Richmond’s POOLHOUSE agency, which created ads for Glenn Youngkin’s successful campaign to become Virginia’s governor, to open D.C. office
With an eye toward picking up advocacy clients and more congressional business, Richmond, Va.-headquartered POOLHOUSE is getting ready to officially open its new DC office space — a move other firms may consider as the 2024 cycle is likely to begin earlier than ever, reports Campaigns & Elections.
The Poolhouse Agency “created and produced roughly 40 ads for Glenn Youngkin, a first-time candidate who edged former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia. The race attracted heavy national attention and is seen as a bellwether ahead of next year’s midterm elections,” reports Fox.
According to C&E, “Will Ritter, co-founder and CEO of the GOP media firm, said his shop got a “pandemic deal” when they signed for space in a building at 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE — a short walk from the Capitol.”
“We were looking at some spots that would have been harder to get during a pandemic,” he said, noting the firm signed the lease several months ago. The official opening is set for Sept. 29.
Part of the reason, adds C&E, is that “Ritter wanted DC space for his firm, which also has offices in Atlanta, was simply fatigue with the alternatives.”
“Trying to take over a corner of a Starbucks while coffee is being ground in the background and you’ve got to ask for the bathroom code — a moment like this made sense for a number of reasons,” he said.
Ritter’s company has also been mainly working in-person even during the pandemic. Its DC-based staff, which includes co-founder Tim O’Toole and producer Tom Dickens, had been using co-working spaces.
“We are a creative company at our heart and creativity means in-person work,” Ritter said. “It means collaboration, and particularly in this kind of fast-paced environment, you need to have the best minds you have around the table banging things out. We think that’s something that you cannot replace with Zoom. You’ve got to make the investment.”
PHOTO: POOLHOUSE
