Monthly Archives: April 2010

TechAmerica Hosts Orange County’s Signature Technology Event

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The 17th Annual TechAmerica OC High-Tech Innovation Awards, scheduled June 2, 2010, at Hyatt Regency Irvine, is one of Orange County’s most prestigious and longest standing technology/business functions.  The program recognizes outstanding achievements and innovation by Orange County’s technology leaders.

Awards are given in several categories, including Greg Ross Community Service; Innovation In Education, Outstanding Company, Outstanding CEO, Outstanding Product (w. sub-categories) and Green Engineering.

TechAmerica received a record number of nominations this year…nearly 100!  You can view the full list of finalists here.  Technology is a driving force in the economic recovery, and this event will honor those who are leading the charge by highlighting their achievements and celebrating their innovation.

TechAmerica is anticipating a possible sell-out event this year, so if you plan on attending, sign up early. This is sure to be a great opportunity to meet and network with movers and shakers in Orange County’s High Tech community.

The master of ceremonies is Rick Reiff, executive editor and “OC Insider” Columnist Orange County Business Journal and Host and Producer of KOCE-TV’s “Inside OC” and keynote speaker will be Bruce Kimbrell, program facilitator of Disney Institute. Honoree for the evening is Bruce Hallett, managing director of Miramar Venture Partners.

Who Should Attend?
Technology executives and architects, all industry service providers/partners, media, local/regional policy-makers & political reps and of course, HTA finalists!

Event Date: Wed June 2, 2010 5:30 M

Location:
Hyatt Regency Irvine
17900 Jamboree Road
Irvine, CA 92614
(949) 975-1234

Agenda:
5:30 PM – 9PM

Attire: Black-tie Optional

RSVP by May 14, 2010.

Registration:
Company Table of 10
(includes company signage at table)   $1100 Members/ $1300 Non-Members

Finalist Company ONLY Table of 10
(includes company signage at table) $1,000

Individual Seat
(limited number available)   $125 Members/ $150 Non-Members

Register: http://www.techamerica.org/htaoc

For questions, contact Yalanda Oglesby, Regional Program Marketing & Event Manager, at 949.502-0051, yalanda.oglesby@techamerica.org

Streamlining the Messaging of a Product Launch

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One of the processes we manage on behalf of our clients is the messaging and communications aspect of product launches. Launching a new product is no small feat. Any new item, be it consumer or business-to-business, has what seems like a million steps to do before actual launch day. It might include product design, packaging design, product messaging, communications and more. A public relations and marketing professional might be brought in two to three months (ideally) before the launch to help plan the messaging and communications.

Before anything goes out publicly to employees, partners, customers and media, the overall message or reason for the creation of the product should be written down and agreed on by all the involved parties. This is easier said than done. The involved parties could include product managers, marketing staff, public relations, executives, consultants and more. Just getting input from all of these people could prove a nightmare.

Streamlining initial messaging input is most important because it will be the basis for all communications about the new product. In my experience, holding a meeting with all the stakeholders present to discuss the benefits of the product should accomplish this goal. However, these meetings can spark some very interesting discussion about the product and holes in the overall strategy. Often times the team will go back to the drawing board several times before approving a message.

The lesson: Start early, be patient, ask many questions and be sure to have buy in from the top or you risk starting completely new at the last minute.

We Earned Our 10% Solution Certification!

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We are very proud to announce that we have earned our small-business corporate social responsibility (CSR) certification from 10% Solution (www.10percentsolution.com). Like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval or other international organizations for standardization, the 10% Solution certification designation ensures that qualifying companies meet rigid standards for corporate giving in three key areas: volunteerism, philanthropy and green sustainability.

We’ve infused our CSR efforts into our day-to-day business activities; it’s the small things that can make a big difference. We hope our example will show our clients that third-party CSR certification should be part of their corporate marketing initiatives to enhance brand equity and drive increased revenue. It certainly does for us!

To earn the certification we must demonstrate and adherence to 10% Solution’s strict formula measuring CSR commitments:

  • Financial — The agency commits 1 percent of total sales to philanthropic giving. This year, we’re focusing on Mercy House, which provides homeless prevention, emergency services and housing to men, women and children in Orange County and the City of Ontario.
  • Volunteerism — Our Remarxable employees volunteer with nonprofit organizations an average of one hour per week.
  • Sustainability — We maintain green certification appropriate to our industry and location.

Jamie Welsh, founder of 10% Solution couldn’t have said it better. “A company that seeks our certification is one that cares about the world and is responsive to customers’ demands. Research shows that consumers choose to work with companies that demonstrate a social return on investment (SROI) strategy. Remarx Media’s certification is an expression of its SROI activities, and we’re proud to have them as part of our roster of certified companies.”

We encourage you to learn more about the 10% Solution certification at http://www.10percentsolution.com. It’s a great way to reflect the socially responsible values of your clients in your business.