Advanced Medical Optics Inc. of Santa Ana is looking to shake up its marketing for 2009 as the eye products company deals with a slowdown.
The maker of eye surgery devices and contact lens solutions is working with Irvine-based Ignite Health, an advertising agency specializing in healthcare.
Advanced Medical had planned more of the same for next year: a second season of an Internet reality series focused on someone who gets laser vision correction surgery.
Ignite Health created the series, called “RealityLasik,” in 2007.
Now the company’s marketing plan is being reworked, according to Tim Riley, chief marketing officer at Ignite.
“The problem is we did a good job,” he said. “Now the doctors, who are Advanced Medical’s customers, are asking, ‘What are you going to do next?'”
There’s more riding on Advanced Medical’s marketing now.
Earlier this month, Advanced Medical lowered its third-quarter sales and profit guidance amid an ongoing slowdown in laser vision correction surgeries. The company is set to report results on Friday.
With the slow economy, more people are opting to stick with glasses and contact lenses instead of having surgery.
“What happens in the world of elective surgery is people stall their decision and the market softens a little bit,” Riley said. “So then we hold our budgets back.”
Advanced Medical also makes kits used during vision surgery. The company gets a fee for each surgery done with its devices.
Advanced Medical is spending the rest of its market budget for 2008 as it focuses on what to do next year, Riley said.
Ignite has worked with Advanced Medical’s laser vision correction unit since 2007. Other clients include Eli Lilly & Co., Gilead Sciences Inc. and Cephalon Inc.
Ink Works With Credit Union
Orange County’s Credit Union in Santa Ana is looking to start a marketing campaign for early 2009 focused on getting its name out and adding members.
The credit union is working with Ink, an online advertising agency in Irvine.
“We need to let people know that a credit union is a legitimate alternative to traditional banking,” said partner Todd Henderson.
Amid the financial crisis, Orange County’s credit union is playing up its 75 years in business in a bid to draw members concerned about problems at banks.
The ad shop started with brand positioning for the credit unit and developed marketing for auto loans, mortgage refinancing and other services. It even trained credit union workers on how to promote the brand.
Ink, known for its Web site design and branding campaigns, started working with the credit union in 2005.
The shop looks to promote the credit union through its Web site, outdoor events and displays within branches.
Ink’s other clients include San Jose-based Cisco Systems Inc., El Segundo-based DirecTV Group Inc. and San Mateo-based Fabrik Inc.’s SimpleTech Inc. in Santa Ana.
The shop recently was hired by Legendary Pictures, a movie production company in Burbank that was behind “The Dark Knight.”
ChopShop Shoots Choppers
Harley-Davidson Inc. wants to appeal to younger riders with online video of snowboarders riding to snow spots on Harleys.
The Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker known for its old-school American choppers has been losing ground with the 18- to 25-year-old crowd to the likes of Yamaha Corp. and Suzuki Motor Corp., both of Japan.
Harley picked Irvine-based post-production shop ChopShop Entertainment Inc. to help go after younger people.
“We showcased the bike in a really different way,” said Ken Anderson, partner at ChopShop.
The motorcycle maker has longstanding marketing aimed at baby boomers that focuses on Harley’s status as an American icon.
ChopShop, known for its action sports footage, has been a regular at snowboarding and other action sports events.
It did 10 Web videos for Harley, which can be seen on the company’s Web site. The shop is in the process of editing an hour-long episode for TV.
ChopShop has been busy with projects for ad agencies O’Leary & Partners and Blue C Advertising, both of Newport Beach.
“We’ve been able to get repeat business and weather these economic times,” Anderson said.
The shop recently worked on spots for O’Leary clients Fantastic Sam’s International Corp. and the U.S. arm of Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV.
O’Leary used ChopShop to create a video for Fantastic Sam’s annual convention in New Orleans for franchisees and hairstylists.
ChopShop also shot at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa for a 15-second O’Leary spot for Bimbo. The commercial shows a loaf of Bimbo’s Orowheat Bread when a football is kicked. The spot is expected to air nationally during football season.
“Anytime you’re shooting a product, the product is the hero,” Anderson said.
