Newport Beach-based XPR LLC has moved into bigger digs after bringing in some new clients.
The Orange County public relations and marketing shop, which was started about two years ago, landed several accounts from OC, including Candelis Inc., an Irvine-based medical company, Irvine’s Netropa Corp., Huntington Beach-based EarthFriendly Moving and Irvine-based Mariners Church.
The public relations shop also landed work from a few national accounts, including Deerfield, Ill.-based Cosi Inc., a restaurant chain, and San Francisco-based Oxford Lodging Advisory & Investment Group, according to agency partner Bob Ochsner.
To help with the work, the shop recently hired Crista Lee as account coordinator. She’ll oversee day-to-day account coordination, media material development and vendor relations.
Lee’s primary responsibilities will be to handle Netropa and Cosi accounts.
XPR was started in 2005 by Ochsner and Sung Choi, who recently moved the firm to Irvine from Ladera Ranch.
The two are former account directors at PainePR in Irvine who left to start their own gig.
XPR offers public relations and marketing, including plan development, corporate and brand positioning and product launches.
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Quiksilver: known for playing up gear among picturesque scenery |
New Exec
Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. just hired a marketing executive.
The clothing maker said that Greg Perlot was hired as senior vice president of marketing for Quiksilver Brands in the Americas,a newly created position.
Perlot has worked with Quiksilver for the past three years as a consultant.
Perlot reports to Steve Tully, president of Quiksilver, and now leads the company’s in-house marketing team.
“Although he will certainly energize the already healthy conversation with our core customer, Greg will be a central part of the brand’s ongoing efforts to engage and inspire new audiences,” Tully said.
Before Quiksilver, Perlot was president and cofounder of Los Angeles-based 72andSunny, an advertising agency that worked with several brands, including Coca-Cola, Xbox and Discovery Channel.
Quiksilver is known for playing up surfing, snowboarding and skating in its marketing, which frequently has picturesque scenery of waves or mountains in exotic locales.
The company is making a move to strengthen its core brands, including Quiksilver and Roxy Girls, by recently selling its Cleve-land Golf line to Japan’s SRI Sports Ltd. for $132.5 million.
The company will use some of the money to pay down debt.
Quiksilver originally got a portion of Cleveland Golf in July 2005 with its buy of France’s Skis Rossignol. It later bought the rest of the company.
In other moves to appeal to more women, Quiksilver said it expects to launch a new women’s line under the “Quiksilver” brand for fall 2008.
The clothes will be aimed at 18- to 24-year-olds, and will be sold at Quiksilver shops, department stores and other surf and skate shops.
Playing Up Tamales
Costa Mesa-based El Pollo Loco Inc. launched a marketing campaign to promote a new menu item for the holidays.
The Mexican restaurant chain put up ads inside and outside of its restaurants. They play up chicken tamales and 24- and 48-piece meals for catering, which are detailed in brochures.
The company also is offering gift cards and is letting people place catering orders online or at a toll free number.
Bits and Pieces:
Morgan Marketing & Public Relations LLC promoted Christy Flanagan to director. Flanagan oversees several accounts, including Panda Restaurant Group, Mimi’s Cafe, It’s A Grind and Wildfish Seafood Grille. Flanagan also helps bring in new business Anaheim Arena Management LLC, which manages the Honda Center and the Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club LLC, extended their marketing partnership with Del Taco LLC in Lake Forest. The two have worked together since 1993, the Ducks first season as a hockey team. The deal includes scoreboard signs for Del Taco and taking the Ducks marketing truck to Del Taco restaurants The Orange County Ad Club is offering a $1,000 academic achievement award to students enrolled in advertising related disciplines at community colleges and universities throughout the area. Applications are due by Feb. 29 to qualify. Recipients of the award will be notified and then acknowledged at the Orange County Ad Club Annual ADDY Awards Presentation in March. For more information go to www.ocadclub.org Irvine-based L & A; Marketing and Advertising Inc. recently promoted Adrianne Miller to account executive.
