LuValle to sell Anderson logo items

By Debra Marisa Greene
Daily Bruin Contributor

The Associated Students of UCLA and the Anderson School of
Management unite.

A project is under way to allow ASUCLA to sell Anderson logo
merchandise in LuValle Commons, to have “one consolidated and
consistent product line,” said Patricia Eastman, executive
director of ASUCLA.

Eastman said she anticipates an increase in sales, but that is
not the reason for the project. Instead, she said, the elimination
of competing product lines is the primary motive for the joint
venture.

Jerry Mann, director of student union and student support
services, said the project is advantageous for both parties
involved.

“It is best for the campus because (ASUCLA) deals with so
many vendors and has the ability to sell it, so we can both
prosper,” he said.

Associate dean in marketing and communications for the Anderson
School, Richard Rodner, is also optimistic about the project.

“It is a terrific opportunity to enhance the brand of
Anderson through a UCLA store,” he said. “As our
marketing partner, ASUCLA will help us define what will sell so
that hopefully visitors, alumni, and students will purchase the
logo items.”

The venture will be profitable to the Anderson School, Eastman
said. She said the Anderson School already has a steady income from
the products, and that this stability will be maintained.

“This agreement will keep them whole,” she
added.

Currently, Anderson products are sold at the graduate
school’s Espresso Roma Cafe, and different Anderson products
are available at LuValle Commons.

Peggy Danielson, general manager for LuValle Commons, said the
store is a natural outlet for Anderson items because it has a big
floor space and is already a place where Anderson students purchase
textbooks.

First-year Anderson School student Christine Opitz said she was
not even aware that Anderson products are sold at the cafe.

And first-year Anderson School student Robert Huntsman sees
irony in the situation.

“It is very ironic that this business school needs some
marketing efforts to promote their products,” Huntsman
said.

Anderson students met a couple weeks ago to discuss what styles
and items they’d like. It is part of an Anderson student-led
program called A-Gear, where the Anderson Student Association
chooses merchandise and markets the products ““ including
sweatshirts, T-shirts and mugs.

The project began with discussions among participants fall
quarter, and negotiations now continue with vendors to choose
styles for the merchandise. The project should launch in six to
eight weeks, Rodner said.