Visual content is disrupting the web and real world. This panel will focus on key strategies used across creative industries, such as Media, Fashion, Music, Food and Entertainment that demonstrates how the use of Visual Storytelling is driving engagement with Consumers and Fans. The panel will discuss how each panelist is using photography, video and visual across social platforms such as pinterest, instagram and tumblr to tell stories to delight, educate and connect with their customers.

1. SOHO HOUSE – WEST HOLLYWOOD
APRIL 24, 2013
Visual Culture: The Aesthetics and Art of
Engagement

2. [PANEL SPEAKERS]
MacalaWright, Group Partners
@Macala
Jessica De Jesus, Senior Art Director at GOOD
@NeonHoney
Sean Carasso, Founder, Falling Whistles
@FallingWhistles
ShroneHackman, Master Chef
@SharoneHakman
Moderated By:
Staci Riordan Fox Rothschild Law
@StaciRiordan
Twitter and
Instagram#VizCult

3. Visual Culture: The Aesthetics and Art
of Engagement
How have visual platforms been most useful for you in
building awareness of your personal or company
brands?
@Macala: All platforms are useful, as visualization and visual
thinking are at the core of what we do. Tumblr, used with
hashtags and connected to Twitter, has by far been the most
useful platform for decimating ideas, sharing pithy content
connected with highly impactful video or photos, or to simply
point out noteworthy people, causes or programs.

4. Visual Culture: The Aesthetics and Art
of Engagement
What platforms do you prefer and why?
Are there things you’ve discovered with your followings
on that platform(s) that have been critical to engagement
or marketing?
@NeonHoney: Visual platforms have allowed for a
certain flexibility when it comes to shaping the GOOD
brand. While the main feed of HQ-driven and community
content lives on good.is, our Tumblr is curated to focus
more on creativity, design, photography, gifs, and the
occasional Bill Nye-is-the-man type posts. Instagram
gives community members a more personal look at
behind-the-scenes, at our HQ, and out in the world.

5. Visual Culture: The Aesthetics and Art
of Engagement
How do you connect your messages across those
platforms?
@NeonHoney: I'm a big fan of Tumblr. I think it's one of the most
accessible and versatile platforms. It can be used in a variety of
ways from traditional journalism, to photo blogs, to personal
portfolios or mood boards. Reblogging is easy and posts that you
like are automatically filtered.
There are so many amazing images waiting to be shared or
reblogged, but it's essential to keep the visual content in check
with your brand's point-of-view. In various categories across our
own site—education, technology, cities, environment, etc.—we try
to highlight the best and brightest of the current social good space.
So on our Tumblr, I tend to focus on those best and brightest posts
that have great visual appeal. I also try to reblog designers and
illustrators if his/her posts are relevant to the content going up that
day, or I'll just post in support of really awesome work.

7. Visual Culture: The Aesthetics and Art
of Engagement
Do you vary the strategy with the way you present copy
or graphics? Why?
@SeanCarasso: Falling Whistles Matches Visual Elements to
Key Messages/Calls To Action based on the visual dimensions
of the social networks they’re on to maximize awareness.

8. Visual Culture: The Aesthetics and Art
of Engagement
What have been your biggest challenges on Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr or
Youtube?
@Macala: The biggest challenge for most platforms is developing
the right audience. Platform statistics about users and user
demographics are only so helpful to you. So I’ve gotten creative in
the way I work on my audience development, continually testing
new idea and theories.
For example, while I like to use Instagram for my personal
life, there’s a fine line between personal and business. My
Instagram audience looks to me for being a leader in more thought
provoking content. So if I want to use personal, I have to put it in
the right context and leverage the heck out of common hashtags
that are widely used by the platform such as:
#MadeMyDay #CaughtGramming #InstaGood #Igers
#InstagramLA

9. Visual Culture: The Aesthetics and Art
of Engagement
The Cheat Sheet – Whom To Follow For Visual Inspiration and
Intellectual Stimulation
Tumblr:
National Geographic Found | This Crazy Fashion | Trey Wright | Super
Seventies | V Magazine |Daily Artspace |Frieke Verle | Photo JoJo
|Future Journalism Project | Edjeux | PopTech | Chronical Books
Instagram:
• @sonjarasula
• @awalkerinla
• @sophia_amoruso
•@marahoffman
• @pamelalovenyc
• @JohnCaswell
• @WestElm
• @RoomForty
• @24HourProject
• @NewYorkCity
• @FallingWhistles
• @TonyDetroit
• @HappyMundane
• @31Bits
• @Nowness
• @PressedJuicery

10. Visual Culture: The Aesthetics and Art
of Engagement
Tumblr Tactics – Jessica De Jesus
I'm relatively selective about what images I choose to post for the article I'm putting on Tumblr. I try
to keep text at a minimum by providing a short excerpt that best reflects the article. I try to keep
colors, sometimes themes, and sizes balanced with each other. I also think about which images
may be the most rebloggable, and that's a constant work in progress. To this day, our most
reblogged post was about how Tesla should get his own museum. People really love science. But
really, who doesn't?
Communicating with Tumblr followers has proved to be the most challenging. Even if you install
Disqus comments or a Facebook comment plug-in, most followers choose liking and/or reblogging
instead of commenting. Sometimes there are amazing comments written through a reblog, but
unlike other platforms, you can't respond as easily. I do; however, see the appeal in that type of
limited interaction. It's good to have some boundaries in an often over-exposed social media
culture.
GOOD has always had a video team that's produced in-house and also collaborated with some
talented freelancers. We do a lot of custom partnership videos, which we've been having lot of fun
with. The larger ones that include a video series allow us to get a little more creative in art directing
intro cards. We've also been creating videos that coincide with big activations. Most recently, for
our effort Neighborday (April 27th)—a celebration of the people with whom we share space on—we
created an introduction mashup video of pop-culture neighborslike Mr. Rodgers, Winnie Cooper,
Urkel, Mr. Feeny, and the Rubbles.

11. About The Panelists – And How To
Follow Them
Jessica De Jesus – GOOD Magazine
Jessica De Jesus earned her BFA in Graphic Design from Massachusetts College of
Art & Design. She is currently the Senior Art Director and Tumblr Curator at GOOD—a
global community of people who give a damn. She also freelances under the creative
alias neonhoneytigerlily. You may also follower her on Instagram and Twitter.
Staci Riordan – Partner, Fox Rothschild
Staci Jennifer Riordan is a Partner and Chair of the Fashion Law Practice Group at
Fox Rothschild, LLP and an adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. As
a lawyer, Staci's practice focuses on both transactional and litigation issues faced by
the fashion community: fashion licensing, copyright, trademark and business litigation
as well as digital media, social commerce, business agreements, strategic planning
and client counseling. Staci regularly speaks, writes and blogs on issues affecting
fashion businesses. Visit her blog at http://fashionlaw.foxrothschild.com or follow her
on Twitter: @staciriordan.

12. About The Panelists – And How To
Follow Them
SharoneHakman - Chef
Culinary showman Chef SharoneHakman has an insatiable appetite for adventure and for creating
delectable food. His dishes are as versatile and lively as his personality, filling you up in taste and
in presentation.
Formerly a financial planner, Sharone left the corporate world to follow his true love for food by
pursuing a career as a chef. His standout performance on Fox’s hit show Master Chef ignited a
new vision for Sharone’s aspirations in the culinary world. His celebrity clientele and international
television success has not steered Sharone away from who he is: a man who creates love and
passion through his food. You can follow Sharone on his blog or Twitter.
Sean Carasso – Falling Whistles
Sean Carasso is the founder of Falling Whistles, a campaign for peace in Congo. Over the last
four years, he and his team have seen a Special Envoy appointed to end the war, the rebel group
M23 implode, and Congo's worst warlord surrender. They sell the whistle as a symbol of protest
and today more than 70,000 people have joined them as whistleblowers for peace. This coalition
has invested in the fastest growing radio station in Congo, a sustainable business treating 330,000
for malaria, the first female-run salon in eastern Congo, as well as surgeries and rehabilitation for
hundreds of women and children. You can follow Falling Whistles or Sean on Twitter.

13. About The Panelists – And How To
Follow Them
Macala Wright – Head of Innovation, Group Partners
Macala is a writer, strategist, and storyteller. She merges her passion for
storytelling and narrative with her deep understanding of technology and
strategy to help bring innovative ideas, content and change programs to life.
Interested in the tools and platforms that society uses to communicate
culture, her writing and studies explore how people can become better
communicators in order to shape their futures, share their ideas and create a
better world to live in. She loves Twitter and Instagram.
Group Partners
Blog: http://www.grouppartners.net/blog
Website: http://www.grouppartners.net
Twitter: @Group_Partners
Tumblr: http://www.group-partners.tumblr.com