A temporary move out of and then back to Old Ellicott City, exciting new projects, tried and true clients, exciting artistic endeavors…. Whether it was onboarding a new brand positioning client, designing a logo or annual report, or expanding outreach for our clients on social media, insight180 had a memorable and creative 2018. We also had some challenges, including the second “100-year flood” in Ellicott City within two years, displacing us…again. But we didn’t let that get us down! Thanks to our own business continuity plan, we were able to work remotely and communicate effectively with each other and our clients during the six-plus months we were out of the office.
“It’s too hard to choose one ‘favorite’ project,” says president Wendy Baird, “they’re all great in different ways! Part of what makes our work fun is the variety. Each client and project is unique. I do love to help name companies and processes, but I also enjoy bringing their visions to life.”
One standout is the recent rebrand for an Atlanta-based construction company, Crystal Hospitality. “Crystal has a great story to tell and they were having a difficult time figuring out how best to share it. So working with them on a 180 Positioning Process – interviewing their stakeholders, researching the industry, defining the gaps and opportunities – to create a cohesive brand approach was very rewarding. We enjoyed flying to Atlanta to meet the clients in their own space and to really dive into their world. They now have a beautiful new corporate identity and solid brand positioning. We’re working on a website that will launch in the new year. It’s always great to see how someone starts with a very simple idea and it turns into a well-thought-out, sophisticated brand.”
Art Director Bethany Howell had a lot of fun getting creative with Girls On the Run. “This brand outreach project had a really important message and offered lots of room for creativity. Since the organization’s mission revolves around empowering girls and young women, I got to be more experimental with color, imagery design and even the vehicles we created for communication. Plus, I love the purpose behind this organization. Having little kids makes me realize how much a simple word can really ruin (or make) a child’s day.”
Our head of marketing strategy, Elizabeth Doubleday, had a great time organizing and creating a “client-turned-internal” project: the Generations in the Workplace survey and blog posts. “I loved learning about the different generations and hearing from real people about real experiences in the workplace – their challenges and celebrations related to working with other generations at work. I got to be creative in the ‘cuts’ of data to review and loved seeing how each generation answered the same questions.”
Digital Content Coordinator Caroline Cerand loved promoting Conscious Capitalism of Central Maryland’s Ignite Howard County #4 event. “I created the social media posts and enewsletters for Ignite. At the event, when attendees were asked how they heard about Ignite, most said through the Facebook posts! It made me feel really good that my promotions were effective in getting people there.”
Wendy and the entire insight180 team love what we do and we especially love our quaint little town. Recently, we helped design, manage and bring to life the Ellicott City Ballerina Project Calendar with Donna Pidel of Ballet Conservatoire XIV. The 2019 calendar, which featured beautiful shots of white-tutu-clad ballerinas all around town during flood recovery, is on sale around town, and all proceeds going to the Ellicott City Partnership to further aid those affected by the 2018 flood.
“To quote Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities,” says Wendy, “‘‘it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’ While Old Ellicott City experienced another devastating blow with a way-too-soon flood, and having been forced out yet again, we were bestowed with many gifts – consistent flow of business from our amazing clients (we were and remain busy doing creative work that we love); the generosity of friends, colleagues, and strangers; closer connections to our resilient Main Street community, and many opportunities to help others.”
We are thrilled to be back in our space and looking forward to ringing in 2019! Thank you for checking in. Joy, peace and love to you this holiday season.
