The timing of the writing of this email marks the one-year anniversary of the first coronavirus case in the US. We can barely comprehend all that transpired in the year 2020. The tragic implications of a global shutdown and uncontrolled virus combined with political and social unrest and uncertainty were at times overwhelming. And, (can we be frank?) at times heartbreaking.
How do we find a silver lining in all of that? How can we continue to show up with a zest for creativity and hope with the heaviness of the world weighing on us? As we embark on the new year, we would like to share some of the key lessons for redirection and wins that carried us through 2020, inspiring us for the journey ahead.
Learning to adapt and pivot quickly.
The key message of 2020 was that we must do the best we can with what we have in our control. As creatives, we are continuously pushing ourselves to our limit to explore what we are truly capable of. Still, this past year has given us all a chance to slow down and evaluate the energy around us with a critical lens.
In January and February, the That’s So Creative team was geared up to move forward with force, full of hope and aspirations. 2020 was going to be the year of “vision.” We announced that we would sponsor the South Suburban College annual women’s conference and gain a 4000-member organization, the American Specialty Toy Retailer’s Association, as a new client. By March, we were heading in a creative dream direction — booked, busy, and picking up business that aligned with our values. But then, the pandemic shutdown threatened TSC operations, canceling or postponing several projects.
“The most important thing that I focused on was to keep moving forward – keep expanding our mission and team despite the outlook. The thought of letting team members go was not far from us, but we persevered, hunkered down, and actually saw exponential growth in the agency.”
-CJ Harris, TSC CEO
Continuous forward motion is the key to resilience.
Fortunately, all of our team members were able to work from home efficiently and push through together. We took some time to process and realized that we have to work with what we have and do our best. During the fallout of the pandemic, our clients were struggling to acclimate to an all-online professional world. We accepted that challenge and utilized our marketing skills to help a number of organizations transition their events successfully to all-virtual.
In April through June, we saw slow but steady movement. We aided in brand development for Legacy Group Chicago, a nonprofit organization that provides services to vulnerable youth and parents. We also relaunched the iCan Dream Center website to provide added functionality. We continued our work with the UIC Center for Literacy and Trinity Services, Inc. while simultaneously completing a website refresh for VEGA Partners, LLC.
Objects in motion stay in motion — maintaining progress.
In July, TSC assisted with creative services for L3 Agency’s campaign for the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program. “Your Power, Your Way” was crafted to inform customers about energy conservation and savings options.
In October, TSC relaunched the Winifred Haun & Dancers website. Winifred Haun & Dancers is a 25-year-old, award-winning contemporary dance company based in Oak Park and Chicago. Additionally, we provided branding, website design, and strategy services to the launch of the Kita Organics Shea Butter brand.
In November, we continued with another relaunch and re-branding project of the South Side Community Art Center. The 80-year-old organization has been a treasure in the Chicago Bronzeville Community, and its mission to preserve, promote, and progress the value of Black Art filled our souls. The website is scheduled to officially launch this February.
December brought a new, exciting initiative that we will discuss in another post. If 2020 taught us anything, it was to be nimble and open-minded to doing things in a new way. Now, here we are in 2021, and we are more prepared to handle change with grace. We’ve committed to several impactful, new projects that you should keep an eye out for!
Your turn! Tell us about your outlook for 2021. Begin your new project with a free consultation today! Get started at www.ThatsSoCreative.com/start place for you to enter some engaging and enticing text. Be sure to check for typos, and don’t forget — real people will be reading this!
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