Two local companies scored gold in the first week of the 2014 Winter Olympics—in brand exposure, that is.
The wave-like logo of the Huntington Beach-based apparel manufacturer and retailer Quiksilver Inc. graced the board of Swiss athlete Iouri Podladtchikov as he took the gold in the men’s snowboard half-pipe competition. Viewers may have also noticed that he walked up to the medal podium wearing snowboard boots made by Cypress-based Vans Inc.
Both Quiksilver and Vans are bound by blackout Rule 40, which prevents brands from advertising based on Olympic competition from Jan. 30 to Feb. 26. They weren’t able to publicly celebrate the athlete’s victory or to comment on it. But the day after the competition, Quiksilver posted on its Facebook page a photo of a snowboard emblazoned with the acronym “YOLO”—the name of Podladtchikov’s 1440-degree signature flip, which helped him secure the gold. The photo garnered almost 2,000 likes in less than two days and was shared more than 100 times.
Podladtchikov, 25, nicknamed iPod, was the crowd’s favorite at the games—he was born in Russia but moved to Switzerland at a young age. He was featured in Vans’ Introspect Web series released on Jan 31., which followed him as he competed in the Burton U.S. Open in Vail, Colo. last year.
Wahoo’s Aids Green App
Santa Ana-based Wahoo’s Fish Taco partnered with Aliso Viejo startup My Open Road Corp. to help launch an energy conservation app that rewards green-minded consumers with discounts from local merchants.
The app encourages users to walk, bike or take a train. Each mode of travel is assigned a “social responsibility score” based on its energy efficiency. So the more energy efficient the choice of travel is, the higher the score will be, according to the company. Users with scores of 700 or higher unlock discounts from participating merchants, which pay an advertising fee to have their offers or businesses promoted on the app.
“That’s how we make money,” said Jeff Weiss, the company’s chief executive.
Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s, is helping My Open Road establish cross-promotional relationships with other companies, Weiss said, such as SWSH Shabu Shabu in Irvine and Pedego bikes in Irvine, the newest additions to his roster. Lam also owns stock in the company.
“He’s been very generous with helping us and meeting with us on a regular basis to talk about marketing strategies,” Weiss said. “(Having Wahoo’s backing) does help us considerably with credibility and has drastically made getting relationships with other companies in Orange County much easier. He is a very, very popular entrepreneur.”
My Open Road just wrapped up a $60,000 Indiegogo fundraising campaign that will enable it to finish the app’s development. It will go live in three months.
UCI Extension Now Overseas
University of California Irvine Extension’s Internet Marketing Certificate Program is going global.
The continuing education arm of UC Irvine has partnered with the London-based Digital Marketing Association, which will distribute the certificate program curriculum to its affiliate schools during a two-year agreement.
UCI Extension will receive a $100 per student content licensing fee for the 7,000 students enrolled in the program overseas.
“The DMA’s choice to partner with UC Irvine Extension is a testament to the caliber of our courses and programs,” said Melanie Mitchell, director of management, marketing and business programs at UCI Extension. “Our Internet Marketing program embodies the core knowledge central to the DMA’s overall mission, and provides a unique opportunity for members to further their education and develop a competitive advantage.”
UCI Extension enrolls more than 14,000 students each year in some 3,500 online classes, which may be taken individually or as part of 55 offered certificate and specialized studies programs, according to school officials.
Bits and Pieces
Irvine-based Taco Bell Corp. has a new commercial out called “Girlfriend.” … Costa Mesa-based advertising agency Blue C added Dallas-based skincare company Bonamour Inc. to its roster of clients … Irvine-based Morgan Marketing & Public Relations has been named public relations agency of record for Irvine-based Juice It Up! … Mona Sharif joined Incredible Marketing in Irvine as its social media specialist, a new position …Willard Marine Inc. in Anaheim, manufacturer of composite and aluminum boats, hired Karen Jacquelin as its new director of marketing … Orange-based Westbound Communications Inc. hired Pamela Crouch to work as an account executive on the $1.2 billion Port of Long Beach’s Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project.
