Screen Strategies Media is a for-profit media buying and placement company that primarily works with Democratic candidates and center-left causes. The company has worked with some of the biggest names in the Democratic Party and on several swing district Congressional races.

In the 2020 elections, Screen Strategies Media did more than $130 million in business. It worked for some of the biggest campaigns that cycle such as Cal Cunningham’s failed bid for the U.S. Senate from North Carolina. ¹

Overview

Screen Strategies Media is a for-profit political consulting firm that works with Democratic Party candidates and center-left. The company specializes in TV advertising buying and placement. ²

The company was founded in 2013 by Kyle Osterhout, a Democratic political consultant with over 25 years in the advertising and political consulting industry. Among the clients the company has worked with are Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke (D) and Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tammy Duckworth (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Jeff Merkley (D-AZ). ³

Partnership With Talbot Digital

In 2017, Screen Strategies Media announced a partnership with the Democratic digital consulting firm Talbot Digital to offer Democratic campaigns a comprehensive solution for buying television and digital media advertising in the same package, to save money and time. At the time, no other Democratic political consultants were offering this service. ⁴

2018 Election Cycle

In the 2018 election cycle, Screen Strategies Media did nearly $130 million worth of business from Democratic Party candidates and causes. Its biggest client was then-U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke (D-TX), who spent more $23 million in his failed U.S. Senate bid. Their second biggest client, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) spent more than $22 million with them in her failed reelection bid. ⁵

2020 Election Cycle

In the 2020 election cycle, Screen Strategies Media did more $130 million in business with Democratic Party candidates and causes. Its biggest client was Cal Cunningham, who ran for the U.S. Senate from North Carolina. He spent more than $37 million with the agency in his failed bid. In addition to working with Congressional clients, the agency was the TV advertising vendor for U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). She spent $14 million with the agency before ending her presidential campaign. ⁶

Ownership

The company is co-owned by Kyle Osterhout and Rachael Jones. Previous to founding his company, Osterhout was a partner at Media Strategies and Research, a Democratic political consulting firm. ⁷ Osterhout has been in the advertising industry for more than 30 years. ⁸

1. “Vendor/Recipient Profile: SCREEN STRATEGIES MEDIA.”  Opensecrets. Accessed June 6, 2022 https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2020&vendor=SCREEN+STRATEGIES+MEDIA.
2.  “Leading Dem Firms Unite.” Talbot Digital. Oct. 10, 2017. https://talbotdigital.com/partnership/.
3. “Kyle Osterhout.” Linkedin. Accessed June 6, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-osterhout-2602134/.
4. “Leading Dem Firms Unite.” Talbot Digital. Oct. 10, 2017. https://talbotdigital.com/partnership/.
5. “Vendor/Recipient Profile: SCREEN STRATEGIES MEDIA.” Opensecrets. Accessed June 6, 2022. https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2018&vendor=SCREEN+STRATEGIES+MEDIA.
6. “Vendor/Recipient Profile: SCREEN STRATEGIES MEDIA.” Opensecrets. Accessed June 6, 2022. https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2020&vendor=SCREEN+STRATEGIES+MEDIA.
7. “Kyle Osterhout.” Linkedin. Accessed June 6, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-osterhout-2602134/.
8. “Leading Dem Firms Unite.” Talbot Digital. Oct. 10, 2017. https://talbotdigital.com/partnership/.