Perry Ad Campaign Targets Illinois Businesses

Updated, April 17: 

Gov. Rick Perry expanded his Illinois ad campaign Wednesday with the announcement of a radio ad, and he has a planned trip to Chicago next week.

Perry will travel to Chicago on Monday to speak at the BIO International Convention, a conference focused on the biotechnology industry, his office announced. Perry also plans to meet with members of the financial industry in Chicago during his trip.

His office also confirmed that TexasOne, a nonprofit, has spent an additional $42,000 to purchase air time on four Chicago radio stations for an ad aimed at promoting Texas to the city's businesses. 

Original story:

Two months after engaging in a widely publicized campaign for California businesses, Gov. Rick Perry launched an effort Monday to poach jobs from Illinois — and he's not mincing words.

"If you’re a business owner in Illinois, I want to express my admiration for your ability to survive in an environment that, intentionally or not, is designed for you to fail," Perry says in "an open letter" that serves as the centerpiece of ads published in Crain’s Chicago Business and on the newspaper's website. "With rising taxes and government interference on the upswing, your situation is not unlike a burning building on the verge of collapse."

Perry's office said the weeklong ad campaign cost $38,450 and was paid for by TexasOne, a nonprofit corporation managed by the governor's office.

The ad campaign compares Texas and Illinois on several metrics related to business costs, including income taxes, average hourly earnings and union membership. 

"If you’re ready for a fresh start in a place that appreciates job creators like you, it’s time to check out Texas," Perry says in the ad.

Earlier this year, Perry made a small radio ad buy in California targeting businesses there. The ad drew considerable media attention after California Gov. Jerry Brown described the promotion as "barely a fart." Perry followed the radio ads with a visit to the state.