Interpublic Group’s Draftfcb is behind a new TV spot for Taco Bell Corp.’s Grilled Stuft Nachos, interrupting a recent streak of work produced by its sister agency, Deutsch LA, for the Irvine-based fast-food chain.
The 30-second spot, “Getaway,” offered a possible scenario in which Taco Bell’s newest menu addition, a portable nacho, would come in handy—a teen boy runs from his date’s dad without leaving behind his tortilla filled with nachos.
The ad was directed by Patrick Moore and features the “Evil Friends” song performed by the rock band Portugal The Man.
The spot has aired on ESPN’s SportsCenter, among other national programs.
It’s accompanied by a social media campaign that encourages Taco Bell fans to take photos or videos of themselves eating the nachos and post them to Twitter or Facebook with the #doingstuff hashtag.
Draftfcb moved much of its staff from an Irvine office to Los Angeles last year as Deutsch took over most of the creative work for Taco Bell.
Ubiquity’s Thriller
Irvine-based Ubiquity Broadcasting Corp. is investing $5 million to produce a thriller involving the Queen Mary, a 1930s cruise ship moored at the Port of Long Beach.
Company division Ubiquity Studios will develop the project in conjunction with Exclusive Media Group in Beverly Hills, which will oversee international sales for the film and hire a distributor for the domestic market.
Ubiquity’s producer, Brett Tomberlin, said he got the idea for the film during a visit to the Queen Mary. He saw potential in the ship’s look and feel.
“Usually when we walk into a historical place we say, ‘OK, if we can set-dress it this way or light it this way, it will work,’ ” Tomberlin said. “But when I walked on the Queen Mary, [I said], ‘OK, we are ready to film here, all we need is our actors.’”
Gary Dauberman, who has worked on films such as “Final Destination” and “Nightmare on Elm Street,” will write the script. It will feature a strong female character and it will involve “isolation on the boat,” Tomberlin said, describing it as “kind of like ‘The Shining’ on the ship because it will be based on (a) small group of individuals left alone on the Queen Mary.”
The movie will be filmed over the summer, and special effects will be created at Ubiquity’s 30,000-square-foot digital media production facility in Irvine. The theatrical release is set for early 2015.
Ubiquity Broadcasting, which had $700,000 in revenue in 2013, also recently signed a deal to produce a one-hour scripted series for Showtime Networks Inc. on the Buss family, which owns the majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers.
The technology-focused media company also holds patents for products such as Sprocket, a smartphone interface that provides Internet access and mobile services such as Facebook and Netflix without having to launch separate apps. Ubiquity’s WEAV platform, another one of its products, enables content management, e-commerce, immersive advertising, media hosting and searching for objects in videos.
Loco for Lean
Costa Mesa-based El Pollo Loco Inc. launched 15- and 30-second TV spots last month to highlight its new “5 Meals Under 500 Calories” menu, just in time for the period many consumers try to lose weight as part of their New Year’s resolutions.
The video, dubbed “R&D,” provides a sneak peak at the company’s “culinary headquarters,” where entrees such as Mango Grilled Tostada, Black Bean Bowl, Avocado Salad, Avocado Burrito and Mango Taco Plate are prepared.
The narrator leads the viewer behind closed doors to see “the grilled masters hard at work perfecting the authentic low calorie meals” but instead catches them happily stuffing their faces with the new menu items.
Spots aired during prime time and the Rose Parade on KTLA and the NFL playoffs, as well as during Lakers, Clippers, Kings and Ducks games. They also aired on El Pollo Loco’s social media channels.
The company is also running a full page ad in the January edition of Weight Watchers Magazine, and has distributed more than 9 million coupons through Livonia, Mich.-based Valasis and PennySaverUSA in Brea.
Ads were produced by Sausalito-based Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, El Pollo Loco’s advertising agency of record. Zeno Group in Santa Monica handles public relations.
El Pollo Loco has nearly 400 restaurants. Its systemwide sales grew 9% in 2012 to $607 million.
Play N Trade Lends Hand
Play N Trade is lending a hand to the newly established RETRO video game magazine. The San Clemente-based consumer electronics retailer will carry the publication in its 138 franchised stores. The magazine was founded in November by Mission Viejo resident and video game aficionado Mike Kennedy, who raised $75,000 in seed money with a Kickstarter campaign.
