LA GRANDE — The Ad Dad, a fast-growing video and audio production company, will be relocating to 911 Jefferson Avenue, where it will expand its video filming studios and introduce a new rental service for outdoor party furnishings.

Business partners K.C. Kunkle and Jeffry Forbes said their 4-year-old business outgrew its former space at 1009 Adams Avenue, Suite C, where KCMB Radio used to be located for 36 years. The Ad Dad operated there for four years as content creators of digital promotion and advertising of local businesses. Now The Ad Dad will expand into the former Observer building on Jefferson Avenue with almost twice the square footage.

“It’s a substantial upgrade,” Kunkle said, “and we’ll be completely moved in by Thanksgiving.”

The added space in the new building will be used for a full video studio, complete with different backdrops, fake walls, and furniture. This will allow the content creators to do more filming at the studio under controlled conditions and less filming on location, with its occasional complications.

“We’re always going to film something on location, but now we’ll be able to do a lot more of the interviews in-house,” Kunkle said.

As part of The Ad Dad vision, Kunkle and Forbes saw a huge need for custom content creation in Eastern Oregon.

“We at The Ad Dad are very proud to provide modern, professional digital products and content,” Kunkle said. “It’s our mission to capture an organization’s promotional and outreach ideas, create custom content, and captivate viewers across any platform.”

So, The Ad Dad offers video production, web design, audio production, event audio and video at live events, and its own advertising platform called Community Vision, as well as advertising consulting services.

Community Vision encompasses local video ads that target specific audiences. It’s a network of screens placed in strategic local locations that showcase businesses. Currently, 37 TV screens are installed around town. On the back side of those screens are players that are connected to the internet.

When a business customer buys into the Community Vision service, their ad is created by The Ad Dad, and then it becomes part of a playlist of ads that run across all the screens.

“The TV screens are installed in places like waiting rooms, restaurants, bars, quick lube shops, tire shops, and dental offices,” Kunkle said. “That has been well-received by the community.”

All types of businesses use the Community Vision service to advertise their business news. That includes anything from a new item on a restaurant’s menu, to a sod farmer’s ad, to a local country music festival selling tickets. 

People interested in advertising on the Community Vision service can email Kunkle at kc@myaddad.com.

Background in the business

Kunkle, a Union resident, has formed a business partnership with someone he highly esteems.

“Jeffry brings a vast experience of relationships and the value that comes from having those relationships,” Kunkle said. “He also brings many years of audio production background.”

Before launching The Ad Dad, Kunkle and Forbes worked together at a radio station. Kunkle was working in sales and Forbes was creating commercials, so Forbes has audio and video editing experience.

“He brings a creative element to everything he touches,” Kunkle said.

Forbes has always enjoyed playing music, so he has many years of experience in that and audio production. He grew up in the Albany-Corvallis area, but he’s spent the last 25 years in Union County. Together Forbes and Kunkle have combined their talents to bond in business.

Forbes said, “K.C. goes 900 miles per hour all the time. He’s highly intelligent, a great people person, and he’s really the face of the business.”

“He does a lot of things behind the scenes in the business that no one ever sees,” Forbes said. “When he’s focused on something, he’s just determined. He always gets the shot, and he always gives one hundred percent.”

“If every business had a K.C., they would flourish,” Forbes said. “All of his creative ideas that we dove into have worked.”

Hatching the business

When Kunkle and Forbes worked together in radio, they enjoyed it, but they always felt that there was more to advertising. So, they discussed the idea of going in business together.

“Then COVID hit,” Kunkle said. “So, we started doing videos to help our radio clients.”

Kunkle bought a camera, and he and Forbes started producing videos.

“We just decided that maybe this is what we were supposed to do, so we left radio and spent many hours with editing software and the camera,” Forbes said.

Then the partners invited another talent into their business, Cliff Tarpy of La Grande.

“He was a computer genius, so then with the three of us, it was like the perfect storm,” Forbes said. “I was going to produce and edit, Cliff was going to figure out all the computer stuff, and K.C. was going to be the face and sell. So, we started it, and it started rolling.”

Expansion and success

The idea of Community Vision took off rapidly.

The reason it has worked for The Ad Dad, Forbes said, is because their work has made their clients happy. Among their clients are Grande Ronde Hospital, Northwood, Eastern Oregon University, Sheriff Cody Bowen’s campaign, Old West and others. 

The latest additional service at The Ad Dad is called “The Rental Station.” It’s a party and special event rental service. People who are planning an outdoor event can now rent tents, chairs, tables, cables, sound systems, screens and other furnishings for their events.

“We will be hiring new employees to provide this service to our customers,” Kunkle said.

The Ad Dad is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be reached at 541-605-3174. The business can be followed on Facebook and Instagram.