Tegan And Telaine Jenkins Hometown Radio Campaign Turns Into Viral Sensation

BLACKFOOT — What started as a fun hometown radio campaign in 2019 to help brand Tadd Jenkins Auto Group as a local, family-oriented business has become a viral sensation on TikTok and Facebook.

Many in eastern Idaho are familiar with the humorous radio spots played on local stations featuring siblings Tegan and Telaine Jenkins. Their playful banter and teasing have brought smiles, laughs, and maybe a few eye-rolls to local listeners.

The idea behind the commercials was to share their close bond and sense of humor with the community. In many of the spots, Telaine questions some of Tegan’s silly ideas or behaviors.

Tadd Jenkins Chevrolet opened in Rigby in 2013, followed by the acquisition of 20th Century Ford in Blackfoot in 2017, which became Tadd Jenkins Ford and added the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Ram dealership. Tadd Jenkins Auto Sales in Idaho Falls opened in September and features quality used vehicles.

The children of Tadd Jenkins, Telaine serves as the fixed operations manager and travels between dealerships, while Tegan is the general sales manager at the Blackfoot locations.

Telaine, the more outgoing of the two, said the campaign was designed to show that Tadd Jenkins Auto Group is rooted in small-town values and dedicated to serving the community. The company’s slogan, “Where small town values endure,” reflects that mission.

“Sometimes when family members work together, they don’t get along,” Telaine said. “Tegan and I get along. I’m eight years older, so he’s used to me bossing him around. We have a great sibling relationship at work and in our personal lives. We’re proud of that. We are blessed.”

Tegan, the quieter sibling, added, “I enjoy working on site in Blackfoot. We do a lot in Blackfoot. It’s a tight-knit community.”

The ads are written by long-time family friend Ken Longmore of Square1 Creative Services in Idaho Falls.

“Ken has known us since we were kids,” Telaine said. “He comes up with the ideas and we approve them.”

Though the two are comfortable with each other, Telaine said it took practice to make the commercials sound natural. “We’ve gotten a lot better from when we first started. We’ve learned to have fun and smile while we’re cutting the spots. That comes through in the commercials.”

Among the most popular radio spots are one where Tegan tries to load a bison into his car and another inspired by the movie “A Christmas Story,” where they joke about sticking their tongues on a frozen flagpole. The spots are designed to make people laugh while promoting the dealership.

Now, the radio campaigns have expanded onto social media, with the two creating short, humorous videos that have attracted a large following: up to 260,000 followers and over 6 million likes on TikTok, 104,000 on the Tadd Jenkins Chevrolet Facebook page, and 188,000 on the Ford and Chrysler Facebook pages. And numbers are climbing on Instagram.

The videos feature taglines like “Nobody can say no to Telaine” and “How lucky is Tegan that he has Telaine to annoy him.”

“TikTok has been huge. We were sitting at a blackjack table in Vegas, and a woman at the table recognized us from our TikTok reels,” said Telaine.

Check out this Facebook reel of Tegan playing a practical joke on Telaine.

Beyond the laughs, Tadd Jenkins Auto Group is known for giving back to the community. The company donates more than $100,000 annually to local causes, including school fundraisers, Down syndrome awareness initiatives, veteran initiatives, and food drives.

The group partners with the Shannon Wilker Foundation to help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer during October and to help pay for Christmases for families affected by breast cancer.

Tadd Jenkins team — The team at Tadd Jenkins Auto Group dressed in pink attire to raise awareness for breast cancer. One of the many platforms they support in the eastern Idaho community. | Courtesy photo

The company sponsors events like the Rigby Fourth of July fireworks, local parades, and the Eastern Idaho State Fair.

Additionally, Tadd Jenkins Auto Group supports local schools by donating three new cars per year to area high schools for raffles, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for arts and athletics programs.

“We love giving back to the communities we serve; that’s why we’re here,” said Telaine. “Tegan is a man of very few words, and I’m outgoing, but I speak for both of us when I say we enjoy working together and we love our community. We don’t take that for granted.”

Follow Telaine and Tegan and watch their reels on TikTok and on Tadd Jenkins Ford and Tadd Jenkins Chevrolet.