People

Brandweek, June 12, 2000

It Was lime for Maccaroni's Return to Seiko

The vp-marketing position at Seiko Corp. of America's headquarters in Mahwah,NJ., may be new to the company, but Gloria Maccaroni, who recently assumed the post, isn't.

From 1994-96, she was director of Jaz Time, a collection Seiko introduced along with Loray, as an entree into the fashion category Seiko later dropped the line to refocus on core product.

Maccaroni returns fresh off a stint as director of marketing for Safilo. Her first order of business: a Seiko consumer ad campaign slated for fourth quarter. Details aren't final, hut it will include executions for various categories within the Seiko collection via the Martin Agency Richmond, Va.A multi-tiered public relations program targeting consumers, media and celebrity and product placement opportunities is also in the works.

Seiko's core brand remains the Seiko collection, known for technology and functionality at a high-moderate price range that appeals to a 25- to 54-year-old consumer. Pulsar appeals to the same demo, but with a fashion look, such as bracelet-like straps. The Spoon collection, introduced in '97, targets trendsetting skate- and snowboarders.

Maccaroni, who worked with Guess watches a number of years ago, sees "incredible opportunity" in the watch business." Consumers are beginning to realize watches can be a fashion accessory," she said. "Even conservative men are buying watches for casual and dress wear."

The challenge is to maintain Seiko's brand equity while expanding its customer base. "We have to be consistent in communicating messages and deliver quality product the consumer will be attracted to," Maccaroni said.

Sandra Dolbow

Griffin Heeds the Clarion Sports Call

There's no debating that the sports marketing agency business has changed and as a veteran of those wars and many agencies, John Griffin has seen sponsorship change from what in many cases was the whim of a CEO to a vital part of the marketing mix.

Griffin's latest assignment is to rebuild the sports marketing capabilities at Clarion in Greenwich, Conn. The current client roster includes many of the beverage brands marketed by Perrier in this country, along with Gillette, Cadillac, Ernst & Young and smaller assignments with UPS and WebMD.com.

Griffin hopes to attract more business by selling the full-service nature of Clarion as a marketing and promotions agency The multi-faceted firm is geared to handle traditional sports marketing consulting, along with the creative, event, interactive, business-to-business and branding capabilities offered by the rest of the Clarion network.

"There are more and more big sports agencies, but most of them don't offer a lot of different client services," said Griffin.

"We're positioning Clarion Sports Marketing as a place that can support a lot of different client needs, and do a good job with the basic areas of matching products to properties and supporting them with well-integrated promotional efforts."

Prior to joining Clarion, Griffin worked at Octagon, ISL, Schramm Telemedia and Karlitz & Co.

Terry Lefton

OtherMoves

COMPANIES

Promotions: Morton's Restaurant Group, New Hyde Park, N.Y.,upped Roger Drake from dir to vp-corp communications[ldots] Marvel Enterprises, New York, upped Nancyann Volpe to vp-consumer products[ldots] General Cigar, New York, promoted Cooper Gardiner from sr mktg mgr to dir-mktg, filling a void left by vp-mktg Mark Macchiarulo departing for a business development position with the World Wrestling Federation in Stamford, Conn. Coming/going: Cosmopolitan Cosmetics, New York, hired Bruce Bennett as vp-mktg/category management, handling Ellen Tracy and Alfred Dunhill fragrances. He was at Elizabeth Arden[ldots] Spalding Sports World-wide, Chicopee, Mass., hired Bernie Kramberg as dir-market research. He was at Arnold Communications[ldots]Joan Sheridan LaBarge appointed svp-sales/mktg at Parade Publications, New York. She was at Weider Publications[ldots] New to New York-based Mademoiselle: Susan Parkes, exec dir-bus dev/creative services; Jeff Carter, dir-marketing services; Heidi Edelstein, bus dev dir; Kathy Ri ess, bus dir[ldots] Marvel Enterprises, New York, rehired Russ Brown, naming him svp-consumer products, promotions & media sales. He worked for Marvel from 1995-97, then for Determined Productions[ldots]Joe Mahone hired as urban retail mktg mgr at Rhino Entertainment, Los Angeles. He was a field marketing rep for WEA.

AGENCIES

Promotions: Barb Box from svp to acct grp dir of Golin/Harris, Chicago, healthcare practice, handling Bayer Consumer Care Division and Johnson & Johnson[ldots] Oregon-based KVO pr named sr professionals Heidi Boenisch, Nathaniel "Than" Clevenger and William "Bill" Warner to vp posts; Jana Heffernan to acct supervisor-adv tech prac grp; Robin Tovey to acct exec-info tech prac grp; Wendy Abeel and Jeff Schline to acct supervisors[ldots] Virginia-based KSK Comm. promoted Tommy Young to acct sprvsr; Spencer Hollis to sr acct exec[ldots] Christine Foy to sr acct exec at N.J.-based STAR/Rosen pr[ldots] Stacey Roberts to media relations mgr for New England-based Agnew Carter/MS&L; Jennifer Brown to sr acct exec; Eliza Carter to acct exec; Monica Hinojos to acct associate[ldots] Aubree Galvin and Alyssa Peterson to acct execs at Donnellon pr, Chicago.