2016 was quite a year on many fronts. For CVR, it was a great year. We had many account wins and were recognized by the Indianapolis Business Journal in the Fast 25, as one of the fastest growing, privately held companies in Central Indiana. We remained committed to our mission of Building Brands That Matter by working with some of the best nonprofits in Indiana. This year we helped:
- Rebrand the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon and its new parent organization Beyond Monumental (along with cheering on 13 walkers and runners from CVR participating)
- Paramount School of Excellence raise awareness of their mission
- Gleaners Food Bank raise the “big top” at their fundraising circus
- United Way deliver more moments of engagement and impact
- St. Vincent De Paul open and brand a premium thrift store, Mission 27 Resale
- Mental Health America of Indiana reach vulnerable male populations with a message of hope
- Indiana Golf Association raise donations for its Youth Foundation
- Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership revisit its brand communications
We also helped some of our clients improve our city and community with their communication efforts. This included IndyGo’s efforts to communicate about the important Marion County Transit Plan, a county-wide issue that was on the ballot in November, in conjunction with the Indy Chamber (also a client) who made transit a key strategic initiative in 2016. We worked with Citizens Energy Group to inform its customers about the necessary rate increases for water and wastewater that will help repair our city’s aging infrastructure. We are proud to have been part of these important campaigns that will greatly enhance the quality of life for all residents of Indianapolis.
Some of our long-standing clients, Allison Transmission and Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems, provided us unique opportunities to think creatively. For the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Allison needed a special invitation to match the occasion – so we sent everyone an iPad with a preloaded racing video game and full-size steering wheel. And when Bryant needed to take over the Opryland Hotel in Nashville for their Sales Leadership Meeting, we did “Whatever It Takes” by decorating with HVAC-sized boxes to encourage their vision of building on their branding, constructing a strong future.
In 2016 we welcomed new clients such as ONI Risk Partners, one of the largest insurance agencies in the Midwest, as well as new departments at IUPUI (which has been a long-time CVR client), such as the School of Physical Education & Tourism Management (PETM) and the Chancellor’s Office.
And finally, we added some great new employees and capabilities in 2016 that really delivered for our clients and fellow CVRians. We produced over 75 videos in-house, developed countless social media posts and animations, thought “out of the box” on a series of boxed invitations, created a new reality in augmented reality, placed and positioned our clients where they can be seen, and had a little fun in the process. I am excited to see what 2017 has in store for CVR. Even though I am Irish, I don’t believe in luck. I believe we create our own luck through working hard and working smart. I can say then we were very lucky in 2016, and I believe the streak will continue.