Chad Robley considers himself an entrepreneur as well as CEO of Mindgruve, a San Diego creative marketing agency. “I’m an entrepreneur, professional business executive and investor, first and foremost,” said Robley. “As CEO of a modern marketing agency, I leverage my experience to help C-suite executives connect business strategy to winning marketing strategy and execution for rapid business growth.”
So, when Robley invested in Bay City Brewing Co. in November 2018, the brewery naturally became a Mindgruve client.
Meanwhile, in March of this year, Bay City also became Robley’s tenant when it opened a second location in the same building as the agency’s headquarters on Eighth Avenue in Downtown San Diego’s East Village.
In addition to a tasting room and restaurant on the ground floor, the renovated historic building features a fourth-floor rooftop bar with more than 4,700-square-feet of indoor-outdoor space, fire pits, a video wall and downtown views.
Operating from the second and third floors, the agency had a unique perspective on the progress of construction and identified opportunities to do even more for its client-turned-tenant. “Every wall was a blank canvas,” said Robley. “In addition to the long list of amenities, we believed art installations of some kind could invigorate the physical space, customer experience and, as a result, the Bay City Brewing Co. brand.”
After some initial exploration the agency reached out to Christopher Konecki, a San Diego-based artist who is well known for large-scale aerosol murals, fine artwork, such as paintings and miniature sculptures, as well as various public and private installations. Konecki’s partnership with Mindgruve can be traced back to a one-night, pop-up exhibition held at the agency’s headquarters months prior to the renovation. He was one of 40 artists who were assigned spaces within the building to do with as they pleased.
The agency commissioned Konecki to create a 20-by-35-foot wall mural at the rooftop bar. A Mindgruve spokesman said the mural’s seascape image is meant to intersect the Bay City Brewing Co. brand with the Pacific Ocean.
“The mural turned out better than anyone expected,” said Robley. “It defines the space and positively reflects the Bay City Brewing Co. brand. This is just another example of how thoughtful pieces of art, and a talented group of people, can have a profound impact on both a business and the community it operates in.”
(W)right On Communications Announces New Partnership Called (X)
(W)right On Communications, a La Jolla public relations communications firm, has announced a partnership with Excelerate LLC, a San Diego management consulting firm specializing in digital consulting, resulting in the creation of (X), a joint venture service offering strategic planning and operational implementation with integrated strategic communications.
A statement said (X) will provide seamless integration of business strategy implementation with supporting complex communications. In addition, (X) will streamline multiple agency engagements, thereby reducing costs and decreasing redundancy while strengthening outcomes at a faster rate.
“Business and communication strategies are two sides of the same coin. When one is overlooked or shortchanged, the other can’t succeed,” said Grant Wright, CEO of (W)right On Communications. “Many CEOs are making abrupt pivots, evaluating new business strategies and struggling to keep stakeholders and customers engaged and informed. (X) provides a streamlined resource to achieve faster planning and successful implementation for better outcomes.”
“With (X), we are filling a market need for speed that is informed by data-driven insights, which has always been a key part of Excelerate’s mission and client value,” said Jana De Anda, president of Excelerate. “Together with (W)right On, we can help organizations rethink their business models, operational plans and communication strategies to protect and grow their business or market share.”
The two firms have experience with clients in retail, conservation, financial services, energy and water utilities, cleantech, tourism and hospitality, higher education institutions, not-for-profits, land developers, healthcare centers, manufacturers, regional and city governments and numerous other industries. (X) will operate from the two firms’ offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland and Vancouver.
Peter Rowe Hosts ‘Write Better Right Now’ for Press Club Webinar
Peter Rowe, a recently retired reporter and columnist with the San Diego Union-Tribune, will share his favorite writing tips for the San Diego Press Club’s next “Write Better Right Now,” a one-hour, writing webinar from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16.
The free webinar, held over the Zoom online meeting platform, is open to the public and will include Rowe sharing writing tips he’s learned during his career, followed by a question-and-answer time. Zoom membership is not required to participate in the webinar. The webinars will be recorded and a web link will appear on the press club website for viewing at a later date.
To register for the June 16 webinar, visit the press club’s website. The webinar is part of the press club’s “Nuts & Bolts” series.
Rowe, a native Californian who grew up in Encinitas, joined The San Diego Union in 1984. Earlier, he had reported for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, and The Argus in Fremont. He earned bachelor’s degrees in history and journalism from the University of California Berkeley and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.
He is a past president of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and a former Fulbright fellow. During his time at the Union and Union-Tribune, he wrote profiles and features. Before retiring in April, Rowe also covered the local and national craft beer scene with more than 1,000 columns and articles since 1995.
San Diego AMA Hosts Webinar on SEO Strategies
The American Marketing Association’s San Diego chapter will host a free webinar on “20 SEO Strategies You Can Use On Your Website Today” from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 11. Presenter will be Jason Melman, director of SEO and analytics at Inseev Interactive, a San Diego digital marketing firm. Topics will include how to find and optimize pages for keywords, identify major technical problems, and build links to your domains. The webinar also will include specific processes, free tools available online, and actionable strategies that can be used as a first step to supporting SEO endeavors.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.