Donald Trump's campaign spending more than doubled in July, and one company in particular reaped the benefits.
Trump's campaign reported $18.5 million in disbursements for July, up from $7.8 million in June, according to Federal Election Commission data released this weekend. About 45 percent of that, or $8.4 million, went to Giles-Parscale, a San Antonio–based company that designed Trump's website and handles digital marketing. The firm received $1.6 million in June.
Trump's campaign reported that it paid Giles-Parscale for "digital consulting/online advertising" in July, bringing its total expenses reported to the company to more than $12 million since last May. The big jump in spending on Giles-Parscale's services in July — while disbursements to payroll expenditures barely budged and television ad buys had not yet started — highlights the Trump campaign's unconventional approach to spending so far in this election.
Giles-Parscale, a web design and marketing company, highlights a variety of services on its website, including website design, online advertising, and search-engine and social-media marketing. It currently has more than 100 employees and contractors and was growing even before the pickup in business from Trump's campaign, said Brad Parscale, the company's president and digital director for the Trump campaign.
"The digital division is highly organized and ready to meet all of the needs to help Mr. Trump raise the proper money, reach the correct audiences and get people out to vote," Parscale said.
Trump is Giles-Parscale's first major political client, but Parscale worked with the Trump family on digital-marketing efforts before Trump launched his unlikely bid for president in June 2015. The Trump campaign has boosted its digital-fundraising efforts through email and social-media platforms in recent months.
Parscale personally supports Trump, filling his Twitter feed with pro-Trump messages. He has also donated $583 to Trump's campaign since last August, according to the FEC.
Trump has run a lean campaign compared with recent presidential nominees. His campaign's big spending jump to Giles-Parscale coincides with a big fundraising boost in July, largely driven by digital efforts.
The Trump campaign reported total receipts of $36.7 million in July, up from $26.7 million in June.
The Trump campaign has increased its spending on digital efforts, but only this month made its first television ad buy in battleground states.