Studio Provides Creative Strategy and Production for Integrated Campaign via Non-Profit CORE and American Entertainment Marketing
Creative studio Makiné recently partnered with LA-based multicultural marketing firm American Entertainment Marketing (AEM) to produce an integrated COVID-19 vaccine awareness and acceptance campaign called “IT’S TIME LOS ANGELES,” which aims to increase the rate of vaccinations for Los Angeles’s hardest-hit communities, including Latino, African American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) populations.
Commissioned by CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), the non-profit organization co-founded by Ann Lee and Sean Penn, the campaign will empower people of color with information and resources to receive life-saving vaccinations. Presented in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese, the multilingual campaign will reach diverse communities with cultural relevance, authenticity, and accuracy. “IT’S TIME LOS ANGELES” includes a public service announcement, digital/social media, print, microsite, community outreach, and public relations.
“It is not every day that agencies of color are afforded the opportunity to directly lead campaigns that speak to their respective communities,” says AEM President & Founder Ivette Rodriguez. “We were thrilled that CORE embraced this approach. Linda [DeJesus-Cutler] and I could not have picked a better coalition of multicultural agency partners to deliver IT’S TIME LOS ANGELES.”
Led by Jesus M. Rodriguez, Executive Creative Director, Makiné provided end-to-end creative direction of the fully integrated campaign, including the naming, branding, and social assets. In addition, Rodriguez scripted and directed a :30 hero spot for broadcast and digital, presented in five different languages, as well as a series of community-focused cut-downs.
“The coalition of agencies that Ivette brought together was essential to bringing this campaign to life,” says Jesus M. Rodriguez. “Each partner brought key insights and perspectives that helped shape the message with humanity and authentic cultural relevance. When it all came together, it was beautiful to see the diversity and strength of Los Angeles reflected through this campaign. Our city is a beautiful rainbow of skin tones and cultures and it’s what makes it so special.”
According to Jesus M. Rodriguez, it was paramount that each targeted group of the campaign felt heard and recognized. Here, Makiné consulted with Latino agency AEM, Asian American communications firm IW Group, and African American-owned agency Red Sea Entertainment in the scripting and casting phase.
Set to original music by Oscar and Grammy-winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla (“Brokeback Mountain” and “Babel”), the PSA features photos of real people and families representing the diverse communities of Los Angeles. Jesus M. Rodriguez directed the photo shoots in collaboration with photographer Aldo Chacon. Makiné’s Alberto Hadyar art-directed the film, adding subtle yet elegant transitions to the story, all under veteran producer Gustavo Garcia.
The 28-person cast of Angelenos in the PSA represents diversity through individuals and multi-generational families. The featured talent includes El Salvadorian construction workers, a Latina public education advocate, a Korean CORE representative, an African American pastor and veteran, a Chinese nurse, a Mexican roof contractor, a second-generation Vietnamese family business owner, and an African American restaurant owner with his frontline employees.
Makiné also produced audio content for radio, streaming, and social, based on the broadcast script, as well as a social media toolkit consisting of Chacon’s photos, GIFs, and skins. Print deliverables included posters, flyers, and infographics.
“Makiné was the ultimate creative and production partner,” concludes Ivette Rodriguez. “Their creativity was innovative and hopeful, and their dedication to the united cause of protecting our own was relentless and inspiring.”
Simian Gets An Evolutionary Boost For Collaboration, Reveals “Teams”
Simian, the showreel-building, review & approval, and production asset management platform used globally by creative leaders, is kicking off this fall season with a substantial leap forward for collaboration and project management – with more updates on the way during the holidays!
The new feature, aptly dubbed “Teams”, makes it easier than ever for users to give project responsibilities to team members and clients alike. “You can never have too many options when it comes to permission levels,” says Jay Brooks, Simian’s Chief Technology Officer. “Teams provides a streamlined way to assign multiple users to a project at once.”
“Teams are very powerful, but creating one is effortless,” Brian Atton, Simian’s Chief Operating Officer explains. “Simply enter a Team name, add members, and then apply the newly made Team to any desired project. You can even invite temporary guests without changing settings for other projects or needing to create a new Team.”
“We love helping our clients by providing efficient tools to improve their workflow, and this has been a frequently requested feature as of late,” shares Kellie Atton, Head of Sales at Simian. “It feels great to get Teams out into the wild because I know it’s going to be tremendously helpful to everyone who uses it”.
Teams is now available exclusively to Simian’s enterprise clients. Simian plans to release more product upgrades and enhancements during Q4 2024 and 2025 for enterprise and non-enterprise users, continuing its ongoing evolution as the industry’s leading production asset management solution.
For more information on Simian upgrades and features, visit https://www.gosimian.com/
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