Marshall Advertising and Design has launched an ad campaign for Cypress-based Yamaha Motor Corp. USA’s off-road motorcycles.
The Costa Mesa-based ad shop hopes its print, TV and online “Y Not U?” campaign will differentiate Yamaha from its competitors.
Yamaha is part of Japan’s Yamaha Motor Co. and competes with Honda Motor Co., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.’s Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA in Irvine and American Suzuki Motor Corp., which has its headquarters in Brea.
“We wanted to separate the brand from all of the other off-road bikes out there,” said Tony Jaime, account executive at Marshall Advertising.
The campaign comes as Yamaha, the second largest motorcycle maker after Honda, recently lowered its expected yearly earnings. The company forecast income of $457 million for 2008, down 37% from a year earlier.
Yamaha has seen a dip in sales as consumers in North America were more reluctant to spend on leisure goods.
North America motorcycle sales are projected to be down 16% this year from 2007.
The campaign’s print ads run in off-road motorcycle magazines including West Virginia-based Filter Publications LLC’s Racer X Illustrated and Carlsbad-based Transworld Media’s Transworld Motocross.
The TV spot features footage of Yamaha motocross racers in the past and present. The 30-second commercial began airing this month on News Corp.’s Speed Channel and Fuel TV.
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Yamaha Web site: campaign focused on enthusiasts |
The spot also will air on the big screen at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Jan. 3 at the start of the supercross season and at other supercross events.
“That’s our audience,the enthusiasts,” Jaime said.
The ad shop also launched a Web site, YamahaYnotU.com, which features behind-the-scenes footage of the print and TV commercial shoots as well as product information about Yamaha off-road motorcycles.
The campaign is intended to run until the end of June, when Yamaha rolls out its 2010 product lines, at which point it’s up to Yamaha, according to Jaime.
“It may be a continuation of the ‘Y Not U?’ campaign depending on how well it does in the next six to eight months,” Jaime said. “They think this campaign has legs and may hold out for a couple years.”
Marshall does print, radio, TV and online advertising for Yamaha, including for all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles.
The ad shop also works with Japan’s Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., which has its North American headquarters in Cypress, and Lake Forest-based Scorpion Sports Inc.
Rapid Response PR
Hill & Knowlton Inc. has created a corporate response group to work with chief executives and companies going through layoffs, acquisitions, bankruptcies or other big changes.
The New York-based public relations agency plans to tap people at its Irvine office for the group, including Hope Boonshaft, general manager of the Los Angeles/Irvine offices, and Erica Amestoy, director of the Irvine office.
“We are in a sense on standby now because if a company needs some help, we’re like a SWAT team and at a moment’s notice we might have to parachute in,” Boonshaft said.
The agency doesn’t expect to hire people for the group.
“Well, I don’t think so at this point,” Boonshaft said, “But if it became a long term thing, we would of course hire someone.”
Hill & Knowlton, part of London-based WPP Group PLC, is working with the Tournament of Roses this year. The company expects to spend a lot of time between now and January working on the parade.
The Irvine and Los Angeles offices have been working together on a project for Walt Disney Co.’s home entertainment division, working on preschool targeted DVD releases.
Japan-based Mazda Motor Corp. is one of the Irvine office’s biggest clients. The office also works regularly with the North American arm of French tire maker Compagnie G & #233;n & #233;rale des & #201;tablissements Michelin.
Production Company Adds Clients
Tustin-based Beard Boy Productions Inc. has picked up other Blue Cross clients after losing Blue Cross of California.
Beard Boy worked with Blue Cross of California, now Anthem Blue Cross, which is owned by Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc., for eight years until the healthcare provider moved work to New York.
So Beard Boy set out to market its services to the other 30-plus Blue Cross healthcare providers not affiliated with WellPoint, according to Mike Smith, executive producer and creative director.
“We did a direct mail campaign that positioned us as a Blue Cross Blue Shield advertising marketing specialist,” he said.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana were the first to hire Beard Boy to produce ads.
Beard Boy made two TV spots for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina’s senior healthcare division. It produced an animated commercial for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana’s senior healthcare division.
The company also recently wrote and produced an animated sales video to promote Ohio-based TDCI Inc.’s new software. The video will air on the company’s Web site.
Colorado-based Next Foods LLC also hired the company to produce a seven-spot radio campaign introducing GoodBelly, a probiotic fruit drink, to run in Colorado.
Missouri’s Southwest Bank of St. Louis also hired Beard Boy to produce three commercials.
