COMMERCE

Steve Cushman

                                                                 January 2012

Annual Lunch. Don't miss our annual celebration of the local business community, the 113th annual meeting of the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce. Join Chair Janet Garufis, President of Montecito Bank and Trust, the Chamber board of directors, the eight annual award winners and 300 business leaders at the Four Seasons Biltmore Resort on January 20 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Tickets and tables are still available, call or email Marcia Reed at 965-3023x103, marcia@sbchamber.org.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?   Have you ever wondered about how to get graffiti removed, a pothole filled or a missing street sign replaced? When you see a problem, whether it's on public or private property, send me an email, describe the problem or issue, and I will find an answer, a person responsible and a solution. Let's make this the best possible community. Steve@sbchamber.org.

Let's start the year with the repair and painting of the Chromatic Gate, Herbert Bayer's monumental sculpture across from Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort. The very important piece of public art is faded and rusting. Let's see if Mayor Schneider can help us get the piece repaired.

Chamber Committees. We currently are recruiting members for our issues committees. Call me or send an email if you are interested in any of these committees: Government Relations Council, Tourism Council, Ambassadors Council, Marketing Committee, Awards committee. steve@sbchamber.org.  

This is a great way to help the business community and to make new business contacts. Meetings are normally once per month and last about one hour.

Making It In Santa Barbara is a series of short biographies on local businesses in the manufacturing sector.  The goal is  to showcase local  companies 

who have moved

beyond the beach to produce products for use around the world.  

Making It In Santa Barbara- San Francisco Style

240 Studio

by Stephanie Armstrong

240 Studio is a 3,000 ft, open floor studio space, making it easily the largest commercial photo studio in Santa Barbara. With an urban loft style and a bohemian chic feel, this studio serves as a unique creative space for both advertising agencies and production companies.

Launched by Albert DiPadova and his wife Shannon in 2010, the studio was originally set up as their Studio and Office for Due Maternity, where they shot their print catalog and online photography. Having sold the business this past year the couple decided to re-invent the studio as a commercial production facility for the region.

Prior to moving back to Santa Barbara the DiPadova's owned an Advertising Agency in San Francisco. Originally a broadcast producer for DDB Needham, Albert launched an agency that catered to the growing number of Online companies and went on to produce media campaigns for Apple, Visa, United and many other fortune 500 companies.

But when the DiPadova's found out they were having a third child Shannon decided it was time to move back to her home town to raise their growing family. That's when the Couple launched Due and fast forward a few years with five stores and hitting No.1 on Google, Due was acquired by a larger organization giving the husband and wife team the opportunity to take some time off and consider what would be next.

At first the idea for 240 Studio was to simply rent the space to other photographers but many of the projects that came through required production management, so Albert has fallen back into his role of executive producer offering creative and production management to larger client projects that appreciate his experience.

"I see 240 Studio as part Creative Agency and part Production Company, without the overhead of a big city," says Albert.

Adding to it all 240 also represents an amazing team of artists and management personnel. In only 6 months time the company has grown into a team of six highly professional photographers, make up artists, and support personnel.

"Each of our photographers is an expert in their respective fields." Says Albert.

Jake Cryan is one of the most sought after Architectural photographers in Santa Barbara. Kelly Kirlin and Rebecca Farmer both have achieved national exposure shooting commercial campaigns for product, fashion and underwater beauty. Min Reid specializes in sports and photojournalism.

Since its launch 240 Studio has produced projects for locally based International business including Sonos, Mentor Worldwide, Johnson & Johnson, The Walking Co., Horny Toad, Waxing Poetic and the clientele base is constantly growing.

As part of a national outreach campaign 240 has partnered with both Bacara and The Canary hotel to promote Santa Barbara as a production destination to catalog and print ad producers. "Santa Barbara offers diverse production locations for catalogs that want to shoot both Summer and Fall where else do you get Mountains that meet the Ocean? We can offer our clients multiple locations while using the studio as a great base camp for product photography. Ultimately our goal is to raise Santa Barbara as a premiere destination for commercial production." Says Albert DiPadova.

It's paying off too, recently MTV shot the promos for the CMT's Artist of the Year giving local Santa Barbara celebrity Rob Lowe a break from the long trek down to LA.

The studio has all the right amenities for "A" list celebrities who have the power to bring their productions here.

"We're trying to promote the fact that 240 offers the big city production values without having to leave Santa Barbara," says Albert.

On top of all this they're not sitting still. Albert has just launched another website Orbit360.co that specializes in advanced product photography from every angle to help increase eCommerce conversions.

With the latest technology Orbit360° is growing to better serve the needs of eCommerce and marketing online. The 360° photography is an innovative way to display products online that gives the viewer the ability to move the object around to get the full view of the product.

240 Studio is one of about six studios in the United States that produces the way they do and one of the only that creates both Flash files and IOS formats compatible with the newly emerging standard of HTML5.

Albert also stands behind local non-profits offering his studio gratis to those groups that have a "good mission to get behind." The space is also open to individuals to rent out for a private event or Holiday party. Albert and Shannon offer not only a great location, but an environment and professional staff that makes production and marketing a dynamic and easy process. Through their involvement and commitment with the community they will continue to grow as a truly unique company in Santa Barbara that helps to keep business local.

Visitor Center - 1 Garden St.

January

Visitor Center  

News  

  

Santa Barbara Visitor Center Newsletter

January 2012

 

The weather in December was truly spectacular. If we didn't know better we would have thought it was summer. As a result, we had a great deal of visitors from out of town, enjoying the sunshine and warmth. The Holidays were far from white, except for all the white, short-sleeved tee-shirts being worn around town.

The Monarch butterflies have been enjoying the warm weather as well. It has been reported that they are in record numbers this year. Good news!
http://www.sblandtrust.org/coronado.html 

 

Here is a list of all The Main Events for 2012:

 

* Jan 26-Feb 5, SB International Film Festival, www.sbfilmfestival.org

* Mar 16-18, International Orchid Show, Earl Warren, www.sborchidshow.com

* April 21-22, Earth Day, Alameda Park, www.sbearthday.org

* Apr 25-29, SB Fair & Expo, Earl Warren, www.earlwarren.com

* April 28, Sea Festival and Annual Nautical Swap Meet, Harbor, www.sbmm.org 

* April 29, Jewish Festival, Oak Park, www.jewishsantabarbara.org/Jewish-Festival.aspx

* May 5-6, Cinco De Mayo, De La Guerra Plaza, www.cincodemayosb.com

* May 12, Children's Festival, Alameda Park, www.fsacares.org

* May 19-20, Classic and Hot Rod Car Show, Downtown, www.wheelsandwaves.com

* May 26-28, I Madonnari, SB Mission, www.imadonnarifestival.com

* June, Ocean Awareness Festival, Stearns Wharf/East Beach Cleanup & Ty Warner Sea Center, www.sbnature.org

* June 15-17, Live Oak Music Festival, Live Oak Camp off 154, www.liveoakmusic.org

* June 22-24, Summer Solstice Festival, 22nd-24th at Alameda Park & Parade on 23rd on State Street, www.solsticeparade.com

* July 4, Independence Day Celebration, www.santabarbaraca.gov

* July 4, Old Fashioned 4th of July, Rancho La Patera & Stow House, www.goletahistory.org

* July 4, Goleta Fireworks Festival, Girsh Park, www.goletavalley.com

* July 19-21, CA Wine Festival, Chase Palm Park/ Soccer Field, www.californiawinefestival.com

* July 28-29, Greek Festival, Oak Park, www.santabarbaragreekfestival.com

* Aug 1-5, Fiesta - Old Spanish Days, www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org

* Aug 18, Woodies Car Show, SB City College, www.nationalwoodieclub.com/chapter_sbarb.htm

* Sept 9, Taste of the Town, Riviera Park, www.tasteofthetownsantabarbara.com

* Sept 22-23, ArtWalk, Natural History Museum, www.sbnature.org

* Oct 5-7, Avocado Festival, Carpinteria, www.avofest.com

* Oct 13, Harbor & Seafood Festival, www.HarborFestival.org

* Oct, Old-Time Fiddlers Convention & Festival, Stow House, www.fiddlersconvention.org

* Oct 20-21, Lemon Festival & Car Show, (cars Sat. only) Girsh Park, www.lemonfestival.com

* Oct 31, Halloween Safe Trick or Treat Downtown, www.santabarbaradowntown.com

* Nov 11, Veterans Day Parade, State Street

* Dec 7, Downtown Holiday Parade, www.santabarbaradowntown.com

* Dec 9, SB Motorcycle Toy Run, www.unityshoppe.org

* Dec 9, Harbor Parade of Lights, www.santabarbaraca.gov/Visitor/Things/Waterfront/

 

And for all other events in January, go to: www.sbchamber.org, click on Calendars and then City Events. All the ongoing events are listed at the beginning followed by events in date order.

 

Happy 2012!

Annmarie Rogers

Visitor Center

 http://sbchamber.org/visitor-center.php  

 

    Monday, January 9, 2012  

924 Anacapa St., Ste. 1