Irvine Company Retail Properties hired Westbound in March 2020, just as the pandemic shut down all restaurants and retail stores in the state. Throughout the pandemic, we helped ICRP develop messaging to address the concerns of tenants, the community and the media. Additionally, once our properties were re opened, Westbound became an integral part of the team working to promote the safety and ‘open air’ features of Irvine Company’s retail destinations. Besides messaging and crisis work, Westbound’s day-to-day work for ICRP involves supporting the Marketing team and the directors at the three regional centers to develop story ideas and support promotions that bring people to the centers. For example, we annually support Style Week at Fashion Island, Holiday festivities and tree lightings, spring fashion campaigns and summer activations at all the properties. We actively pitch stories to the media featuring our tenants as our spokespeople.