Irvine-based HLF Brandtailers, a marketing and advertising agency, is looking to expand its staff after landing an account and moving to a bigger office.
The agency, which focuses on automotive clients, is set to hire up to five people by year’s end, according to Cheril Hendry, chief executive and founder.
So far this year, HLF brought on four workers, bringing its total to about 25, she said.
HLF has seen growth with a new technology department and demand for online retail marketing, Hendry said.
“We have been lucky (and) smart enough to stay ahead of the marketing changes occurring in the retail environment,” Hendry said. “It’s all about search engines and relevancy right now. We understand the consumer’s online shopping and buying behavior quite well.”
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Wet Seal Web site: marketing paying off, according to analyst |
HLF expects a 20% to 30% increase in sales in the next six months, according to Hendry, who declined to say what the agency’s sales are.
The growth “could be bigger, but we have always acted and reacted conservatively to effectively control our expansion,” said Hendry, who started HLF in 1990 with two people.
The agency nearly tripled its size and recently moved to a 15,000-square-foot headquarters in Irvine.
HLF has some new business. Most recently, it was named agency of record for the Tustin Auto Center without a review, Hendry said.
“We started with some project work in the spring, which they liked, and one thing led to another,” she said.
The work is set to include a radio branding campaign, Web marketing and events, she said.
HLF has found a niche in the automotive industry.
“For years we suffered the comments of the bigger agencies that narrowing our efforts was a recipe for disaster,” Hendry said. “Ironically, 16 years later, we are now considered the cutting edge idea for ad agencies.”
Wet Seal’s Fall Push
Foothill Ranch-based Wet Seal Inc. is marketing clothes for the fall shopping season.
The teen retailer features blouses and jeans on its Web site and pushes shoppers to, “Get it, wear it, flaunt it.” The mall store operator is trying to get people into stores by advertising jeans starting at $20 and with a 20% discount for people who get a Wet Seal credit card.
The marketing moves are paying off, according to analyst Eric Beder of Brean Murray Carret & Co.
“Wet Seal has returned to registering strong results,” Beder said. “The company remains fashion-right for the back-to-school season, with tops and dresses remaining key drivers and basic denim sales on plan.”
The company’s strategy of offering “low price, high-fashion” looks is “especially appealing,” Beder said.
Still, Wet Seal remains in a “show-me” phase after ironing out some glitches that tripped up the company in the spring. Problems included not having enough popular clothes on hand in stores.
Earlier this month, Wet Seal, which has been working on a turnaround since late 2004, reported its first quarterly net profit in some time. The company reported a profit of $4.4 million in the quarter ended July 29, versus a loss of $11.7 million a year ago.
Sales were up 2.5% to $129.5 million.
Wet Seal continues to tweak its Arden B. chain for women. Arden B. rolled out new clothes, including dresses, long and print tops in red, gray and green earlier this month.
Arden B.’s Web site plays up the garb and is offering free shipping on purchases of $150 or more.
The division has a new general merchandising manager, Greg Garnette.
“Initial response has been very strong and we believe the shift to more glamorous looks will be a key driver this fall,” Beder said.
Wet Seal said it’s on track to have 20 to 25 new stores this year after closing some. The company opened five Wet Seal stores in the recently ended quarter.
“Wet Seal has already begun to sign leases for 2007 expansion and both chains continue to be viewed by landlords as highly attractive tenants,” he said.
Epic Hire
Aliso Viejo-based Epic Brand Communications is expanding its staff after landing some business earlier this year.
Epic hired Christine French as project manager to supervise its healthcare clients. Previously, French was marketing and communications manager for the cellular analysis division of Fullerton-based Beckman Coulter Inc., one of Epic’s clients.
French is among Epic’s recent recruits. The marketing agency grew its staff 50% in 2005 to about 15 people. Billings last year rose 29% to $12.5 million.
A few months back, Epic landed two healthcare accounts: Compressus Inc. in Washington, D.C., and Sunnyvale-based Eklin Medical Systems Inc.
