Call it a Hollywood sweep. Bob Bassett, founding dean of Orange-based Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, was named Media Mentor of the Year by Variety, a weekly entertainment trade magazine owned by Penske Media Corp.
“While I am deeply honored to be acknowledged by Variety, a great many people have contributed to building a distinctive environment in Chapman’s film school,” Bassett said in an emailed statement. “Coupled with our recent ranking at #7 in the U.S. by The Hollywood Reporter, this level of recognition in the industry is evidence of success in creating a tier-one film school in Orange County.”
Variety’s award recognized Bassett’s efforts to implement an “innovative and creative academic curriculum,” which provides students opportunities to gain hands-on experience.
Local Connection
Software developer Vertical Point Solutions LLC in Newport Beach selected Idea Hall as its public relations agency of record.
Costa Mesa-based Idea Hall, as part of its $100,000 contract, will work on raising awareness of the Vertical Point brand in the real estate and technology industries. The agency also will aim to line up “strategic speaking opportunities” for Vertical Point’s executives.
Idea Hall’s first assignment is promoting the launch of Vertical Point’s DealKube software, which is “designed to manage any property type through the entire deal cycle from due diligence to negotiations and closings.”
The product works off SharePoint 2013, Microsoft Corp.’s cloud-based data collection technology.
Idea Hall’s other clients include the Orange County chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, the Boy Scouts of America Orange County Council, Bixby Land Co. of Irvine.
Newspaper Education Initiative
The Orange County Register kicked off a program to “put thousands of laptops into Orange County schools.”
The deal, a year in the making, offers those living in the Register’s distribution area a chance to donate an Acer Inc. laptop to the school of his or her choice in exchange for a seven-day, one-year subscription to the newspaper.
Existing subscriptions of less than seven days a week can be upgraded to qualify for the program.
FivePoint Communities also has signed up to pitch in to “help shape the future of education in Orange County,” said Emile Haddad, president and chief executive of the Aliso Viejo-based developer of masterplanned communities, including the Great Park Neighborhoods, and the incoming chairman of the UC Irvine Foundation board of trustees.
“As we build out Great Park Neighborhoods, a laptop will be donated in the names of each new homeowner to the school of their choice,” Haddad said.
Social Media Campaign in Spotlight
Flash Point Communications’ social media campaign, “Gimme The Gig II,” created in collaboration with Ford Motor Co., won a Silver Telly Award.
This year’s competition was among more than 12,000 entries from around the world.
“Gimme the Gig II” supported the launch of the 2012 Ford Focus.
The Costa Mesa-based digital agency developed and managed all aspects of the digital and social media marketing for the winning campaign.
The agency used its video submission platform to collect demo tracks from aspiring bands that were featured in the campaign. It also designed a promotional microsite and managed Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts.
Online Branding
RiechesBaird’s new installment of the “Branding Business” online radio show features Denise Lee Yohn, a branding consultant for Fortune 500 companies such as Sony Corp. and Frito-Lay North America.
“Expressing what your brand does, promoting your brand and marketing your product or service is one thing,” Ray Baird, president and cofounder of the Irvine-based advertising agency, said in a news release.
“Denise explains the importance of operationalizing your brand, which is really about delivering on what you say and living out your brand promise. Great brands start inside, they don’t chase customers, they attract customers.”
The radio show is part of an online community, BrandingBusiness.com, and is “designed to bring together the best minds in branding and provide an engaging conversation about branding as a business tool.”
