The New Year is almost here and you know what that means…. It’s time to find a quiet space, turn on your favorite Yule log YouTube video and start reflecting on the past 12 months. At CVR, we feel blessed to be surrounded by the best colleagues and clients who work every day to build brands that matter. From our reflections, we’ve compiled a list of 18 memories from 2018 that make us cheer, laugh, rejoice, cry (happy tears) and celebrate and we wanted to share them with you.
18. Help feed the hungry. Our work with Gleaners Food Bank, including a commercial airing now that showcases how “hunger isn’t picky; it can strike anyone,” makes a huge difference in the lives of Hoosiers who don’t have sufficient access to nutritious food. We’re also proud to provide Gleaners and Crew Carwash with their #HungerCrew branding, which has helped Crew Carwash raise nearly $100,000 and over 7,600 pounds of food to-date.
17. Tea time! Who doesn’t love a good happy hour? In 2018, we developed a “happy hour” digital media campaign featuring iced tea cocktail recipes for our client, Harney & Sons Teas.
16. New babies. CVR just keeps growing! Earlier this year, our VP of Digital Engagement, Dustin Thompson, welcomed his second child – a beautiful boy named Nash – and our Director of Interactive, Erin Carter, finalized the adoption of her daughter, Lillienne. On the account services team, Doug Lewis and his wife are expecting Baby Lewis in May 2019 while McKenze Rogers and her husband will bring home their second child adopted from Colombia, South America sometime next year!
15. Enjoying the Aussie rays. We spent some quality time in Florida with the team from Australian Gold updating their brand imagery and videos while also getting our daily dose of Vitamin D. The result? A great new relationship and a stellar tan.
14. Using social contests for good. As Lawn Pride’s social media partner, we strategized, created and posted 900 pieces of content this year. But one of our favorites is managing their Give Back Sweepstakes, which had nearly 100 unique nominations for different charities to receive a $500 gift.
13. $5,000 #GivingTuesday giveaway. For the second year in a row, CVR participated in #GivingTuesday by offering a local nonprofit organization a social media package, valued at $5,000. The winner, out of 72 entries, was Volunteers of America Theodora House. We look forward to promoting their life-changing cause in 2019.
12. New websites launched. Our Interactive team was pinned to their monitors to successfully design and create new, responsive websites for Diamond Capital Management, Fairbanks Treatment and Recovery Center, Fairbanks Employer Services, Indy Hunger Network, LIFT Academy and Location Services. And as I'm writing this, two more new websites for clients are in the process of going live!
11. Kickball victory – finally! Persistence was key for our CVR kickball team. We put up zero victories in the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Indianapolis summer kickball league…that is UNTIL we surged at the right moment in the playoffs. Finally winning one game, we avoided the dead-last position. But let the record stand we were winners at our weekly post-game festivities!
10. Moving up! CVR is grateful that 2018 brought new faces to our team: Jack Cannon (Designer), Caroline Cox (Digital Engagement Strategist), Lori Crantford (Copywriter), Adam Fisk (Senior Account Executive), Amanda Fruland (PR Account Executive), Christa Kinkead (Media Planner / Buyer), Megan Neely (Digital Engagement Strategist), McKenze Rogers (Account Supervisor), Drew Tharp (Senior Account Executive) and Mary Voelker (Digital Engagement Strategist). And promotions went to: Katie Clements (Creative Director), Eric Gray (Associate Creative Director), Jared Plew (Associate Creative Director), Kara Shaw (Vice President of Accounting) and Dustin Thompson (Vice President of Digital Engagement).
9. Driving new business. CVR was fortunate to start new relationships with various clients. Wabash National Corporation, a leading producer of semi-trailers, truck bodies and liquid transportation systems out of Lafayette, Indiana, was an exciting win as it deepens our experience in the transportation sector.
8. Helping Haiti. One of our newest clients, Republic Airways, invited CVR to participate in their ongoing philanthropic effort to build 80 homes, a school, a community center and an agricultural project in the town of Barriere Battant, Haiti, where 5,000 people are struggling to survive after extensive earthquake damage. CVR’s Director of Public Relations, Kelly Young, joined their team and helped WISH-TV broadcast their efforts. Our talented Video Content Specialist, Brandon Walsh, was instrumental in shooting and editing the footage.
7. Lights! Camera! Action! The video production team at CVR was BUSY. This year alone, we planned, shot and edited over 150 videos that took us to locations all around Indiana and to several out-of-state destinations like Haiti, Florida, Iowa, Wisconsin and Washington, DC.
6. First podcast. We are helping our friends at Fairbanks Treatment and Recovery Center reach those who struggle with substance abuse disorder through the production of their first “Recovery Talks” podcasts. Launching in 2019, the episodes feature in-depth conversations on substance use disorder and recovery with licensed and credentialed treatment and recovery doctors and clinicians. These podcasts are extra-special to us because they were the first to be taped in our new podcast studio!
5. Sold out People for Urban Progress bags. Earlier this year, our client People for Urban Progress partnered with Amtrak to upcycle 6,080 leather seat coverings from their Acela trainsets. With help from our PR team, the Amtrak bag collection landed stories in USA TODAY, Washington Post, New York Post, Fox News, NBC, Indy Star, Inside Indiana, Indianapolis Monthly, WTOP News ... and the list goes on. No surprise, Batch 01 and Batch 02 of the bags sold out almost instantly!
4. Lift off! In partnership with Republic Airways, CVR created a name, brand and identity (from the ground up) for their new pilot training academy – LIFT Academy. In one month, we created a logo, collateral materials, media strategy, recruiting video, mobile-first recruiting microsite and planned a press conference that included the Governor of Indiana, the Mayor of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Airport Authority and statewide partners.
3. Championing Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems’ annual Dealer Rally. Every year, 300-plus dealers for Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems celebrate their top performers and award the acclaimed “Dealer of the Year.” CVR developed the 2018 “It Takes Champions” theme, making it come alive with event designs, graphics, hotel takeover signage and promotional videos with world-renowned IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan.
2. Speeding up Allison Transmission's fuel-saving innovation. Internationally-renowned Allison Transmission announced their new 9-speed product in Germany at the International Motor Show (IAA), the world’s leading trade show for mobility in the field of commercial vehicles, transportation and logistics. CVR supported their presence with videos, social media promotions and even our President Kevin Flynn’s on-site participation.
1. Our move to New York (Street) and all the amazing memories we’ve made so far. While we enjoyed being in the middle of downtown Indianapolis at the Salesforce Tower, we are ecstatic to have refurbished our own building at the corner of New York and College! Now, we have an open floor plan, focus group room with observation room, video production area and podcast studio. At our November Open House, we hosted over 200 guests and look forward to hosting more events in 2019.
2018 was a great year for all of us at CVR - both personally and professionally. More than anything, as we reflect on 2018, we are so grateful for the memories we have made together and with our clients. Now, as we look forward to 2019, we are excited for the opportunity to continue building (MORE) brands that matter. Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and cheers!