Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office of Business and Economic development has picked a major public relations firm based in New York to take on the task of improving California’s national image with an ad campaign. A spokesman for the office confirmed Friday the administration issued the notice of intent to award Edelman with the contract worth up to $19 million in taxpayer funds for the campaign. KCRA 3 was the first to report the development on Friday night. Edelman is considered the world’s largest communications firm. It has offices across the world, including one in Los Angeles and another in San Francisco.The firm has had a long list of clients in various sectors including Dove, eBay, Heineken, AstraZeneca, Yum! Brands and Starbucks. The firm has also been scrutinized for its push to fight climate change while retaining longstanding relationships with the oil and gas industry.Last month, the state office also known as Go-Biz posted the request for proposal to help promote the state’s economy and tourism, while pushing back on “negative narratives amplified online and in partisan media.” The contract is expected to run April 6 to Dec. 31 of this year. The RFP stated certified small businesses would be considered first for the job. A spokesman for GoBiz said Edelman included several small businesses in their proposal. KCRA 3 has requested documents showing the top proposals the state considered for the work. Democratic lawmakers who oversee California’s state spending would not say if the campaign is a good use of taxpayer money as the state grapples with major money problems projected this year and in years to come. Republicans have criticized the move, saying it’s meant to promote Gavin Newsom ahead of a likely presidential run. A spokesman for Go-Biz pushed back on those criticisms earlier this month. “The campaign will tell the California story, not the Gavin Newsom story,” read a fact-sheet sent to reporters last month. “The effort is about California’s success, not about politics,” the memo read.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office of Business and Economic development has picked a major public relations firm based in New York to take on the task of improving California’s national image with an ad campaign.

A spokesman for the office confirmed Friday the administration issued the notice of intent to award Edelman with the contract worth up to $19 million in taxpayer funds for the campaign. KCRA 3 was the first to report the development on Friday night.

Edelman is considered the world’s largest communications firm. It has offices across the world, including one in Los Angeles and another in San Francisco.

The firm has had a long list of clients in various sectors including Dove, eBay, Heineken, AstraZeneca, Yum! Brands and Starbucks. The firm has also been scrutinized for its push to fight climate change while retaining longstanding relationships with the oil and gas industry.

Last month, the state office also known as Go-Biz posted the request for proposal to help promote the state’s economy and tourism, while pushing back on “negative narratives amplified online and in partisan media.”

The contract is expected to run April 6 to Dec. 31 of this year. The RFP stated certified small businesses would be considered first for the job. A spokesman for GoBiz said Edelman included several small businesses in their proposal.

KCRA 3 has requested documents showing the top proposals the state considered for the work.

Democratic lawmakers who oversee California’s state spending would not say if the campaign is a good use of taxpayer money as the state grapples with major money problems projected this year and in years to come. Republicans have criticized the move, saying it’s meant to promote Gavin Newsom ahead of a likely presidential run.

A spokesman for Go-Biz pushed back on those criticisms earlier this month.

“The campaign will tell the California story, not the Gavin Newsom story,” read a fact-sheet sent to reporters last month. “The effort is about California’s success, not about politics,” the memo read.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel