Campbell Mithun Wins Expanded Verizon Account; NuVisions Adds Wins
Communication Advocates in Costa Mesa, a nine-person public relations firm, got hits from national and international media for its wacky promotion of client Long Beach-based Interactive Health Inc.
Before Father’s Day, the firm put together a group called Fathers Against Ties, Underwear and Socks and staged a protest in front of Century City Shopping Mall in Los Angeles.
About 12 men, clad in boxers and ties, toted picket signs and Interactive Health’s new WarmAir massager, and chanted “No more underwear, we want Warm Air.”
The mock protest led to three dozen radio interviews on stations from Los Angeles to New York to England, where the British Broadcasting Corp. tuned in. Television networks affiliates such as KCBS, KTLA and FOX also covered the event.
The amount spent on the promotion wasn’t disclosed, but it was said to be minimal.
“This goes to show you that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get your name or product out there,” said Kim Craft, co-owner of Communication Advocates. “Sometimes all it takes is an idea.”
Campbell Mithun Hooks Up With Verizon
Verizon Wireless has named Minneapolis-based Campbell Mithun agency of record for its multimillion-dollar West area advertising account. The ad shop’s Irvine office was reportedly key in landing the deal.
Campbell Mithun, which has held Verizon’s Southwest account, will take over the newly-expanded West region, which stretches from Texas to Washington.
The company will reportedly look to Campbell Mithun’s Irvine office to execute promotions as well as provide quick turnarounds.
“In the past two years, we have helped to significantly grow the Verizon Wireless West area business,” said Julie Ward, senior vice president and management supervisor at Campbell Mithun Irvine.
In March, Campbell Mithun merged with San Diego-based Phillips Ramsey, which works closely with the Irvine office and was said to form a $130 million West Coast operation.
Recent Wins at NuVisions
Irvine-based NuVisions Inc. was tapped recently to handle collateral work and packaging design for Countryside Bakery and advertising and Web site work for Clear Communications, a national telephone distribution company based in Irvine. Billings for the projects were not disclosed.
In the meantime, the ad shop’s Web design division, NetZuppa, has won work from three other businesses. It will be handling ongoing maintenance and the redesign of Systems Pavings Inc.’s Web site. Plus, NetZuppa will build and maintain the Web site for the Lopez Hodes law firm, which has offices in Newport Beach, and provide pro bono work for SPIN (Serving People in Need), an Orange County organization that provides services to low income and homeless people.
Bits and Pieces:
Two veteran Orange County marketing executives, Phillip Langford and Greg Newman, have formed a new marketing firm called LangfordNewman LLC in Newport Beach. The firm specializes in the technology, real estate and automotive industries. Services range from strategic planning to creative to implementation Laguna Beach-based Adworx recently was tapped by Tustin-based PDSA Software Technology and Training for strategic marketing and other services, including direct response. The new client builds custom software. In other business, Adworx recently launched a new online survey service, which will be used to collect data for clients, including senior-related organizations and CruiseMark, an online cruise marketer Carlsbad-based Hot Dot on a Stick recently selected Morgan Marketing & Public Relations in Irvine to develop its campaign involving a corporate press kit, media relations and copywriting of publicity materials, among other things Seventeen-year-old PR/DNA Public Relations in Buena Park recently landed Innovacom Networks in Silicon Valley. The firm will provide public relations services that support international marketing of Innovacom’s streaming-media products Creative Media Recording in Cypress recently hosted producers at Maritz Performance Improvement Corp. and Yamaha Motor Corp. They were recording soundtracks for different projects Tuttle-Click Ford in the Irvine Auto Center received Ford Motor Co.’s award for excellent customer services and satisfaction. Less than 7% of Ford’s 5,000 dealers received such recognition.
