Vans Inc.’s newest global marketing campaign was shot exclusively on the iPhone 6s Plus. The Cypress-based action-sports footwear and apparel brand partnered with “influential lifestyle and action sports photographers and friends of the brand” to “put the All Weather MTE line to the test and create a truly global, artist-led campaign.”
“Vans is a brand that celebrates and enables creative expression,” Vice President of Global Creative Jamie Reilly said in a statement.
“With this campaign, we handed the creative microphone to a group of artists from around the globe and asked them to help us tell our story. It was exciting to remain true to our purpose as a brand and empower artists to do what they love while telling one of our stories. … This represented a unique process for us as marketers—we turned a creative brief into an art project and had no idea what the outcome might be. It was nerve wracking, waiting for the photos to come in, but ultimately it was an exercise in our faith in creative people, art and consumer technology.”
Photographers Chad Chomlack, Chad Huff, Charles Lanceplaine, James North, Jay Meador, Jeff Han, Matt Georges, Nolan Hall and Pete Williams submitted about 10,000 photos shot in numerous places, including Seoul, South Korea; Alaska; and Italy.
Vans acknowledged the lack of a female photographic perspective on the campaign, citing time constraints, seasonal asset milestones and talent availability that forced it to limit participation to photographers immediately available. It said it plans to “enhance and expand our concept wider to indeed include a diverse selection of content creators.”
Kia’s Artistic Side
Kia Motors America Inc. in Irvine, the official automotive sponsor of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, is helping the center mark its 30th anniversary and raise up to $250,000 by providing a 2017 Kia Sedona SXL as the grand prize in a raffle benefiting education programs that reach nearly 300,000 young people each year.
The drawing is planned for Oct. 31 during a Spooky Movie Monday at the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza in Costa Mesa. The $100 raffle tickets—2,500 of them—will be sold until Oct. 25 at the arts center.
Fresh Off the Runway
New York-based Ralph Lauren Corp. launched its “runway-to-retail” concept at New York Fashion Week last month, immediately offering every look from its women’s September collection at its four flagship stores—including the Costa Mesa location at South Coast Plaza.
“Today, for the first time ever, I am proud to share with you my new women’s collection right off the runway and into your lives,” Ralph Lauren said in a statement. “For me, this is the ultimate expression of luxury—offering you every look, every accessory, every handmade detail immediately in my flagship stores around the world and online.”
Taco Bell Props
Adweek’s senior editors selected Marisa Thalberg, chief marketing officer at Taco Bell Corp. in Irvine, to be part of the publication’s 2016 Brand Genius class, which “celebrates the best and brightest minds in marketing across ten distinct categories.”
Thalberg, honored in the restaurant category, will receive the award Oct. 25 at The Rainbow Room in New York.
Bits & Pieces
Advantage Solutions in Irvine hired Don Davis as president of its Waypoint food service division. He replaces Kevin O’Beirne, who retired, and will report to Advantage President and Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Hansberry. Most recently, Davis was the senior vice president of food service channel sales at Tyson Foodservice, where he was responsible for the integration of salesforces during the acquisition of Hillshire Brands by Tyson Foods. … LeRoy Sabers, co-owner of Diversified Business Services, Powered by Proforma, a Mission Viejo-based marketing and branding company, was named president of the Mission Viejo Chamber of Commerce. … Costa Mesa-based Rauxa hired Laurel Rossi as chief marketing officer. She joined from Havas, where she served as president of its Strat Farm and Life & Wellness agencies. … To mark September as “National Chicken Month,” several influencers took over Costa Mesa-based El Pollo Loco’s Instagram account, including the crew at Foodbeast, the gals at OC Mom Blog, and nutritionist and ABC’s “The Bachelor” veteran Tenley Molzahn.
