Buy or Sell: TV Inc. to Run TheTeaParty.Net Advertising

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By: Dwayne W. Waite Jr.

Advertising and marketing agencies are not unfamiliar with running national advertising campaigns for political candidates and parties. During Hilary Clinton's presidential run, her advertising manager was the former CEO of PR agency giant Burson-Marstellar. This however, is a whole different beast.

TheTeaParty.net, first known as "Stop the Insanity Inc." and "JointheTeaParty.us" after that, is one of the many Tea Party organizations trying to make a splash in Washington's comical political arena. We may have heard of The Tea Party Express, and Tea Party Patriots; these guys are cut from a similar cloth.

TheTeaParty.net signed TV Inc as its national advertising agency. Tampa, FL based TV Inc., run by William Thompson, is known for its direct marketing and infomercial activities in the U.S. and Sweden.

This isn't TheTeaParty.net's first advertising and marketing rodeo. According to a press release, it has sponsored a car in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and has used its website and email list for different marketing functions.

Now to the question posed in the title: buy or sell TV Inc.'s willingness to get involved with TheTeaParty.net? My first response was sell, sell, sell! because, well, let's be honest; the loudest tea partiers haven't exactly made themselves look like brainiacs. But after going through TV Inc.'s portfolio, one will see that TV, Inc. did a "What is Scientology?" spot for the Church of Scientology.

Like a guy says to a friend who gets into wild things, "You seem to have a thing for 'crazy.'"

So, will the option be switched from sell to buy? Like a curious investor, I'm placing a "hold" on this. I want to see where this is going to go.

The advertising campaign is scheduled to start after Labor Day.

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About the Author

Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is partner and principal at JDW: The Charlotte Agency, a marketing and advertising shop in Charlotte, NC. He enjoys consumer behavior, economics, and football.

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