The state of Utah has picked Salt Lake-based W Communications to undertake a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign to sell Utah tourism, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. announced Wednesday afternoon.

The local advertising firm won the $7 million to $10 million contract from among 20 bidders, Huntsman spokeswoman Tammy Kikuchi said.

"Eight finalists were chosen to give oral presentations to a panel made up of tourism-related organizations from around the state," said Kikuchi.

The 2005 Legislature greatly increased tourism advertising spending at the request of Huntsman, who said Utah was losing the tourism battle to surrounding states. Fourteen million dollars will be spent over two years, with $10 million in tourism advertising coming over the next 12 months.

W Communications was founded by Jeff Wright, a GOP congressional candidate in 2002 and a major Republican supporter.

But Jason Chaffetz, Huntsman chief of staff, said Wright's political connections had nothing to do with the awarding of the contract. Chaffetz, who managed Huntsman's 2004 campaign, said Huntsman did not use W Communications in his campaign. In fact, W Communications did the advertising for one of Huntsman's GOP challengers, Fred Lampropoulos.

Wright, however, did contribute $2,000 to Huntsman's campaign, campaign records show. And over time, Wright has been a major donor to other GOP campaigns and to the state GOP.

"W Communications has put together a talented team of local and national advertising and public relations professionals who have a passion for Utah," said Leigh von der Esch, managing director of tourism for the Governor's Office of Economic Development, which will oversee the contract. "The process has reminded me of what creativity and talent we are fortunate to have in our state."

W Communications is joined in the state advertising campaign by Gordon Bowen, executive creative director; M Booth and Associates, a New York-based public relations firm; and Carat, a media-buying agency based in Los Angeles, said Kikuchi.

---

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com