City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 08/17/09 Item Number: _A-1
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of (1) the
Purchase of a $10,000 Marketing Sponsorship Package as part of The
International Festivals of Independent Games 2009 (IndieCade) and (2) Designate
IndieCade as an Agency Sponsored Event.
Contact Person/Dept.: Jeremy Green,
Management Analyst
Phone Number: (310) 253-5764
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (PHONE) Downtown Business Association (08/07/09); (PHONE)
Chamber of Commerce (08/07/09); (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council
(08/12/09); (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – Redevelopment Agency (08/12/09)
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld: (08/10/09)
Agency General Counsel Approval:
Murray Kane: (08/12/09)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by N. Kimball)
Executive Director Approval:
Mark Scott (08/12/09)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Redevelopment Agency Board (the “Board”) (1) authorize
the purchase of a $10,000 Marketing Sponsorship Package (at a discounted cost
of $8,500) as part of the IndieCade 2009 Festival - The International Festivals of
Independent Games (the “Festival”) to be held in Culver City from October 1-4,
2009 and (2) designate the Festival as an Agency Sponsored event
BACKGROUND:
IndieCade was started by Creative Media Collaborative (“CMC”), an alliance of
industry producers and leaders, which was founded in 2005 to support
independent game development. CMC is led by Ms. Stephanie Barish, a Culver
City resident. IndieCade strives to maintain the artistry in the entertainment
software (computer and video games) industry, a $25 billion industry worldwide.
The art which made computer and video games so compelling has become an
artistic genre and is now a new industry on its own.
The 2009 Festival, to be held in Culver City, is designed to celebrate independent
video games and the game-makers and artists who make them and to facilitate
the production of new works within the emerging independent game movement.
There will be 250 dedicated conference attendees and festival attendance is
expected to reach a total of 2,000. Last year’s IndieCade took place in the City of
Bellevue, Washington. That City contributed a $15,000 sponsorship to the 2008
Festival. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
The Festival will be held at various locations throughout Culver City. It is
expected that the Festival will have a positive economic impact throughout the
City, including the Redevelopment Project Areas. By partnering with the Festival
organizers and utilizing the Festival as a marketing and promotional opportunity,
the Agency will work with the Festival organizers and venue owners to more
effectively bring increased revenue to the venues. Breakfast and lunch “talks”
will increase business at local restaurants at non-peak business hours.
Additionally, a scavenger hunt style game will encourage attendees to patronize
multiple businesses in Downtown. In addition to the increased revenues to area
businesses, both the City
An Executive Summary with more in-depth information about the industry and
IndieCade has been provided by Ms. Barish (Attachment 1.) Examples of
independent video games are available on IndieCade’s website at
www.IndieCade.org.
DISCUSSION:
The Festival includes multiple components at various Culver City venues, each of
which have received the required special event permit from the Committee on
Permits and Licenses. The following are major events planned as part of the
Festival:
• A grand opening event
• Hands-on exhibitions of games
• Salons, workshops and artist talks
• A game maker conference for professionals, enthusiasts and
aspiring gamemakers
• Previews and performances of new works
• An awards ceremony, reception and recognition event
• Ongoing game play in Downtown
• Other networking and VIP events across multiple venues
Venues include The Culver Hotel (Festival base), Grand Casino Bakery, Gregg
Fleishman Gallery, The Ivy Substation, Rush Street Restaurant, Royal-T Gallery,
Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Wonderful World of Art Gallery.
Of the total costs to produce the Festival at least $25,000 will be spent in Culver
City. In addition to these direct expenditures from the producer in the City, the
attendees (estimated at 2,000) will also utilize Culver City businesses, stay at
Culver City hotels, and dine at Culver City restaurants during the three day
festival. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
The Festival will be marketed through publicists at ONE PR Studio and ad
agency Young and Rubicam and will include a media release to all Los Angeles
based press contacts that cover entertainment and calendar sections of
newspapers. The game roll-out will start 30 days before the Festival with a “game
a day.” Other marketing will include flyers, posters, and postcards in relevant
locations, promotional e-mails, media sponsorships (usually blogs), social
networking (Twitter and Facebook), and through social change networks and
media.
Festival organizers selected Culver City because our City exhibits a number of
values important to independent game producers and players, including: the
City’s support of the arts, the City’s socially relevant and educational
environment, and the City’s walkable and vibrant downtown area, all of which
they see as part of the Culver City brand.
Culver City Marketing and other Opportunities:
• Business relocation: Currently there are no independent game businesses in
Culver City, although one of the largest gaming companies, Electronic Arts, is
located just outside of Culver City. The Festival will draw participants to
Culver City, some of whom may be encouraged to locate a new industry in
Culver City.
• Business attraction marketing: IndieCade’s “sponsorship opportunity”
(Attachment 2) provides the forum for redevelopment information
dissemination to a targeted, desirable demographic at a reduced cost.
• General Marketing: Attendees will travel from national and international
origins (including Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Australia) which provides
a unique opportunity for the Agency to present Culver City to an international
clientele.
Redevelopment Agency information will be disseminated at all events and
electronically including the following: the Open to Business Guide, the Chamber
Map, the demographics pages for Culver City and other marketing pieces that
will be designed specifically for this festival with a message to encourage
business relocation to Culver City. There will also be a webpage on the
IndieCade.com that includes the message, an ad in the printed program for the
Festival and IndieCade will take all marketing pieces with them to Canada and
England, for their final events of the year.
Staff believes that the unique opportunity to market and potentially attract new,
desirable and high-wage providing business to Culver City presented by the
Festival merits the Agency purchase of the Marketing Sponsorship Package. It is
staff’s hope that this effort will result in new game businesses moving to Culver
City. It is a green industry with well paid, design oriented employees, which will City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
be complimentary to other existing business sectors (art, architecture, television
and movie production, design, graphics, etc.) in Culver City.
In exchange for a reduction in cost for the Marketing Sponsorship Package from
$10,000 to $8,500, IndieCade requests that the Agency designate the Festival as
an Agency-sponsored event so that IndieCade information may be placed on the
City website and at City Hall.
As a secondary benefit, staff believes the Festival will generate increased
pedestrian activity and increased sales for the area. Should the event become
an annual event, the expectation would be for the Festival to grow each year and
become synonymous with Culver City.
Staff recommends that the Board approve an expenditure of $8,500 and
designate the Festival as an Agency-sponsored event.
Compliance with City Council Policy 2008-01
IndieCade requests that the Agency designate the Festival as an Agency-
sponsored event so that IndieCade information may be placed on the City
website and at City Hall.
To be “Sponsored” by the City or Redevelopment Agency, an event must
comply with CCMC Section 17.330.040.B.7.b.ii. confirming that the following
criteria have been met: The City and/or Redevelopment Agency is (a)
participating in an official capacity in the planning, preparation or promotion of
the event or activity; and (b) contributing 25% of the total estimated costs of the
civic event or activity, or at least $1,000, whichever is less. This contribution
may take the form of funds, labor, staff time, materials, a waiver of fees, or any
combination of the foregoing.
The CCMC clearly requires both (a) AND (b) to be met. In addition, the use of
City staff resources, equipment, etc., for an event does not in and of itself
constitute participation in the event by the City in an “official capacity” in the
planning, preparation or promotion of the event. Further, in accordance with
the recently adopted City Council Policy 2008-01 regarding Community
Organizations, in addition to meeting the above-referenced criteria, in order for
an event to be considered City-sponsored and/or Redevelopment Agency-
sponsored, the City Council and/or Redevelopment Agency, must determine,
by specific action, that the above criteria have been met.
In summary, in order to be eligible to promote their Festival on the City website,
the Redevelopment Agency would need to take both of the following actions:
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
(1) determine that IndieCade is an Agency-sponsored event AND (2) determine
to support the event in an amount no less than $1,000, which may take the
form of a fee waiver.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
If the Agency were to participate in the form of a $8,500 cash sponsorship, the
funds would come out of the Agency’s Economic Development Program
(55090200.) Sufficient funds are available in Object Code 610200 (Marketing
Services)
ATTACHMENTS:
1. IndieCade Executive Summary, Provided by IndieCade.
2. IndieCade Benefits package for a $10,000 sponsorship level.
MOTION:
That the Redevelopment Agency Board:
1. Approve the purchase of a $10,000 Marketing Sponsorship Package at
the discounted rate of $8,500; and,
2. Designate the Festival and Agency-sponsored event;
MEETING DATE: August 17, 2009
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of a Cash Sponsorship Request by
IndieCade (The International Festivals of Independent
Games 2009.)
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. IndeCade Executive Summary 1-11
2. IndieCade Benefits package for a $10,000 12-13
sponsorship level.
ATTACHMENT 1
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$10,000 Marketing Sponsorship
Marketing Benefits:
Culver City Redevelopment Agency “business attraction” and other marketing
materials at all IndieCade events in Culver City and at the remaining 2009 events
in Canada and England.
Premiere positioning of Culver City Redevelopment Agency’s name and logo on
IndieCade website for four months.
Webpage on IndieCade website devoted to Culver City Redevelopment Agency
messaging.
Premiere positioning of Culver City Redevelopment Agency’s name, logo and
marketing information in all IndieCade digital/electronic marketing for four
months.
Premiere positioning of Culver City Redevelopment Agency’s name and logo in all
IndieCade print marketing for four months.
Premiere recognition in three national press release transmissions over four-
month period.
Launch P.R. announcement as IndieCade sponsor during August 2009.
Full-page ad with Culver City Redevelopment Agency information in printed event
program (Culver City to provide the artwork).
Eight all-access passes to International Festival of Independent Games 2009
(includes VIP party).
“Co-host” credit/status of a VIP party, or a component of the exhibition or
conference for marketing of Culver City Redevelopment Agency projects.
Culver City name branding across all other 2009 IndieCade events (minimum
three events).
Inclusion of demonstrations or promotional reel at all IndieCade events (minimum
three events).
Logo placement on first page of all printed programs at all IndieCade 2009 events
(minimum three events).
Premiere positioning of Culver City Redevelopment Agency name and logo in all
2009 print, broadcast, and web advertisements.
Note: We consider benefits packages to be an ongoing dialogue. It is our intension to give
the most possible publicity and attention to our sponsors and partners. We will work with
you to refine, extend, or reduce in any way that makes sense for Culver City.
ATTACHMENT 2
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Special Additional Benefits for Culver City:
Extend the positioning of Culver City Redevelopment Agency’s name, logo, and
link on IndieCade’s website and digital marketing to six months. This will include
our worldwide outreach and publicity for our 2010 international announcement
and call for submissions.
Logo placement on festival t-shirt and festival map.
Opportunities for Culver City School District Students as first choice volunteers /
docents / interns / public assistants for the event.
IndieCade will extend a 20% discount on all conference admission to all city
employees.
Invitations to Opening Gala will be extended to all recommended city officials.
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