Merrill Marketing/Communications (MMC) has been responsible for some major national cycling, business and cool tech coverage for Fallbrook Technologies Inc.’s NuVinci continuously variable planetary (CVP) transmissions for bicycles. Coverage in such leading publications as Wired, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Gizmodo, Bicycling, Bicycling Times, Mountain Bike Action, Bike Rumor, and many more.

To read all the Media Buzz visit the NuVinci Buzz — HERE

The “Tribute to the Ultimate Military Unit — The Family”, a fantastic fundraiser benefiting the Naval Special Warfare( NSW) Family Foundation will be held on Saturday, May 19 hosted at the Point Loma home of Craig and Rebecca Irving. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with a Cocktail and Hors d’oeuvres Reception, followed by a Dinner Buffet, Live Auction and Evening Entertainment as well as a presentation from Fox News Commentator Geraldo Rivera.

The goal is to raise a significant amount of money for San Diego’s NSW Family Foundation. For more information about the NSW Family Foundation, the Navy SEALs and the entire NSW Community, please visit the event website for details at www.westcoastseals.org.

To get a jump start on the event’s Silent Auction, check out the Buy Now feature HERE for dozens of wonderful trips, merchandize and experiences.

Merrill Marketing/Communications worked closely with the Fox News LA Team of Producer Jennifer Girdon and Correspondent Adam Housley to arrange a national Fox News segment which appeared on May 7, 2012 on the number one cable news network. The segment was filmed a a special Hyper-Realistic Training demonstration with the US Marine Corps.

Go here to view the Fox News segment — Studio Runs Military Training Scenarios

Merrill Marketing/Communications has been retained by ZOIC Clothing for a national marketing public relations campaign. ZOIC — Greek for “pertaining to animal life or action” — was founded in 1995 with its roots in Marin, CA, the birthplace of mountain biking. Today, ZOIC has an industry leader in innovating fabrics, features and fashions with eye-catching colors, prints and plaid styles to produce the leading casual-fit cycling apparel for mountain bikers, commuters and recreational riders — men, women and children. ZOIC’s award-winning styles and features — like the Removable Padded Liner (RPL system) — appeal to the full spectrum of cyclists from entry level to expert for value, style and performance. For more information on ZOIC Clothing, visit www.zoic.com. ZOIC is The Style of Cycling.

Progressive Security Screens, San Diego’s leading provider of stylish, high-tech security doors and windows, has retained Merrill Marketing/Communications for a regional marketing public relations campaign, including traditional media and social media relations. PSS is California’s first authorized manufacturer and dealer of the award-winning Crimsafe® security screens.

Progressive Security Screens is San Diego leading provider of stylish, high-tech security doors and windows for residential and commercial property owners in San Diego County. The company provides a wide array of security door and windows that provide customers with clean unobstructed views, privacy from outside viewers, stainless steel mesh screens that are virtually impenetrable, unparalleled design appeal and a multi-point locking system. For more information on PSS, visit www.progressivesecurityscreens.com

About The Naval Special Warfare Family Foundation

The Naval Special Warfare Family Foundation plays a key role in supporting the NSW Community on the West Coast. It operates with an all volunteer force and has no overhead. All monies raised go directly into programs, with efforts allowing our hometown warriors to focus on their training and deployment with a greater sense of ease knowing that their loved ones have an active support network here at home. In the event a warrior is wounded or killed we quickly focus our attention on helping the families with mutual support, bereavement resources, and social events designed to allow friends and family to get together to share their grief and begin to rebuild their lives. In these situations our goal is to rapidly deploy resources to fill gaps in Government and Military Programs.

The Foundation provides support that the government and other benevolent organizations do not. An expansive charter allows the foundation to provide tailored support that has been vetted through the service members chain of command. Close coordination with the Naval Special Warfare Family Support office and NSW command ombudsmen keep the foundation highly attuned to the needs of the West Coast NSW community.

Our Morale and Welfare programs support the NSW Community with a wide array of services that include Seasonal Events which allow thousands within the NSW Community to gather and spend time at specially crafted events designed to promote morale and to make sure our warriors and their families know the people of San Diego appreciate their sacrifice. Our “Overseas Programs” provide the troops with items and support they might not otherwise obtain and our “Bridge the Gap” program purchases specialized Rehab Equipment to speed the recovery of the injured and wounded. And thanks to the overwhelming generosity of San Diego’s Corporations, our “Business Gives Back” program has provided thousands of NSW Families with discounts and free entry to sports and entertainment events.
For more information on the NSW Family Foundation, visit www.westcoastseals.org

Merrill Marketing/Communications is pleased to announce it has been retained by The Irving Group, San Diego County’s premier commercial real estate brokerage exclusively representing tenants, buyers and investors — never landlords — in lease negotiations. MMC will handle traditional and social media relations.

Founded by Craig Irving in 1989, The Irving Group also expertly manages tenant improvements and third-party construction under the direction of The Irving Group Real Estate Services President John Dempsey, a 30-year construction management veteran. The Irving Group and its team members are deeply involved in civic and community affairs, including the Naval Special Warfare Family Foundation, San Diego Police Foundation, Safety Net and others. The Irving Group is located at 4320 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 250, San Diego, CA 92122.

Somewhere Under the Rainbow — NuVinci®

I am just back from the 30th Annual Interbike International Bicycle Expo and Outdoor Demo in Las Vegas — working with NuVinci®, ZOIC Clothing and Ellsworth Handcrafted Bicycles. Interbike is the bicycle industry’s leading business-to-business events bringing together top manufacturers, retailers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of cycling. The Outdoor Demo in Boulder City, NV, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Lost Wages, gives brands the opportunity to have dealers and media demo their products on the road and the trails of the Boulder Canyon Trail system. We had some very strange weather roll into the Demo’s second day producing some torrential rains, lighting and thunder … for real! … unlike the fake explosions on Vegas strip. The posted photo is a spectacular rainbow over the NuVinci space, following one of the thunderstorms. After being Outdoors, we headed indoors at the Sands Convention Center for the Interbike Expo, North America’s biggest bike industry spectacle. Here I guided a number of media members through demonstrations and interviews at the NuVinci, Ellsworth and ZOIC Clothing booths.

Modesto's Signature Sign — Water Wealth Contentment Health

I recently received an invitation from an old high school friend from Modesto (my home town) to join a new Facebook group … “You Know You Grew Up in Modesto, When ?????” I logged in to Facebook and a visited the group last Saturday when its membership stood at around 200. I’ve had a great time visiting daily to read members stories and memories and even posting some of my favorite tales from growing up in the 60s and 70s in “Mo-Town”, at the time a sleepy Central Valley community surrounded by agriculture, and known for Gallo Winery, Foster Farms chicken (plant in Livingston, but I went to Fred C. Beyer high school with the two Foster daughters), and the inspiration for George Lucas’ American Graffiti (cruisin!). I have kept watching the membership of the Group go up and up and up … today it stands at over 3,400. Modesto has had it’s problems in recent years. It was recently rated the fourth most miserable places to live in the US … Stockton, located 30 miles north ranked Number one, and Merced, 40 miles south, and Sacramento, 70 miles north, were ranked in the Top 5 (four Central Valley communities, what the heck!). I forget who rounded out the the Top 5, maybe Yuma. What really has struck me about this Group is the love, respect and sheer joy people (residents and refugees like me) have in remembering the Golden Years of growing up in Modesto … mostly people talk about their experiences in the 1960s and 1970s … my time there. I have been accused of having an Elephant’s Memory, but these people are truly trotting out some wonderful gems … people, places, things and experiences that haven’t rattled around in my head for years. It’s been great to connect with people who share a common history. I am hopeful that a precious place that people have loved for all these years can turn it around and become one of the Top 5 most wonderful places to live — just like it used to be!

Deer Valley, Utah ... snow still in the mountains!

I had a wonderful time last week (June 20-24) with my client Fallbrook Technologies’ NuVinci® N360™ Continuously Variable Planetary (CVP) transmissions for bicycles. We were in Deer Valley/Park City for the third annual Bike Press Camp, which brings together many of the leading cycling brands with more than 30 of the top editors from the cycling, mainstream consumer and cool tech publications.

NuVinci N360 on the 2011 Breezer Uptown Infinity

NuVinci N360 hub and shifter combo in black

NuVinci innovative shifter ... hill = underdrive; flat = overdrive

We started out the week with a wonderful dinner and mingling at the exclusive Stein Ericksen Lodge in Deer Valley on Monday, June 20 where editors signed up for 45 minute slots for interviews and background sessions in our condos at the Black Bear Lodge over the course of the next three days. In addition, we received a warm welcome from Emily Summers, communications manager for the Deer Valley Resort area, and heard from Chris Zigmont and Lance Camisasca from Lifeboat Events, the superb organizers of the Press Camp and Dealer Camp (next month) events. We also were treated to a live demonstration (on big screen) by three local road riders using Wahoo Fitness’ cool application that enables an iPhone to track speed, cadence and heart rate.

Geoff and Kim with Aaron Gulley, Outside Magazine (center)

Kim and Geoff with Wired's John Bradley and James Merithew with the 2012 Novara Gotham

Bike Radar US Editor Matt Pacocha demos the Bodhi Sport eBike

Geoff with Jennifer Olson, Women's Adventure and the Dahon Mu-N360 Folding Bike

Avelino with David Bernstein, The FredCast Bike Podcast, and the 2012 Jamis Commuter 4

Geoff with BikeRadar's Matt Pacocha and the Bike Friday Tikit folding bike

Over the course of the next three days we had morning interviews and background sessions with the likes of Wired, Bicycle Retainer and Industry News, Los Angeles Times, Mountain Bike Action, Outside, Canadian Cycling, Mountain Magazine, Road Bike Review, Bike Biz, Popular Science, Women’s Adventure, Dirt Rag/Bicycle Times, Bicycling Magazine, Bike Radar, Bike Rumor, Bike World News, The FredCast Cycling Podcast, and many of others who visited our NuVinci booth at the afternoon outdoor demo. NuVinci was at Press Camp to highlight the expansion and further acceptance of its smooth and seamless N360 drivetrain (hub and shifter system) in North America by more bike brands for the 2012 season. With a simple twist of the wrist, the NuVinci N360 makes shifting any bike a breeze (check out the Breezer Uptown Infinity, Bicycling Magazine’s 2011 Commuter Bike of the Year!). Cyclists have an infinite choice between the highest & lowest “gears” — a 360 percent range — with the new N360 drivetrain. The NuVinci N360 makes riding even more enjoyable with seamless, continuous shifting (even under high pedal torque), without power interruptions, missed gears or dropped chains. The intuitive shifting dial’s feather touch is fun to use, easily increasing or decreasing pedaling exertion. And even better, the NuVinci N360 hub is maintenance free and requires no adjustments!

MBA's Jimmy Mac with the Ellsworth Enlightenment NuVinci

Tyler Benedict of Bike Rumor, and Geoff, with the Buddy Bike

Peter Stefaniak of REI Salt Lake City came up to pick up the 2012 Novara Gotham

We brought a number of 2012 models for the editors to have a first-look preview, including the Novara Gotham, Jamis Commuter 4, Bike Friday’s New World Tourist and Tikit folding bikes, Dahon Mu-N360 folding bike, Bodhi Sport eBike, Breezer Uptown Infinity, and the Buddy Bike Family Bike. Additionally, for our mountain bike editor friends we brought along the Ellsworth Enlightenment 26 NuVinci, a carbon hard tail cross over bike … Jimmy Mac from MBA loved it!

And interspersed with meetings and demos, I did a little riding … testing the Turner Sultan 29er, GT Bikes 2012 Zaskar, and the 2012 Niner Jet, on the fabulous Deer Crest Trail, a rocking and rolling singletrack trail that features views of Deer Valley, lakes and Park City. Unfortunately, due to the record snow this year (including the Sunday night prior to arrival), the Deer Valley Mountain Bike Park could only open 12 of the 60 miles of trails. So I did not get to ride the world-famous Mid Mountain Trail … a 23 mile epic singletrack (from the Silver Lake Lodge to the Canyons Resort down in Park City) that everyone here was talking about … maybe in August if I come back with the family!

Beautiful Lake view on the Deer Crest Trail

Great mountain views from the Deer Crest Trail

Riding the Deer Crest singletrack trail

Above the colorful brand tents at the Bike Press Camp Outdoor Demo

Press Camp was also highlighted by fantastic breakfast offerings each morning at the Stein Eriksen Lodge, incredible buffet lunch and dinner on the patio at the Silver Lake Lodge overlooking the mountains, and there was an very memorable lunch on Wednesday hosted by the Royal Street Cafe … ice cream sandwiches to die for! We had one night free, I spent walking around Historic Park City with a dinner on the patio overlooking street at the 501 On Main Restaurant (for their famous Gingered Meat Loaf … Yummy!)

Really cool bike racks in Historic Park City

View up Park City's Historic Main Street from Deck of 501 on Main Restaurant

All in all, a wonderful and very productive trip for myself and NuVinci. Many thanks to the Lifeboat Events team, Emily Summers from Deer Valley Resort, Amy Kersey of the Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, Geoff, Avelino, Damon, John and Katie from NuVinci, Jerry from Tifosi Optics (lovin’ the Logic & Mast in SD!) and the hospitality of ResortQuest and its staff for making life so pleasurable at the incredible Black Bear Lodge! Also, a huge THANKS to ZOIC Clothing for providing their best-selling mountain biking shorts (Ether and Posh) in our editor gift packs as well as KOOL N’ FIT Sport for their sports performance spray.

ZOIC Cycling's Ether shorts with NuVinci logo

You can check out NuVinci’s Press Camp Gallery on its Facebook page for more event coverage.

Black Bear Lodge in Deer Valley