Costa Mesa-based Marshall Advertising & Design is expecting its client the
U.S. motorcycle division of Japan’s Yamaha Corp. to cut its advertising for 2009.
How much isn’t clear, since Cy-press-based Yamaha Motor Corp. USA hasn’t given the ad agency a budget for 2009.
That hasn’t stopped Marshall Advertising from continuing work on several projects for Yamaha.
The ad shop is in the concept stage of a TV spot for Yamaha’s Star brand following an interactive campaign for the brand’s VMax motorcycle.
The commercial will feature the slogan “you build it, we’ll make it your own,” and bring in the VMax motorcycle as well.
“The message for Star brand has been very successful so far,” said Michael Kula, senior account executive at Marshall Advertising.
The ad shop also started a recent campaign for Yamaha’s line of off-road motorcycles under the slogan YnotU.
The shop is in early preparation to launch print ads for the Star’s V-Star950 motorcycle, according to Kula.
The shop will launch an additional campaign for the FZ6R, a motorcycle designed with beginning riders in mind, later in 2009.
In addition to Yamaha’s many motorcycle brands, the shop just launched an interactive campaign for the company’s brand of gas-
powered generators.
“It’s a very cool campaign for something that just sits there and hums,” Kula said.
Yamaha has taken a big hit this past year as the economy forced the company to re-evaluate its operations.
“They are cutting back everywhere,” Kula said, “but they are trying to keep the (market share) percentages the same.”
Yamaha has seen a dip in sales as consumers in North America were more reluctant to spend on leisure goods.
Its North America motorcycle sales are projected to be down 16% this year from 2007.
Record Label Bid
AMG Entertainment Inc. is setting up a record label with the hopes of making money in various sides of the music business.
The effort is a venture of Newport Beach-based AMG, songwriter Marti Frederiksen and music lawyer and entrepreneur Eric Galen.
The label is looking to make money by producing recordings and also handling merchandising, digital sales and touring dates for artists.
Traditionally, “you go out and find an artist, pay him a large advance, put out an album and cross your fingers it sells enough to justify the investment,” AMG spokesman Ray McNamee said.
The company is trying to expand profits,traditionally slim in the music business,by increasing the lines of business its in.
“Margins are less, but we’re creating a much larger pie,” McNamee said.
AMG will be leaning heavily on selling music as downloadable files.
“Digital will probably be 50% of sales in the next 10 years; you won’t be going to Best Buy to buy a CD,” McNamee said.
The label has signed five small acts and plans to sign another 10 by the end of February. The company will be primarily rock music with some R & B; and hip-hop, according to McNamee.
Frederiksen, who has worked with such artists as Sheryl Crow, Def Leppard and Pink, will serve as the executive vice president and be on the company’s advisory board.
Ad Shop Adds Digital Media
Costa Mesa-based Roxburgh Agency Inc. has added an interactive division.
The agency, known for real estate advertising, doesn’t expect the Web offerings to immediately draw back in homebuilding and commercial real estate clients, but wants to be ready when the economy turns around.
“We needed to include interactive so when our clients come out of this economy, we’ll be set up to provide the option,” said Kelly Borgan, executive vice president at Roxburgh.
The shop has found the transition to online media to be easy because it has many of the same principles as its core print ad business, Borgan said.
“Like any ad, you need to let it penetrate the market,” Borgan said. “Clients liked interactive because they can see the clicks and people signing up on their interest lists.”
The shop has done Web sites and display advertising for Irvine-based Standard Pacific Corp. projects, including its Lake at Walnut development in Pasadena and The Dorian in Playa Vista.
“We’re developing campaigns for them because they have product coming online and they want to put the best foot forward,” Borgan said.
Bits & Pieces:
Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America Inc. and Turner Network Television LP, part of Time Warner Inc., have partnered to feature the automaker’s luxury sedan throughout the 13-week run of the cable network’s new series “Leverage.” The automaker will be integrated into at least five episodes where the car’s features will be highlighted. Hyundai, part of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co., will be presenting the premiere episode commercial-free Tustin-based Foster Printing Co. added a $5 million, 64-inch off-set printer to its recently expanded 40,000-square-foot facility.
