Duggar Sponsors

[Quiverfullofit]

I was wondering what were some of the sponsorships the Duggars have had in the past couple years?

After Jill got married there was a few sponsored-like instgram posts (IHop, Chik-Fil-A, Ductape) and then there was that episode where Jim Bob and the kids made go karts, which felt more like a bad ad than family bonding, but is there any other verified (or speculative) sponsorships they have had?

 

Honestly if I was a detergent or washing machine company I would definitely try to use the Duggars! (I can just picture Michelle using her baby voice "I'm Michelle Duggar and I gave birth to everyyyone of my children living at home, and we have a lot of laundry! But using __ has been such a blessing with their ...")

 

Also, what do you think makes companies sponsor people like the Duggars? I wouldn't necessarily go to Chik-Fil-A just because I saw Jill Duggar going, or are they really famous fundies?

 

 

This is my first topic!

[eh02]

I could see the Duggars shilling for Chick-fil-A "just for fun" because they're so obsessed with "Christian businesses." But when they feature products with no obvious connection to their beliefs (like Cracker Barrel) I assume they're getting some goodies for free, if not a check.

I was actually wondering if some of their registry items might even be ad related. I remember Jill registered for that new type of Gerber snack thing (some kind of puffs or something?) that clearly her child would not be able to eat for quite a while. That product was pretty new when her registry went up and I'd been seeing a lot of ads for it elsewhere, so it felt pretty weird and unlikely that she put it on the registry on her own.

[HarleyQuinn]

I always felt like they had something with Walmart (pre DerickDillard) because they talked about it so much.

[Elvis Presby]

Famous Footwear was one too. When all the girls went shoe shopping for Jill's wedding.

[snarkykitty]

I always felt like they had something with Walmart (pre DerickDillard) because they talked about it so much.

In the area in which they live - NorthWest Arkansas - Walmart is king, so it doesn't surprise me that they mention it frequently.

Some towns have more than one store. Everyone in that area has either has worked at a store, in HQ, or for one of of the Vendor companies (or knows someone who has). In addition, nearly everyone shops there - regardless of economic status. The grocery sections and the stores overall are well maintained and stocked (unlike the stores much further away from NWA).

Chick-Fil-A is also really popular there - they're everywhere.

[16strong]

Famous Footwear was one too. When all the girls went shoe shopping for Jill's wedding.

Yes, and their declaration that it was their "one-stop shop" for when they needed shoes for the family was a little too staged for me. Honestly, I see them going to Payless, Wal-mart, or Ross for shoes. Not FF.

[grandmadugger]

The WalMart thing was never an eyebrow raiser for me. Sometimes that's the only place to shop especially when they are so close to HQ. I mention WM all the time and I'm not sponsored by them its the only store under 50 miles away.

[Quiverfullofit]

Yes, and their declaration that it was their "one-stop shop" for when they needed shoes for the family was a little too staged for me. Honestly, I see them going to Payless, Wal-mart, or Ross for shoes. Not FF.

I didn't catch that! It does seem very staged.

I love Payless. Just about all my wedges/heels are from there and they haven't messed up years later. My gf's family always asks where I got my "new cute shoes" and before I can answer another sister or my gf will say "Payless!"

[roddma]

Hobby Lobby is another they havent mentioned in awhile. Anna and Amy went there to make shoes for Josie. I do think that was staged. It seemed they had no interest.

[MatthewDuggar]

I don't recall them talking about Walmart much at all if ever on the show... They may have mentioned it once or twice, but if they were trying to promote the brand it would have been much more obvious.

[eh02]

The shoe store thing was definitely, 100%, an ad.

Michelle going on and on about how everyone in the family can find what they want there, and for such a great price... :roll:

I don't think Jim Bob does anything for free. He probably asks for ways he can trade camera time for goodies or cold hard cash EVERYWHERE HE GOES.

[fabkiwi06]

There are two options here.

1. The Duggars and/or TLC make partnerships with a company to mention on air and do some shopping in exchange for free stuff and filming rights. (highly doubt there is a check exchanged... but it is a possibility. Merchandise would be their first choice though.) Anytime they're filming in a store, this is probably what has happened and everything they're buying is comped by either TLC or the store.

Because so much of Jill's wedding was filmed in store locations and shopping, I'm 99.9% sure that just about everything was payed for by either TLC or "gifted" by the store they were at. It'll be interested to see how much of that we see from Jessa's wedding.

2. The Duggars talk about a company they LOVE because they're hoping that company will notice and send them swag. Examples would be them talking about Chick-Fil-A and Cracker Barrel all the time. However... those bigger companies would have more restrictions on how they would be presented on air and would probably not bite at the deal. So the Duggars are just hopeful and trying to get free stuff but it's not working so they keep doing it.

2.5 It's possible their constant mentioning has worked and Chick-Fil-A and Cracker Barrel sent them some stuff and kept it on the DL because they're not stupid and know the Duggars bring bad press as often as they bring good press.

[19 cats and counting]

What about that MLM company/saleswoman that did their nails for Jill's wedding?

[fabkiwi06]

Didn't she do a blog post about it... I remember reading about that on FJ. All those products were provided at the cost of the company. And I think the Duggars got goody bags after their "spa day".

[CorruptionInc.]

It was a Jamberry nail party which was a gift from a leghumper.

She was a friend of Mrs. Smug prior to their move and because she was invited to Jill's wedding shower, she wasn't sure what to get her; so the party was her gift.

This was on the Duggar family blog.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

I could see the Duggars shilling for Chick-fil-A "just for fun" because they're so obsessed with "Christian businesses." But when they feature products with no obvious connection to their beliefs (like Cracker Barrel) I assume they're getting some goodies for free, if not a check.

I was actually wondering if some of their registry items might even be ad related. I remember Jill registered for that new type of Gerber snack thing (some kind of puffs or something?) that clearly her child would not be able to eat for quite a while. That product was pretty new when her registry went up and I'd been seeing a lot of ads for it elsewhere, so it felt pretty weird and unlikely that she put it on the registry on her own.

Chick-fil-A's founder, like Hobby Lobby's founder, is an ATI/IBLP "friend of Bill" As was that family retreat place--the owners were on World's Stritcest Parents? Fort Rock??

They've had all kinds of product placements over the years--Campbell's soup, Pepperidge farm bread (iirc) toys, Swiffers, you name it. Other stuff when they were building the house or finished the house in the last specials. Who knows--probably the dentist!

Now that its been mentioned--I bet the soapbox derby cars were an ATI Family Business.

[Toothfairy]

They promote cds on their fan page

[CorruptionInc.]

The drink dispenser they have in the kitchen is an interesting one. I am unsure if it is used, but I wonder if that is some strategic marketing right there?

[MatthewDuggar]

The drink dispenser they have in the kitchen is an interesting one. I am unsure if it is used, but I wonder if that is some strategic marketing right there?

I'm not sure for what. Michelle has stated a few times they don't have soda in it and no mention what if anything is in it. There are no brand soda labels on it. I think it was one of those things that was thrown in with their commercial kitchen appliance purchase and they thought it would be cool to install. I hope that if they use it, they clean it out. Having worked in fast food long ago, I can recall the lines in those things having to be cleaned out and sanitized frequently.

[hollywood]

I remember Anna promoting some type of kids drinkbox. She put it in her diaper bag and they zoomed in on it and she said something like "I want my kids to be healthy and strong, and this is so easy and handy"

It was like enfagrow or something.

[Quiverfullofit]

This is way more than I ever thought.

Did they have any sponsors during the first few specials? Or is this a new thing now that they're more widely known?

[Nic]

A few that I think are possible...

1) JB took the boys (only I think) to a DQ that was owned by a buddy of his. I only remember it because I thought it looked different so couldn't tell if the DQ was fitting into the strip mall or was taking over another business.

2) Carmens coffeeshop... Jinger's fav place for her vice and they got that missionary thing going on there with orphans or some such. That's got to be worth either getting more locals to go (even for a possible Duggar spotting) or others to call in for donations

3) Aldi's Germany owned discount grocery store +random stuff. Off-brand products-- like seriously companies you never heard of for the most part. Maybe the occasional Ragu, but for the most part it's Magu or Raga) so I don't think they'd have the Duggars as their spokespeople, but they always show the Aldi's sign before going in. That's where they are shown doing the bulk of their grocery shopping that Ive seen.

[MatthewDuggar]

How about the big plastic playset that Anna put up all by herself on their deck? That was pretty random.

Didn't they show a Keurig quite a bit at the TTH?

[LittleOleMe]

The sponsorship started with their last special before the show started, 16 kids and moving in. TLC finished their house and then decorated it and furnished it, even getting that grand piano that J'chelle so carefully grifted from them. (I won't snark on her for that, mainly bc I do this when I can with :D ) Once the show started, they started using detergent and swiffers and stuff.

That play set was random. Wasn't that the same episode as the crap she was trying to pass off as "healthy and awesome" for her kids? I think that was also when Anna was feeding the kids cut up fruit to show she does feed her children healthy foods. (In all honesty, I think she actually does feed them well, but she can't control was Josh eats when he's at "work".)

[CorruptionInc.]

I would say that Anna does feed herself and her children well.

It would show on them if they weren't eating well.

For all we know, Smug could be stress eating because he's way over his league in the job he currently has.