LANSING – Members of the Mid-Michigan Creative Alliance announced plans to open their doors to area businesspeople interested in learning more about the very active and well-respected marketing and advertising community in Lansing. It’s all part of the second annual Studio Crawl, which will take place April 23 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Each year award-winning work is created in Lansing for clients from all over the world, including international auto companies, restaurants, the music industry, manufacturing and more. Organizations like MSU, BIGGBY Coffee, Audi, Comcast, bd’s Mongolian Grill, Whirlpool, Harley Davidson and many more come to Lansing when looking for creative partners. In fact, Lansing agencies consistently compete for, and win, bids for jobs against larger agencies in larger cities.

With competitive wages, a desirable cost of living and a growing Lansing area that features countless activities and amenities sports teams, parks, galleries, shopping, loft living, historic neighborhoods, museums, restaurants it’s easy to see why top creative professionals choose to live and do business here, resulting in a wonderfully supportive and active creative community with the skills and experience to produce some of the best work in the nation.

“Last year we had an overwhelming response” said Karen Stefl, partner at Such Video in Old Town (www.suchvideo.com). “It was great to see such diversity in the people who participated and we’re excited to see who comes back or new faces of businesses looking to see what this community has to offer.”

Benjamin Slayter, Director of Marketing, SGA Production StaginG a national company headquartered in Mid-Michigan, said: “I always knew creative talent existed in Lansing, but I had no idea just how much until I attended the 2008 Studio Crawl, put on by the MMCA. The experience offered here in Lansing easily matches that of cities four times the size.”

The Studio Crawl is open to the general business public, educators and students. It will feature Lansing-based photography studios, video production studios, commercial print shops, design agencies and advertising agencies.

Your backstage pass is free for students with ID, only $5 for everybody else to visit as many locations as you like when paying at the door, or RSVP for $10 to receive admission to the Lansing Lugnuts “Thirsty Thursday” game that night (an $8 value) for the after party.

RSVP is recommended to guarantee a ticket for the game. Participants can begin their self guided tours at any of the businesses involved they wish, and if they aren’t interested in a ticket to the game they can start at any of the locations that will be announced on Monday April 13th on the Creative Alliance website.

Some of the locations registered to date include: Ahptic Film and Digital, CiesaDesign, ICS Marketing Support Services, Keystone Printing, Such Video, Redhead Design Studio, and Vision Creative.

The Mid-Michigan Creative Alliance works to educate and promote camaraderie throughout the local creative community. MMCA has a national affiliation through the American Advertising Federation (AAF). The AAF educates its members on the latest trends in advertising, marketing and government issues and sponsors the world’s largest.

For more information, click on MI-Alliance.Com

a>>