Atlanta Publisher Takes Over Riviera, Other Luxury Titles
St. Joseph, Radio Disney Promote Kids Health; Motorcycle Magazine Cycle News Shuts Down
Luxury magazine Riviera was sold to an Atlanta-based publisher, in the Media and Marketing column
Claim Jumper Files Bankruptcy, Sells Assets to Private Equity Firm
Irvine-based Claim Jumper Restaurants LLC files for bankruptcy and looks to sell its assets to a Los Angeles private equity firm.
Automakers Saw Sales Drop in August, Down from Cash for Clunkers Numbers
Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America Inc. and other local automakers saw declines in August sales as part of a larger industry hiccup resulting from the government’s “cash for clunkers” program a year ago.
Freedom Looks To Streamline Media Outlets Operations
Custom Comfort Mattress Launches Marketing Campaign; Hybrid PR Shop Caters to Startups
Chief Executive Mitch Sterns is looking to find a more efficient way to run Freedom Com-munications, in the Media and Marketing column
Bag Bid
Supplier to Quiksilver, Others Strikes Out on Own with Reusable Shopping Bags
American Joe in Costa Mesa is developing a line of fashionable reusable grocery bags
Lawyers See Deals Surge; How Long?
LAW: Some fear capital gains hike could stem M&A rebound
Local corporate lawyers saw work ramp up last month with an increase in mergers and acquisitions deals
Sunstone Calls off Bid for San Diego Hotel
Aliso Viejo-based hotel owner Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. has called off plans to buy Southern California's largest hotel, the 1,625-room Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego.
Hyundai and Other Automakers see Declines in August, Blame Cash For Clunkers
Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America Inc. and other local automakers saw declines in August sales as part of a larger industry hiccup resulting from the government’s “cash for clunkers” program a year ago.
Marketer Leaves Hyundai for GM, Joining Colleague
Suzuki Pushes Social Media in Bid to Reverse Slump; RiechesBaird Opens New York Office
Hyundai has lost marketing head Christopher Perry to General Motors’ Chevrolet, in the Media and Marketing column
Bottled Water Hopeful Gets Wahlberg Star Power Push
Actor Is Investor, Director, Key Cheerleader
Huntington Beach-based bottled water maker AquaHydrate has a big backer
Kia Playing Off Hamsters with Online Video Contest
Mazda Agency Makes Creative Hire; Traffik Looks To Revive Sausage Seller Jody Maroni’s
Kia is hosting an online video contest to promote the Kia Soul, in the Media and Marketing column
KOCE-TV in Middle of KCET, PBS Standoff
MEDIA: KOCE may be urged to become full regional PBS affiliate
Local public TV station KOCE is caught in the middle of a financial tug of war between PBS and KCET
PR Shops Hiring As Clients Come Back
ABOUT THE LIST: OC’s top public relation agencies are hiring again after a tough 2009. Includes the 2010 OC PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRMS List for download (pdf)
Paul Frank Buy: Julius Meets Power Rangers
APPAREL: Designers staying here, business operations to L.A.
Paul Frank is set to be bought by Saban Brands but will keep its design team in OC.
Thrifty Mindset Spurs Furniture Co.’s Hiring
ECONOMY: Technigroup of Singapore adding 60 in Anaheim
Local budget furniture maker Technigroup USA plans to go on a hiring spree in the next few months
Media Mogul Saban Acquires Paul Frank
Saban Brands LLC has acquired Costa Mesa-based Paul Frank Industries Inc. and plans to keep its creative team here.
Sunstone Acquires Miami Hotel
San Clemente-based hotel owner Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. has acquired the Royal Palm hotel in Miami Beach.
Film Festival
Inaugural Event Looks to Bring Guests, Revenue to Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk
The city of Anaheim is planning its first film festival
Luxury Magazine Launching New Title in November
Del Taco Adds 39 Cent Tacos into Fast Food Deal Mix; Mazda2 Hosting Facebook Game
Jolie Adams is starting a luxury lifestyle magazine called Bask, in the Media and Marketing column
Hotels See Uptick in Occupancy, Hesitant to Raise Rates
HOSPITALITY: Analysts expect price hike end of year
Hotel occupancy coming up, but rates are slow to move
Mazda Mounts Big Push for Little Car with Latest Rollout
AUTO: Subcompact in growing market; streamlines global lineup
Mazda North American is hoping the smallest vehicle in its lineup will pack a big punch
Disney Ups Social Media Marketing for Theme Parks
DGWB Pitches Bananas at Night; Software Maker Smith Micro Hires Public Relations Agency
Disney is planning a social media campaign for its Anaheim theme parks, in the Media and Marketing column
Sunstone Results Show Signs of Hotel Industry Rebound
San Clemente-based hotel owner Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. topped Wall Street expectations with a key profit measure and a gain in revenue as life appears to be returning to the industry.
Sunstone Looking to Acquire San Diego’s Manchester Grand Hyatt
San Clemente-based hotel owner Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. is looking to acquire the 1,625-room Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego.
Hyundai, Kia Lead On July Sales
Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America and Irvine’s Kia Motors America Inc. again led local automakers with big gains in July sales as part of a larger industry rebound.
Chapman’s Brandman Ramps Up Advertising Campaign
M Magazine Taps Orange Coast Exec for Marketing; Lages & Associates Adds Accounts
Chapman University’s Brandman University is launching its first solo advertising campaign, in the Media and Marketing column
Mazda’s New Ad Shop To Hire in Irvine
MARKETING: Britain’s WPP shopping for space, 100 workers
Britain’s WPP will open an office in Irvine after winning an advertising account with Mazda North American
In-N-Out Heiress Takes on President Role
DINING: Martinez leads Texas expansion; age, gender stand out
Heiress Lynsi Martinez has taken over as president of In-N-Out and is leading the expansion plans
Ocean’s Away
Laguna Beach Filmmaker MacGillivray Freeman Launches $25M, Five-Year Project
MacGillivray Freeman in Laguna Beach is gearing up for its biggest project yet—a 3-D Imax film, TV and Web series about the world’s oceans
Disneyland Takes World of Color Promos to 4 Cities
Advertisers Look at Soccer Clubs for Marketing Push; Orange PR Firm Leads All-Star Events
Disney has kicked off its “World of Color Road Show,” a traveling spinoff of California Adventure’s World of Color, in the Media and Marketing column
Rumors of Fair’s Death Are Greatly Exaggerated
ECONOMY: Record attendance predicted on expected sale of park
Promoters hope that rumors of the Orange County Fair’s demise will boost the annual event’s attendance
Fisker Acquires General Motors Plant
Irvine-based Fisker Automotive Inc. has finalized the purchase of a former General Motors Corp. factory in Delaware.
Corinthian Shares Rise on Regulation Speculation
Santa Ana-based Corinthian Colleges Inc. and other for-profit school operators saw shares rise on market reactions to a report that proposed federal regulations that might not affect profits as much as anticipated.
School’s in Session
Accounting Programs Still Drawing in Students, Recruiters Despite Slowdown in Jobs
Local universities still are seeing enrollment gains for accounting programs
Accounting for Losses
Accounting Firms Shed 5% of Local Workers in Past Year, Predicting Pickup in Business
ABOUT THE LIST. OC’s biggest accounting firms have shed workers in the past 12 months. Includes the 2010 ACCOUNTING FIRMS List for download (pdf)
Financial Reform Could Cost Accountants Business
FINANCE: Smaller firms could lose customers exempt from SOX
The latest reform bill isn’t expected to provide new business for OC accounting firms
Fisker Tries Out Planned Karma Campaign on Website
Hyundai Continues ‘Uncensored’ Social Media Push; Toshiba Ups Advertising for Laptops
Fisker Automotive started a website to create buzz about its luxury hybrid car, in the Media & Marketing column
Johnny Rockets Offers Loans to Credit-Strapped Franchisees
RESTAURANTS: Move designed to drive growth amid credit crunch
Lake Forest’s Johnny Rockets is launching a finance arm to help spur growth amid a credit crunch
Water Show Adds to Busy Early Summer for Disney in Anaheim
TOURISM: Too early to tell effect on lagging park, president says
The jury’s still out on the economic impact of Disney California Adventure Park’s World of Color lightshow
Yard House Doubles Space at Spectrum’s Chrysler Building
DINING: Company’s name going up on building, replaces Chrysler’s
Yard House is doubling its headquarters space in the former Chrysler building
Hyundai Takes Mini Challenge in Social Media Push
Freedom Changes Hotel Magazine, Links to Local Website; Online Push for Paris Apartments
Hyundai challenged Mini Cooper to a race on Facebook last month, in the Media & Marketing column
Yard House, BJ’s Help Stabilize Restaurant Chains
DINING: Sector otherwise down as slump, tough financing persist
ABOUT THE LIST: The largest restaurant chains in Orange County are seeing some stability after a challenging 2009 that saw lower revenue and job cuts. Includes the 2010 OC-BASED RESTAURANT CHAINS List for download (pdf)
REVIEW - World of Color, Disney California Adventure
Disney California Adventure Park may have found something to keep visitors from heading across to Disneyland at the end of the night.
Doner After Mazda: Some Other Work To Fall Back on
Bandai Sticks to TV, Dabbles Online To Sell Toys; Emergen-C Maker Does Social Media
The loss of a major client is not the end for Doner’s Newport Beach office, in the Media & Marketing column
Vocational School Operator Acquires Fresno College
Irvine-based International Education Corp. has acquired a Fresno career college.
Sunstone Reacquires Hotel, Sees Business Improvements
San Clemente-based hotel owner Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. said Thursday it has reacquired a hotel it stopped making debt payments on last year.
Local Automakers See Gains in June
Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America and Irvine’s Kia Motors America Inc. again led local automakers with big gains in June sales as part of a larger industry rebound.
Operator Named for Garden Grove Water Park
Colorado-based hotel developer McWhinney Enterprises LLC has named Wisconsin-based Great Wolf Resorts Inc. to operate the developer’s planned indoor water park.
Hyundai Pulls World Cup Spot After Catholic Backlash
Japanese Candy Maker Offers Free Samples; L.A. Times’ Costa Mesa Site Revived for Now
Hyundai pulled a World Cup commercial that poked fun at the Catholic Church, in the Media & Marketing column
Bandai Eyes Revival of 1980s, ’90s Shows to Drive Toy Sales
MARKETING: Selling toys for ‘Power Rangers,’ ‘ThunderCats’
A local toymaker is hoping a revived 1980s cartoon will boost sales
