As Los Angeles rages, ad agencies rush to support both their communities and businesses

THE wildfires around the Los Angeles area have devastated businesses and homes, and the flames are still fanned by strong winds. So far, they have caused between $135 billion and $150 billion in damage, according to AccuWeather.

Local agencies and production companies are also feeling the effects of the fires: some staff members have been evacuated from their homes, a few have lost their homes and everyone is on alert. Many production shoots are also being suspended or moved to new locations.

DoorDash, which is planning a Super Bowl 59 commercial for its DashPass membership service, canceled a shoot that had been scheduled for this week, saying through a spokesperson: “When it is clear and safe to proceed, we will proceed to filming at a later date. Our spot remains broadcast during the match as planned.

Many of the region’s largest creative boutiques find themselves in the unenviable position of trying to support their affected employees, repair the damage done to their communities, while continuing to serve their customers.

It’s a crucial time of year for productions, as the Super Bowl is fast approaching and many shoots have been changed or postponed due to the fires.

“Imagine trying to do a job under these circumstances.”

“We certainly have employees who have been in mandatory evacuation zones and still are, and then people who have voluntarily packed a bag to evacuate…just a lot of displaced people,” said Stephanie Ramos, director people at the Zambezi branch in Culver City. .

Although Zambezi itself is away from the fires, production will take place soon. It’s about being flexible about who will be at the shoot, based on who can make it and is not in danger. And luckily, customers are understanding, even though they’re not located in Los Angeles, and are being as flexible as possible given the situation.

Advertising agency Party Land has also found its clients accommodating, even though the agency is two weeks away from a planned four-day shoot that will now need fine-tuning. At least one location was in a fire-affected area.

“We’re benefiting from the weather and we’re not moving away from Los Angeles,” Haley Hunter, founder and COO of Party Land, “but we’re looking for new locations.”

Another major concern: The crew, vendors and others needed to put on a production might not be available, requiring additional pivots for the upcoming Party Land shoot and many others.

As business continues, agencies have noted that the safety of their employees, family and friends is far more important.

“Schools are closed, kids are at home and they can’t go out because of the air quality,” said Hunter, who noted that three Los Angeles homes she lived in were destroyed by fires. “People have a lot to do, so imagine trying to do a job under these circumstances. »

“It’s just about being safe.”

Many agencies are finding ways to help both their affected employees and their communities as a whole.

Zambezi uses his office as a safe zone with wifi and electricity, but most employees choose not to enter.

Ramos emphasized that the agency has some experience dealing with this type of flexibility due to the pandemic, which has seen situations change daily.

Concept Arts, an agency specializing in brand and entertainment storytelling, has offered its Koreatown office — which is not threatened by wildfires — to employees’ families if they need a place to go or of electricity.

“It’s just about being safe and taking care of yourself and your people,” said president Aaron Michaelson. Michaelson added that while his employees are safe, he knows of at least 10 people who lost everything.

“There is a lot of desire to do something”

Many agencies have also found a way to expand their services to help the community at large.

Zambezi tries to help his community as much as possible by organizing donations.

“In these terrible tragedies, you usually see the best in people, and there are a lot of people who want to do something right now,” Ramos said.

ThinkTHEthe Greater Los Angeles Area Advertising Club, provides assistance through a webpage on its site, listing resources, evacuation maps and links to what to do if someone loses their home. There is also a separate link to Greater Los Angeles Advertising Reliefa volunteer organization made up of advertising, media and promotion professionals brought together to help their colleagues in times of crisis. It offers many resources, as well as an application for financial aid.

Invisible Dynamics, a brand transformation consultancy in Los Angeles, is transforming its studio and gallery into a distribution center for support items for those displaced by the fires. In partnership with skincare and facial company Formula Fig, many brands and partners are donating items for the agency to distribute through partner organizations.

“We offer a place where you can send as many products as you want. We will then organize them, sort them, and then figure out how to get them into the hands of the people who need them most over the coming days and weeks,” said Oli Walsh, founder and CEO of Invisible Dynamics.

But those more directly affected have more immediate concerns.

Andy Silva, managing partner of the fully remote independent agency, was on his way to Pacific Palisades Friday to check on the condition of homes owned by his wife’s family. It is not yet known whether these structures are still standing.

And Bozoma Saint John, former CMO of Netflix and chief brand officer at Uber, now creator and CEO of her hair extensions company, Eve by Boz, wrote a heartbreaking post on Instagram about lose your house in Malibu.

“Even if I found even the words to write here, there is nothing I can say right now to describe this feeling,” Saint John wrote.