Impeachment comes with a dash of pepper and a sprinkle of salt, at least for Penzey’s Spices.
The Wisconsin spice company has spent $2.5 million on political ads on Facebook since 2018, according to Facebook’s ad library.
Acronym’s email newsletter, FWIW, estimates that Penzey’s Spices has spent $126,494 on impeachment ads between October 13-October 19.
Chief executive Bill Penzey wrote on Facebook, “The president is trying to use Facebook to turn America against his removal from office. Together we can offset his message and maybe even overcome it.”
The company is not above puns. Vox notes Penzey’s has trademarked the phrase “Season Liberally” as a slogan.
At one point, Penzey’s Spices impeachment ad spending was second to President Trump’s Facebook spending, according to the Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, meaning they were out-spending everyone on pro-impeachment ads.
The president has spent $24 million on Facebook ads this year, according to FWIW. But his spending has slowed down significantly. This week on the campaign trail both billionaire Tom Steyer and Mayor Pete Buttigieg outspent Trump on Facebook ads.
Penzey’s Spices have been using revenue from their sales to push more ads about impeachment. In July, the company promoted Tsar Dust Memories Russian Style Seasoning, along with a recipe for a Nothing Burger.
One of the ads run on October 9 started, “Because somebody needs to say this: It’s the end of the Republican Party as we know it—And we should all feel fine :)”
The company doesn’t care about losing customers, says Penzey. “To those cheesed off at us for doing this,” he wrote, “I am sorry but you need this more than anyone. … I get that you might have to quit us for a while. But one day you will see this man for what in your heart you already know him to be.”
