Tuesday, June 25
5:30-6 p.m. Registration
6-6:30 p.m. Program

Location:
WeWork Gas Tower
555 West 5th Street, Room 1A
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Click here to RSVP!

IABCLA held a professional development function — “IABCLA Case Study: How to Entice a New Audience to a Traditional Treasure” — in partnership with the IW Group on April 11 at IW’s office in West LA. 

The agency’s Lauren Alvermann, Eljay Feuerman, and Annie Zhao presented their successful campaign for the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden Magical Lantern Art Festival held between October 2018 and January 2019. The arboretum was filled with dozens of enormous glowing lanterns that included dragons, pandas, and flowers. Guests also enjoyed live performances by dancers and acrobats and sampled delicious cuisine. The venue is a 127 acre arboretum, botanical garden, and historical site in Arcadia. 
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Attendees of the case study learned about IW’s integrated advertising and public relations initiative — videos were shot, radio spots were recorded, ads were placed, articles were written, signs were installed, and influencers were asked to influence. The result? The happening sold 153,000 tickets, garnered 133 million media impressions, and received 277,000 social media imprints — all of this far exceeded initial goals. 

“Congratulations to the IW Group!” said IABCLA’s Vice President Jenny Matkovich. “On behalf of the chapter, I want to thank them for sharing their amazing work and for being such gracious hosts. We look forward to collaborating with the firm again, and we wish them continued success as they begin preparations for the next festival."

(Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)

Should communicators communicate less? That was one of the many intriguing ideas that came up during IABCLA's Dine & Discuss on February 27 at TOMGEORGE in Downtown LA. Julie Wright, president and founder of (W)right On Communications, Inc., lead the conversation on “PR in the Digital Age.” 
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Attendance was capped at 10 people; the chapter keeps the number small in order to facilitate a discussion in which everybody can participate. There were folks who were newer to the communications industry, as well as those who had been in the field for some time, and all with diverse career experiences – Wright said this mix led to a “thought-provoking” exchange. 
 
The group talked about issues from fake news and distrust in media to technology trends like content marketing, visual storytelling, and data-driven communications. There was general agreement around the notion that a compelling concept and story were at the heart of all successful campaigns and initiatives. Regardless of technology trends and changes in media consumption, well-crafted stories, and well-researched messages that speak to target audiences are what drives successful communication.

Wright was intrigued by the notion of being discrete and sparing in her digital communication, so she tried it the next day at her company. She made a point to talk to her colleagues more in person rather than through messaging. When Julie did email, she held onto her feedback longer than usual – she found that often issues had already been resolved by the time she weighed in. 
 
Board member Ephraim Freed noted the counterintuitive nature of this suggestion: “As communicators, we assume everybody needs more communication, but often when you talk to your audiences you find out something different than what you assume.”
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New ways of thinking are just one of the many positives to come from Dine & Discuss, and that’s why it’s one of our most successful programs. Look for this and other upcoming events on our website, as well as social media – our group is on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and now Instagram. We also send out regular emails to our members and supporters notifying them of activity. If you’d like to be added to our mailing list, please reach out to Grant Skakun: grant.skakun@eucrest.com. 

(Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)

Would you like to learn about the transformation of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden's brand? 

That's the focus of “IABCLA Case Study: How to Entice a New Audience to a Traditional Treasure.” The event will be on Thursday, April 11 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the IW Group, 6300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2150 in Los Angeles.

The IW Group will take guests through their integrated advertising and public relations campaign for the arboretum’s Magical Lantern Art Festival held between October 2018 and January 2019. In the end, the firm achieved 133 million media impressions, sold 153,000 tickets, and changed public perception of the 127 acre botanical garden and historical site!

Tickets are $30 for IABC members, $40 for nonmembers, and $5 for student members. 

​To sign up, click here. 

(Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)

Is Amazon a modern day monopoly? Yes – but not in the way many may think. The company's real power stems from Amazon Web Services (AWS) rather than its retailers Amazon.com and ​Whole Foods. 

The larger goal of her project, she said, was not just to cut Amazon out of her life. Rather, Hill wanted to understand all of the invisible ways the public interacts with the multinational company. In order to do this, she worked with a technologist who built her a ​virtual private network (VPN) that prevented her devices from connecting to Amazon servers. The result? The journalist found it “impossible” to fully block the company as it controls more than 20 million Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. In contrast, Facebook operates only 120,000.

How did Amazon acquire so much web traffic? This gets into the corporation’s unseen hand. While most people associate Amazon with the retailer Amazon.com and Whole Foods – Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017 – the most profitable piece of the company is Amazon Web Services (AWS). Launched about a decade ago when the organization needed to build a platform to host its own data, it has grown exponentially in the time since.

Hill refers to AWS as the “backbone” of the Internet. Gizmodo’s websites are hosted by AWS. The “On Point” site relies on AWS. Most government sites dependent on AWS. Even Netflix, Amazon’s competitor for entertainment content, employs AWS. She was, therefore, unable to use vast parts of cyberspace during her study – this included all digital entertainment, including movies, TV, and music. In addition to Netflix, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, and Hulu all rely on AWS to deliver their content to users.

This was all revealing for me given I'm one of those who most associate Amazon with Amazon.com and Whole Foods. I order from the former regularly, and I enjoy the convenience of having virtually anything delivered to my home within two days (I'm an Amazon Prime subscriber). I have, however, felt some reservation lately when adding items to my shopping cart, as I’m constantly reminded by every and all media that founder, chairman, CEO, and president Jeff Bezos is the world’s wealthiest person. (“Bezos: Wallpapers His Penthouse With $100 Bills!!!”) My hesitation had to do with not wanting to put more money in his pocket. After learning of the power of AWS, however, I’m not sure forgoing my purchases of eye drops and snack bars will have much impact on Mr. B’s finances. 
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As for Hill’s experiment, I'm floored by her initiative. I wouldn’t want to put myself in her position and have to give up Netflix, YouTube, Apple Music, and the rest even if it was for a few weeks. I have vivid memories of life before these resources, and they've made my life vastly more enjoyable and entertaining. So, if Amazon has been inventive and enterprising enough to position itself as a go-between me and cute cat videos and old “Friends” episodes, then I reluctantly tip my hat to thee. 

IABCLA’s first event of the year was a success! The chapter's always popular Coffee Connection was held on February 2 at Andante Coffee Roasters. Board member Karen Trachtenberg offered advice to communicators navigating the job market in Los Angeles. Members and guests were also encouraged to share their experiences seeking employment in the Southland.  

The next function will be a Dine & Discuss on February 27 from 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. at TOMGEORGE Restaurant in Downtown LA. The topic will be “PR in the Digital Age.” 
Julie Wright, president and founder of (W)right On Communications, Inc., will lead the conversation. She'll talk about the need to integrate multiple platforms – social media, websites, newsletters – in order to produce more impactful and measurable results for your business or organization. Space is limited, so RSVP now! Please email: president@iabcla.com. 

IABCLA is now planning several other happenings. I will, of course, post details as they become available.

(Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)

Join IABCLA for a Dine & Discuss on Wednesday, February 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at
​TOMGEORGE Restaurant in Downtown LA. 

The topic will be “PR in the Digital Age.” Julie Wright, president and founder of 
​(W)right On Communications, Inc., will facilitate a discussion on the need to integrate multiple platforms – social media, websites, newsletters – to produce more impactful and measurable results for businesses and organizations. She’ll also delve into the subjects of earned PR media and paid media. 

Dine & Discuss is designed for small groups, so only nine seats are available. Please RSVP now to secure a spot. There is no fee to attend, but each participant is asked to pay for his or her own meal.

EVENT:  IABCLA’s Dine & Discuss 
DATE:    Wednesday, February 27
TIME:     6:30 p.m.- 8 p.m.
LOCATION:  TOMGEORGE, 707 S. Grand Ave, LA
RSVP: president@iabcla.com

(Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)

They’re coming! They’re coming! Like a something out of a sci-fi movie, there’s been much talk of “they” and their impending takeover of Western civilization. Who are “they?” Martians? Giant robots? Hepcats in retro space suits? No, driverless cars. 
 
As a Metro Detroit native – AKA “The Motor City” – and someone who’s worked in the automotive industry, I’m intrigued by the idea of the driverless car, also referred to as the 
​“self-driving car,” “autonomous vehicle,” or simply “AV.” 

What exactly will this new age entail? That was the question Terry Gross, host of NPR’s “Fresh Air,” put to Samuel Schwartz during a recent installment. Schwartz is the author of
​“No One At The Wheel: Driverless Cars And The Road Of The Future.” He served as the traffic commissioner of New York City and chief engineer of the city’s department of transportation. He’s also the one who popularized the term “gridlock.” 

Schwartz expects it to be a disruptive technology. There will be, for example, fewer repair shops because autonomous vehicles will likely be fleet operations rather than privately owned. Also, the insurance industry will be impacted since we’ll have fewer crashes – about a third of their business is based on accidents. And, fewer fender benders mean fewer court cases and, therefore, fewer burdens on the court system.

Driverless cars could also change infrastructure. Currently, traffic lanes are extra wide in order to accommodate people’s imprecise driving. An autonomous vehicle, however, would be more exact in its piloting. Lanes could be narrower, and that extra roadway could be put to other uses.

Growing up in Southeast Michigan, driving was a right of passage. I took driver’s ed at 15, and I received my license on my 16th birthday. I’ve constantly been behind the wheel in the time since, and I’ve grown comfortable with the practice. I even feel some of my identity is tied to driving and car ownership. I’ve been told, for example, that my choice of a four-door sedan indicates that I’m a “sensible” person. (It’s true – I am fairly sensible.) ​

It’s odd to think there’s a possibility that future generations will never know what it is to drive – although we’re already headed in that direction. Schwartz notes that Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, are less likely to own a car or even drive than previous generations. Many view it as old-fashioned and an unwanted lifestyle. In fact, there’s been a 20 percent drop in driving between they and their parents. This figure, he notes, is an “earthquake” by transportation industry standards. This decline can be attributed to various factors, including the cost to own and maintain a vehicle, as well as the availability of ride share services like Uber and Lyft.
 
The case of Millennials giving up private car ownership and the rest has been played out with my brother, a member of this demographic. Like me, he grew up in the shadow of the American auto industry, got his license as soon as he was able, and drove for many years. So, I was surprised when he recently sold his car. He, too, cited the cost and the availability of other means to get around – walking, friends, ride sharing, public transportation, etc. Whereas I feel some need to have a vehicle at my disposal, he has a different view. There’s a certain generation gap, I suppose. 
 
CB Insights reports some 46 corporations are now working on AVs. This includes the
several auto manufacturers (Ford, GM, Chrysler), as well as numerous tech companies (Google, Amazon, Apple). Despite this push to be the first to market, Schwartz estimates driverless cars many not be seen en masse until the second half of the century. That’s another 30 years down the road – pun intended. So, if “they” are coming, we have some time to prepare.