Jane Lynch Shares the Best of Illinois in Tourism Campaign from OKRP

Illinois native Jane Lynch extolls the many virtues of the State of Illinois in a new campaign from Chicago agency OKRP on behalf of the Illinois Office of Tourism. The new initiative, the ‘Middle of Everything,’ features the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress, and New York Times best-selling author, making her directorial debut with the campaign’s new TV ads.

The advertising features Jane Lynch as the official tour guide of the State, showcasing iconic attractions in Chicago, Springfield, Historic Route 66 and the Garden of the Gods in Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. As a proud Illinois native, Jane enthusiastically joins in on the experiences and conversations of travellers enjoying the wonders of the State.

The idea – Middle of Everything – speaks to the geographic location of the State of Illinois and celebrates it as the centre of countless amazing experiences one can’t get anywhere else. As OKRP CEO Tom O’Keefe notes ’the Middle of Everything’ invites travellers to feel smack dab in the middle of all Illinois has to offer by bringing to life the fun and interesting ways that make our great state an influential centre of culture, history, nature and more.”

An alum of Chicago’s famed Second City and Steppenwolf Theatre, Lynch brings her comedic zest and energy to the ads along with a deep-rooted passion for promoting her home 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.”

The new TV ads feature authentic Illinois experiences and destinations to discover all around the state. Locations include the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, Cozy Dog Drive In, located in Springfield, and the Grafton Sky Tour, as well as experiences unique to Chicago such as exploring the Art Institute, enjoying the Shedd Aquarium, and setting sail on a Tall Ship Windy boat.

“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 Jane 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 a critical next step in the state’s efforts to accelerate the recovery of Illinois’ tourism and hospitality industry —a major contributor to the state’s economy, employing more than 600,000 people state wide prior to the pandemic. Starting this week, the new ads will run in eight states, targeting travellers 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 25th.

The campaign featuring Lynch will also appear in local, regional, and national digital and print media, as well as highway billboards, bus signage, and wallscapes. This includes regional transportation hub takeovers in Atlanta and San Francisco, a digital billboard in Times Square, and other promotional activities amplifying the campaign during events such as the Chicago Pride Parade, the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race at the World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, IL, and more.

For more information on trip ideas and itineraries and to view a guide of Jane Lynch’s 'Favourite Places in Illinois,' please visit here.