Newport Beach-based Orange Label Art + Advertising expanded its staff after bringing in accounts.
The ad shop said it hired five workers in design, account services and accounting.
The move comes on the heels of bringing in more work.
Orange Label Art + Advertising said it picked up several clients in the past few months, including Tulsa Rib Co., Pro-Dex Inc., a Santa Ana maker of tiny motors for dental and medical tools, Excursion Air and U.S. Bancorp’s office equipment finance services division.
Work includes branding, Web and print advertising.
The shop made some changes this past year, including rebranding the agency and changing its name from Hunter Barth after bringing in a partner.
The firm has about 20 workers and taps freelancers.
Good Outlook
Amies Communications in Irvine has a good outlook for the rest of the year.
The shop, which focuses on real estate, is looking to grow its base of clients and expand services, said Jessica Spaulding-Thompson, president.
Amies has a “diverse” mix of accounts throughout the Western U.S., which helps it weather a slow economy, according to Spaulding-Thompson.
“While one market or sector may be pausing, there is strength in other regions and sectors,” she said.
The shop, which has 17 workers, also may look to add to its staff.
The focus: bringing in employees who know about new media and corporate responsibility programs, Spaulding-Thompson said.
Not So Sullen
Promoting itself at the recent Action Sports Retailer Trade Expo in San Diego has paid off for Irvine-based Sullen Clothing.
The apparel maker, known for clothes with edgy graphics, said it picked up its first stores in South America and signed large order agreements with its European and Canadian distributors.
“The response to our new fall line at ASR in San Diego was huge,” said Jeremy Hanna, Sullen’s director of sales and marketing. “We added more than 250 retail locations with orders from new core shops, foreign distributors and mall-based retailers.”
Retailers liked Sullen’s artwork, which was featured on T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and other garb, Hanna said.
Creative director Ryan Smith, who designs the graphics, said Sullen’s art has helped carve itself a niche.
“We know that Sullen’s connection with our customer is through our original artwork, a high quality garment and attention to detail,” Smith said. “We focus on all three areas.”
Sullen started out in 2001 in a Huntington Beach apartment.
The brand now sells its wares in more than 350 stores including skate shops, mall retailers and boutiques.
Mars Media
A longtime broadcasting executive has branched out on his own and started a media shop here.
Andrew F. Mars, who spent 18 years at Liberman Broadcasting Inc. in Burbank, recently started Mars Media Family in Huntington Beach.
Mars said he plans to work with broadcasters, advertisers and ad agencies in sales, account development and branding.
Mars joined Liberman in 1990 as station manager of KWIZ in Orange County.
Liberman owns more than 20 Spanish-language radio stations and four Spanish-language TV stations in California and Texas.
Mars was promoted to corporate vice president of Liberman in 1995.
He said one of his last assignments was designing and developing a promotional and marketing program for Liberman and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Prior to Liberman, Mars spent eight years at CBS Inc. in Los Angeles and Boston.
Mars said he picked up a client: KinderVision, which offers child and teen safety, education and protection programs.
Work will include market development.
Volcom’s Tweaks
Costa Mesa-based Volcom Inc. keeps fine-tuning as it grows.
The clothing maker, which makes clothes influenced by skate, surf and music, grew its staff across the board this past year, according to Chief Executive Richard Woolcott.
The company’s Orange County workers were up 12%, or 26 employees, to 240, according to the Business Journal’s recent list of the largest apparel makers.
Volcom’s companywide staff grew 38% to 423. There were 116 workers added.
The increase in OC workers was “mainly due to a focus on strengthening our internal structure as we grow,” Woolcott said.
“The hires are basically across the board,” he said. “We are constantly assessing each department and strengthening where needed.”
Volcom continues to build its resources in Europe, where it is building a headquarters in France to take over distribution of its clothes on the continent. Before, it was done by licensees.
The 34,000-square-foot office and warehouse in Anglet,part of France’s southwest surfing hub near the Spain border,should be open early next year.
Wall Street analysts say Europe is Volcom’s “biggest opportunity.”
