"We invite you to Explore Bluffton!" That's the message of a two-page full-color advertisement featuring Bluffton in the 2011 Lima/Allen County Visitor's Guide, being printed this month.

It the first group advertising effort of 2011, the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce helped make the ad possible.

The 48-page full-color guide with a distribution of over 20,000 will include a two-page Bluffton spread. The spread will also show several photos of the community and will promote the Bluffton sesquicentennial.

The ad also promotes the chamber's website: www.explorebluffton.com.

The chamber reserved two full pages at a cost of over $2,500 and then offered a variety of ad sizes to it members at lower prices than were available had the businesses gone into the publication by themselves.

"We wanted to make an impact for Bluffton in the guide and help businesses promote themselves at the same time," said Fred Steiner, chamber CEO.

He added that the chamber plans more group advertising ventures. "Maybe next year Bluffton will have four pages in the visitor's guide," he said.

Chamber member, Matt Luke, of Comm3Creative, designed the two-page spread.

Chamber member businesses participating in the group advertising effort include:

o Bluffton Golf Club
o Bluffton Hospital
o Bluffton Icon
o Boehr Print
o Celebration of Health
o Drive Time Driving Instruction
o Hidden Creek Golf Club
o Luke's Bar and Grill
o Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio
o Superior Energy Solutions

Open the attachments at the bottom of this story to view the two full page ads.