Category Archives: Awards

Annual Inaugural Awards

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The 133rd Annual Inaugural Awards recently took place. This year the theme was “Together for Tomorrow,” and was hosted by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.  The goal in this year’s theme is the hope for the world’s economic recovery in 2021.  As well,   President of Business Banking at Bank of America and Market President for Greater Los Angeles  Raul A. Anaya, will begin his new role as 2021 Chamber Board Chairperson. According to CEO and President of the LA Area Chamber, Maria S. Salinas:

“The last year has been difficult on many levels. Not only did the pandemic disrupt business and decimate small businesses, but it also shed light on the deep inequities in our communities of color. This annual awards program is an opportunity to focus on the critical work in the coming year for recovery and to celebrate those whose work inspire us. Our event theme, Together for Tomorrow, is a signal of hope, we still believe that together, our region can create a better tomorrow.”

The awards included: Corporate Leadership Award which was given to Ralphs supermarket chain with respect to its Zero Hunger Zero Waste Program during the pandemic. The Civic Medal of Honor to Constance L. Rice for advancing democracy and her work as a civil rights activist. Beacon of Light Award to LA Dodgers and LA Lakers  for their championship roles both on and off the field.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Business Journal selected Brien R. Kelly and Enrique A. Monagas as Minority Leaders of Influence: Attorneys in Los Angeles.  Josh Schimmels explained that these individuals are: “particularly impactful on the legal scene, while serving as trusted advisors, along with maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards. Brien and Enrique are exceptionally skilled attorneys and they have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to deliver the firm’s clients with the highest level of strategy and service.”

The Business of Winning an Oscar

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Historically, winning an Oscar has been a big deal.  If a studio received an Oscar, it could seriously up their business and lead to all sorts of new contracts.  Revenue would almost be guaranteed for years to come.  But is that still the case today?  If a studio wins an Oscar now, does that mean they are set for the future and their name is cast in gold forever?  Is it worth their while in investing in getting Oscar voters for their movies or has the hype died down?

A lot has changed and as such, the value of an Oscar has followed suit.  These days it is not as meaningful as it was.  The general public doesn’t seem to be as wowed by a studio getting an award. They want more.  Or, they want something altogether different.  According to Nash Information Services, head of film data, Bruce Nash:

“There’s a risk they just seem a little more irrelevant. There’s a sense that the buildup has been a bit of a mess. “

And the fact that Oscar campaigns are hugely expensive (an average of $15m). industry executives wonder what the value of the award will be for the next generation.  The first century the award was out it indicated peer recognition and had an embedded place in culture.  It’s not definitive if that is still the case.

Indeed, according to Wharton Marketing Professor Jehoshua Eliashberg, more important than winning the Oscar (for financial benefits) is the nomination.  Winning is good too but it seems the nomination is all important.  Plus, it depends who wins.  A studio win is different to a person win as an actor’s salary will increase from an Oscar win.

So while an Oscar win does definitely mean prestige and is exciting to receive, in less cases these days it is resulting in fiscal success.  Getting nominated is still very appealing to those in the industry, but it’s far from a guarantee vis-à-vis financial recognition.

California Cannabis Awards

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In recognition of the incredible growth of the industry, WebJoint hosted LA’s first ever annual California Cannabis Awards at Novo Theater five days ago.  awards were given within the following categories:

  1. Best Accountant/CPA,
  2. Best Cannabis Influencer
  3. Best Cannabis Brand
  4. Best Cultivator
  5. Best Dispensary
  6. Best Delivery Service
  7. Best Distributor
  8. Most Innovative Product
  9. Most Innovative Tech Company, and
  10. Best Lawyer

The event was hosted by Paragon’s founder Sam Zartoshty, cannabis influencer Alice Moon and WebJoint CEO and founder, Christopher Dell’Olio.  In the words of Dell’Olio:

“Our industry is maturing and growing so quickly, so we wanted to take a minute to pause and recognize the trailblazers and influencers. We’re pulling together a mix of people, from influential speakers such as Sam and Alice, to cultural leaders like Berner, with the goal of cementing cannabis’ status as an industry that’s here to stay. We’re poised to push that expansion forward by presenting the industry’s only cannabis-focused platform that helps dispensaries and delivery services manage their entire operations.”

 

Los Angeles: Business Awards

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awardsZambezi – an independent creative agency was ranked at number 50 in the 2016 list of 100 Largest Women-Owned Businesses in Los Angeles County by Los Angeles Business Journal.  The companies were ranked according to revenues and this is the second consecutive year Zambezi has made it to the list, which is, according to COO of the firm, Jean Freeman “an honor.”  She added that: “Advertising needs more women in ownership roles, truly guiding companies. Zambezi’s primary mission is to serve clients at a high level – but my hope is that we’re also seen as an example of the future of this industry.”

Perhaps this result should not be all that surprising since for this year, the firm’s  projected increase in revenue stands at 60%. Given that they are expanding, Zambezi has moved to a 15,000 square foot headquarters at Culver City.

Meanwhile, other firms in the creative industry are likewise thriving in LA.  At the recent 68th Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, NBC4 Southern California and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles took home 13 awards for their “outstanding newscasts in a variety of news categories.”

Talking of awards, let’s not forget those being given out to organizations helping those disadvantaged in the city.  A staggering 112 grants (totaling $9,393,600) has been awarded by the California Community Foundation (CCF) to “address the needs” of the region as part of a set of “initiatives [being implemented] to create change that impacts the root causes of some our region’s most urgent issues.”