Scope of Work / Strategic Growth / July 2026
Building visibility, community pride and momentum for Downtown El Cajon’s next chapter.
Prepared for the El Cajon Association by Solid State Marketing
The district is evolving, but many audiences still associate it with an outdated version of Downtown El Cajon. Public relations and social media must provide consistent, credible evidence of progress, showing the businesses, people, public spaces and experiences shaping Downtown El Cajon today.
America on Main Street is not planned for 2026, while the City’s official HauntFest page states that the 2026 event has been canceled. No public explanation has been provided for either decision. Together, these changes remove two recognizable community events from the calendar and create a visibility gap during a critical engagement period.
The strategy cannot rely on those former tentpoles, or allow their absence to suggest that Downtown has lost momentum.
Through proactive PR, social-first storytelling, creator partnerships, business features, event campaigns and paid amplification, we will connect the district’s multicultural food, local businesses, entertainment, transit access and community programming into one consistent narrative.
Rather than allowing canceled events to create a perception of lost momentum, we will build new reasons to pay attention, elevating what is active, filling gaps with timely content and making progress easier to see, share and support.
The result will be a stronger public presence for Downtown El Cajon, one that builds participation, community pride and economic activity over time.
Solid State will build an integrated channel-spanning communications program designed to make Downtown El Cajon’s progress more visible, more credible and more connected across PR, social media, paid amplification and community storytelling.
Use businesses, events, public spaces, people and improvements as visible evidence that Downtown El Cajon is evolving.
Create content that speaks to residents, business owners and East County audiences - not just outside visitors.
Use the final weeks of summer programming to generate immediate visibility and capture high-energy content, then transition into Alley Cat Art Fest, fall and holiday campaigns, and year-round business storytelling. The goal is to turn isolated events into sustained district momentum.
Spotlight restaurants, retailers, service providers, owners and community voices that give Downtown El Cajon its identity.
Move beyond flyers and announcements into timely content, creator visits, neighborhood guides, business features and real-time storytelling.
Proactively pitch stories that highlight Downtown El Cajon as East County's cultural and economic center, spotlighting its 100,000+ residents, internationally diverse community, thriving small-business ecosystem, and growing food, arts, and events scene.
Track PR, social, paid and campaign performance through monthly reporting, then translate results into clear recommendations for DECBP leadership, Board and DI&P Committee meetings.
Objective
Build a sustained earned-media program that changes how Downtown El Cajon is understood - not just how often it is mentioned.
Local
Baja California / Cross-Border
Regional & National
Pursued when a story has genuine relevance beyond the local market, including meaningful revitalization, cultural identity, placemaking or economic-development stories.
Stories With the Power to Shift Perception
Downtown El Cajon’s Next Chapter
How new investment, local businesses and public-space improvements are reshaping East County’s urban core.
How Chaldean Entrepreneurship Is Reshaping El Cajon
How Chaldean, Iraqi, Syrian and Afghan communities are shaping Downtown’s food, businesses and cultural identity.
The Businesses Building Downtown
Meet the immigrant-owned restaurants, markets, retailers and family businesses driving local jobs and district identity.
East County’s Most Accessible Downtown
How transit connections, nearby housing and approachable businesses position Downtown El Cajon as an everyday destination for residents across the region.
The Magnolia Effect
How Downtown El Cajon can turn concert nights into district-wide dining, retail and nightlife activity before and after the show.
From Transit Stop to Downtown Stay
How the district can convert trolley riders and pass-through traffic into longer visits through stronger wayfinding, business discovery and coordinated experiences.
Three campaigns that show how we reposition places, launch brands into crowded markets and turn ideas into demand.
Case Study / Garden City, Idaho
The Challenge
Garden City's Boise River corridor had the natural ingredients of a destination, Greenbelt access, waterfront recreation, growing residential density and proximity to Boise, but lacked cohesive hospitality identity, consistent programming and a clear reason for people to experience the area as one connected place.
At the center of the opportunity was The Boardwalk, a mixed-use development with restaurants, residences, public gathering space and future event venues. Before reopening, the property represented one of the market's toughest hospitality challenges. Four restaurant concepts had failed in the space, nearby restaurant vacancies sat empty for years with few willing to invest, and years of inconsistent operations had all but erased consumer confidence. At the same time, Garden City continued to battle outdated perceptions compared to neighboring Boise, making the path to success even steeper.
“This was not a traditional opening campaign. It was a district-wide destination reset.”
One integrated framework: launch the concepts, program the district and build the partnerships that made momentum visible.
The FrameworkOne Integrated Strategy
Connected PR, social, paid media, influencers, email, websites, partnerships, events and grand openings under one destination narrative.
Launch the Concepts
Led integrated openings for Descanso Bar, Ground Rules, Spitfire Tacos & Tequila and Earlybird Breakfast Burritos, giving each a distinct identity while strengthening The Boardwalk.
Create Reasons to Return
Developed and promoted a growing calendar of events including the Greenbelt Night Market, Experience Garden City, live music, watch parties and seasonal activations.
Build the Network
Strengthened relationships with Visit Garden City, the Mayor's office, the Chamber, media and community partners, becoming a source of stories, assets and content.
Drive Visible Momentum
Created a steady cadence of openings, media coverage, influencer visits, live entertainment and public events to replace the area's past narrative with proof of change.
A district revitalization made visible through openings, events, media, creators and community partners.
Progress to Date
4 New Concepts Launched
Integrated grand-opening support for Descanso Bar, Ground Rules, Spitfire Tacos & Tequila and Earlybird Breakfast Burritos.
Greenbelt Night Market Created and Launched
An original concept we created, branded and launched, now the district's recurring marquee event and a standing reason to return to the waterfront.
Recurring District Programming
Live music, watch parties, seasonal activations, community events and cross-concept programming.
Integrated Visibility Across Channels
PR, social, influencer outreach, paid campaigns, email, websites and partner amplification under one strategy.
Civic & Tourism Partnerships Built
Visit Garden City, the Mayor's office, the Chamber and community partners, supplied with stories, content and assets.
Reputation Reset Underway
The story shifted from short-lived concepts toward visible investment and sustained momentum, with more to come this fall and winter through Peregrine Overlook, Garden City's only Greenbelt rooftop bar and event center.
We did not book an event. We invented a platform.
One-off activations like Experience Garden City create a spike. The Greenbelt Night Market was built to create a habit. We developed the idea, named and branded it, built its website and social presence, recruited makers, food and music vendors, secured civic and tourism partners and marketed every edition, turning an underused stretch of waterfront into a scheduled destination the market plans its weekends around.
Owned Concept
Original idea, name, brand identity, website and social channels created in house rather than sponsoring someone else's event.
Recurring by Design
A repeating series instead of a single date, so awareness compounds edition over edition instead of resetting each time.
Traffic Engine for the District
Every market night delivers crowds directly to Descanso, Ground Rules, Spitfire and Earlybird, converting foot traffic into covers.
Community Anchor
Local makers, food vendors and musicians alongside Visit Garden City and Chamber partners, making the waterfront feel like a civic gathering place.
Always On Story
A renewable media and content hook that keeps Garden City in listings, calendars, creator feeds and coverage between openings.
Complements One Off Moments
Experience Garden City and seasonal activations layer on top of the market cadence rather than carrying the calendar alone.
Concepts & Programming Launched
Civic & Tourism Partners
123K views
127K views
Case Study / Las Vegas, NV
Randy's Donuts
Launching a legendary LA brand into a 24/7 tourist economy.
The Challenge
Randy's was entering the ultra-competitive Las Vegas culinary scene, where standing out is notoriously difficult. A legendary Los Angeles brand had to earn relevance in a saturated 24/7 tourist and local market, with excitement built before opening and sustained through every operational milestone that followed.
Five-Phase Campaign
A staged PR arc built to create repeat news waves rather than a single opening-day spike.
Own the Announcement
Secured citywide coverage from major Las Vegas outlets from first announcement through opening.
Go Multi-Format
Delivered exposure across broadcast, digital, print and social so the story reached every audience.
Engineer the Moments
Built headline-worthy beats: the giant donut tour, sellouts, hour changes and the 24/7 return.
Activate the Taste-Makers
Donut drops to casinos, concierge desks, VIP hosts, promoters, DJs and influencers.
“We drove Randy's iconic giant donut around Las Vegas. News crews literally followed, pulled over our team, and conducted on-the-spot interviews.”
Turning decades of brand equity into opening-day demand.
Progress to Date
Randy's Donuts is bringing its giant doughnut to Las Vegas in December.
Read More →Randy's Donuts finally opens in Las Vegas.
Read More →
First Las Vegas location for Randy's Donuts opens.
Read More →
Randy's Donuts sells out for the first time in 70 years after opening Las Vegas location.
Read More →
First Randy's Donuts location in Las Vegas sells out on opening day.
Read More →
Case Study / San Diego, CA
Allegro Little Italy
How a strategy session turned an evergreen month into a viral, product-led social moment.
The Challenge
Allegro entered April with healthy baseline demand, but no major seasonal campaign, holiday hook or built-in cultural moment capable of driving incremental attention. Rather than default to discounts or generic seasonal messaging, Solid State led a creative brainstorm focused on developing a menu item with real viral potential, something visually irresistible, culturally credible and strong enough to generate its own momentum on social.
Start with behavior
Look for the kind of dining moment people already love to film, share and send to friends.
Build for virality
The goal was not just engagement. The item needed enough visual pull to travel organically across creator, guest and local food content.
Choose something ownable
The idea had to feel specific to Allegro, not like a generic item any restaurant could run.
Make it instantly visual
The item needed to read immediately on camera and stop the scroll without explanation.
Elevate the detail
Importing authentic bowls from Italy transformed a simple dessert into a signature experience.
Why Lemon Sorbet Won
Visual: Bright, recognizable and highly photogenic.
Brand-fit: Italian, elevated and naturally aligned with Allegro.
Viral: Built to travel across creator, guest and organic social.
Commercial: Strong enough to drive demand, not just engagement.
“The smartest move was not creating more marketing. It was creating something built to go viral.”
A product-led idea translated into measurable demand.
01
10%
Sales Growth
Sales increased 10% during the campaign window from 4/15 to 5/15.
02
30%
Year-Over-Year Growth
The same period finished 30% above the prior year.
03
Demand Exceeded Forecasts
Allegro sold through its sorbet inventory as interest accelerated.
04
Additional Bowls Imported From Italy
The restaurant reordered the signature vessels to support continued demand and preserve the presentation that made the item recognizable.
05
Creator & Guest Amplification
Influencer coverage and organic guest content expanded the campaign well beyond Allegro's owned channels.
06
A Repeatable Signature Was Created
What began as a brainstorm became a recognizable menu moment with ongoing brand and revenue value.
1.2M views
@internaldandilion110K views
@sandiegoeatersBroad hospitality experience. Proven destination thinking. Deep San Diego market knowledge.
Solid State brings senior-level communications experience across restaurants, hotels, nightlife, mixed-use developments, destination districts and lifestyle brands.
The people who pitch the work are the people who do the work.
Vince founded Solid State Marketing to build a hospitality and destination communications practice where senior leadership stays on the account. He leads narrative strategy, media relations and senior counsel across the agency’s restaurant, hotel, nightlife and district clients.
He lives in El Cajon and works with concepts across the neighborhood and Downtown San Diego, giving the Association a partner who reads the district daily rather than quarterly.
Aisha leads integrated campaign development, social editorial direction and influencer strategy, translating district-level goals into content programs that move at the speed of the city.
She oversees day-to-day account leadership, the annual communications calendar and creator partnerships, ensuring every campaign connects earned media, social and community storytelling.
Samantha Jacksich is the Head of Content at Solid State Marketing, specializing in high-quality short-form content and social media strategy for hospitality and restaurant brands.
She leads content strategy and creative production across a diverse portfolio of clients, overseeing every stage of the process, from concept and filming to fast-paced editing and publishing. She creates Reels, TikToks, UGC, interview-style videos, trend-driven content, promotional campaigns and social-first series that showcase food, drinks, specials, ambiance and guest experiences, producing work that captures attention, builds brand awareness and drives meaningful engagement.
Samantha has also grown her own food-focused social platform to 57K followers in just two years, giving her firsthand insight into platform trends and audience behavior. She combines a creator's perspective with a strategic marketing approach to help brands tell authentic stories that deliver measurable results.
She is passionate about turning restaurant experiences into compelling digital storytelling through creative strategy, efficient production and high-impact content.
Ella Hauptman is a marketing and communications professional specializing in integrated marketing, public relations, social media strategy and brand storytelling for hospitality, restaurant and destination brands.
At Solid State Marketing, she manages multi-channel marketing initiatives for a diverse portfolio of clients, leading social media strategy, content development, media relations, influencer partnerships, email marketing, digital platform management and community engagement. She works closely with clients to develop campaigns that strengthen brand awareness, drive guest engagement and support new openings, events and long-term growth.
Prior to joining Solid State Marketing, Ella gained international marketing experience while living and working in Amsterdam, where she supported communications initiatives in a cross-cultural environment. That global perspective continues to shape her collaborative approach and ability to connect with diverse audiences.
Ella graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor's degree in communication, with an emphasis in public relations.
A full account team will support the engagement, also including Mady Stone, Account Coordinator and Tony Ayoub, Content Production Specialist.
Long-standing agency of record relationships across hospitality groups and districts.
Managing Partner
BBT Restaurant Group
Relationship
Agency of Record for restaurants including Don Pietro, El Sueno, Tako and more.
Contact
vince.rovino@gmail.comFounder
Apex Brand Collection
Relationship
Agency of Record for Garden City Waterfront District along with restaurants including Hemlock Boise, Spitfire Tacos & Tequila and more.
Chief Executive Officer
Baja Sharkeez Restaurant Group
Relationship
Agency of Record for a full portfolio of 14 restaurants across multiple hospitality concepts.
Contact
gregn@sharkeez.netPartner
San Diego Dining Group
Relationship
Agency of Record for various restaurants including Allegro.
Contact
vice.loverso@gmail.comOwner
Waterfront / Multiple Leading San Diego Dive Bars
Relationship
Agency of record across all eight concepts, with strategic advisory support for new acquisitions and the launch of a proprietary technology platform.
Social Media & Influencers
Objective
Transform Downtown El Cajon’s social channels from an event bulletin into a living, credible expression of the district.
01
Make Progress Visible
Use short-form videos/reels, street-level storytelling and real-time coverage to show the businesses, people and activity shaping Downtown today.
02
Build Around Discovery
Answer the questions audiences actually have: what is new, where to eat, what is happening and why it is worth experiencing.
03
Turn the Feed Into a Media Brand
Build a recognizable editorial system with bold creative direction and a clear point of view. Less civic bulletin board. More cultural publication.
04
Move at the Speed of the City
In this 24/7 digital landscape, create timely content around openings, local news, seasonal moments, restaurant buzz, neighborhood debates and real-time happenings while people are still paying attention.
05
Build an Influence Network, Not an Invite List
Develop a curated roster of East County, food, lifestyle and culture creators who can return repeatedly, tell different stories and build genuine familiarity with Downtown.
06
Make Businesses Contributors, Not Content Requests
Build a simple system for businesses to surface openings, milestones, personalities and timely stories, then shape those inputs into stronger district-wide narratives.
07
Use Paid Media With Purpose
Deploy targeted spend around the moments that matter most: major events, seasonal campaigns, new openings and neighborhood priorities, to drive discovery, attendance and sustained visibility across San Diego.