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Politics | State launches $30M TV ad campaign touting Illinois as the ‘Middle of Everything’

Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune

A diver holds up an "Illinois the middle of everything" sign during a news conference at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago as part of the announcement for a new Illinois tourism campaign on April 18, 2022.

Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

Visitors explore The Ledge glass boxes on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower on April 21, 2021.

The spending far outstrips recent tourism efforts by the state, which include the $6 million “Time for Me to Drive” campaign last summer and a $15 million push in 2019 that touted “Amazing” destinations across Illinois, from Cave-in-Rock State Park near the Kentucky border to The Ledge glass viewing box atop Willis Tower in Chicago.

The campaign was introduced by reelection-seeking Gov. J.B. Pritzker during a news conference at Shedd Aquarium. The 30-second ads highlight notable attractions and activities in the state, from Chicago’s Navy Pier and Cloud Gate sculpture to Springfield’s Cozy Dog Drive-In and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, to zip-lining in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois.

The ad campaign comes as Illinois, like other states, is trying to move away from the pandemic with businesses and tourist attractions open without any mask or COVID-19 vaccine restrictions.

According to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, visitor spending in the state jumped 12% from $40.5 billion in 2016 to $45.5 billion in 2019 before it dropped 49% in 2020 to $23.3 billion. The agency couldn’t provide figures for 2021 or so far in 2022, but its director, Sylvia Garcia, said tourism is “rebounding” and people are “eager to travel.”

The campaign kicks off as Pritzker tries to counter Republican criticism over his handling of crime, an issue that will be front and center throughout the election season. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, gun violence has been up not only in Chicago but in other cities throughout the state. He was asked about the effect of crime might have on getting visitors to places like Chicago.

“We have so many things to see all across the state, so people will be traveling, I think, both to Chicago and to the rest of the state. As for people who are coming to Chicago, Chicago is really a wonderful place to visit. The people of Chicago are good, decent, hardworking, honest, wonderful people, and nice,” Pritzker said.

“Of course, the challenges that we have in Illinois and in Chicago are ones we’re always looking to overcome,” he said. “But now is a great time to come visit. Maybe a little more sunshine than we have today. And we will have lots of that for the next five, six months.”

The $30.3 million TV campaign will span 20 markets across Illinois and seven neighboring states, and will appear nationally on cable TV beginning April 25. A Spanish-language ad will also air in the Chicago market.

Lynch, an Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning actress who said the ads were her first directorial effort, was raised in south suburban Dolton.

“We’re excited to share Illinois with more visitors from across the country and around the globe, as well as our fellow Illinoisans who may not know about all the amazing attractions and unique destinations they can visit close to home,” Garcia said.

An earlier version of this story included incorrect figures for visitor spending in Illinois.

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Illinois launches new ‘Middle of Everything’ tourism campaign starring Jane Lynch

The ad campaign covers tourist attractions in the state.

Illinois is the epicenter of everything– from culture to food, to history, nightlife, and even natural wonders. A tourism campaign, which was just unveiled on Monday, seeks to highlight just that.

Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress, and New York Times best-selling author, Jane Lynch directed and starred in the commercial, winning everyone over with her trademark humor. Lynch grew up in Illinois and is also an alum of Chicago’s famed Second City and Steppenwolf Theatre.

While are various 30-second ads, Lynch always plays an official Illinois’ tour guide– a role she takes on with aplomb and wit as she showcases iconic attractions around the state. Chicago highlights include: exploring the Art Institute, enjoying the Shedd Aquarium, Chicago’s Navy Pier and the iconic Cloud Gate sculpture, along with setting sail on a Tall Ship Windy boat.

The ad spots include multiple 30-second features ready to go. All of the clips aim to highlight Illinois as the direct center of it all– from outdoor adventures, to must-have food, to incredible architectural feats, and more. The $30.3 million campaign feature wants to attract out-of-state visitors to help accelerate the state’s tourism recovery. It makes sense that the state would want to reinvigorate the tourism and hospitality industry, as it plays a big part in the states economy.

Springfield, the Historic Route 66, and the Garden of the Gods in Shawnee National Forest are also featured in the ads with locations including the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield, the Grafton Sky Tour, and more.

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The TV spots are all set to run in eight states. The ads will also appear in local, regional, and national digital and print media along with social media posts. You’ll even see Jane Lynch for Illinois on s highway billboards, bus signage, and wallscapes, too!

Here are Jane’s favorite local spots as an Illinois tour guide. Check out the Middle of Everything website here . Watch the commercial here .

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New $6 million ad campaign announced to drive tourists to Illinois

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois is launching a new effort to drive tourists to destinations and attractions throughout the state.

A new ad campaign targeting seven surrounding states will encourage people to take road trips to Chicago and other Illinois travel destinations.

The aim is to bring jobs back and encourage people to hit the road Memorial Day weekend, and specifically that Illinois is where they should spend their hard earned dollars.

"We love big cities, it's time to travel again, and that's why were here," said tourist Krystal Sterling.

She and Ashton Fannin are visiting Chicago from Atlanta.

"It's just cool to see the different architecture and the history of the city," Fannin said.

Governor JB Pritzker said visitors are part of the solution after a year of staggering losses for the tourism industry. He announced the new push to propel people through Illinois this summer Wednesday.

"Tourism means jobs more hotel and hospitality and recreation workers getting back to work," Pritzker said.

He announced a new $6 million ad campaign targeting surrounding states and featuring Illinois' own REO Speedwagon.

"When we've got tourists and visitors coming and staying in our hotels, shopping in our stores and going to our museums and attractions, they are paying the paychecks of those employees that come from every single ward in the city of Chicago," said Kimberly Bares, President and CEO of Magnificent Mile Association.

Bares said that should be a help downtown at a huge Illinois tourist attraction, the Mag Mile

According to her, the Magnificent Mile hosts 6 million visitors in a normal year. The pandemic brought that down to just 25 percent.

A few blocks away at Navy Pier, it normally welcome nearly 9 million visitors yearly, but just recently reopened outdoor attractions.

A birthday crowd from Quincy, Illinois and Hannibal, Missouri is part of a hopeful trend.

"It's just great to get back to just being and having fun with my friends," said tourist Joyce Mayfield.

"What's really encouraging is we're seeing an 18 percent spike in our website traffic that is from outside of Illinois and that means there is some interest there. So we want to encourage those people to make that trip," said Payal Patel, spokesperson for Navy Pier.

Sixty itineraries are available for communities across the state, including Oak Park in Cook County that has a craft beer trail that goes all summer long. You can learn more by visiting enjoyillinois.com

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Actress Jane Lynch Stars in, Directs New ‘Middle of Everything' Illinois Tourism Campaign

Published april 18, 2022 • updated on april 18, 2022 at 7:21 pm.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the launch of a new tourism campaign dedicated to helping showcase the state’s culture, food and history, with Golden Globe-winning actress Jane Lynch directing and starring in the series of commercials.

According to a press release, the “Middle of Everything” series of advertisements are designed to help boost tourism to the state, which suffered a huge blow during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“We are thrilled to partner with Illinois’ own Jane Lynch, the perfect ambassador for our state, in this new tourism campaign,” Pritzker said in a statement. “As tourists gear up for a busy summer travel season, we welcome visitors near and far to find themselves in the middle of everything Illinois has to offer.”

According to the release, Lynch will serve as a “tour guide” in the advertisements, showing off attractions in Chicago, Springfield, Shawnee National Forest, Pontiac and more.

The Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, the Cozy Dog Drive-In, the Garden of the Gods, and several Chicago landmarks will all make appearances in the ads, which will run in 20 markets across Illinois and in seven neighboring states.

Some ads will also air on cable networks nationwide, officials said.

“I loved every minute of working on this project promoting tourism in my home state, and I’m so proud to finally see it come to life,” Lynch, who is making her directorial debut with the ads, said. “I am grateful for Gov. Pritzker’s enthusiasm and support for this new Illinois Tourism marketing campaign.”

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Illinois launches 'Middle of Everything' tourism campaign

Pritzker and other state officials rolled out a new $30 million ad campaign Monday highlighting Illinois' role as a cultural touchstone with a new slogan, "Middle of Everything."

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Illinois launches new tourism campaign starring Jane Lynch

Governor, tourism committee launches summer campaign across the midwest..

CHICAGO, Ill. (WIFR) - Jane Lynch, the actress best known for her role in the hit TV show “Glee,” is part of a new tourism campaign for the state of Illinois.

Governor JB Pritzker officially kicked off the tourism campaign with the Illinois native appearing via Zoom to preview the new commercials. The campaign is called “Middle of Everything,” and highlights a list of attractions both downtown Chicago and across the state.

“We are thrilled to partner with Illinois’ own Jane Lynch, the perfect ambassador to promote our state, in this new tourism campaign,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This campaign is a significant next step to aid our state’s tourism recovery and positions Illinois for future growth and success that our entire state can rally around – helping our economy, boosting tax revenues, and putting people back to work. As tourists gear up for a busy summer travel season, we welcome visitors near and far to find themselves in the middle of everything that Illinois has to offer.”

Starting this week, the new ads will run in eight states , targeting travelers in Midwestern markets on broadcast and connected TV in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Kentucky. The ads will also appear nationally on cable TV starting April 25.

In the “Middle of Everything,” Lynch stars as Illinois’ official tour guide showcasing iconic attractions in Chicago, Springfield, Historic Route 66, and the Garden of the Gods in Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois.

After almost two and a half years of mitigations due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Senate Tourism Committee is rolling out the red carpet with the new campaign that features Lynch as both director and star, for an expected 750,000 individual trips to the Prairie State.

The state’s last campaign brought nearly $212 million in revenue.

“I loved every minute of working on this project promoting tourism in my home state and I’m so proud to finally see it come to life,” said Lynch. “I am grateful for Gov. Pritzker’s enthusiasm and support for this new Illinois Tourism marketing campaign. We share the same passion for Illinois, its people, its culture, and the wonderful attractions across the state.

The $30.3 million campaign is the latest in state efforts to accelerate the recovery of Illinois’ tourism and hospitality industry employing more than 600,000 people statewide prior to the pandemic.

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Choose chicago unveils new slogan as tourism swings back.

Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism agency, unveiled “When You Go You Know,” its latest marketing campaign during an in-person event with remarks by Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday. The new slogan was announced in conjunction with the news that tourism is on the rebound, according to new data from the mayor's office.

“What we love about the campaign is that it is provocative and feels like we’re letting everyone in on our secret,” Choose Chicago CEO Lynn Osmond said in a statement. “People that live here know how special the city is and we want visitors to feel the same way.”

Choose Chicago’s new tagline is replacing its “Welcome Home” campaign , which was launched in 2017. “When You Go You Know” aims to beckon people back to the city. And as the new data reveals, they’re starting to return.

According to numbers released by the mayor's office , the city welcomed 30.7 million visitors from all over the U.S. and the world, an 86% uptick from 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic brought most traveling to a halt. While Chicago still has a way to go to return to its pre-pandemic levels, the sector is trending in a positive direction. Tourism spending was estimated at $9.8 billion for 2021, half that of 2019.

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“We are excited to see these numbers for 2021 despite the challenges we faced,” Osmond said in a statement. “It is a true testament to Chicago’s resilience and strength as a top destination for tourists, businesses, and events. I have never been more confident in our ability to make a full recovery.”

This year, the city expects that international and business travel will continue to pick up now that travel restrictions have eased. The statement from the mayor's office added, "In May, occupancy at hotels in the central business district averaged 66%, and room rates averaged more than $242 per night, surpassing May 2019 levels."

Convention center behemoth McCormick Place is also seeing a big bounce back as it's expected to host 183 events this year, bringing in 1.5 million visitors and, most importantly, generating $1.8 billion of "economic impact."

“When You Go You Know” comes on the heels of the controversial “Chicago Not in Chicago” campaign, a collaboration between the city and local agency Energy BBDO that launched this past January but didn't involve Choose Chicago. The infamous marketing campaign touted the city’s influence in other metropolitan areas, namely big brother New York, while not actually featuring Chicago. Another campaign that didn't involve Choose Chicago, "What We're Made Of," was unveiled to far fewer cries of protest in March. 

Choose Chicago has already splashed “When You Go You Know” across its website just in time for the start of the summer tourism season. The agency will roll out the full campaign regionally and nationally later this month.

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