Vizio Inc. has kicked off the football season with a weekly TV set giveaway that also benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The Irvine-based company has partnered with San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Stevie Johnson in “TDs for TVs,” a promotion that gives back to a nonprofit group for which Johnson said has “taught me to strive for success off the field.”
Vizio plans to reward one lucky fan with a 50-inch M-Series Smart TV each week, but if Johnson scores a touchdown, the company will upgrade the prize to its 50-inch P-Series Ultra HD Full-Array LED Smart TV and also send a 50-inch M-Series TV set to the Boys & Girls Club in the city where the game is played.
Miata Mania
Mazda North American Operations’ newest iteration of its popular MX-5 Miata arrived in style.
The red roadster rolled onto the stage during a live event held in Monterey, followed by a performance by 1980s heartthrobs Duran Duran.
“It’s quite pretty, isn’t it?” lead singer Simon Le Bon said about the car, which debuted on the market about the same time the band put out its first record.
“In 25 years, both the car and the band have evolved while staying true to their roots,” Russell Wager, Mazda’s vice president of marketing, said in a statement. “It is this combination of authenticity and endurance that makes the pairing of the MX-5 and Duran Duran so appropriate for this reveal.”
The Irvine-based automaker held simultaneous reveals in Tokyo and Barcelona. The company also promoted the event on social media with the #longlivetheroadster hashtag.
Diamonds in the Rough
Lugano Diamonds & Jewelry Inc. went this month where the well-heeled take their leisure to promote its luxury goods.
The Newport Beach-based company sponsored two equestrian events on the East Coast, part of its ongoing marketing efforts. It was the official sponsor of the 43rd annual American Gold Cup, which took place Sept. 10 through 14 at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y.
Lugano Diamonds was also the official broadcast partner and jeweler of this past weekend’s Central Park Horse Show—the first equestrian event to take place in New York since the National Horse Show left Madison Square Garden in 2001, according to the company.
“Lugano Diamonds chooses partnership opportunities based on shared target markets,” said Moti Ferder, the company’s president and design director. “Many of our clients are involved in the equestrian community, so Lugano supports prestigious events locally and nationwide.”
Dollar Hunt
Taco Bell Corp.’s new “Everlasting Dollars” social media campaign is promoting its 11-item Dollar Cravings Menu and promises a lifetime of the restaurant’s food to 11 lucky people who find specific $1 bills floating anywhere in 11 cities across the nation.
Dizzy from the numbers yet? Here’s one more for you: estimated odds of winning are one in 2.4 billion.
The Irvine-based fast-food chain tapped Harley Morenstein, creator of the online cooking show “Epic Meal Time” and comedian James Kirkland to kick off the campaign on Aug. 26 from Los Angeles in a video posted on the brand’s YouTube channel. Kirkland has since revealed a serial number from an “everlasting dollar bill” each day in 30-second videos from various other cities, including Las Vegas, Chicago, San Diego, Detroit, Nashville and Seattle.
The campaign, which wraps up on Oct. 13, was created by Deutsch LA.
Bits & Pieces
Free-surf veteran Peter Mendia has joined San Clemente-based Electric Visual to represent its sunglasses and the brand’s newly launched digital simple tide watch. … The Internet Marketing Association in San Clemente will hold its Impact14 Conference from Sept. 24 to 26 in Las Vegas. Keynote speakers will include several local names, such as Tomo Mizutani, president of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc., and Rob Friedman, chairman of Auction.com.
