They’ve helped create one of Blizzard Entertainment Inc.’s bestsellers, and now some of their top executives of the Irvine-based video game maker are starring in a reality show of their own.
Six members of the World of Warcraft development team are featured in Azeroth Choppers, a Web series that kicked off April 17. They are split into two warring factions and are on a quest to build the ultimate chopper motorcycle, a replica of which will be featured in World of Warcraft.
Chris Metzen, Blizzard’s senior vice president of story and franchise development, is on Team Alliance, along with associate project director Terran Gregory and Monte Krol, lead software engineer.
Art Director Sam Didier leads Team Horde with lead environment artist Gary Platner and Jason Hutchins, a senior game producer.
World of Warcraft fans around the globe will vote for the winning team at the end of the eight-episode series, which is being shown on YouTube and Blizzard’s website.
The prize? The chopper, of course. But how do you split it three ways?
Branding Freedom
Costa Mesa-based agency Blue C is on assignment for Freedom News Group “to develop all brand strategy and creative executions for the re-fresh of the Freedom News Group and will work in collaboration to communicate messaging to advertisers in order to expand the publishing [group’s] overall reach,” according to the agency.
The branding effort includes the recently launched Los Angeles Register; the Long Beach Register, Spanish-language weekly Unidos en el Sur de California; the Press-Enterprise in Riverside; and the Orange County Register, Freedom’s flagship newspaper.
“Together we plan to work with the Freedom News Group to promote their brands and establish a consistency throughout all of their marketing channels,” said Eric Morley, the agency’s cofounder.
Marketing collateral will include a brand book and a redesign of freedom.com that will be “one source for everything” for national advertisers and media-buying companies, Morley said.
Nitto Tire’s Hire
Cypress-based Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc. hired Kahn Media Inc. in Reseda to assist with its “public relations initiatives, including targeted media outreach, new product debuts and event promotion,” according to Kahn.
Kanatsiz Communications Inc. in Orange handled duties for the account last year.
Kahn will work alongside Nitto’s digital agency of record, Cie Studios in Long Beach, on the development and implementation of “dynamic public and media relations campaigns to elevate brand visibility, increase sales, and promote the company’s motorsports initiatives and events.”
Nitto is owned by Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. in Osaka, Japan, and makes tires for passenger cars, trucks, and off-road and road racing vehicles.
Social Sleuth
Transworld Business, a magazine owned by San Clemente-based GrindMedia, is adding another tool to its Exposure-Meter section, which measures action-sports athletes’ media exposure and sponsorship deals.
The publication partnered with San Carlos-based ReadyPulse to use its Skorebase
service to gauge athletes’ social media influence.
Skorebase generates reports that include “athlete’s top photos and videos, potential reach, community size, engaged audience, network activity, and engagement levels by social network,” according to ReadyPulse.
The platform can also provide a “sponsor report” that reveals an athlete’s contribution to the brand on social networks.
“I’m convinced that [ReadyPulse is] the right partner to help move forward and make the Exposure-Meter even more valuable for team managers, marketers, and executives within our industry,” Rob Campbell, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, wrote in a letter to readers. “This is another important step in our ongoing expansion of the Exposure-Meter to eventually include coverage of digital media, video, and feedback from the extensive GrindMedia audience.”
Bits & Pieces
Taco Bell Corp. in Irvine announced its newest Doritos Locos Tacos flavor, Spicy Chicken Cool Ranch, over SnapChat, a mobile application that enables people to communicate through photos and videos. SnapChat messages self-destruct shortly after they’re viewed. … Aliso Viejo-based American diner chain Johnny Rockets Restaurant Group Inc. hired Atlanta-based Trevelino/Keller as its business-to-business public relations and marketing agency … Local Search Association’s three-day LSA|14 digital marketing conference featuring Apple Inc. cofounder Steve Wozniak kicked off April 27. … Irvine-based Envoy advertising agency hired Josh Austin as its new product design lead. Austin comes from Oakley Inc. in Foothill Ranch, where he was senior interaction designer. … San Clemente accessories company Electric hired Kevin Voegtlin as its global digital marketing manager.
