Costa Mesa-based Casanova Pendrill Publicidad Inc. is helping the United Nations Children’s Fund and its Tap Project, an effort to provide clean water to children around the world.
The project has raised almost $1 million to support UNICEF water programs in developing countries.
Casanova, a Hispanic advertising unit of New York-based Interpublic Group of Cos., has donated work on a campaign for Hispanic markets in New York and Miami.
“We’re already up to several million dollars worth of donations in media and production,” said Ingrid Otreo-Smart, Casanova chief executive.
The “Agua Para Todos” campaign is designed to build awareness and educate Hispanics about the Taps project and drum up donations.
Casanova has produced two TV spots, five radio commercials and online display ads.
The ad shop and its New York office this week are doing an experiential campaign that runs through Saturday, which is World Water Day.
The street campaign uses volunteers at Union Square in New York and Bayfront Park in Miami, where they will hand out bottles of dirty water to build awareness.
Casanova also has lined up a magician to do tricks with water and a vending machine that dispenses dirty water bottles.
Earlier this month, The New York Times ran an article about the involvement of Casanova and other ad agencies in the program. Some of Casanova’s contributions to the campaign were featured on “The Today Show.”
Del Taco Exec Leaves
Lake Forest-based Del Taco LLC is losing another executive after a turbulent year of change at the Mexican fast food chain.
Sharon Fogg, senior vice president of marketing, leaves her post this month to return to her former consulting business.
Fogg was hired three years ago at Del Taco during former chief executive Shirlene Lopez’s reign. Fogg first served as a consultant before being brought on full time to run the chain’s marketing programs.
She had been responsible for major advertising campaigns at the chain, including its “feed the beast” commercials by Tustin-based Brainsaw.
Last year, the Newport office of W.B. Doner & Co. was hired and started a branding campaign for Del Taco.
The campaign, dubbed “go bold or go home,” was designed to reflect the scrappy culture of Del Taco.
Fogg will be replaced by John Cappasola, Del Taco’s current vice president of marketing, who was brought on late last year.
Del Taco is a distant No. 2 in its segment to biggie Taco Bell Corp. of Irvine, part of Kentucky-based Yum Brands Inc.
Del Taco, part of Nash-ville, Tenn.-based Sagittarius Brands Inc., is in danger of defaulting on its debts, according to Moody’s Corp., though it’s more stable than other restaurant chains.
Paul Murphy, Del Taco’s chief executive since February, said the chain has ample cash and credit and expects to show substantial profitable growth this year.
Murphy took over after former Sagittarius chief executive Nick Shepherd left last month to take over Texas-based Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., parent company of TGI Friday’s and Pick Up Stix.
Coupon Campaign
Costa Mesa-based El Pollo Loco Inc. started a campaign where it will accept any of its competitors’ chicken coupons for discounts on its combo and family meals.
The Mexican restaurant chain has seen coupon redemptions on the rise, said Julie Weeks, El Pollo Loco spokeswoman.
“We’ve noticed customers bringing in not only our coupons with increasing frequency, but trying to use our competitors’ coupons as well,” she said.
The chain is getting the message out with direct mail coupons and some advertising inside its restaurants.
Along with Del Taco, El Pollo Loco was named by Moody’s as restaurant operator in danger of defaulting on its debt.
The company had debt of $248 million in September, the last time it reported financial results.
Bits and Pieces:
Brea-based American Suzuki Motor Corp. launched a redesigned SuzukiCycles.com, a site for its motorcycle and all-terrain vehicles. It features information about Suzuki’s products as well as Team Suzuki Racing race results. Suzuki hired Questus Inc., an interactive San Francisco-based ad shop, to build and manage the Web site Newport Beach-based Sturgess Co., a healthcare ad shop, added two clients: Culver City-based Surfx Technologies LLC, a maker of atmospheric plasma systems, and Rancho Cucamonga-based Gear Technology LLC, a maker of precision gears Laguna Niguel-based Hank Blank Inc., an advertising agency search consultant, has released a CD “Why Agencies Don’t Want New Business.” The CD is based on Blank’s findings as a consultant on two recent ad account reviews Irvine-based Entrepreneur Media Inc. has added deputy editor Mike Kessler to the company’s recently redesigned magazine Entrepreneur.
