Business
Residents and Tytan Pictures Shine a Light on Peachtree Corners
When Peachtree Corners City Manager Brian Johnson wanted to publicize what was happening in the city, he knew where to turn. “I’d worked with Brian 10 or 11 years ago,” said Jim Stone, CEO, Producer and Director at Tytan Pictures, an award-winning production company based in Eatonton, Ga. “He came to me 2½ years ago, when my business had become more of a lifestyle marketing company producing short-form content and feature films.”
Johnson asked for Stone’s help with promoting the young city of Peachtree Corners and its vision. “Johns Creek and Alpharetta were doing a better job of attracting businesses and residents at that time,” Stone said. “They were much more visible.”
Instead of bringing in a large team and a plan that would cost several millions of dollars, Stone wanted to take a different approach. “For a fraction of the money and people, we created unique content using a YouTube network with four programs.”
The programs include:
■ The Corners, videos that run under 10 minutes and cover food, fashion and fun topics with a hip, edgy and energetic vibe for people from 13 to 50.
■ Peachtree Positive, 10-minute and less videos of insight and information on what’s new in Peachtree Corners, and,
■ Momentum, an interview format show that covers charities, companies and organizations with videos that range from 5 to 30 minutes long, “but without the investigative ‘gotcha,’” Stone said. “We’re here to bring positive light.”
He said that PCN focuses on delivering professional quality content. “We stay agile and appropriate. We don’t get political, and all our content is G- and PG-rated.”
Stone also played a big part in the Veterans Monument on the city’s Town Green. Bob Ballagh, executive director of the non-profit Peachtree Corners Monument Association, brought him into the project to film the stories of local veterans.
“Though I’m a civilian, I’ve done a lot of work with military special forces,” Stone said. “I knew they wanted the monument to be interactive, and they asked me if we could do something like that. We created the interactive aspect of the monument.”
Peachtree Corners Kids on the horizon
There’s a new project that Stone is working on for the PCN, too. “Peachtree Corners Kids will cover the community through the eyes of kids and teenagers. I’m very excited about it.”
There is one person already cast for the show, according to Stone. “That is 15-year-old Karli Brown, a wonderful young actress who has been interning on the Tytan team and working with us in Peachtree Corners this summer.” There are plans to send out a casting call in Peachtree Corners soon to cast more kids for the show, he said.
Connecting through social media
As good a publicity tool as PCN is, Stone had just begun. He turned to social media, and specifically to Instagram.
“None of the younger set watch TV,” Stone said, “and, after all, attention is the new currency. Social media outlets, like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, have 50 times the viewers as CNN, FOX and NBC combined. Social media was obviously the way to go.”
He shared some impressive numbers: it took radio 38 years to reach 50 million listeners; television reached the same number of viewers in 13 years. The internet got to that level in four years. Instagram hit the 50 million user mark in 19 months, and YouTube got there in just 10 months.
Stone and his team began producing many of the Instagram posts and programs for #PeachtreeCorners and #PeachtreeCornersGA. But he wanted to get more activity on those accounts.
“The City of Peachtree Corners only has two people whose duties include working on media and public relations for the city—Judy Putnam and Mike Powell—as opposed to the many full-timers at other nearby cities,” Stone explained. So Stone decided to take a different approach and came up with a ‘smart’ concept.
The people of Peachtree Corners tell their story
“I thought, let’s let the citizens be the spokespeople, and we’ll teach them to tell the story better,” he said. Residents were not just asked to upload photos and videos; they were offered the skills to do a good job at it. “This way, we’re energizing everyone!”
When his business transitioned into becoming a full capacity production house, Stone spent a great deal of time and money learning cinemaphotography from the best in the business. He decided to share what he’d learned with Peachtree Corners residents at no charge through free photography and social media workshops.
“We began offering seminars to teach people to how to film and photograph at a professional level,” Stone said. “Generally, we have 20 to 25 people a seminar. However, our women-only seminar was standing room only!”
The gamble paid off big. Stone said that there’s a core of about 20 to 25 people who’ve been supplying a steady stream of photos and content to Instagram. And the accounts have been tripling and quadrupling their followers steadily.
“We’re crushing things as far as growth now,” Stone said. “With #PeachtreeCorners and #PeachtreeCornersGA, we’ve pivoted on Instagram and we’re continuing to push it very hard. Now we’re leaning into LinkedIn.”
Stone did make it clear that Alpharetta and Johns Creek still have larger numbers for their Instagram accounts, since those cities are more established.
“The City of Peachtree Corners is working very hard, and it’s paying off. Curiosity Lab is the first of its kind, and it’s drawing big names in the commerce, transportation and communication businesses,” he said. “The world is watching.”
Stone is motivating the residents of Peachtree Corners to make sure the world gets a close-up view of the good things that are happening here. ■
Movies and TV series shot in Peachtree Corners
More than 200 locations in and around Peachtree Corners and Gwinnett County have been used in films, TV shows, reality shows and commercials. Peachtree Corners film productions include:
■ Barely Lethal, 2015 film
■ Blind Trust, 2017 film
■ The Darkest Minds, 2018 film
■ Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, 2017 film
■ Dynasty, TV series
■ Game of Silence, TV series
■ Greenleaf, TV series
■ Halt and Catch Fire, TV series
■ Heart of Life, 2019 TV movie
■ Holidate, 2019 film
■ Lodge 49, TV series
■ Mother’s Day, 2016 film
■ The Neighborhood Watch, 2018 TV movie
■ Ozark, Netflix TV series
■ Sextupulets, 2019 film
The strategic acquisition strengthens TransPak’s Southeast presence and expands their capabilities in custom packaging for military, aerospace and high-value equipment.
TransPak, a global leader in logistics, packaging and crating services, recently announced the acquisition of Reid Packaging, a long-standing provider of custom packaging solutions based in Peachtree Corners. Both family-owned and operated companies share a deep-rooted commitment to quality craftsmanship, reliability and customer service, making the acquisition a natural fit.
Reid Packaging, founded in 1982, has distinguished itself as the go-to customer industrial packager in the metro Atlanta region, providing corrugated, foam and custom-engineered crating solutions, particularly in the military and aerospace industries.
Under the ownership of Ward Phillips since 2008, the company has grown to become one of the largest packaging facilities in the region, with a 60,000-square-foot site.
The acquisition will allow TransPak to expand its local manufacturing capabilities in the Southeast, while leveraging Reid Packaging’s expertise in specialized and heavy-duty custom crates.
Strategic Atlanta location and enhanced capabilities
The acquisition is part of TransPak’s strategic expansion into the Atlanta market, a critical logistics hub for both the renewable energy and semiconductor industries.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Reid Packaging into the TransPak family,” said Tomas Molet, executive vice president of East and Midwest Operations, TransPak. “With Reid Packaging’s prime location in Peachtree Corners, we are now able to serve customers throughout the Southeast, including direct routes to the Carolinas and beyond. This acquisition strengthens our ability to meet the needs of existing clients, especially those in the semiconductor and renewable energy sectors.”
In addition to the strategic location, the acquisition brings new manufacturing capabilities to TransPak’s East Coast operations. Reid Packaging’s facility is now the largest of TransPak’s locations in the region. Its offerings include enhanced services, such as heavy-duty and triple-wall corrugated packaging, which will enable TransPak to meet the growing demand for custom-designed packaging solutions for fragile, high-value equipment.
Commitment to employees and leadership appointments
A key focus of the acquisition was ensuring a smooth transition for Reid Packaging’s employees.
“We made a commitment to Ward Phillips to take care of the staff, and we’ve delivered on that promise,” said Molet. “All employees were retained, and we’ve introduced benefits they previously didn’t have as part of our commitment to making this a positive transition for everyone involved.”
Amanda Gautney, a longtime member of TransPak’s leadership team, has been appointed as the operations manager for the Peachtree Corners facility. “I’m excited to work with the team at Reid and continue the legacy of this respected company,” said Gautney.
Looking forward in Atlanta
TransPak plans to continue operating under the Reid Packaging name for the immediate future. However, the facility will gradually transition to full integration under the TransPak brand, reflecting the shared values and commitment to quality of both companies.
About TransPak
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, TransPak has been providing innovative and cost-effective design, crating, packaging and global logistics for over 70 years.
As a customer-focused, women- and family-owned company, TransPak combines the agility of a small business with the reliability of a global powerhouse. TransPak lives by the slogan, “We make it happen,” ensuring that high-value, fragile, and oversized goods reach their destinations safely and efficiently.
For more information about TransPak, visit transpak.com.
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