 The IABCLA board gathered for a chapter planning retreat on June 11. The IABCLA board reviewed the chapter’s accomplishments during the first half of the year and began planning the remainder of 2019 at its semiannual retreat on June 11.
Looking back at the last six months, the group has much to be proud of. The chapter fulfilled its mission: “to heighten the skills, reputation and talents of the community through human connection. We do this by welcoming and inspiring LA’s professional communicators with targeted professional development events and honest conversations.” Between January and June, the chapter hosted several professional development functions — a Dine & Discuss, two Coffee Connections, and a case study. Discussion topics included "Brand Building in a Digital World," "PR in the Digital Age," and "Navigating the Comms Job Market in LA." A Spring Mixer was also held where guests networked at a popular bistro. In addition, the chapter is constantly looking for new ways to share chapter information and ideas. It now distributes a monthly newsletter — email Grant Skakun at grant.skakun@eucrest.com to subscribe. And, an Instagram account has been added — @IABCLosAngeles. Please follow! Several ideas were discussed at the retreat, and IABCLA will continue to have a full schedule of activities between now and December. Look for reoccurring favorites like Coffee Connection and Dine & Discuss, as well as new happenings. The group will, of course, continue to reach out to members and nonmembers and strengthen ties with communicators at all levels of their careers. To learn about the very latest, please follow the chapter on social media: ▪ Facebook: @IABCLosAngeles ▪ Twitter: @IABCLosAngeles ▪ Instagram: @IABCLosAngeles Thank you! IABCLA could not thrive without the participation of its members and supporters! (Note: I’m the vice president/president-elect of IABCLA, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)
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 Image: Tery Amaya Thank you to all who attended IABCLA’s Spring Mixer at The Cat & Fiddle Restaurant & Pub in Hollywood on June 4! Attendees enjoyed fish and chips, pints, and great conversation at the longtime British themed bar.
“It was a pleasure hosting and getting to know the guests,” said Tery Amaya, the chapter’s vice president of networking who planned the gathering. “We hope to see everyone again at our upcoming happenings this summer and fall.” Please stay in the loop by visiting IABCLA's website and by following the group on social media: Website: iabcla.com Facebook: @IABCLosAngeles Twitter: @IABCLosAngeles Instagram: @IABCLosAngeles (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.) Communicators in Southern California are encouraged to attend two upcoming IABCLA happenings:
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! (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)
(Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)
 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. 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.)
The “speed mentoring” format allowed the students to seek advice from multiple people. They queried the professionals on various topics, including career paths in the communications field, qualities recruiters seek in candidates, and the current landscape for comms roles in Southern California.
Grant Wright, CEO at (W)right On Communications, was one of the mentors. He enjoyed taking part, and he described his conversations with this next generation of communicators as “vibrant and engaging.” Vinisha Kothari, head of the USC IABC chapter, coordinated the happening. She was also pleased by the success of the gathering and that meaningful connections were formed. “Thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen, especially our wonderful mentors who volunteered their evening to share their wisdom,” she said. “When I became president of the USC IABC chapter, I knew my priority would be to set up a mentorship program — I was introduced to IABC through a mentor who has been instrumental to my success in my career and education, and I wanted to make sure other students had similar opportunities.” (Note: I’m IABCLA's vice president of operations, and I often post updates on chapter happenings.)  Image: Tery Amaya 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.” 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.” 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.
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.  Image: Tery Amaya 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.) |
AuthorI'm Eli Natinsky and I'm a communication professional. This blog explores my work and professional interests. I also delve into other topics, including media, marketing, pop culture, and technology. Archives
January 2020
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