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PIERRE — The former marketing director for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development told lawmakers Monday that other members of the GOED office won the bidding process for the Ohio-based marketing firm’s “Freedom Works Here” workforce recruitment campaign. He said he felt it was clear that he wanted to be treated as such.
Nate Welch’s testimony came after lawmakers viewed other proposals submitted by competing marketing companies in the hiring campaign. These proposals were viewed in closed session of the board, as they are considered non-public material.
Go West Media, a subsidiary of Strategic Media Placement, initially launched a $5 million “Freedom Works Here” campaign, but by the fall, lawmakers had announced that the campaign had been touted by Gov. Kristi Noem and her office. began to have doubts and concerns about its effectiveness. The most successful marketing campaign in state history.
“I would say it was known and relatively clear in early conversations that Go West was the favorite and the priority,” Welch said, adding that he and Travis Dobre, the company’s finance director, He added that they had a conversation. GOED and Anne Gesick Johnson, director of business analysis for this campaign.
more: South Dakota’s Freedom Works Here hiring campaign enters new phase amid intense scrutiny
Ultimately, lawmakers found no wrongdoing in the Freedom Works Here campaign and the way its bidding process was conducted. However, some expressed disappointment over the lack of transparency surrounding Go West’s selection and the possibility that creative storyboards were stolen.
The heart I decided from the beginning
Welch said former GOED Commissioner Steve Westra felt that marketing companies did not adequately document information such as creative marketing and success tracking analysis in their bids for projects, so GOED said it was aware of Welch’s disappointment in moving forward with its partnership with Go West.
“In terms of data analysis, I can say that there was nothing impressive about the statement,” Welch said. “However, I also want to tell you that even if I had heard everything, those are numbers that I believe are not unique. To be honest, I probably could have found those numbers for you. You could even hire an intern to help you.”
Welch was referring to data GOED Commissioner Chris Silken gave earlier in the meeting about the success of the “Freedom Works Here” campaign.
more: Noem’s office told the public it could not discuss the new state prison. And she did.
The governor’s office says the ad has received more than 850 million hits and 8,000 people have expressed interest in moving to the state, with 2,000 of those “in the final stages” of moving successfully. It is unclear what the rate is. It has been.
The campaign, which has been running since June, features TV spots featuring Gov. Kristi Noem in a variety of jobs to encourage skilled workers from across the country to move to South Dakota. There is. Noem recently appeared in an ad encouraging nurses to move to the state, with Sanford Health, Monument Health and Avera Health partnering to sponsor the ad.
Silken explained that he did not feel that GOED or anyone in the governor’s office put undue pressure on GoWest to choose him as the eventual election winner. Based on Mr. Dobre’s recommendation and feedback from his seven others involved in the interview process, Westra selected Go His West.
Silken added that he was not included in the interviews with RFP candidates.
“That behavior was disgusting.”
Sen. Lee Schoenbeck (R-Watertown) said the past few months of hearings on “Freedom Works Here” have revealed the good, the bad and the ugly of the campaign.
He said it was great for Nomu to present himself as the face of South Dakota and encourage others to move to South Dakota, but he said the way he selected the marketing campaign was “clever.” The company cited lack of creativity as the reason. Include marketing content and analysis in your initial bid.
He also pointed to the alleged theft of storyboards created by Sioux Falls marketing firm Lawrence & Schiller, first reported on Sioux Falls Live, that included a drawing of Noem wearing a welding mask. He pointed out that it was similar to an ad that Go ran a few months later. West.
“Obviously there are ideas that were stolen, but there’s no one with two eyes and a functioning brain who can say that Lawrence and Schiller’s ideas weren’t stolen,” he said. “I think it’s unfortunate that this kind of conspiracy continued… I just think it’s unfortunate that the chief and his subordinates behaved that way.”
Rep. Chris Carr, R-Sioux Falls, said he wanted to hear more testimony from Mr. Westra on the proposal, but Rep. Hugh Bartels, R-Watertown, and Rep. Schoenbeck said the proverbial horse He rejected the idea, saying he had been sufficiently defeated.
Bartels added that the campaign was a personal service campaign and served the purpose of getting the word out that there are jobs in South Dakota.
“I don’t think any legislation was a shortcut or missed anything. I think it’s a subjective process,” Bartels said. “Apparently all the I’s were dotted and the T’s crossed out in the process.”
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