Oster Lands Two New Accounts, including Anthony’s
Cox Communications recently contracted with Initiative Media North America to handle media planning and buying for its San Diego operations.
It’s reportedly a multimillion dollar account, according to Initiative, but no further details about spending were released.
Initiative’s San Diego office will manage the account.
Initiative also oversees planning and buying for Cox in its Phoenix market.
“I am extremely pleased to expand our relationship with Cox Cable,” said Randy Bixler, director of Initiative’s western region client services, in a media release.
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New Accounts:
Local marketing firm Oster & Associates recently picked up a new nursery company account that could increase the agency’s billings by $200,000.
For Irvine-based Hines Nurseries, Oster is drafting a public relations outline for them, and its media buy is already taking place. The contract was signed in mid-September.
Earlier that month, Oster also signed locally based Anthony’s Seafood Group.
Oster isn’t doing anything for Anthony’s, but recently did promotions work for the company’s new express restaurant location in Kearny Mesa, which opened in August.
Status Chart:
Alden recently added several clients on a project basis. Among them: Innovase LLC, which researches commercial enzyme applications; video camera supplier Redlake MASD Inc.; and biotech company Vical, Inc. All of the companies are locally based. Alden is designing a naming system, logo and applications, and a corporate presentation and collateral for Innovase, redesigning Redlake’s Web site, and designing a corporate presentation for Vical. Alden would not release financial details for the new projects. The Dakota Group is working on two new commercials for Sharp Healthcare, which are scheduled to air early this fall. Rich Badami & Associates is overseeing creative work on it. Campbell Mithun also worked with Dakota to produce the “Nighttime Zoo Entertainment” TV spot for the San Diego Zoo.
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Sound Bites:
Cox Communications’ Channel 4 San Diego operations recently hired Matt Vasgersian as play-by-play announcer for the station’s Padres telecasts. Vasgersian, 34, signed a two-year contract, and joins color analysts Mark Grant and Rick Sutcliffe. Vasgersian has been calling play-by-play action for the Milwaukee Brewers since 1997. Former play-by play announcer Mel Proctor’s five-year contract, which ended this season, was not renewed. Cox isn’t releasing details on how much Vasgersian is being paid. The On Broadway Event Center recently began using a new mini-disc technology to market the facility and revamped its Web site. The mini-disc being sent to potential clients has the Web site and a nine-minute corporate video. SDSU’s College of Extended Studies recently hired JoAnna Parrino Clark as media relations and marketing specialist. Clark, who had been employed at locally based Stoorza Communications, Inc., said her new position involves planning and implementing a media relations campaign for the college.
Back Talk:
The local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is holding its annual “Newsmakers Talk Back” forum Nov. 10. In the event, a panel of people who were the focus of news in the last year discuss their experiences with the media and their take on the coverage they received.
This year’s panelists are: state Sen. Steve Peace; Michael Robertson, founder of MP3.com and currently CEO of Lindows.com; Mohamad Nasser of the Muslim American Society of San Diego; and Daryl Wasano, manager of the Oceanside Little League team.
Cathy Clark, former anchor at KUSI-TV, will moderate the panel, which takes place from 10 a.m. to noon at Point Loma Nazarene’s Colt Hall. Although the event is free, the SPJ chapter is asking attendees to RSVP to KNSD-TV’s Paul Krueger at paul.krueger@nbc.com.
The deadline for the next Media & Marketing column is Thursday, Nov. 8. Rodrigues can be reached at (858) 277-6359, Ext. 107, or via e-mail at trodrigues@sdbj.com.
