Social Media Content
by Gabriel Paredes
Skydeck Chicago
Throughout my internship at Zapwater Communications, I edited:
- 10 weekly Instagram reels
- 4 monthly Facebook graphics
highlighting Skydeck Chicago’s daily antenna lighting schedule.
I searched for user-generated content of the Willis (Sears) Tower in the respective colors, reached out to these local Chicago photographers and cordially requested permission to repost their images.
I also researched upcoming holidays, sporting events, and national observances to propose antenna lighting schedules for upcoming months.
The weekly Instagram Reels averaged:
- 5,906 Views
- 159 Likes
From April 1 to June 10, 2024.
McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger
As a Global-Impact US System Communications Intern for the McDonald’s Corporation, I worked with the US Leadership Communications team to boost USA President Joe Erlinger’s presence as an industry thought leader on LinkedIn.
I audited engagement data on his page to identify successful themes and opportunities for bold video content.
My proposal promoted visual storytelling ideas that conveyed both Joe’s and McDonald’s business goals and took special consideration of his team’s capabilities, personality, story and how it relates to the brand’s “Journey of Greatness.”
I’m proud to say that in March 2023, Joe posted his first video on LinkedIn to celebrate National Employee Appreciation Day!
“Founder’s Day” Graphic
Copy by Nicole Warren. Graphic by Gabriel Paredes Reyes using Adobe InDesign. This post has become one of Joe’s biggest hits for engagement on LinkedIn.
“National Intern Day” Copy
Copy by Gabriel Paredes Reyes in collaboration with the McDonald’s US Leadership Communications Team.
Water People Theater
From July to October 2023, I served as the ultimate bilingual liaison for Water People Theater, drafting, editing and translating bilingual copy and visual content for newsletters, social media, and other external messaging.
This included 33 Instagram posts that drove the theater company’s multicultural brand and promoted their educational programs, values, festival appearances and the Jeff Recommended play NORTH & SUR, incorporating bilingual captions and subtitles as necessary.
Technology
CapCut
Timeline
4 Months
Role
Assistant to Executive & Artistic Direction
Date Completed
October 2023
Rambler Report
Background: For the Spring 2023 semester, the faculty at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Communication wanted to modernize their Newscast Production class to reflect the media landscape’s current transition into social media.
Well aware of my skills in journalism, technology and creative production, Professor Lee Hood asked me to spearhead the creation and implementation of a new show on Instagram and TikTok titled Rambler Report (RR).
We took heavy inspiration from Crown Point High School’s QuickCut. After taking a trip to the school and getting a taste of their workflow first-hand, we set out to make our own.
Execution: I designed the brand for the show with new logos, typography, color scheme, intros, transitions and other motion graphic templates. To make sure these were implemented correctly, I also guided the journalists working on RR through a recording and editing workflow that was best suited for vertical video.
Outcomes: TheLucNews successfully became Rambler Report on Instagram and TikTok, boosting views by 340%. The original 10-15 minute show on YouTube went from having around 116 views per upload in 2022 to 509+ views per upload in 2023 with shorter, more dynamic and engaging segments on these new platforms. Faculty were thrilled about these results and decided to continue the project beyond Spring 2023.
RR Brand Style Guide
Lasting Impact: After some trial and error, I finalized a brand style guide for Rambler Report’s identity and media assets. This curated guide will serve as a manual for future journalists working on the show.
Inigo Communications
Fall 2021
Spring 2022
Fall 2022
Lasting Impact – Spring 2023
Inigo Communications is Chicago’s first and only student-run communications agency.
Fall 2021: As a Creative Coordinator, I volunteered to design the “Meet the Teams” posts for the agency’s Instagram. These graphics were created using Adobe Photoshop and followed Inigo’s brand guidelines.
Spring 2022: Under my Creative Direction, the agency sported a newfound skill in video production. With expanded resources and expertise in this area, Creative Coordinator Matthew Reishus and PR/Media Coordinator Jacqueline Southwell created a short video on Inigo’s history to celebrate its 5-year anniversary on our promotional channels.
The Creative Team also took the initiative of taking the staff’s headshots and creating graphics that could be posted throughout the summer break.
Fall 2022: As Firm Director, I oversaw all operations from conception to execution, including the agency’s recruitment and promotion on social media. We got more creative with how we showcased staff personalities, making us more relatable to our student audience on Instagram.
Lasting Impact: Planning the agency structure for the Spring 2023 semester, one of my biggest goals was to build a team that further leaned on creative design skills for promotions. Knowing the strengths of creatives on the client side of the agency, I was certain of who was right for the job and advocated for their transition to the Corporate Communications Team as Promotions Coordinator.
That following semester, the bold creative work from Promotions Coordinator Ellie Landt and the greater Corporate Communications Team, elevated Inigo Communications’ visual presence on social media to a whole new level!
OWL Lab
As a Tech Assistant in the LUC School of Communication’s OWL Lab, I contributed to the growth and promotion of the lab through Instagram. This included posting features on prominent figures in film, journalism & digital media, as well as giving tech tips, announcing guest speakers, and of course… memes.
In the Fall of 2020, I had the thrill and honor of shooting and editing the lab’s COVID-19 Procedure video, a satirical manual on how the lab would work throughout the pandemic.
Technology
Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro and online research.
Timeline
2 years
Role
Tech Assistant
Date Completed
May 2021
And more…
Ask me about the social media content I’ve created for Avionos and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce as well as my work for the McDonald’s Corporation’s internal social channels!
