CSR2: Ultimate Racing Challenge wins a Shorty Award
Worked with the ION team at Ayzenberg Group to develop an integrated social and influencer campaign to promote the sequel to the global mobile racing game, CSR. This campaign was developed for agency client Zynga, partnering with Natural Motion Games. It won a 2017 Shorty Award in the category of Best Game Apps, and won a Bronze distinction in the overall Games category.
PROMOTION, SOCIAL MEDIA, LIVESTREAM - "LET'S TALK MUSIC" SERIES AT LOS ANGELES COLLEGE OF MUSIC
Alongside a team at LACM and Jensen Communications, coordinated the promotion of LACM's ongoing "Let's Talk Music" series and worked with a digital video team to bring the series online using YouTube's "Streaming events" feature. Promoted both the live audience element (which was open to the public for free with RSVP), the livestream, and media coverage both before and after the event.
View all LACM "Let's Talk Music" recorded interviews
Media Coverage:
San Gabriel Valley Tribune - What rocker Joe Walsh had to say to aspiring musicians in Pasadena
Pasadena Now - Los Angeles College of Music's "Let's Talk Music" Series Hosted Legendary Drummer Stewart Copeland
Music Connection - L.A. College of Music (LACM) Hosts An Evening with Gavin Rossdale
TheSoundLA.com - Joe Walsh To Do Special Q&A Event At LA College of Music
Reuters - Los Angeles College of Music's "Let's Talk Music" Series Hosts Joe Walsh In Conversation for Live Audience & Online Viewers
academic research reporting - red hen lab Summer of Code 2015
Working with UCLA Communication Studies and Professors Francis Steen and Mark Turner, organized results for the Red Hen Lab Consortium's submission to Google Summer of Code 2015. The Distributed Little Red Hen Lab is an international consortium for research on multimodal communication. They develop open-source tools for joint parsing of text, audio/speech, and video, using datasets of various sorts, most centrally a very large dataset of international television news called the UCLA Library Broadcast NewsScape.
The report can be found here.
Read more about The Distributed Little Red Hen Lab here. Read more about the UCLA Library Broadcast NewsScape here.
lead capture pages / digital advertising - los angeles college of music
Developed lead capture landing pages with consultants at Plastic Palmtree, Inc and SSD Solutions to effectively track conversions from Google, Facebook and digital advertising campaigns with multiple advertising partners.
HOMEPAGE FACELIFT / WEB CONTENT DEVELOPMENT - LOS ANGELES COLLEGE OF MUSIC
Facilitated a facelift of www.lacm.edu homepage and developed a strategy to update all website content to promote new "LACM Online," "Weekend Xperience" and "Summer Xperience" programs, alongside new brick and mortar programs in Brass & Woodwinds and Music Business. Updated website copy and imagery to more effectively market LACM Bachelor, Associate and Diploma programs. Developed downloadable informational materials to supplement webpage content. Integrated SEO keywords into copy and metadata. Design and web development was facilitated by consultant teams at Plastic Palmtree, Inc and SSD Solutions.
Copywriting & design coordination - los angeles college of music promotional materials
Wrote copy for LACM promotional materials and developed concept and design with consultant team from Plastic Palmtree, Inc. This includes:
- All-school General "LACM Viewbook" brochure. Click to view online version.
- 2015/2016 Academic Catalog. Click to view online version.
- "Summer Xperience" brochure 2015. Click to view online version.
- "Summer Xperience" brochure 2016. Click to view online version.
media relations - ovation tv "The Art of Music" for los angeles college of music
Coordinated the integration of Los Angeles College of Music into a segment of Ovation TV's "The Art Of.." on music. Worked with the segment producer to develop a story line, interviews and b-roll content for segment. Facilitated all interviews, provided media coaching to LACM staff and students and promoted airing of segment in social media.
Sponsorship/Media Outreach - Avi Roth: Coffeegraph, Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles
Click the image to view slideshow
Worked with Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles to garner sponsorship support and relevant partners to host a 21-day art show and event series celebrating the art of Avi Roth and his Coffeegraph technique. Integrating a live coffee bar into the gallery space, along with a working speakeasy pop-up diner, the space hosted events ranging from coffee talks and tastings, to performance art and live music. I orchestrated support from LA Weekly and the event's publicity campaign, landing coverage by KCET, LA Magazine, LA Times and more.
Selected Coverage:
KCET Artbound - Avi Roth and Downtown L.A.'s Coffee Counter-Culture
LA Magazine - The Art of Coffee: Everyone's Favorite Morning Beverage Gets the Gallery Treatment
The WILD Magazine - This is Not Latte Art
Eater LA - Think Tank Gallery is Serving Coffee with Ghost Peppers
LA Canvas - NOT JUST FOR DRINKING: COFFEE, COFFEE, AND MORE COFFEE AT THINK TANK GALLERY
LA Times - 17 gifts for Coffee Lovers
Media Outreach/Social Media - The GORGEOUS Project: A collaboration by Rob Lebow and Masha Kupets
THE GORGEOUS PROJECT is a photography book that explores the power of beauty, gender and their illusionary qualities. I provided pro-bono publicity, social media management and writing services for this project - writing the project's official press releases, pitching to press, and framing editorial sections of the actual book.
Selected Coverage:
Queerty - PHOTOS: High-Glamour Queers Get Gorgeous For New Photo Project
New Now Next - Tammie Brown, Delta Work Get “Gorgeous” In New Photo Book
Media Outreach / Backstage Press Tours - LA Opera
At LA Opera, I coordinated Public Relations efforts with the Director of Public Relations from November 2012 until July 2014. From an international press conference with Plácido Domingo and Renée Fleming, to backstage tours for niche bloggers, to specialized pitches for unique events, I helped to garner extensive coverage for a number of initiatives at LA Opera.
Selected Coverage:
Queerty - Behind-the-Scenes Photos At L.A. Opera’s “Sexual Discharge Gone Evil”
The Wild Magazine - Mozart Gone Experimental: Backstage at the L.A. Opera
LA Times - Ahead of 'Falstaff' performances, L.A. Opera talks turkey - literally
KCRW "Which Way LA" - Go behind the scenes at the L.A. Opera
La Opinión - Plácido Domingo invita a angelinos a ver 'Carmen'
EFE - Plácido Domingo lleva "Carmen" a Los Ángeles
LA Weekly - "Mod Night at the Opera"
LAist - "Pencil this in: Mod Night at the Opera"
LA I'm Yours - "Mod Night at the Opera"
Musicians Institute Conversation Series
The MI Conversation Series provided artists, producers & music industry professionals with an opportunity to educate and inspire by sharing their experiences with Musicians Institute students and a live audience of fans online. Hosted by Wayne Jobson, past guests included Ziggy Marley, Jackson Browne, Brandon Boyd, Matt Sorum, Dave Wakeling, Nick Hexum, Adrian Young, James Valentine, Mark McGrath, Don Was and Slipknot. A special edition hosted by Alt 98.7fm’s Darren Rose featured special guest Nikki Sixx.
“Songwriting is a very visual art form. It’s how to describe things with words or music that allows people to see into that life. He was a master.” - Jackson Browne on Warren Zevon
“I still think it’s really important for some songs to be very human. There were some songs on Tragic Kingdom that we didn’t even record to a click track at all. It’s not perfectly in time, those songs, but that’s by design.” - Adrian Young on Tragic Kingdom
Recorded conversations were made available on-demand on Livestream.com. Partners such as The Recording Academy® Producers & Engineers Wing® used the MI Conversation Series as an opportunity to offer their members an exclusive calendar event that celebrated music, production and education.
For Musicians Institute, it provided a way to connect with thousands of prospective students through social media, as the live-streaming conversations were promoted by the guests to their fans, and created an invaluable learning opportunity for students already enrolled in the school.
Event Marketing/Artist Booking - Musicians Institute Conversation Series, Bonnaroo 2012 in partnership with Rolling Stone
In addition to live performances by MI students and alumni, brand integration at Bonnaroo 2012 included a partnership with Rolling Stone to host conversations in the Musicians Institute "GO LIVE!" tent with select performers from the festival and Rolling Stone writer Benjy Eisen who served as host. Guests included: Ben Folds Five, Yelawolf, SOJA, Dumpstaphunk, ALO, Here We Go Magic, Chappo and Dirty Guv'nahs. I was connected with artist management through Superfly Presents and booked all conversations in the tent, coordinating artist transportation, talking points and social media promotion for each event during the festival. The conversations were recorded and posted on Rollingstone.com. Links to view the conversations are listed below.
Rolling Stone - Chappo chat Craigslist, New Record at Bonnaroo
Rolling Stone - Dumpstaphunk Talk Funk, the Dirtiest Four-Letter Word, at Bonnaroo
Rolling Stone - ALO Talk About Improvisation and Sustainable Growth at Bonnaroo
Rolling Stone - SOJA Talk About Reggae Roots and Politics at Bonnaroo
Rolling Stone - Ben Folds Five Talk About Their New Album at Bonnaroo
Rolling Stone - Yelawolf talks Old Influences and New Projects at Bonnaroo
Rolling Stone - Dirty Guv'nahs on Meeting Expectations and Levon Helm's Christmas Party
Rolling Stone - Here We Go Magic Reveal Their Origin Story at Bonnaroo
Event Marketing - MI Annex, SXSW 2012 in partnership with House of Blues
SXSW has always been a paradigm for brands. The number one question is: How do brands connect with the artists attracting the most attention, and more so, the crowds of attendees that can't afford an official badge?
Musicians Institute partnered with House of Blues Entertainment to solve this problem in 2012 by launching a pop-up venue on the corner of 6th and Red River that was programmed by Musicians Institute and multiple partner agencies. Hosting sets that spanned a wider genre than any venue at SouthBy, the MI Annex hosted indie rock, heavy metal, death metal, hip hop and a select list of MI Alumni over the course of four days, with sets by LIGHTS, A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q, Beach Fossils, Craft Spells, Titus Andronicus, El Ten Eleven, Asking Alexandria, We Came As Romans, Job for a Cowboy and more. The MI Annex was a wild success, attracting massive crowds and extensive attention in social media.
In addition to the MI Annex, Musicians Institute also participated in the SXSW Trade Show and hosted stripped down sets by MI Alumni in addition to instrument lessons and guitar giveaways used for lead capture. Select footage from the event is available below.
© Musicians Institute 2012.
www.mi.edu
Event Marketing - MI Live! Coachella 2011 & 2012, Stagecoach 2011 & 2012
As part of an ongoing branding campaign, Musicians Institute organized a series of corporate sponsorships at various music festivals. I worked with the school's Marketing Director to create an event marketing format that was easily replicated at numerous festivals. "MI Live!" hosted an air-conditioned environment with a small stage that hosted sets by MI students and alumni and an instrument corner by Roland on the grounds of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (2011 & 2012), Stagecoach Festival (2011 & 2012), Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (2011 & 2012), Sunset Strip Music Festival 2011, SXSW Pitchfork #Offline 2011, NAMM (2011 & 2012), and the KROQ Epicenter Festival 2010. I booked the artist showcases at all events, and worked with the director to coordinate the rest of the logistics for the set-up, break down and operation of the tent at each festival or event.
Musicians Institute Full Ride Scholarship Contest
I took over MI's Full Ride Scholarship competition in its second year of existence and worked with the school's Marketing Director to expand the contest internationally. Using Sonicbids as an entry platform, I organized a custom entry process and strengthened the contest's rules and regulations. I oversaw the panel judging after public voting, and organized the final concert performance, flying students to Hollywood from as far as Estonia, Belgium and Korea to perform with an A-list backing band of industry veteran hired guns. The contest exposed MI to a massive audience internationally and drew in a measurable increase in applications, as a completed application for admission to the school was a prerequisite for entering the contest.
MI Artist Series at The Hard Rock Cafe Hollywood Blvd
The Musicians Institute Artist Series hosted monthly showcases of MI student and alumni bands at the Hard Rock Cafe on Hollywood Blvd. I pursued this partnership and organized a series of showcases that lasted for over a year at the hip location, providing Hard Rock with quality talent, and exposing Musicians Institute to the Hollywood tourist market through student and alumni performances.
Non-Profit Event/Fundraising - Jam for Japan in partnership with Relief International
In response to the 2011 Sendai earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Musicians Institute wanted to give back. To serve the desire of the school's owner, Hisatake Shibuya, to give back to those in need, I worked with Relief International to organize the "Jam for Japan" campaign, which funded music education grants to replace lost instruments, sheet music and supplies for music programs in the Sendai region that were affected by the disaster.
Social Media Strategy - Musicians Institute
At Musicians Institute, I oversaw the school's Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn pages, and monitored the school's Wikipedia page. My efforts drove considerable follower growth and engagement, which contributed to an increase in referral traffic to www.mi.edu.
Content Development - Musicians Institute Blog
To support growth of the school's following in social media, I created the MI Blog to regularly provide content to feed the social media strategy and create opportunities to link back to mi.edu. I wrote all content for the blog for over 2 and 1/2 years, which supported the school's SEO strategy and showcased interesting and insightful news about student life, alumni success, and the music industry at large.
Content Development - Musicians Institute Alumni Network Microsite
Working with the Alumni Outreach Coordinator, I spearheaded the content development for alumni.mi.edu, a microsite of mi.edu specifically for the school's alumni community. The microsite featured updates on alumni events, interviews with successful alumni and information about alumni resources available to graduates. She wrote all of the initial text content for the microsite and organized the information hierarchy with the school's Brand Manager and Alumni Outreach Coordinator.
