By Rick Griffin
A local video production company with a memorable name — Groovy Like a Movie — has closed its doors after 17 years. Founder Brent Altomare said the video industry’s business model has changed. Competition now includes low-priced, solo operators who do outstanding work and high-end, specialized shops in Los Angeles.
“My style of production company with a leased building, sound stage, staff and overhead is not how it’s done today. It’s a different world than it was back in 2000,” Altomare said. “We had our best financial year ever in 2016, but there are no buyers for my type of set-up. I’m glad that all six employees have found new jobs in the industry since our final day of business in January.”
“Plus, I’m ready to move on and do something different. I started the company in my 20s and I’m now in my 40s and we have a nine-year-old daughter who I want to spend more time with. I’m a different person than when we started. I’m not sad. Instead, I’m excited about the future.”
Over the years, the company’s clients have included many of San Diego’s major companies, including Qualcomm, Illumina, San Diego Gas & Electric, University of California San Diego, Pfizer, Department of Defense, U.S. Marine Corps and the Brigantine Family of Restaurants. At its height, the company had 16 employees and operated two offices on Kearny Villa Way in Kearny Mesa and 427 “C” Street in downtown San Diego.
Altomare said he’s proud his company was recognized for ethical business practices with a 2008 BBB Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics from the San Diego Better Business Bureau. “In a cut-throat world where some people will do anything for a buck, we were always ethical,” he said. “If there was a problem, we owed up to it and fixed it. We never sold our soul.”
J. Walcher Communications Hired by Circulate San Diego
J. Walcher Communications, a San Diego public relations firm, has been hired by Circulate San Diego to develop a media campaign to draw attention to the need for improvements to San Diego’s most dangerous intersections. The campaign will include an initiative to urge city funding for the “Fatal Fifteen,” Circulate San Diego’s list of the 15 most dangerous intersections in San Diego.
Circulate San Diego, a nonprofit, focuses on creating mobility choices, more walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, and land uses that promote sustainable growth. Its vision is to end all traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the city of San Diego by 2025.
Founded in 2001, J. Walcher Communications represents a range of local, regional and national clients in industries including consumer products, hospitality, real estate development, associations, professional services and nonprofits.
Publicists to Hear ‘Trust Me, I’m Lying’ Author
Members of the Public Relations Society of America’s San Diego-Imperial Counties chapter will attend this week’s PRSA Western District Conference, Thursday and Friday, March 2-3, at the Riverside Convention Center. The keynote speaker is the author of “Trust Me, I’m Lying: The Future of Media and PR.” Media expert Ryan Holiday will discuss fake news, clickbait and polarization.
Titles for breakout sessions include: Transforming Volunteers Into Brand Ambassadors; Social Technology is Changing Employee Communication; Winning Better Clients Against Tough Competition; The Power of Linkedin; Why Cause Marketing (Still) Matters; Creating a Trigger System for an Integrated Marketing Machine; Practical Techniques for Creative Business Writing; Growing Your Firm with ‘Smarketing’ Lead Generation; The Power of Livestreaming: It’s Not An Option; Tear Down the Wall: Taking Advantage of Collaboration Between Sales And PR; The Role of Social Media and Other New Technology in the 2016 Election.
Conference fees are $325 for members and $375 for nonmembers. Details are available at www.prsasdic.org. The PRSA Inland Empire chapter is hosting the event. PRSA’s Western District is one of 10 regions, covering 11 chapters in five western states comprising more than 2,200 members.
Date Announced for SAFE Fundraiser for Marketers in Crisis
SAFE, the San Diego Advertising Fund for Emergencies, a volunteer, non-profit organization providing confidential financial assistance to local advertising and marketing professionals and their families facing a life crisis emergency, has announced its 15th annual fundraising party will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, at the Karl Strauss Tasting Room and Beer Garden, 5985 Santa Fe Street. SAFE’s major fundraiser of the year will feature food, networking, entertainment, a raffle and silent auction to benefit grant recipients. Theme of the party is “SAFE & Sound.” Sponsorship information is available from Marla Stephens.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.