Irvine-based Sage Software Inc., a maker of business software, has launched a social media business-to-business Web site called SageSpark.com.
The Web site is stocked with tools for small businesses, including technical support, finance help and local resources, as well as a forum for companies to connect with one another.
Sage hired AMI Research, a division of Cincinnati-based Hawk Associates Inc., to conduct a small business survey several months ago to evaluate the need for SageSpark.com.
?e found out over 260,000 American small businesses are using social networking right now to help promote and support their businesses,?said Rob King, vice president of strategic marketing for Sage, a unit of Britain? Sage Group PLC. ?early 33% of those have started in just the last year.?
Many small businesses have cut back on their marketing expenses in light of the recession and are turning to the social marketing networks as a ?mart way to inexpensively, but effectively, market their businesses,?King said.
The survey showed that small businesses rely more heavily on social networking than companies that have larger advertising budgets do.
?ith a lot of bigger companies, social networking is a bit of a unique, fun tool that is used on the side to complement things going on,?King said. ?owever, with a smaller business, social networking is the core to its marketing.?
SageSpark.com will provide users with the ability to establish profiles and learn tips and tricks to leveraging social networks to more effectively reach their consumers.
The site also is designed to teach users how to expand their marketing into competing sites such as Facebook.com and Linkedin.com.
?inkedin and Facebook are primarily the ones everyone seems to know about,?King said. ?f course, we?e hoping people will come to our new social networking site as well.?
The company is getting the word out for the Web site through some traditional and online marketing that is targeting local and national small businesses.
The company also is taking some of its own advice and marketing the Web site through the other social media networks.
?e can? be sitting here talking about social networking marketing without doing it ourselves,?King said. ?e went to 200-plus social networking sites to get our name out.?
Boost Mobile? Spoof Campaign
Irvine-based Boost Mobile LLC, the prepaid division of Overland Park, Kan.-based Sprint Nextel Corp., has hired IndyCar Series star driver Danica Patrick for its newest commercials.
The wireless provider will be airing two TV commercials as part of its national advertising campaign with Patrick in a lead role.
Boost? new commercials, part of the prepaid mobile phone company? ?nwronged?campaign, promote its new $50 talk, text and Internet unlimited plan.
The two commercials titled ?it Crew?and ?ign Them?feature Patrick and her cross-dressing crew in humorous, borderline raunchy sketches.
Patrick isn? new to risqu?commercials. She starred in several Super Bowl commercials for Scottsdale-based The Go Daddy Group Inc.
?anica brings a high level of fun, energy and edge that aligns perfectly with the campaign,?said Neil Lindsay, chief marketing officer at Boost.
The TV spots started airing last month on nine national networks and cable stations including Versus and ESPN.
The campaign also will be airing in theaters later this month.
The spots, created by Santa Monica-based 180 L.A., part of New York? Omnicom Group Inc., are two in a series of commercials with edgy, funny situations intended to highlight circumstances that are just ?rong,?including the wrongs of other wireless providers.
Last month, Boost signed with Motorola Inc. to be title sponsors of Patrick? car in the IndyCar Series.
The sponsorship is a commercial tie in with Motorola? new Clutch i465 cellular phone, which Boost will be selling along with its month-to-month services.
Patrick? car will have a new paint scheme featuring Boost Mobile and Motorola.
South Coast Opts Out
Costa Mesa-based South Coast Plaza has decided not to advertise with Orange County? largest local newspaper.
The high-end retail center regularly ships its spring catalog with the Sunday editions of the Los Angeles Times, part of Chicago? Tribune Co., and the Orange County Register, part of Irvine? Freedom Communications Inc., to entice shoppers.
This year, according to a source familiar with situation, South Coast Plaza had looked at the numbers and decided to ship the glossy magazine highlighting the mall? tenants only in the Los Angeles Times.
South Coast Plaza currently is working on its winter catalog, due sometime in October.
No word if the Register will be left out for the winter edition.
Bits and Pieces
Tustin-based alPunto Advertising Inc. is working with two Los Angeles nonprofits on their Hispanic marketing efforts. The Hispanic ad shop is working with L.A. Philharmonic to develop a marketing plan to bring more Hispanics to music events. The ad shop also is working with Coastline College to help it
figure out how to increase Hispanic student enrollment.