SaysMe.TV Raises First Round For User-Gen Political Ads; Intel, Ashton Kutcher Invest

(PaidContent.org)  This story was written by Joseph Weisenthal.

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Supporters of the various candidates for president are already producing and uploading their own ads, so why not turn that into a business. Drawing inspiration from SpotRunner, SaysMe.TV has created a library of political ads that individual can buy, slap their name on, and run for cheap on various networks. One way this is works is for candidates to create and ad, upload it to the site, but then let its supporters pay for it with their own funding (I'm curious about whether this runs into some regulatory gray areas, pertaining to candidates coordinating with outside backers.) Additionally, users can create their own ads and get paid when someone decides to run it. The company has announced a first round from Intel (NSDQ: INTC) Capital, Prime Capital, Katalyst Films (Ashton Kutcher's company), Bill Apfelbaum and other unidentified angles. The amount was not disclosed. Perhaps bowing to the inherent cyclicality of the political advertising business, SaysMe says it will use the funding to expand outside of the political vertical. Founder and CEO Lisa Eisenpresser was previously involved in the infomercial business at Sunshine Direct. Release.


By Joseph Weisenthal