Hundreds of attendees took part in Traina’s “What Moves You?” event during San Diego Design Week 2022, filling the Mingei Museum in the heart of the city’s historic Balboa Park. Brand leaders, designers and creatives alike all gained insights into their practice and learned what’s to come in the world of branding, art and design.

Keynote speaker Erica Eng shared her rise as a filmmaker—overcoming self-doubt and elevating her grassroots music videos and passion projects into a career in commercial and feature films.

“This short led to my first commercial. It cost 60 dollars to make; we shot at Coney Island in the rain. It’s a good example of the benefits of just being passionate and excited about making stuff, not necessarily caring about where it’s going to go. I didn’t think anyone would watch it, but people from Bank of America saw it and said ‘I really liked how you created a stage in this urban environment.’ Which is exactly what their commercial was about—uplifting female entrepreneurs and creating a stage for them. That’s why it’s good to do your own passion projects, and not just the work you think will land you jobs. Because in the end, you’ll get hired for your passion and your stories.”

Leaders from the music, dance, beverage and fashion industries took on topics like sustainability, the future of retail and the role of influencers. Traina’s marketing director, Danielle Higgins, moderated the discussion between Hilary Cocalis, founder of Sipwell Wine Company; Taylor Guitars’ creative director, Craig Evans; associate art director at Reef, Luke Armitage, and LeeJ Razalan, professional dance manager and consultant with Red Bull Dance and Nike Dance.

“The brands that doing it right are the ones being transparent about how their products are made: their costs, their markup, along with sourcing and sustainability.” —Hilary Cocalis, founder of Sipwell Wine Company

“When you tap into local talent, you get a more grassroots understanding of the culture you’re involved in.” —Luke Armitage, Reef associate art director 

“Listen. Listen. That’s the first step in connecting to communities. Get the right consultants, ask questions, and listen.”  —LeeJ Razalan, professional dance manager

Breakout sessions led by Traina leadership tackled brand values, community involvement and design systems—all three can now be found online as conversations on our Thinking page. 

Those who kept it moving at our evening social were the first to experience the new Traina—with swag merchandise, a new reel and the public launch of the website you’re currently viewing.