O’Leary and Partners, in its latest assignment for Wetzel Pretzels LLC, has brought the Pasadena-based chain’s blue baker mascot to life.
A series of five, one-minute animated videos show a tiny baker stepping in front of a digital menu board and inviting the viewer to come behind the scenes, where his buddies are in charge of making Wetzel Bitz, Wetzel Dogs, Sinful Cinnamon Pretzels, Fresh Lemonade, and Pepperoni Twist Pretzels. And of course, everything goes as planned.
“These animated films enable Wetzel’s Pretzels to engage guests in an entertaining and brand-consistent way, and they’ve been met with great applause,” Wetzel Chief Executive Bill Phelps said in a statement. “Along with being fun, they speak to the brand’s commitment to being the sector innovator, creating excitement that drives traffic and sales.”
The Newport Beach-based ad agency partnered with production company Chop Shop Entertainment to produce the videos, which premiered at Wetzel’s downtown Disney district location at Disneyland in Anaheim. The national rollout is in process through franchisees.
The spots can also be seen on Wetzelvision, the brand’s YouTube channel.
Hot Dogs Go Online
Wienerschnitzel has revamped its website with an emphasis on “food, fun and community.”
The hot dog chain, owned by Irvine-based restaurant operator Galardi Group Inc., had about $230 million in sales last year, according to a Business Journal estimate, and Wienerschnitzel’s 350 stores accounted for most of the revenue. The company this year started a “visionary” department with a focus on marketing to Millennials.
“Our new website reflects our commitment to connecting with our fans and creating a sense of community,” Wienerschnitzel Chief Visionary Officer J.R. Galardi said in a statement. “We wanted to build an easy-to-use platform that provides visitors with quick access to our latest and greatest news while serving as a resource for all things Wienerschnitzel.”
The new website, produced by Ripcord Digital in Huntington Beach, provides links to the company’s social media platforms. A message board links to its trending posts and encourages users to engage with the brand for the chance to win merchandise and appear in a live stream, according to the company.
The site also features offers, product information, a blog and an events page.
Managing Media
24 Productions Inc. in Irvine will provide marketing asset management services for Skullcandy Inc.
The headphones maker, which shuttered its San Clemente office last year and moved to Park City, Utah, will use 24 Productions’ proprietary Advanced Media Portal.
The cloud-based media engine will serve as Skullcandy’s primary digital management service for all of its marketing assets, from product and lifestyle images to videos, merchandising and social media, according to 24 Productions.
“We observe well-known and respected companies making significant investments—sometimes spending millions creating brand and product marketing media. But unfortunately, many of those companies suffer major efficiency bottlenecks when it comes to managing and delivering those same media assets,” Ken Garff, founder of 24 Productions and developer of Advanced Media Portal, said in a news release. “This is the reason we created a marketing-specific and digital asset management solution that is also very intuitive and easy to use.”
Advanced Media tracks media consumption and can automate delivery of media in formats customized for each client, Garff said.
24 Productions is a marketing technology firm whose clients include Toshiba, Taco Bell Corp., Kensington, Hilton, Bosch, HP and Experian PLC.
Bits & Pieces
Forbes magazine named Mazda North American Operations Vice President of Marketing Russell Wager one of the Top 50 Most Influential CMOs. Irvine-based Mazda, under Wager’s direction, launched the “Game Changers” marketing campaign, which highlights people and inventions that have dramatically changed the status quo in their respective fields. … Vans Inc. appointed Neil Schambra Stevens its vice president of marketing for Vans’ Europe, Middle East and Africa regions. He replaces Jeremy De Maillard, who joined the North Face, another VF Corp. brand. … Costa Mesa-based Element Skateboards promoted Julien Duval to vice president of global marketing. Duval served as the company’s European brand manager for the past three years. … Depactus in San Clemente launched its website, Depactus.com. The brand also debuted on YouTube and social media as @depactus. … Christopher Reynolds purchased Southern California Bicyclist, a Costa Mesa-based bi-monthly magazine, from founder Will Decker.
