Michigan Inauguration Video Wins ADDY® Award

Online, March 22, 2012 (Newswire.com) - The Mid-Michigan ADDY® Awards recognized The Power of Michigan, a video produced by MessageMakers as part of Michigan's 2011 inauguration celebrations, with an award for creative excellence at its annual dinner and awards presentation.

"Governor Snyder chose the theme 'Celebrate the Power of Michigan' for the Inaugural to showcase the numerous positive things happening in our great state," said Geralyn Lasher, Governor Snyder's communications director. "The inaugural video wonderfully depicted this Reinvention of Michigan that now has begun."

Producer Tom Lietz explains that "The Power of Michigan was produced on and around the inauguration to celebrate the potential of our state with the arrival of the new year and the new administration-and to encourage across-the-aisle cooperation in making Michigan even better."

On Jan. 1, 2011, as Gov. Rick Snyder, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, and other state officials took their oaths of office and described their vision of the reinvention of Michigan, MessageMakers gathered video footage to combine with library footage of what Michigan looks like all year long.

After the event, MessageMakers staff drove in with the footage and cut a piece that played off the traditional known elements-oaths, ceremonial proceedings-and the content of the speeches: how the speakers viewed the potential of Michigan and wanted to move forward over the next four years.

With review from Deb Muchmore of the Governor's Inaugural Committee, within a few hours of the inauguration, the video had been cut, edited, mastered, and delivered to the inaugural ball at the Wharton Center.

Lietz explains that "The Power of Michigan gave everyone the chance to remember the event-or to experience it if they hadn't been able to attend-but it also framed what the event was about and gave the audience an opportunity to own the message.

"We were honored to have the governor cite us on-stage as an example of the power of Michigan."

The ADDY® Awards is a three-tiered national competition conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation, honoring excellence in all media including print, broadcast, out-of-home and public service advertising. The ADDY® Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition for creative excellence. The Mid-Michigan ADDY® Awards is sponsored by the Mid-Michigan Creative Alliance (MMCA), a member association comprised of advertising and media professionals. Proceeds from the ADDY® Awards help support MMCA's educational programs, public service projects and proactive government relations efforts.

MessageMakers produces experiences that transform worldwide in arenas including events, learning programs, and video. For more information, visit http://www.messagemakers.com. Watch The Power of Michigan at http://www.vimeo.com/18428316.

# # #