Tolbert: Hays Ad Irks Business Interests

I heard some rumblings last week that a new ad from Pat Hays for Congress had irked some of the businesses mentioned in the ad.

In the TV spot, Hays takes credit for several businesses that opened or expanded during his term as North Little Rock mayor. He appears with their business or with their corporate logos – something that campaign-best practices would dictate you get permission to do.

I admit to not following up very much on this one as it is difficult to get any of these businesses on the record. For the same reason businesses are reluctant to appear in a campaign ad, they are often reluctant to denounce one – fear of bad publicity either way. But Caleb Taylor – a new blogger over at The Arkansas Project – followed up on the talk and was able to get a spokesman for Blue Bell to go on the record.

According to Taylor’s report, the Hays campaign asked Blue Bell for permission to use them in their ad, were told no, but ignored them and went ahead anyway.

“I talked to his campaign manager yesterday, and I had also sent him an email just saying that once we had seen the ad we were kind of shocked we were included in there, since I had said no, that we did not want to participate in it,” said Doug Hutchins, Little Rock branch manager for Blue Bell. “Anyways, his campaign manager, his response to me was ‘Well, we thought we were honoring your request by not coming to your facility to film or to use whatever footage for our commercial.’ He said that’s why we went to a restaurant to actually film that. I mentioned the fact about ‘Well you were also using our company logo without permission or without our approval and we are very protective of that.’ He asked, ‘Well would it be helpful if we were to remove the logo?’ I said, ‘yeah, it would be helpful,’ but I don’t know if they have that capability. It would be helpful if they would do that.”

As Taylor notes, Caterpillar – whose PAC contributed to French Hill for Congress – was not pleased either although they were more reluctant to go on the record.

I have asked the Hays campaign if they plan to pull down the ad or modify it to comply with Blue Bell’s request, but I have not heard back.  As of now, the ad is still on the campaign’s official YouTube page.