• First, Tallahassee PR firm owner Ron Sachs has gone on a “facebook rant” about the City of Tallahassee awarding $23k web development contract to an Atlanta, Georgia firm. More here from StateImpactFlorida.

• Next, Deluxe Corp. of Minnesota just received a $60k contract to provide online advertising to the State of Florida.

The Bradenton Times suggests that seven other Florida-based companies were passed over for the job, which was not advertised on Florida’s Vendor Bid System.

• Tennessee firm will brand Enterprise Florida
• Tennessee firm to brand Enterprise Florida; one Jacksonville firm involved
• Florida politicians are hurting Florida’s advertising business

Baltimore is joining dozens of other financially struggling cities, transit systems and school districts around the country that are trying to weather the economic downturn by selling advertisements, naming rights and sponsorships to raise money.

I say “great,” go for it guys, good luck, but I remain skeptical… These plans look good on paper, but the trouble is, they tend to be planned by local bureaucrats and political leaders. Nothing personal, but these folks are not known for their entrepreneurial skills.

So they convene meetings and measure blank space on fire trucks and come up with a sponsorship rate card. Then they prepare a draft ordinance and present it in the next sub-committee meeting. The process drags out as committees, divisions, directorates and departments review, rewrite and comment on the proposed legislation. Eventually, it get’s to the elected commission where it’s discussed, modified and eventually adopted. Speeches, proclamations, back-slapping.

So, your local government has spent a great deal of time and money to allow advertising on buses, stadium, public buildings, etc., great, now what? Well, we count the money as it rolls in!

Except that’s not what happens. This is the advertising industry, it is highly competitive and there are actual sales reps driving around, visiting clients and agencies to pitch their wares. Your firetruck advertising scheme is competing with every radio station, TV station and newspaper in your community for advertising dollars.

City planners, analysts and elected officials don’t look at the competitive pricing environment and they don’t include a sales staff in their plans. So, aside from the occasional high-profile sale, these ad programs tend to wither.

Previously: Can advertising save our cities?

Now you would think that a Tampa Bay businessman who owns a large auto dealership group (among other businesses) would probably know the Tampa-area advertising agencies. So the question comes up… why would a Florida congressman choose to stimulate the economy of a distant state instead of stimulating his own local economy, the people he actually represents?

Are the Tampa agencies so bad? I don’t think so… Do the Washington DC-area agencies know the Tampa market better than the local agencies? Absolutely not… This makes no rational sense.

Buchanan would have helped the Tampa-area economy by keeping his campaign local, putting his money where his mouth is. Imagine if a Tampa agency got the work. Let’s assume somebody really busts their hump and come the third week in November, they get a raise for a job well done, and go buy a new car from Buchanan’s shop.

But no. Instead, Florida ad agencies get the finger.

I’m certain Buchanan’s re-election campaign will hypocritically focus on “job creation” even as he ships $4 million worth of business out of state. Unfortunately, I’m certain it happens more often than not all across Florida. So, do you know of any other Florida politicians who are using out-of-state ad agencies or media buying firms? Let me know in the comments.

Now, what kind of precedent does this set for Rush Limbaugh?