Skiver Starts With Real Estate, Eyes Action Sports
The Grove Taps Doll Hut’s Jemison; Op Tries Hand at Loungewear Again
Marketing & Media
by Jennifer Bellantonio
Orange County’s latest ad agency is a father-and-son team.
Andy Skiver, who spent 10 years at Newport Beach’s InterCommunications Inc., and son Jeremy, former marketing director at Bates USA West in Irvine, recently formed The Skiver Group in Irvine.
“We’ve talked about it and talked about it, and the time was finally right,” Jeremy Skiver said.
Well, sort of.
The duo opened doors a week before Sept. 11, which made for tough going.
But, Jeremy Skiver said, “We’ve been able to find accounts and move forward.”
The ad shop has about eight workers (some wooed from InterCommunications, according to Jeremy), with plans to add more.
Andy, former executive vice president and director of client services at InterComm, is in charge of agency management. Jeremy oversees new business and account work.
So far the agency has about eight accounts, including some real estate clients, such as San Diego-based Newland Communities.
“We’re pitching three accounts right now in the surf, snow, skate industry, which is my background,” Jeremy said.
The agency also has been working with a few creative director types, with plans to bring one on full time, Jeremy said.
“There’s no shortage of people,” he said.
Living Doll
She’s back.
The Grove of Anaheim has tapped Linda Jemison, former owner of Anaheim roadhouse The Doll Hut, to help bring in a younger, edgier crowd.
“We think Linda is a total icon of Orange County when it comes to the music scene,” said Stephen Lazar, the Grove’s general manager.
Starting in a few weeks, Jemison plans to kick off “Linda’s Stargazer Lounge,” featuring a handful of bands playing in The Grove’s courtyard before the evening’s main concert starts.
True to Jemison’s style, the music promises to be more alternative.
“We were looking for ways to connect with a diverse group of people that might not have bought tickets on a regular basis,” Lazar said. “She’ll bring in more of a diehard music fan.”
The Grove, formerly the Sun Theatre, is looking to reinvent itself and diversify its music mix (and audience) since being bought in 2000 by SMG, a venture of Hyatt Corp. and Aramark Corp.
The Grove has been looking to boost its profile by teaming with a mix of groups, including the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach (also owned by SMG) and the Surfrider Foundation, which is holding a Father’s Day benefit at The Grove featuring the Beach Boys.
Los Angeles-based concert promoter Goldenvoice also brought several bands to The Grove recently,including punks Rancid and NOFX.
The Grove is looking to get the word out about changes at the theater next to Edison International Field. In January, The Grove tapped the Blossom Group for public relations and marketing work. The size of the account wasn’t disclosed.
Back in Loungewear
Irvine-based Ocean Pacific Apparel Corp. is giving young men’s loungewear another try.
The maker of surfwear and other goods gave the category a go last year but abandoned it for various reasons, according to Andrew Lelchuk, Op senior vice president.
Now the company has signed a licensing pact with New York-based Knothe Corp., maker of Izod, Munsingwear and other labels, to design, produce, market and sell men’s, young men’s and boy’s loungewear, boxers and sleepwear (boys only).
The men’s product will be sold under the Ocean Pacific name, and the young men’s and boys will be sold under the Op logo.
The loungewear is slated for delivery a year from now, and is set to sell in department stores and through specialty retailers.
Lelchuk said the product will vary a bit by age range. Boy’s sleepwear for ages 4 to 7 will be much more graphic driven than young men’s (ages 8 to 20) loungewear, which will be more about patterns. The men’s category targets customers in the 25 to 50 age range.
“Originally the whole sleepwear business tended to be a six week business at the end of the year. Now, we’re seeing this out there 365 days. It’s becoming a much more relevant category,” Lelchuk said.
Advertising and marketing for the new products is set to launch late this year. Op still is fine-tuning its approach, Lelchuk said.
Bits and Pieces:
Santa Ana-based Script to Screen recently did a new infomercial for Tustin-based Trinity Golf Inc. The spot, featuring USA Network golf commentator Bill Patrick, is airing on The Golf Channel and other cable channels Camarillo-based Paxton Products Corp., a maker of blowers, air-knives and other drying systems, has tapped Antarra Communications in Anaheim for public relations work Hispanic ad shop Mendoza Dillon & Asociados has moved from Newport Beach to new digs in Aliso Viejo Tustin-based Beard Boy Productions is writing and producing worker motivational videos with an Olympic theme for Chi-Chi’s Mexican restaurants. The shop also is working on a 30-second TV spot for James Architects, Costa Mesa Trabuco Canyon-based Eureka Resource Group landed a chunk of work from K & B; Engineering. Eureka will be developing sales and marketing plans.
