was a collaborative effort with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's agency partners FINN Partners, Lambert by LLYC, and MMGY Global who oversaw public relations, social, and advertising.

Since 2006, the Pure Michigan campaign has been recognized with 20 ESTO Awards. To stay up-to-date on the latest Michigan travel news, sign up for Pure Michigan's e-newsletter, visit michigan.org and follow @puremichigan across social media.

About U.S. Travel Association

U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing the $1.3 trillion travel industry, an essential contributor to our nation's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and advocates for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. Visit ustravel.org for more information.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business 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 more information on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation's talent attraction campaign, You Can in Michigan, visit www.themichiganlife.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Follow along or join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube.

About Visit Detroit

Visit Detroit is the official destination marketing organization for the tri-county region of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties and the city of Detroit, dedicated to promoting Detroit as a world-class destination for leisure and business travelers. With a focus on showcasing the region's dynamic culture, rich history, and diverse attractions, Visit Detroit aims to drive tourism, economic growth, and community pride. Visit Detroit was founded in 1896 as the world's first convention and visitors bureau, and more than 900 businesses are represented in the membership. For more information go to VisitDetroit.com.

Contact:
Julie Joupperi 
[email protected] 

SOURCE Pure Michigan