logo
YouTube, Amazon and Meta sign up to sponsor White House Easter Egg Roll

YouTube, Amazon and Meta sign up to sponsor White House Easter Egg Roll

Yahoo18-04-2025

The White House has set up high-dollar partnerships with YouTube, Meta and Amazon, among others, for Monday's Easter Egg Roll, underscoring the close relationships the leaders of those tech companies have sought to cultivate with the Trump administration.
The White House, through an outside production company called Harbinger, solicited corporate sponsors for the traditional springtime event ranging from $75,000 to $200,000, with the promise of logo and branding opportunities, according to a nine-page document sent to potential sponsors and first reported by CNN last month.
Several major American tech companies and associations have signed up, according to an official White House press release on the event sent by the office of the first lady Friday.
The Egg Roll has been privately funded without taxpayer dollars for many years. All money raised by Harbinger will go to the White House Historical Association.
Friday's release highlights an 'array of entertaining activities thanks to the White House Historical Association and its partnerships.'
That includes, according to the White House, a 'Reading Nook, courtesy of Amazon'; the 'Bunny Hop Stage, courtesy of YouTube'; an 'AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity, courtesy of Meta'; and a 'Ringing of the Bell Photo Opportunity, courtesy of the New York Stock Exchange.'
Those sponsorships come as those Silicon Valley leaders, who donated to Trump's inaugural fund, have lost billions in value as markets – from the NYSE to others across the globe – have experienced volatility as a result of President Donald Trump's tariffs.
CNN has reached out to the tech companies.
The American Egg Board, which has long supported the event, is again supplying the 30,000 hard-boiled eggs, as well as a 'Garden Café for Tasty Treats.'
Other sponsors include The Toy Association, the International Fresh Produce Association, and the National Confectioners Association.
Signature Brands, LLC, which owns the Betty Crocker brand, will provide a cookie decorating station, and GALA is hosting a digital egg hunt game.
The solicitation for sponsorships marks an unprecedented offering of corporate branding opportunities on White House grounds, running counter to long-established regulations prohibiting the use of public office for private gain.
Prospective sponsors were offered opportunities for 'naming right for key areas or elements,' 'logos featured on event signage,' 'custom-branded baskets, snacks/beverages, or souvenirs,' and 'mentions in official event communications and social media posts.'
Upon viewing the Harbinger pitch document last month, Richard Painter, who served in the White House Counsel's Office under President George W. Bush, told CNN that it 'wouldn't have gotten through Counsel's Office.'
'That would have been vetoed in about 30 seconds in my day,' he said. 'We're not running this like a football stadium where you get all logos all over the place for kicking in money.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gavin Newsom is having his social media moment
Gavin Newsom is having his social media moment

Fast Company

time19 minutes ago

  • Fast Company

Gavin Newsom is having his social media moment

'Fuck around' and 'find out,' read a TikTok post, following a screenshot announcing that California is suing President Donald Trump for deploying the National Guard to the streets of Los Angeles. But the TikTok wasn't shared by a typical meme account—it came from California Governor Gavin Newsom. 'I damn near fell over when I realized this was Gov. Newsom's page,' one user commented. Since Friday, demonstrations have erupted across Los Angeles in protest of the president's immigration policies and the ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Although many of the demonstrations have remained peaceful, there have been violent incidents including authorities deploying tear gas and rubber bullets, and protestors setting Waymo vehicles ablaze throughout the city. As tensions escalated, the Trump administration deployed the National Guard and Marines—despite objections from local officials—sparking a lawsuit from the state, threats of arrest against Governor Newsom, and a surge of defiant memes. 'And remember kids, the next time anybody tells you 'the government wouldn't do that', oh yes they would,' says the popular TikTok sound used on Newsom's official account video, playing over screenshots of news headlines and images of armed forces confronting demonstrators. In another viral video from the governor's page, which amassed over 5.4 million views, Taylor Swift's 'You Need To Calm Down' plays over a series of photos of the two politicians. 'r u ok?' the post asks, with a caption reading: 'America's keyboard warrior.' Newsom's clapback drew widespread praise in the comments. 'I do disagree with Newsom a lot but him standing up to tyranny and standing with your state takes some serious guts. Hats off to you Newsom,' wrote one user. He's also taken to his personal account to deliver meme-laced messages to Trump—one featuring a photoshopped image of the president wearing a crown, captioned 'send in the troops.' The slideshow ends with a shot from the musical Hamilton, with text reading: 'Democracy is under assault right before our eyes. It's time for all of us to stand up.' The online showdown has significantly boosted Newsom's social media presence, growing his personal TikTok account by approximately 397,000 followers and his official Governor account by 479,000 since Friday. Newsom is the latest in a growing number of politicians leveraging memes and social media to bypass traditional media and speak directly to the public through humor. Famously, Kamala Harris gained momentum during her presidential campaign with ' Brat summer ' and the coconut tree trend, while Joe Biden leaned into the viral ' Dark Brandon ' meme during his reelection campaign. Although meme strategies can generate enthusiasm and visibility, the 2024 election results suggest that online popularity doesn't always translate at the polls.

UnitedHealth Seeks $1B Latin America Exit: Sources
UnitedHealth Seeks $1B Latin America Exit: Sources

Yahoo

time19 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

UnitedHealth Seeks $1B Latin America Exit: Sources

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is one of the best Dow stocks to invest in. The company is considering several offers for its Latin American business, according to two insiders familiar with the situation, as it works to recover from a series of major setbacks, including the removal of its CEO and a reported criminal accounting investigation. The largest US health insurer has aimed to exit Latin America since 2022, but selling its Banmedica unit has become more urgent recently due to multiple challenges, one source said. A senior healthcare professional giving advice to a patient in a clinic. New CEO Steve Hemsley told shareholders last week that he is focused on regaining their confidence following a disappointing earnings report and a Wall Street Journal story about a criminal probe into alleged Medicare fraud. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) maintains it has not been notified by the Department of Justice and stands by its business integrity. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) has received four non-binding bids for Banmedica, which operates in Colombia and Chile, totaling around $1 billion, according to sources who requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the negotiations. While we acknowledge the potential of UNH as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and Disclosure. None. Sign in to access your portfolio

Disney to Pay Comcast $438.7M for Full Hulu Ownership, Ending Valuation Dispute
Disney to Pay Comcast $438.7M for Full Hulu Ownership, Ending Valuation Dispute

Yahoo

time20 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Disney to Pay Comcast $438.7M for Full Hulu Ownership, Ending Valuation Dispute

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) is one of the best Dow stocks to invest in. The company has agreed to pay Comcast $438.7 million to buy out its remaining stake in the streaming service Hulu, ending a lengthy appraisal process. In 2023, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) announced its plan to acquire Comcast's 33% share of Hulu, paying $8.6 billion based on a minimum value of $27.5 billion that the companies had agreed on in 2019. This move wasn't unexpected, as reports had indicated Disney's intention to gain full control of Hulu. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) had originally acquired a two-thirds stake in Hulu through its purchase of Fox Corp.'s entertainment assets. After the initial payment, Disney and Comcast entered an appraisal process initially set to finish in 2024. The deal is expected to be finalized by July 24. Disney CEO Bob Iger made the following statement: 'We are pleased this is finally resolved. We have had a productive partnership with NBCUniversal, and we wish them the best of luck.' Meanwhile, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has started merging Hulu with its other streaming services, which are also bundled with ESPN+, its sports streaming platform. While we acknowledge the potential of DIS as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and Disclosure. None.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store