Raymond James Financial has been advertising its services during broadcasts of the French Open for the past several years. But this year the exposure elicited some concern from a handful of the St. Petersburg company's financial advisers.
According to a company spokesman, a few employees complained that their clients might be turned off by seeing Raymond James' advertising support for a French event in light of that country's refusal to support the United States in the war in Iraq. The company's ads will run on ESPN and NBC through the conclusion of the tournament June 6.
Tom James, the company's chief executive, responded to those concerned by saying the ads were intended as smart marketing, not political statements.
"Obviously," Raymond James spokesman Michael White said, "tennis is good for our demographics."
