Action Sports Retailer just wrapped up its holiday trade show at the Orange County Fair & Exposition Center in Costa Mesa.
There were some 100 brands that showed off their coolest garb to sell during the holidays, including Costa Mesa-based Paul Frank Industries Inc., Irvine-based Billabong USA and Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc.
“Over those two busy days we saw some strong, major accounts,” said James Onstott, national sales manager for Morgan Hill-based Fox Racing Inc., which has offices in Newport Beach. “The A-list retailers represented at the show were there to work and not just walking around (to) see what was going on.”
|
|
Emily II by Al Amirah: designer bags sell for $150 to $300 |
Andy Tompkins, show director for ASR, which is based in San Juan Capistrano, said the show’s new location was more convenient for buyers, as well as having it earlier.
The holiday show previously has been held at hotels in Huntington Beach later in the month.
“Creating an event to meet the needs of an entire, diverse industry with many different interests is sometimes a challenge,” Tompkins said. “We listened very closely to what the industry needed for buying in the holiday season.”
Dave Hollander, president at Becker Surfboards, which has locations in Corona del Mar, Huntington Beach and Mission Viejo, said he previewed lines both days at the show.
“There were two to three new brands I saw at the show that I picked up for my stores,” he said.
Among the smaller brands at ASR Holiday: Laguna Beach-based Tavik, a men’s lifestyle brand that sells edgy garb, such as surf trunks with a zebra print, camouflage shorts and graphic T-shirts.
Erik Paulsen, Tavik founder, said he was happy that his small brand set up in the same area as the “big guys,” such as Quiksilver and Billabong, “which allowed for an equal playing field.”
“Traffic at our booth was consistent and allowed us to secure orders from strong accounts,” including Jack’s Surfboards, which has locations in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Dana Point, Paulsen said.
Plus, ASR got a visit from buyers from national department stores, which have been playing up their selection of clothes and accessories from OC’s surf and skate brands.
Carol Baiocchi, vice president of women’s shoes at Macy’s West, said she saw a lot of lines and got “work done.”
“We plan to make more appointments in the future,” she said.
Feeling Superior
Irvine-based Atomic Curve just picked up another client.
The advertising agency was hired by Superior Access Insurance Services, an online insurance distributor, to help transition the brand, the shop said.
The company “interviewed several OC agencies” that focus on branding and felt that Atomic Curve was the best fit, according to Carolyn Perrier, Superior’s vice president of sales and marketing.
“Atomic Curve really understood how technology combined with today’s business practices is impacting our industry,” Perrier said.
The OC ad shop’s other clients include The Irvine Company and Capital Pacific Homes Inc., both in Newport Beach.
Surf’s Up
Huntington Beach-based marketer MKM is gearing up to help promote the Honda U.S. Open of Surfing.
The OC shop recently was tapped by Cleveland-based International Management Group, which owns the event, to handle public relations for its seventh consecutive year.
The U.S. Open of Surfing runs from July 20 to 29 at the Huntington Beach pier.
It’s sponsored by O’Neill, which has its clothing division in Irvine.
The event typically attracts nearly 400,000 people wanting to check out the competitions and beach festival with skateboarding, BMX bicycles, motorcycles and live concerts.
MKM is “hard-working, diligent and experienced,” said James Leitz, International Management Group vice president.
MKM has handled the account since International Management Group bought the U.S. Open of Surfing in 2001 (MKM worked the event even before that).
Mike Kingsbury, president of MKM, said the U.S. Open of Surfing was the shop’s first “action sports” account and opened the door to more clients, including VF Corp.’s Vans Inc., which recently moved to Cypress.
The media typically flocks to cover the festivities. There’s been an average of 300 million “editorial impressions,” or articles and news clips in U.S. and international magazines, newspapers and on television during the past three years, MKM said.
Online coverage and new media will increase that number, the shop said.
Purses for a Princess
Al Amirah, an Irvine-based shoe company, is getting the word out about its handbags.
The company, which means “The Princess” in Arabic, started selling the collection in May. Purses cost $150 to $300 and include leather, tassels, contrast stitching and other embellishments.
Al Amirah sells its wares in boutiques, including Two Fifty Four in Laguna Beach and Rachael Boutique, which has locations in Irvine and Ladera Ranch.
