❌CONTRACT CANCELED- When I found $30 million of your money flowing through a local marketing firm over the last 4 years, I started asking questions. The response and reaction from Oklahoma's Dept of Tourism was not what I expected. #openrecords #foia https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-tourism-pays-30-million-to-marketing-agency-ends-contract-vi-marketing-swadleys-foggy-bottom-kitchen-restaurant-scandal-ad-campaigns-taxpayer-dollars-recreation-department-shelley-zumwalt-sterling-zearley-kaitlyn-rivas-tset-program
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https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-tourism-pays-30-million-to-marketing-agency-ends-contract-vi-marketing-swadleys-foggy-bottom-kitchen-restaurant-scandal-ad-campaigns-taxpayer-dollars-recreation-department-shelley-zumwalt-sterling-zearley-kaitlyn-rivas-tset-program#
I previously reported on millions paid through another ad agency, Ghost, from the Dept of Mental Health.
RANDOM THOUGHT- Has anyone in power floated the idea of creating a state ad agency to do all this work and cut out the middle men?
https://okcfox.com/news/local/ok-dept-of-mental-health-halts-campaigns-amid-former-employee-embezzlement-charge-oklahoma-department-mental-health-substance-abuse-services-former-employee-heath-hayes-promotional-ads-save-lives-988-mental-health-lifeline-bank-ghost-vendor-auditor
Yes. I know how ad buys work. Industry standard is firms pocket 15%. Why wouldn’t the state provide complete invoices?
Yes, firms like VI purchase ads on FOX 25. I would never let that alter my reporting.
I don't know why VI couldn't produce these, too.