Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America found itself in a bind during the Academy Awards ceremony earlier this month.
The automaker, part of South Korea’s Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, found itself unable to use Jeff Bridges as its voiceover actor due to a clause in the automaker’s contract with The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science.
Hyundai hired Bridges last year to be the voice of its ads for its new Sonata sedan.
“We selected Jeff because he has a way of delivering a message in a tone and manner that feels very comfortable and authentic,” said Joel Ewanick, vice president of marketing at Hyundai.
The automaker is in the second year of a three-year contract with the Academy after General Motors Co. dropped out last year.
“The Academy Awards was a huge opportunity for Hyundai, giving us 35 to 45 million people who are different from those in the Super Bowl audience,” Ewanick said.
All was well and good until Bridges was nominated for the Best Actor award.
The Academy doesn’t allow any advertiser—even official sponsors—to run ads featuring a presenter or nominee within 30 minutes of his or her appearance at the Oscars.
So Hyundai had to find temporary replacements for Bridges.
It tapped Catherine Keener, Kim Basinger, David Duchovny, Richard Dreyfuss, Michael Madsen, Mandy Patinkin and Martin Sheen to re-record the 30-second spots.
Hyundai’s ad shop, Irvine-based Innocean Worldwide, is handling the campaign and did the last minute changes.
Hyundai said ads featuring Bridges, who ended up winning the Best Actor award, are set to return in this week.
Magazine Moving
Irvine-based Workforce Management, a human resources publication, plans to move to Chicago this summer.
It will be the second publication this year to shift operations out of the county.
The publication, part of Detroit-based Crain Communication Inc., said it plans to move its 20-plus staff to Crain’s Chicago office in mid-2010, after its lease expires in Irvine this year.
Workforce will join Crain’s other publications in the windy city, including Modern Healthcare, Crain’s Chicago Business, Pension & Investments and others.
“With our current lease expiring, we have a wonderful opportunity to move closer to the company fold in Chicago,” said Todd Johnson, vice president and publisher of the magazine.
The monthly magazine covers employee benefits, incentive programs, employee compensation and pensions for executives and human resources professionals.
The publication also produces several e-mail newsletters, including Workforce Week.
Workforce was acquired by Crain in 2002.
The magazine has more than 52,000 print and 400,000 online subscribers.
Earlier this year, magazine publisher Transworld Media Inc. moved its editorial office in Tustin to the company’s new headquarters in Carlsbad.
Transworld publishes seven magazines, including Transworld Business, a magazine catering to Orange County’s makers of clothes inspired by surfing. The Tustin office, with about 25 workers, put out three of Transworld’s “dirt” magazines, including Ride BMX and Quad Magazine.
Two years ago, Sweden’s Bonnier AB bought Transworld from Time Warner Inc.’s Time division for about $200 million. The deal also included other publications.
More Restaurant Work
Irvine-based Johnson Gray Advertising Inc. took a chance and beefed up its shop with some restaurant experience earlier this year.
The bet is paying off with a win from Beverly Hill-based Wolfgang Puck Worldwide Inc.
The ad shop will be promoting Wolfgang Puck’s Bistro and Express restaurants.
“Given our experience in the hospitality and restaurant industry, it is a perfect fit,” said Randy Lopez, director of account services at Johnson Gray.
The shop hired Lopez, who served as vice president of marketing at Lake Forest-based Del Taco LLC, and Joe Cladis, a 20-year veteran at Santa Ana-based DGWB Advertising and Communications, last year.
Wolfgang Puck Worldwide is made up of three brands that offer fine dining, casual dining, catering and event planning.
Wolfgang Puck Bistro has locations in Southern California and Charlotte, N.C.
The Express chain has more than 80 locations throughout the U.S., Canada and Japan.
Both restaurants are looking to expand.
Johnson Gray is set to oversee the chains’ public relations, Web development and social media campaigns.
The win comes after the shop picked up tropical-themed leisure clothes brand Tommy Bahama Group Inc. as a client last November.
The account wins are part of the ad shop’s broader strategy to go after retailers and restaurants.
The agency historically has worked in healthcare, financial services and tourism.
