Grocery Wholesaler to Accent Hispanic Consumers

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Unified Grocers Inc., a Commerce wholesaler serving independent grocery stores, is expanding its marketing to Hispanics, including a digital campaign.

“The key objective for us is to increase top-line sales for retailers and manufacturers and for Unified as well,” said Nancy Lopez-Pedroza, regional marketing manager of Unified Grocers.

The new campaign comes in two parts. The first is called Celebremos, or Let’s Celebrate. It includes events such as sweepstakes and sampling tables at independent retailers. Lopez-Pedroza said the storefront programs are for its large to midsize retail chains such as Northgate Gonzalez Market in Anaheim and Superior Grocers in Santa Fe Springs.

The second program, Mercado Savings, is a digital campaign using social media and creating online content for all of its 400 Hispanic retail locations.

“We want to provide those millennial Latinos with content that is relevant to them, such as recipes and reward them for making purchases at our Hispanic independents,” Lopez-Pedroza said.

Founded in 1999, Unified Grocers serves more than 3,000 independent grocers on the West Coast. Last year, the company generated an estimated $3.8 billion in sales.

Automotive Studio

Signal Hill production studio Kirby Studios recently announced the opening of its first facility, StudioOne in Long Beach.

The site is designed to offer ad agencies and production companies a studio to film or photograph automotive campaigns.

“Creating the right environment is essential to flawless photography,” said Jim Kirby, the company’s founder.

Kirby, a former movie stunt-car driver, has worked in the film and TV vehicle business, modifying cars for productions with his company L.A. Prep Inc., a Signal Hill company that prepares cars for commercials and movie filming,which he formed in 1983.

Kirby Studios, a sister company to L.A. Prep, was founded last month and has a staff of three. Kirby said his professional background and work with agencies and directors helped shape what services to offer at the new 6,000-square-foot studio.

StudioOne features lighting and equipment tailored for automotive commercials and the set can be adapted to accommodate a range of vehicle sizes. Production companies can bring their own equipment and supplies into the studio. The facility also offers discretion for agencies wanting to shoot commercials in secret.

“We can guarantee that high-security vehicles will be protected from prying eyes in all phases of the shoot,” Kirby said.

StudioOne is a single, standalone studio but there are plans to expand by adding four to six additional studio spaces and a turntable platform to show cars from all angles.

Agencies & Accounts

Ad agency TBWAChiatDay LA has named Rohit Thawani head of digital strategy. Thawani was lead strategist at ad agency 72andSunny in Playa Vista. … Ballantines PR, a public relations firm in West Hollywood, will represent West Hollywood’s Sunset Marquis Hotel. The firm will be responsible for creating and executing the hotel’s public relations strategy. … Hawthorne Direct, an advertising agency near downtown Los Angeles, has promoted John Pucci to the newly created position of chief creative officer. Pucci was previously senior vice president and executive creative director. … GolinHarris, a public relations firm in downtown Los Angeles, has hired Glenn Gaslin as chief of its Bridge division, a marketing branch. Gaslin was special projects content director for E Online in Los Angeles. … Hustle, an ad agency based in New York, has opened an office in Los Angeles. Matt Walsh will head the office and lead all new-business efforts and brand clients in the region. … David&Goliath, an ad agency in El Segundo, has named Adam Blankenship account director of Kia national and promoted Josh Crick to digital director. Blankenship was vice president and account director at ad agency BBDO in New York; Crick was digital account director on the Kia business at the agency. … Saatchi & Saatchi LA has named David Lowrie group account director; Mark Laughlin and Marlon Hernandez have been named creative directors.

Staff reporter Subrina Hudson can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-522, ext. 251.

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