Mentzer Media Services
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This article is part of the Center for Media & Democracy's spotlight on front groups and corporate spin. |
Mentzer Media Services, Inc. is a Maryland-based media firm which designs and places ads for a variety of prominent right-wing groups including Restore Our Future, Crossroads GPS and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The organization is run by Bruce Mentzer. [1] Mentzer media does not design ads, instead, they broker media buys, deciding where to place ads and buying air time to run them. Mentzer Media coordinates closely with McCarthy Hennings Media on many of its buys. [2]
Contents
Influencing the 2012 Election
In 2012, Mentzer Media did business with practically every major conservative SuperPAC and 501(c) group. Mentzer did most of its business purchasing air time, commissions for this type of purchase can range from 10% to 15% of the total cost of the ad buy [3]. Mentzer Media's largest customer was Restore Our Future, a superPAC affiliated with the failed campaign of Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Mentzer Media handled over $190 million in ad buys from Restore our Future during the 2012 election cycle. [4] At the same time, the group also handled $30 million in ad buys from the Koch-Backed 501(c)(4) Americans for Prosperity, $13 million in ad buys from American Future Fund, $7.7 million from Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS, and $6.76 million in ad buys from its spinoff superPAC American Crossroads. Mentzer also handled $3 million in ad buys from the 60 Plus Association, a right-wing 501(c](4) which markets itself as the conservative counterweight to the AARP.[5]
Previous Campaigns
Mentzer was the ad agency behind television ads run by the financial industry front group, Stop Too Big To Fail, which attempt to draw the attention of a liberal/progressive audience and persuade them to oppose financial reform legislation. Mentzer has worked for Republican congressional candidates, the notorious 2004 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign against John Kerry, and the Chamber of Commerce in at least two states. In Spring of 2010, Mentzer was in the news in California for being involved in attack ads against gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown put out by the California Chamber. The Chamber claimed the ad was "educational", rather than an attack ad, hoping to avoid legal obstacles to running it as a political ad.[6][7]
Sourcewatch resources
External resources
- Mentzer Media Web site:http://www.mentzermedia.com/maryland_mentzer_media_services_inc_baltimore_maryland.htm.htm
Contact
Mentzer Media Services, Inc.
600 Fairmount Ave., Suite 306
Towson, Maryland 21286
Phone 410.825.7034
References
- ↑ Mentzer Media Services: Our People, Accessed November 26th, 2012
- ↑ Bill Turque: Master of the Art of the Media Buy, Washington Post, September 5th, 2012
- ↑ Greg Giroux: TV Ad Makers Earn More SuperPAC Millions For Less Work, Bloomberg News, August 14th, 2012
- ↑ Sunlight Foundation: Follow the Unlimited Money Database: table of all expenditures for 2012 election, Accessed November 26th, 2012
- ↑ Sunlight Foundation: Follow the Unlimited Money Database: table of all expenditures for 2012 election, Accessed November 26th, 2012
- ↑ Justin Elliott Shady Anti-Financial Reform Group Using Ad Agency That Worked For Swift Boat Vets, Talking Points Memo (TPM), April 23, 2010
- ↑ PRWatch.org It's an "Educational" Ad (Wink, Wink), Blog, April 6, 2010
