D. Power’s Power Circle Ratings serve as a seal of approval on various products and services, most notably in the auto industry. The Costa Mesa-based market research company is now looking into customers’ satisfaction with apps. It launched the Mobile App Certification Program, which recognizes brands providing “an exceptional mobile app experience.”
To qualify for certification, brands must rank among top performers in the most recent J.D. Power North American Mobile App Satisfaction Index, which included 259 companies from 11 industries. Their apps have to pass “a rigorous evaluation” of 250 mobile app experience and operational best practices, including navigation design; and messaging and notifications.
Bank of America was the first to achieve the certification, and will be able to “market its achievement for 12 months with such marketing tools as a J.D. Power Mobile App Certification trophy, online marketing collateral and in-store merchandise displays.”
J.D. Power, founded in 1968, conducts independent consumer surveys of product and service quality and customer satisfaction. It works in the automotive, financial services, healthcare, insurance and other industries.
Genesis Nabs Tiger
Tiger Woods said he will play in the 2018 Genesis Open, which is scheduled for Feb. 12 to 18 at The Riviera Country Club. It will be his first tournament at Riviera since 2006. The Irvine-based Tiger Woods Foundation will produce the event, and Genesis Motor America in Fountain Valley will be title sponsor.
“I’m very excited to be back at Riviera,” Woods said in a statement. “To be able to play in an event that I used to come to as an amateur, as a junior and now as the tournament host, that is on one of the most historic sites in all of golf, it’s a dream come true.”
Back spasms forced Woods to cancel his appearance at the PGA Tour event last year.
Ducks in the Kitchen
Commercial kitchen and outdoor appliance maker Hestan Commercial signed on as a sponsor of its hometown hockey team, the Anaheim Ducks.
The brand will have “placement on the ice” at the Honda Center during the season, and provide Ducks fans with chances to win its residential products at both the Honda Center and through its social media channels.
“We are thrilled about our new partnership with the Ducks and even more excited about the synergistic nature of our relationship,” President Eric Deng said in a statement. “Hestan and the Ducks have very similar values, as both organizations are committed to their surrounding communities and the experience their consumers enjoy and expect.”
Hestan, founded by cookware innovator Stanley Cheng, has a 130,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Anaheim that also houses its administrative offices, a showroom, test kitchen and certified testing lab.
Custom Culture
Vans Inc. in Costa Mesa kicked off its ninth annual Vans Custom Culture, an art competition “built to inspire creativity and show support for art programs in schools.”
The apparel and footwear brand chooses 500 schools from a pool of registered participants and this year will focus on those that have had their arts programming cut.
“Vans has put almost $900,000 directly into art education programs for schools across the nation,” Custom Culture Program Manager Megan Klempa said in a statement. “As we began planning for 2018, the brand took a step back to evaluate how we could make more of an impact and ensure we were reaching schools who need the most support.”
Vans also upped financial support of finalists from $4,000 to $10,000 and the grand prize from $50,000 to $75,000. It will also work with Kindah Khalidy, a California-based painter and textile designer who will “help reimagine Vans Custom Culture through her work.”
Bits & Pieces
IDX LLC in Eugene, Ore., provider of software as a service tools for real estate websites, acquired Aliso Viejo-based Agent Marketing LLC for $6 million. …Vizio Inc. in Irvine kicked off its 11th annual Vizio Top Value Performer award contest, which “aims to recognize the professional football player whose on-field performance most exceeds the value of their base salary.” Nominees for the 2017 season include Green Bay’s Davante Adams, Baltimore’s Alex Collins, Chicago’s Jordan Howard, New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara, and Minnesota’s Jerick McKinnon.
