Mandee Shoppers To Cast Their Votes as Talented New York City Fashion Students Compete for Scholarship Grants and Retail Visibility

New York, NY (May 24, 2011)- Trendy junior retailer Mandee and junior denim brand Vanilla Star Jeans have joined forces to sponsor a unique design challenge for students at New York City’s legendary High School of Fashion Industries.

Seventy-two students divided into teams were asked to design original ‘Back-to-School’ capsule collections consisting of two complete looks, incorporating any of the following: t-shirts, dresses, jeans, skirts, shorts, and jackets. Designs had to be relevant to Mandee’s cutting-edge customer and to Vanilla Star’s “Smart Girls Rock!” and “Live the Dream” visions.

First-, second- and third-place winners each will receive scholarship grants furnished by Vanilla Star. The first-place winners’ designs also will be part of Vanilla Star’s Fall 2011 collection to be sold exclusively at Mandee stores starting in September 2011.

Starting Thursday, May 26, through June 18, the fashion story boards of seven finalists will be posted in the windows of five Mandee stores: Manhattan (14th Street, bet. 5th & 6th Aves.); Queens (Rego Park); Brooklyn (Atlantic Terminal); Bronx (Bay Plaza); and Wayne, NJ (Willowbrook Mall).

Designs were reviewed by Mark Levy, president of Vanilla Star Jeans; Alan Mandelbaum, president of Mandee; and the Mandee merchandising team.

Window shoppers can try to match the panel’s decision by scanning a QR code to enter their favorite design featured in Mandee store windows, by filling out ballots in the store, or by visiting www.mandee.com. The QR code also will feature a video of the students in action. Entrants who match the judges’ decision will be eligible to win a $200 Mandee gift card.

Says Mandelbaum, “Everyone at Mandee is thrilled to be able to introduce the designs of such gifted students into our stores. These future visionaries know first-hand what our customers want.”

Mark Levy reports, “We started this partnership with The High School of Fashion Industries because we believe that teens with brains, personality, talent, and ambition can do anything they set their mind to. Vanilla Star does more than just encourage teens to ‘live their dreams,’ we help them turn them into a reality.”

About Mandee
Mandee is a junior apparel retailer targeted to young women 17-23 who crave cutting edge fashion and style at a value price. Mandee carries trendy sportswear, dresses, shoes, intimates, accessories, and jewelry at its 116 stores and via www.mandee.com.

About Vanilla Star Jeans
Vanilla Star Jeans is an international company founded in 2002 and based in New York City. It has quickly become the jean fashion leader for juniors and girls in the U.S., sold at all major department and specialty stores throughout the nation. For more information please visit www.vanillastarjeans.com.

About The High School of Fashion Industries
The High School of Fashion Industries, founded in 1926, is the only high school of its kind in eastern United States. Its occupational curriculum devotes itself entirely to the world of fashion, from styling and design to business, merchandising, and marketing. It was cited as one of the top 25 high schools in New York City by former Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, and it was named one of the top high schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report. www.fashionhighschool.net

For more information, visuals or interviews, see press contact below.

# # #

Press contact:
Linda Mann
Mann Media, Inc.
212-675-0100 (o)
646-322-6172 (m)
linda@PRdivas.com

Diversified Global Graphics Group (DG3) Announces the Acquisition
of The Ace Group, a Leading Digital Print and Mobile Marketing Communications Firm
03 March 2011

Jersey City, New Jersey, March 3, 2011: DG3 North America, Inc., a leading provider of global graphic communication solutions, announced today the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of The Ace Group, Inc., a full service print and electronic marketing solutions provider in New York City.

The Ace Group has a rich forty-year history and is best known for providing integrated offset print, personalized on demand print, email marketing and mobile marketing solutions to a discriminating group of clients looking for unique ways to communicate with their marketplace. This includes The NBA, Time Out New York, and Calvin Klein, who received national media attention as they introduced a controversial and well publicized Calvin Klein QR code campaign in downtown Manhattan.

In connection with the acquisition of The Ace Group, DG3 will expand its Interactive Services group to provide mobile marketing solutions that are fully integrated into its offset print, on demand print, web and email marketing solutions. In addition to this integration, DG3 will be expanding its North American digital output platform with the acquisition of an HP Indigo 7500 digital press with 7-colors that includes PMS spot color and HP’s proprietary white ink capability.

DG3′s comprehensive communications solutions combined with the integrated mobile marketing solutions of The Ace Group will enable DG3 to provide integrated full service mixed media solutions to its financial, pharmaceutical and corporate clients.

“The acquisition of The Ace Group accelerates the growth and depth of DG3′s Interactive Services group that provides advisory services along with fully integrated printed and electronic communication solutions,” commented Tom Saggiomo, DG3′s CEO. He continued to say “Our industry is undergoing a significant evolution where print is just one means of reaching target audiences. We are focused on the full mix of communication channels required by our clients and are fully committed to providing advice and execution across all these channels”.

The Ace Group’s principals Anthony and Vincent Gagliardi commented, “The DG3 group has an exciting vision for providing client-centric integrated communication solutions. We are delighted to expand the offering to our clients by combining with DG3 and pleased to contribute our digital print and mobile marketing expertise to their Interactive Services group”.

The Ace Group’s Val DiGiacinto, Vice President Sales/Partner and national speaker for digital printing and mobile marketing, commented “It is so exciting to become a part of the DG3 family. The additional capability and technology support provided by DG3 will dramatically improve our position as one of the top providers of QR Code Mobile Marketing Campaigns in the country.”

Additional details of the transaction were not disclosed.

To learn more about DG3, please visit www.dg3.com. To learn more about The Ace Group, please visit www.acegroupnyc.com.

About The DG3 Group of Companies

DG3 is a leader in environmental responsibility providing worldwide communications solutions in strategic geographic markets including New York, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, and Manila. DG3 provides its comprehensive graphic and interactive solutions to corporate, financial services, pharmaceutical and academic institutions worldwide. For more information, please visit www.dg3.com.

Media Inquiries:

Joe Lindfeldt
Executive Vice President
US: 201-793-5060
Joe.Lindfeldt@dg3.com

New York Times : 10th Annual Year in Ideas
The making of the cover for the 10th annual Year in Ideas Issue.

Check out the video! Click here.

The Ace Group supplied micro-encoded QR Codes that were placed on various OOH printed collateral and oversized props for bus kiosks and four subway station dominations in 5 Markets. This campaign gives users the opportunity to register and view the “Overwhelming Offer” of the day. Our online dashboard allows real-time tracking for hits in each market, hits by type of smartphone, collected consumer data and more.

The Ace Group, Inc. is working with CLEAR on their launch in Denver, CO and Orlando, FL Airports. The Ace Group created and branded CLEAR QR Codes and mobile-friendly landing pages. We also provided all of the design for the printed collateral, Printing of all collateral, Enrollment and Verification Kiosk Wraps, advertising, etc.

CLEAR provides users, after a thorough security enrollment process, with biometric cards that will eliminate the delay to pass through the TSA Agent at airport security. The user will go through a CLEAR Lane and in less then 1-1/2 minutes, will be on their way. Utilizing both Retinal and Fingerprint Scanning Technology, matched to your personal CLEAR Biometric Card, you are allowed quick access to the final security process.

All of the QR Codes will bring you to a mobile website designed and executed by The Ace Group, Inc. Once there, you can enroll immediately, view a 30-second informative video or view a page to learn how it works, where it works, share on Facebook or Twitter.

July 2010 – Ongoing The Ace Group created and branded several Micro Encoded ÇAVA QR Codes and landing pages to give their customers a very unique experience.

Once a user scans ÇAVA’s QR Code, they are brought to the initial mobile-friendly landing page and can choose from a number of options.

Exclusives: A user must enter their personal E-mail in exchange for a complimentary appetizer. Once their E-mail is entered, they instantly receive a digital coupon containing a promo code and expiration date. If a customer would like to use this offer at a later date, they can use the same coupon that was sent to them in an auto-Response E-mail.

Menu: Shows Todd English’s Signature dishes in an elegant slide show.

Cocktails: Displays ÇAVA’s signature cocktails, recipes, and ingredients.

Video: Watch a highlight video featuring celebrity Chef, Todd English.

Social Network Integration allows a customer to share these great exclusives with their friends and family.

The Ace Group, Inc. is excited to announce the premier QR Code issue of Time Out New York, which hit newsstands on Tuesday, October 19th. Working in conjunction with the editorial and advertising staff of Time Out New York, The Ace Group designed select QR Codes and mobile-friendly landing pages featured throughout the issue. Upcoming issues of Time Out New York will also feature this new and exciting technology.

The editorial QR Codes are used throughout the cover feature, “Apartments 2010.” The Time Out New York branded QR Codes seen in this section allow a reader mobile access to additional content, videos, social networking, and contests. The issue features 100 of the hottest rental apartments in the five boroughs. The QR Codes enhance the readers’ experience of the article with video tours with local business owners and celebrities, highlighting 3 different neighborhoods where they live or work.

Read the rest of this entry »

PIX11 QR code campaign linking Curb Your Enthusiasm “uncensored” videos.
Watch them here or sign up for email alerts!

July 29, 2010
By Giselle Tsirulnik

Calvin Klein incorporated QR codes on select billboards throughout New York and Los Angeles as part of an advertising campaign promoting the brand’s jeans.

Billboards at Houston and Lafayette Street and West 20th Street and 10th Avenue in New York, and one in Los Angeles at Sunset Boulevard and Havenhurst Drive, displayed a Calvin Klein QR code that gave device users access to a mobile video featuring model Lara Stone with male models A.J. Sid Ellisdon, Grayson Vaughan and Eric Anderson. Ace Group created the QR code aspect of the campaign.

“It was very successful and you will see QR codes continue to be integrated into our upcoming campaigns,” said Jennifer Crawford, vice president of corporate communications at Calvin Klein, New York.

Full article: Mobile Marketer
Read the rest of this entry »