Firms Partner to Put Companies in Positive Light

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Two marketing companies have consummated a Hollywood marriage aimed at making companies look like they care.

West Hollywood-based BNC, which produces nearly 200 events a year, has signed a partnership with the Sexton Co., a consulting firm that helps companies show their sense of social responsibility.

The deal will involve developing programs for BNC clients to improve their “cause marketing.” BNC’s client list includes show biz names such as Cameron Diaz and Jimmy Kimmel. The company also represents Sony Corp. and the TV shows “Gossip Girl,” “House” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

BNC has a history with cause-driven charity events, including Tanqueray’s American AIDS Rides in the 1990s; Norman Lear’s Declare Yourself, a voter registration drive targeting young people; and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

“We believe with the Sexton Co. we can more effectively address the area of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, as consumer spending becomes more influenced by what companies do,” Michael Nyman, BNC chairman, said in a statement.

Sexton’s track record includes “greening” the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles by recycling stadium waste-paper and planting a forest to offset the organization’s carbon footprint, and producing the Live 8 concert.

The company has offices in Los Angeles and New York.


Environmental Laughs

Fun Little Movies, a Burbank company that produces comic short films for mobile phones, has debuted an ad-supported series called “No News Is Good News” that spoofs the global warming issue.

The series has landed its first sponsor with Go Green Expo, an event organizer that will put on environmentally themed conventions in major U.S. cities next year. Fun Little Movies is currently looking for a firm to handle other ad sales on the series, a company spokesman said.

The series tries to make global warming funny with a “Dr. Strangelove”-type of dark humor. Debra Skelton of “Mad TV” stars in the spoofs.

Fun Little Movies launched as a channel on Sprint TV in 2004. The company’s films have won 22 awards, including the Content Award at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.


Shoppers Wanted

Channel M, an L.A.-based producer of in-store video networks for retail chains, is now selling advertising on its screens in Ashley Furniture HomeStores and Ecko clothing stores.

Until now, both chains featured ad-free programming hyping their own merchandise. But faced with a tough retail forecast for the holiday season, Channel M got the call to sell ads and thus generate revenue for the stores. The company splits the ad dollars with retailers that agree to allow outside advertising in their stores.

Ashley’s customers are mostly women 25 to 49, while Ecko is a clothing store for males 14 to 34.

The chains “both attract a specific and highly sought-after customer base with unique demographic and psychographic attributes,” Dennis Quinn, president of marketing for Channel M, said in a statement.


Agencies & Accounts

David & Goliath;, L.A.-based agency of record for Kia Motors America Inc., designed the new Kia Soul Mobile microsite that debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The site provides information about the Kia Soul compact SUV model. Farr Marketing Group, a PR shop in West Los Angeles, has won the assignment to create a campaign for Weekend College, an academic degree program from St. Mary’s College. ThinkLA, the region’s advertising trade group, has scheduled its annual Toys for Tots Holiday Party on Dec. 4 at the Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. BBC.com is the presenting sponsor for the night. Maya Communications is handling PR for a pilot federal student aid program in Long Beach. Called Fafsa, for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the program helps Latino students get grants and loans to pursue college degrees. PR agency Levine Communications Office has promoted Eddie Garcia to its lineup of entertainment publicists. Garcia previously worked for the Professional Image agency before joining LCO with the title of account manager. The board of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies has named Roberto Orci, president of L.A.-based Acento, to fill a vacant board seat. Orci will serve a short term and will be eligible for re-election in April by the membership of the Virginia-based trade group.


Staff reporter Joel Russell can be reached at [email protected] or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 237.

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