Hungarian Development Bank spends hundreds of millions on advertising

As a response to our freedom of information request Hungarian Development Bank (MFB) handed out documents on ad and pr spending in different medias. We were interested to learn about their public transport loan scheme’s promotion, but according to the Bank’s claim they did not spend any forints on this topic, they promoted other services instead. We obtained the media plans for April and May which is part of MFB’s one-year-long partnership with Bell and Partners worth 396 million HUF. According to the documents MFB spent the most on outdoor advertising: in April 76,4 million, in May 108 million went on billboards, citylights, etc. Biggest print media order was placed at the Fidesz-related Metropol: in April 11 million, in May 9 million HUF were spent on ads and pr articles. Fidesz- friendly Magyar Nemzet, Heti  Válasz and Demokrata got 4.8, 4.2, 1.5 million HUF each month. 2.5 million in April and 1.8 million in May were spent on advertising and supporting promotion in the daily Napi gazdaság and 1.5 million each month in the weekly Demokrata. Some more ads were placed in smaller agricultural and judiciary periodicals.

Atlatszo.hu also learned about MFB’s radio ad spending in April and May. Although MFB gave 10.76 million to Class FM, 8.2 million to Kossuth, 2.2 million to Lánchíd Rádió and 1.95 million to Inforádió, Class FM became the only radio to get orders in May ang they got it for the same price as in the last month.

Despite the numbers listed upon advertisement is not the biggest cost what MFB paid from public funds in the last months. 11 public bus companies got loans from a budget of 13 billion HUF. 3.663 billion went to Volánbusz, the biggest coach company in Hungary, and on the second place we can see Pannon Volán with a 3 billion HUF loan. Gemenc Volán, Szabolcs Volán and Kapos Volán got sums between 1 and 1.5 billion. Vasi Volán gained 783 million, Somló Volán 720.4 million, Kisalföld Volán 585 million, Hajdú Volán 500 million, Balaton Volán 272 million and the smallest loan worth 150 million went to Bakony Volán. All these loans have a maximum 15 years duration and 9 out of the 11 granted companies are based in West-Hungary.