Fountain Valley-based Kingston Technology Inc. featured animated versions of co-founders John Tu and David Sun in a YouTube video celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Kingston makes memory chips that power computers, cameras and smartphones and other products, and is the second-largest private company in Orange County, with sales of $6.6 billion last year. The duo founded the company in 1987 after leaving Irvine-based computer maker AST Research. In 1996 they sold 80% of the company to Japan-based Softbank Corp. for $1.5 billion. They bought the company back at a steep discount three years later, and built it into a global leader.
“What started as two guys in a garage in 1987 is now a family of 3,000 people around the world delivering over a million units a day to over 30,000 locations worldwide,” the company said in the 1-minute spot. “Thank you for 30 years of technology.”
The video is a bit of a surprise—Tu and Sun have always championed the company’s privacy and their own, rarely granting interviews or making public appearances, despite their philanthropic endeavors.
Luxe Sidekick
Karma Automotive LLC just upped the luxury game. Every Karma Revero owner will be assigned a client services specialist who will “join them from the day they place their order through their entire ownership journey.” The Irvine-based automaker defined the role as “a first-name-basis sidekick who you can shoot a text to when something’s going on, and who will text you back. This is your partner in all things Karma.”
Karma Automotive launched the $130,000 vehicle last year. It’s powered by electricity, gas and solar energy and can hit 60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds.
Hispanic Hero
Boost Mobile LLC released a three-minute video featuring former astronaut José Hernández, who talks about getting rejected 11 times by NASA and never giving up on his dream.
“Right now, the Hispanic community is heavily underrepresented in career fields in STEM,” Hernandez said, adding that his foundation, Reaching For The Stars, helps expose children to science, technology, engineering and math “so they start considering it.”
The video is part of the Boosting Dreams series that the Irvine-based prepaid, no-contract brand is developing with HOT 97 host Laura Stylez, and centers on “culture, accomplishments, and inspiration with Hispanic Heroes.”
Boost Mobile is also running a bilingual advertising campaign promoting its “Get five lines with Unlimited Gigs for $100 per month” deal. One 30-second ad features an oversized switch that families can use to—well, switch.
The brand, operated by telecom giant Sprint Corp., has about 9,000 independently owned and operated outlets. Its products are also carried at about 7,000 national retailers, including Walmart, BestBuy, Target and Fry’s Electronics.
Cool Deal
U-Vend Inc. in Santa Monica hired the Ice Cream Exchange to develop, produce and package its upcoming line of sports-themed ice cream products.
Retail accounts of the La Habra-based private-label maker of ice cream desserts, bulk ice creams, sorbets, frozen yogurts and gelatos include Whole Foods and other major grocery and chain stores, and it has production capabilities to support 20 million “ice cream units” for U-Vend per year.
“In the novelty ice cream category, we believe a new offering such as this is long overdue, and should be very well-received,” founder and Chief Executive Rhohit Walia said in a statement.
U-Vend develops, distributes and markets self-serve electronic kiosks across North America.
Bits & Pieces
Actress Helen Mirren, architect Frank Gehry, LVMH Inc. Chief Executive Anish Melwani, and Plácido Domingo were among guests that helped mark South Coast Plaza’s 50th anniversary with a concert by the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and “intimate gala” Art, Excellence + Friendship on Oct. 30 at Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. … Blue C Advertising in Costa Mesa hired Allan Rahn as chief strategy officer. He’ll “drive the agency’s expansion of its health, wellness and fitness practice.” … Newport Beach-based William Lyon Home’s third-quarter sales and marketing spending was 4.5% of its $490.3 million homebuilding revenue, or about $22 million. That’s down compared to the year-ago quarter of 5.3% of revenue. The company said it “has focused on more efficient advertising spending using social media and mobile applications to offset higher outside broker costs.” … Wings Capital Partners hired Gwyn Scourfield as senior vice president of marketing.
