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<table width="541" height="1152" border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="521" height="1152" valign="top"> <p>By Jorge Casuso</p> <p><em>July 16</em> -- The Bayside District has a new director of marketing and communications, and she hopes to bring what is literally a world of experience plugging Santa Monica across the planet.</p> <p> Debbie Lee, the former vice president for business development with the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau, is now responsible for general marketing, promotions and public relations for Downtown.</p> <p> Lee plans to use her ten years of experience in marketing and community relations to help continue to build an image of Downtown Santa Monica that is encompassing, while capitalizing on the widespread popularity of the Promenade as an international venue.</p> <p> “Having an umbrella brand, a strong branding recognition that is cohesive, is very important,” Lee said. “Especially since we have such a limited budget, the focus is on programs that lend a strong return on investment for our time and resources.”</p> <p> “Third Street Promenade is such an asset to our community and Downtown Santa Monica is thriving, so drawing attention to it all will only enhance a visitor's experience,” Lee said.</p> <p> Spreading the word will require encouraging the media to focus more on events that help promote the area, she said.</p> <p> “Most of the coverage we receive in the local papers focus on issues of district improvements,” said Lee, who also oversees publications and other key communication vehicles to promote and inform the public on issues related to Downtown.</p> <p> “I’d like to also put a spotlight on the marketing achievements and programs we offer, as well as the unique special events that come to the Promenade,” she said.</p> <p> Lee looks forward to building “strong synergistic partnerships with companies that put a priority on community.” </p> <p>To further that goal, the Bayside has partnered with Starbucks to produce a summer and winter concert series on the Promenade. A performance by rising recording artist Rocco Deluca kicked-off the summer series and drew large crowds last month, Lee said.</p> <p> “Special events take a great deal of coordination and the revenues they generate enhance our budget, enabling Bayside to produce proactive marketing campaigns and capital improvements,” Lee said.</p> <p> Nicole Nez, the Bayside's new events and marketing coordinator, plans to maintain the focus on “events that put a positive impact on the Promenade.”</p> <p> “We receive so many special event and filming requests. Many of them truly enhance the experience to the Promenade and make this area unique.” Nez said.</p> <p> Yet if the Bayside’s marketing campaigns are to succeed, Lee said, more merchants need to get involved</p> <p> “We’re creating an awareness campaign so new merchants know we’re here and we offer marketing support,” Lee said. “The more information they provide to us, the better we can promote the area. Bayside is dedicated to this and to strengthening our relationships with downtown merchants.” </p> <p><em>Editor's note: This article also ran in the Bayside Beat, the monthly newsletter of the Bayside District Corporation</em>. </p></table>  <p></p></td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="200"> <center> </center>  <table width="73" height="95" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="73" valign="top"><a href="http://www.readersjewelers.com/"><img src="/ssm_site/commerce/ReadersFineJewelers/ReadersFineJewery2.jpg" width="159" height="135" border="1"></a></td> </tr> </table>  <p align="left"> </p>  <h3 align="left"><em><font color="#666666" face="Courier New, Courier, mono">“Having an umbrella brand, a strong branding recognition that is cohesive, is very important.” Debbie Lee</font></em></h3>  <p align="left"> </p>  <h3 align="left"><em><font color="#666666" face="Courier New, Courier, mono"> </font></em></h3> <h3 align="left"><em><font color="#666666" face="Courier New, Courier, mono">"Special events take a great deal of coordination and the revenues they generate enhance our budget."</font></em><br> </h3> <p align="left"> </p>  </div> <p align="left"> </p>  <h3 align="center"><font color="#666666" face="Courier New, Courier, mono"></font></h3>  <p align="left"> </p> </td> </tr> </table> <table width="700" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="691"><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"><table width="660" border="0"> <tr> <td valign="bottom" width="115" height="34"><a href="http://www.surfsantamonica.com/the_lookout.htm"><img src="/ssm_site/images/images-logos/icons-lookout.gif" alt="Lookout Logo footer image" width="115" height="26" border="0"></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="356" height="34"><font size="-1"><br> Copyright 1999-2008 surfsantamonica.com. 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