BUSINESS : The Monkey King : Sprint Uses Chinese Icon for New Ads

The global telecommunications firm Sprint Corp. has launched a national campaign to target Asian customers using a cultural icon called The Monkey King.

The Kansas-based firm, which unveiled its campaign in a Rosemead hotel last month, plans TV commercials, radio and newspaper ads and public relations appearances by the Monkey King, a 1,200-year-old character with super hero-type powers from Chinese history.

Paul Kershisnik, Sprint’s director of international and ethnic marketing, says the firm hopes to attract Asian customers by allying itself with a character that fights against the odds, travels great distances and protects the world from evil demons.

“We’re trying to develop more affinity with the Asian community in the United States and we thought the use of this cultural icon would show we understand and have a respect for Chinese culture,” he said.

He declined to say how much Sprint will spend on the campaign but said the idea was developed with sources in the Asian community.

Stock Watch

Among 24 of the largest San Gabriel Valley-based companies traded on the New York and American stock exchanges and NASDAQ, seven gained, 14 lost and three remained unchanged Tuesday compared with the same day last week. Here is how six fared over the past week.

Tue. Point Company Price Change GAINERS Wesco Financial Corp. 120.50 +3 Ameron Inc. 37.12 +1 1/4 CenFed Financial Corp. 21.00 +1 LOSERS Southwest Water Co. 8.25 -1 1/4 Tetra Tech Inc. 22.50 -1 Countrywide Credit 14.50 - 1/2

Source: Joe Lamas of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith , Pasadena