Irvine-based PainePR Inc., Orange County’s biggest public relations shop, is looking to go wider with the muscle of a new parent, Canada’s Cossette Communication Group Inc.
Quebec City-based Cossette, which has about 1,400 workers and offices throughout Canada and in New York and London, recently bought a majority stake in the 18-year-old shop. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
David Paine, founder of PainePR, said he’d been looking for a buyer for more than a year and purposely “stayed pretty clear” of “any major holding companies,” such as the WPP Group PLC and Omnicom Group Inc., which own several advertising and PR firms.
“We didn’t feel they were the right fit for us,” Paine said of the industry’s big players. “We were very concerned that if we sold to the wrong partner, it would destroy our culture and all the reasons clients have come to us.”
Paine called Cossette a “perfect” fit. PainePR is set to become “Cossette’s lead public relations agency in the U.S.” with access to its global offices, Paine said.
Cossette owns Optimum Public Relations in Canada and The Band & Brown Group in London, which it bought in September.
Before now, Cossette didn’t have a public relations arm in the U.S., though it owns an ad shop in New York.
Paine said that in the past, many of his clients, such as Procter & Gamble Co., have asked for help on global marketing, which PainePR couldn’t provide.
“We wanted to be able to offer more comprehensive and integrated capabilities,” Paine said. “We’ve been able to take a very big step in that direction right away.”
Plus, Paine said Cossette should help PainePR “achieve a greater degree of national representation and awareness.”
“Nationwide, our brand recognition is only about 15%,” he said. “We know it has to be higher than that.”
PainePR has about 60 workers,30 in OC,in offices in Irvine, New York and San Francisco. It’s looking to “grow the firm rapidly,” either through new clients or acquisitions, Paine said.
“We want to get to a point where we have a global brand that can compete effectively on a large scale,” he added. “We want to continue to be considered for the larger assignments.”
Paine said he plans to remain as chief executive. Daryl McCullough expects to stay on as president.
“What Cossette said to us was ‘Don’t change,'” Paine said.
Clients in OC “literally won’t observe any real change,” Paine said, though he said they’ll have access to a broader range of services.
But “we’re not going to force-feed them,” he said.
In the meantime, PainePR continues to bring on new clients. About a month ago, it picked up Fullerton-based Beckman Coulter Inc.’s public relations account, Paine said.
Child’s Play
Costa Mesa-based Paul Frank Industries Inc. has been spreading the word about its new clothes for kids.
The apparel maker started testing the new garb, mainly T-shirts and fleece tops, at its stores and some boutiques earlier this year.
The collection now includes accessories and boys’ and girls’ clothes, such as pajamas and zipper and pullover fleece shirts. Prices range from $18 for a T-shirt to $48 for a flannel pajama set.
The clothes feature Paul Frank’s signature Julius monkey, as well as other animated characters created specifically for kids, the company said.
“People enjoy Paul Frank,old, young, large, small,” said Paul Frank, the company’s namesake founder, in a statement. “The more diversity in our products, the more people will be able to enjoy our stuff.”
Paul Frank started a new division to handle the clothes called “Small Paul.” Ryan Heuser, Paul Frank’s cofounder and president, said the company expects kids’ clothes to be “one of our largest volume categories.”
Pizza Push
Huntington Beach-based BJ’s Restaurants Inc. tapped Morgan Marketing & Public Relations LLC for public relations work.
First order of business: The Irvine-based shop hopes to help increase the pizza chain’s profile and promote its efforts to raise $1 million for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
“We need an agency that will really generate excitement in the competitive restaurant industry and help us reach our $1 million goal,” said Dean Gerrie, chief brand officer.
The cause hits close to home. Stacy Motenko, daughter of Paul Motenko, co-chief executive at BJ’s, has cystic fibrosis.
Morgan Marketing plans to push the pizza chain’s pledge to hit its goal this year through fund-raising events, donations and its “Cookies for Kids” program. BJ’s donates a portion of sales from its deep-dish cookies to the foundation. Through the years, BJ’s has given more than $1.5 million to the cause.
Polytechnic Polyester
Irvine-based Rusty is pushing its new men’s polyester walk shorts for spring.
The surfwear maker now has five styles.
Rusty added colors such as pink, lime, cream and yellow, and patterns to lure buyers, he said.
