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Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This Year's White House Easter Egg Roll Was Sponsored by Big Tech
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." President Trump and first lady Melania Trump hosted the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday. Traditionally, the event has been considered apolitical and the only backer was the American Egg Board. But this year, the event took on a decidedly different look with corporate sponsorships introduced for the first time, much to the chagrin of government ethics and legal experts. In reflection of President Trump's stronger ties to Big Tech and Silicon Valley, the top-tier sponsors for this year's event were Amazon, YouTube, and Meta. Details on how the sponsorships appeared on-site remain unclear, but Politico reports that Amazon is behind activities on the South Lawn, including the reading nook and a family photo area. Meta is providing an 'AI-powered experience' and accompanying photo op, while YouTube is sponsoring the Bunny Hop Stage. The event started on a somber note as President Trump, flanked by the first lady and an Easter bunny, made additional remarks to his short statement on the death of Pope Francis earlier in the day. The White House solicited corporate sponsors through an outside production agency, Harbinger, according to CNN. Sponsors contributing $200,000 receive a custom 30-by-30-foot branded activation space, four tickets to the Easter Egg Roll brunch with the first lady, and the option of a meet-and-greet or White House tour. Lower-tier packages are available at $125,000 and $75,000. The White House Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878 under President Rutherford B. Hayes, though informal egg-rolling gatherings began earlier during the Lincoln administration. After egg rolling was banned on Capitol grounds in the 1870s, children were invited to the White House lawn, launching what became an annual tradition. Over time, first ladies have shaped the event with their own touches—from folk dancing to the iconic egg roll races—and attendance grew so large that limits were eventually imposed. (Today, the White House uses an online lottery system to offer free tickets to families across all 56 U.S. states and territories.) The tradition was paused during World War II, but was reinstated in 1953. Since 1981, guests have received commemorative wooden eggs signed by the President and First Lady. Additional corporate sponsors behind this year's Easter Egg Roll include the Toy Association, the International Fresh Produce Association, and the National Confectioners Association. The American Egg Board is still supporting the event, supplying the 30,000 hard-boiled (or 2,500 dozen) eggs. The organization also continued another tradition—that of the First Lady's Commemorative Egg, an intricately decorated real egg honoring each First Lady's values and initiatives. The 2025 First Lady's Commemorative Egg, inspired by Melania Trump's 'Be Best' initiative, features butterfly imagery carved into a chicken egg to symbolize growth. You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
White House Easter Egg Roll Presented With Corporate Sponsorship
The purity of the White House's Easter Egg Roll is no more, as this year's annual event was heavy on corporate sponsorship. Big tech firms including Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta were among the numerous companies sponsoring activities on the White House grounds Monday morning. Amazon sponsored the 'Reading Nook,' Meta was involved with the 'AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity,' and Alphabet's YouTube sponsored the 'Bunny Hop Stage.' Big tech has had a close relationship with the administration of President Donald Trump since the start of the second term. Senior leadership including Alphabet's Sundar Pichai, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg were present at Trump's inauguration in January. And Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta have also scaled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in recent months, in line with the administration's policies. The White House announced that American egg farmers, through the American Egg Board, donated 30,000 real small and midsized hard-boiled eggs that were used during the South Lawn festivities. The American Egg Board was also one of the event's sponsors, covering two activities: the 'Garden Café for Tasty Treats' and the 'Hen to Home Activity.' The Easter Egg Roll tradition at the White House dates back to 1878. It was privately funded and had stayed free from corporate sponsorship until this year. CNN reported in March that the cost of sponsorship of the Easter Egg Roll ranged from $75,000 to $200,000, with the White House offering logo and branding opportunities in return. CNN added that sponsorship proceeds will go toward the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit organization that preserves the White House's history.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Will they win back favor from Donald Trump? These are the companies sponsoring the 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll
The White House Easter Egg Roll in 2025 seems like a corporate event, with major tech corporations rushing to sponsor the historic tradition, as per a report. For the first time, this classic tradition will be heavily branded, with big names in Silicon Valley to maintain close ties with the US president Donald Trump and his administration. Corporate Sponsors in the White House Easter Egg Roll 2025 Trump and the first lady Melania Trump will host thousands of visitors to the South Lawn on Monday to experience the annual tradition, which dates back to 1878, as per Business Insider. The event will now include additional activities from technology titans such as Meta, Amazon, YouTube, and even the New York Stock Exchange, according to the report. Meta, Facebook's parent company, will provide an "AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity," Amazon is providing a reading nook, where families can have a "Family Photo Opportunity Celebrating Reading," and Google-owned YouTube is providing the Bunny Hop Stage for children to meet their favorite creators, reported Business Insider. The New York Stock Exchange will introduce a "Ringing of the Bell Photo Opportunity," as per the report. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads View Deals Undo A Shift Towards Expanded Branding While corporate sponsorship is not new to the White House Easter Egg Roll, but the Trump administration has initiated an opening up to more branding possibilities, with sponsorship deals costing anywhere from $75,000 to $200,000, reported Business Insider. The increased sponsorships are a new development for the White House, as per the report. Executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Donald Sherman told CNN in an interview, "I understand that there are corporate sponsors for the Easter Egg Roll. What I have not seen before is sort of the outright solicitation and the use of the imprimatur of the White House to give corporate sponsorship," quoted Business Insider. Live Events Tech Industry Navigates US-China Trade Tensions The tech partnerships occur as the technology sector cautiously navigates the escalating trade tensions between the US and China, as per the report. Last week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had highlighted that tech firms would be exempted from retaliatory tariffs for the time being but also cautioned that they may encounter further tariffs in the future, according to Business Insider. FAQs Who are the main sponsors this year? Tech giants like Meta, Amazon, YouTube, and even the New York Stock Exchange are major sponsors of the 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll, as per the report. Is it common for corporate sponsors to be involved? While sponsors have always been part of the event, this year's corporate involvement is much more noticeable, especially with big names like Meta and Amazon.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's White House Easter Egg Roll is brought to you by Big Tech
The 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll will take place on Monday. The event secured partnerships with Meta, Amazon, YouTube, and other companies. Big Tech leaders have sought favor with the Trump administration. The 2025 White House Easter Egg Roll has gone corporate. President Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, will welcome guests to the South Lawn on Monday to celebrate the annual event. First hosted by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878, the White House Easter Egg Roll has become a tradition that now includes 30,000 eggs. The White House unveiled the full list of the event's partnerships on Friday, revealing what appears to be yet another effort by Big Tech companies to make nice with the Trump administration. Meta will provide an "AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity," while Amazon will provide a reading nook and a "Family Photo Opportunity Celebrating Reading." YouTube, owned by Google, arranged the Bunny Hop Stage. The New York Stock Exchange also agreed to partner and provide a "Ringing of the Bell Photo Opportunity." The White House used event company Harbinger to find corporate sponsors for this year's event, according to CNN. The outlet reported that offers ranged from $75,000 to $200,000 with logo and brand opportunities. While the event has had sponsors in the past, it was previously tightly controlled. The expanded branding opportunities are new territory for the Oval Office. "I understand that there are corporate sponsors for the Easter Egg Roll," Donald Sherman, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told CNN. "What I have not seen before is sort of the outright solicitation and the use of the imprimatur of the White House to give corporate sponsorship." Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos are among the Silicon Valley titans who've worked to gain favor with Trump in recent months. The pair, alongside OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and others, pledged $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee last December. In January, Zuckerberg named longtime Republican Joe Kaplan as Meta's head of policy, replacing former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Meta also announced several policy changes to how it moderates content, including axing third-party fact-checkers — a move likely meant to appease Trump, who once sued Zuckerberg and threatened him with prison after Facebook banned Trump's account in the wake of the Capitol riots. Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, meanwhile, prevented the newspaper from endorsing former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. In February, Bezos also shook up the Post's opinion section, saying it would now focus on defending "personal liberties and free markets." For its part, Google also donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. A spokesperson for YouTube told Business Insider that its participation in the White House Easter Egg Roll "has become an annual tradition, and we do so in line with the administration's process." It's the tech giant's third consecutive year participating in the White House Easter Egg Roll. "Our goal is to provide an opportunity for kids to meet their favorite creators, and we look forward to having a presence once again this year," the statement said. A spokesperson for Amazon declined to comment. Meta, the New York Stock Exchange, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment. The partnerships come as the tech industry navigates Trump's ongoing trade war with China. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last week said tech companies would be excluded from reciprocal tariffs, but could be subject to additional tariffs in the near future. Ahead of the event, Melania Trump shared an X post thanking White House staff. "As families across the nation gather to celebrate Easter, I extend my gratitude to the dedicated East Wing Staff for their tireless effort in preparing the upcoming White House Easter Egg Roll," she wrote on X. "This cherished tradition, rooted in history since 1878, brings joy, storytelling, and laughter to America's children. I look forward to watching all of the smiles light up this memorable day, on Monday." Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta, Amazon, YouTube among White House Easter Egg Roll sponsors
This year's White House Easter Egg roll on the South Lawn will feature events sponsored by some major corporations, including Amazon, Meta, Youtube. Amazon is sponsoring the reading nook offered to guests, while Meta plans to offer an AI-Powered experience and photo opportunities in addition to Youtube's Bunny Hop Stage according to a Friday release. First lady Melania Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt are each slated to read to children in attendance. Monday's event will also feature performances from the United States' Marine, Army, Navy and Air Force Bands. The White House traditionally partners with Harbinger, an outside production company, to fuel games and activities for families invited to join the yearly celebration. This year, the two entities solicited corporations to donate $75,000 to $200,000 in sponsorships with the promise of on-campus branding and logo displays typically banned due to concerns of private gain spurred by taxpayer dollars. This year's tech sponsorships were also top donors to President Trump's inaugural fund. Their donations continue to be spotlighted as a potential avenue for CEOs to bypass the reins set by lawmakers in Washington. The New York Stock Exchange, Toy Association, International Fresh Produce Association and the National Confectioners Association were also listed as additional sponsors. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
