LOCAL STORIES
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See how local businesses are thriving with a little help from Mustang Media Group.

Overview

Mustang Media Group has long been a trusted partner for local businesses, backed by award-winning journalism, nationally recognized student talent and a proven track record of delivering results. From ACP Pacemaker honors to statewide awards in advertising, design and multimedia storytelling, MMG’s work is consistently recognized for excellence. Our partners value the creativity, professionalism and dedication our students bring to every project, and the impact shows. Hear firsthand from local businesses that have worked with MMG and experienced the benefits of collaborating with a nationally acclaimed media organization.

CLIENTS

Working With the Best

SLO TRANSIT

TESTIMONIALS

America's first solar powered theater sits in the heart of SLO’s historic Chinatown, bringing independent and alternative cinema to San Luis Obispo since 1988.

The formal collaboration between KCPR and Palm Theatre began roughly two years ago, but its origins have always been KCPR related. Owner and founder of the Palm, Jim Dee, was a KCPR disc jockey in the early 1970s before founding the cinephile dwelling.

Today, the partnership continues that shared creative psyche. Collaborative screenings support both businesses, providing the Palm with in-kind marketing through KCPR radio spots and Mustang Media Group print ads. KCPR Movie Nights have benefited both student media and the theater by engaging students off campus and drawing broader audiences to independent filmmaking.

Skye McLennan, Executive Director of the SLO Film Festival and SLO Film Center, credits the Palm for providing students with “an alternate place to call home.” A special part of the relationship, she explains, is KCPR staff’s ability to select feature films for each event which have now become a staple of their programming.

“We take great pride in showcasing the films they want to see,” McLennan says, “these screenings are often sold out and include costume contests and more.”

The partnership has helped the Palm reach new audiences,

especially college students. “College students are incredibly important,” McLennan emphasizes.

“There’s no denying that San Luis Obispo is a college town, and students make up a large portion of our population. We often struggle to reach that audience and let them know what we’re offering. Movie theaters are experiencing a lot of change and hardship, so having students’ support is incredibly important. We want to screen and provide a platform for cinema for all kinds of people.”

When asked about a standout moment from the collaboration, McLennan recalls a Scott Pilgrim vs. the World screening as her favorite: watching students dress up and engage with the film in new ways.

The theater also maintains a close partnership with Mustang News during the annual film festival, whose coverage highlights independent local and student filmmakers.

“I know our filmmakers and the students get a lot out of speaking with reporters and finding new audiences,” McLennan says.

Reflecting on the college radio partnership, she adds,

“It’s important that we work directly with Cal Poly media because it gives us a direct way to engage with students, who make up a large part of our community. We want them to feel welcome in our space and to think of us when they’re looking for their next big indie film or favorite throwback.”

Palm Theatre

Image by Palm Theatre

Boo Boo Records

Image by Mustang News

Like any record store, Boo Boo Records overflows into a well sorted maze of vinyl, CD’s posters and small instruments, its walls brimming with listening opportunities for music aficionados alike.

Founded with an original investment of only $700 by two young men (meeting through their wives' highschool friendship), Boo Boo’s was once on the dark side of town, but not for long. Its disk-shaped turquoise lettering now sits at the top of many visitors’ lists in the historic central coast.

With a symbiotic relationship preceding the creation of Mustang Media Group, the connection between Boo Boo Records and KCPR has spanned multiple decades. Owner, Mike White, who has been with the store for 32 years and partner for 24, describes his partnership with Cal Poly’s KCPR as a profile enhancer, allowing the storefront to reach groups of people it otherwise might not have.

In exchange for ad placements and radio airtime,

Boo Boo Records merchandises KCPR T-shirts, expanding the college station’s clothing presence and accessibility to the local community and non-student populations.

The record store's gift cards are utilized by student disc jockeys to purchase “currents” (popular favorites) for the station monthly.

White mentions that any partnership with the student-run media group, “specifically KCPR” has strengthened his relationship with the college community, with college students being at the forefront of his music-adoring audience. A niche target population is each new year’s group of incoming students, he shares, “who are so important for our continued growth.”

He stresses the consistency of KCPR’s marketing undertakings, quiping in good humor that “nothing stands out because it's always been consistently good!”