Newport Beach-based PowerDirect is looking to build on what it calls a strong 2006 for its marketing niche: doorhangers.
The company, which does oversized doorhangers, now counts some $20 million in yearly sales, Chief Executive Bill Borneman said.
“Doorhanger advertising grew at a tremendous pace in 2006,” he said.
The use of doorhangers is one of the “hottest new direct marketing alternatives out there,” Borneman said.
More advertisers are shifting from mass marketing and big direct mail campaigns in favor of a targeted approach, he said.
PowerDirect, which opened five years ago, creates ads on 17-inch by 6-inch color doorhangers. Some have scratch off or laminated cards urging people to call for promotions.
The company maps and profiles areas so companies can reach specific households. It also tracks results through an independent auditing company.
“Today’s marketer wants to reach a very specific demographic and to measure their return on investment more accurately than was possible in the past with traditional, mass media,” Borneman said.
The company works with ad agencies such as Carat Group, W.B. Doner & Co., Wunderman, part of Young & Rubicam Brands in Irvine, and Foote, Cone & Belding in Irvine. Clients include Best Buy Co., Gap Inc.’s Old Navy and Home Depot Inc.
Growth has come from new clients and existing ones doing more campaigns, according to Borneman.
Back in San Clemente
Sandal maker Ocean Minded is like a fish back in water.
The company recently moved from Irvine to bigger digs in San Clemente, where it got its start in 1997.
Gary Ward, who started and owns Ocean Minded, recently told San Clemente-based SC Times newspaper that the company wanted to be back in the beach city, “where its roots are.”
Ocean Minded, which has nine workers, spent about nine months in Irvine.
The maker of leather and other sandals expects to grow about 30% this year, Ward said. The company’s yearly sales are about $2 million.
Ocean Minded, which sells its sandals in surf shops including Rip Curl in San Clemente, has started to branch out to bigger chains, such as Anaheim-based Pacific Sunwear of California Inc., Irvine-based Tilly’s and Everette, Wa.-based Zumiez Inc., which has stores in Orange and Westminster.
Ocean Minded, which mainly uses recycled materials for its sandals, is set to launch a kids’ line this year.
To promote the shoes and encourage environmentalism, the company is giving away the children’s book “All the Way Back to the Ocean” by Joel Harper, musician Ben Harper’s brother, with each purchase.
Rossignol Turns 100
Expect big promotions this year from Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. touting the 100th anniversary of its Skis Rossignol brand.
Bernard Mariette, Quiksilver’s president, said the company already is planning events, marketing campaigns and special product launches to get the word out.
Quiksilver, which bought Rossignol in 2005, has spent the past year or so restructuring the French company, including revamping marketing, opening new headquarters, hiring executives and designers and fine-tuning operations.
It’s working.
Quiksilver saw a big jump in earnings and sales that topped forecasts for the quarter ended Oct. 28, thanks to Rossignol.
The company’s net income for the quarter rose 94% from a year earlier to $65.3 million.
Sales rose 22% to $778.4 million, easily topping the average $747.5 million estimate of analysts and Quiksilver’s own projected $745 million to $750 million.
“We will continue to execute over the short-term and look to capitalize on strong trends in the youth market and a variety of opportunities in new markets,” Mariette said in a statement.
Quiksilver acquired Rossignol as a way to stretch beyond its mainstay clothes inspired by surfing and skateboarding.
The company now is helping Rossignol, known for skis and snowboards, get a bigger piece of clothing sales. This year, Quiksilver plans to come out with new clothes for Rossignol and is looking at ways to improve its sourcing, or where the company gets its fabrics and clothes made, Mariette said.
Bits and Pieces:
Irvine-based advertising shop and business consultant RiechesBaird Inc. just picked up work from Kelley Blue Book Co. of Irvine. Ray Baird, RiechesBaird president, said the marketing campaign is expected to raise brand awareness and educate dealers about Kelley Blue Book, which provides new and used car pricing and other information Costa Mesa-based Pacific Communications continues to fine-tune its staff. The healthcare advertising shop promoted Kristal Babbs to vice president management supervisor. Babbs, who has been with the shop for four years, will oversee Irvine-based Allergan Inc.’s Zymar account Honda Center in Anaheim recently signed Aquafina as its water supplier. The deal includes upgraded fountain equipment at the center and at the Anaheim Duck’s Anaheim Ice training center, plus signs around the arena and other promotions. Aquafina is part of Pepsi Bottling Group Inc., which signed on as a big Honda Center sponsor last year.
