As marketing professionals, 2020 has been a wild year. We stayed busy figuring out a changing world, we learned a lot, and we tried to stay sane through hundreds of virtual meetings and little time with friends and family. Today we reflect on the high points and look toward the future; we look at the positive nuggets that came out of this weird year. Whether it has to do with marketing or not, here's a look at some of the good things to which we want to give our attention:

Sara’s Take: 2020 Messaging Hit You in the Feels.

Companies and people that lead with care, understanding, and action are what I want to keep from 2020. This year saw some of the most moving marketing messaging as our world and culture were going through this monumental human experience together. Which of course gave these marketing messages even more strength. However, on the flip side, I know that some of these companies also didn’t put their marketing “words” into action, but rather reinforced the ugly assumed reputation of marketing that the Four Peas and other credible marketers fight so hard to combat. What I mean is that some companies used strong, emotional marketing as a tool to appear relevant and in-touch with what their customers are going through, when in reality, their business practices don’t support that messaging. Gone are the days of company practices not matching their outward facing ethos/pathos. 

In 2021, I’m even more interested in investing time, energy, and resources in companies, people, and organizations who truly stand by what they say and infuse it in everything they do; those who make that information upfront and easy to find. If this sounds like your business, give us a shout because you're our dream client and we will work tirelessly to help you be successful. 

Erin’s Take: Humanity Makes a Comeback.

One of my favorite projects in 2020 was working with our friends over at Country Jam USA, one of the largest  country music festivals in the Midwest. Little did we know that a pandemic would force it to come to a screeching halt in June.

BUT - we learned a ton and got to work on some pretty cool marketing projects, like engaging and growing a social media audience of over 75,000 people on Facebook and Instagram, getting all the pieces in place to launch a Brand Ambassador program, and helping the Jam crew to strategize communications with their fans. Personally, I also got to meet Chris Kroeze, so that's a win in my book, no matter what year it is! You can read more about our Country Jam project here!

I also feel like everyone really recognized and accepted their humanity this year. I've always been someone who would prefer to work in comfortable jeans instead of a suit; chat over a beer instead of in a stuffy conference room. And even though we aren't seeing clients, partners, or our own teams face-to-face, in some ways it feels much more like we're just being US. We're all just people, with cats walking across our laptops and kids running through our Zoom backgrounds. Meetings get rescheduled, and the world doesn't end. The newsletter went out a week later than we planned, and we survived.

What matters is people. How we care for people. How we show compassion for people. How we share our experiences, laugh with each other, and love one another. That's really what matters. If we get to continue to be human at work, I'm down with that.

Isaac’s Take: Shout-Out for Self-Care.

It's almost putting it lightly to say 2020 was an incredibly tough year for social media managers. These marketing and communications professionals are on the front lines of any brand they serve and this year seemed to provide one challenge after another. Looking across our community's landscape online, I am thankful to see an increased awareness of mental health and self-care strategies. If you're a business leader or manager, talk to your social media folks to ask how they are doing and how the company can support them now and in the next year. If you're a fellow social media pro (hi, friends!), talk to your supervisor about ways to build in time and space in your schedule to recharge.

In 2021, let's build in more time in our schedules to plan. We spent a year on the roller coaster of a never-ending pivot. While we might not control what we know and when, we can create space to look ahead and plan for multiple scenarios. I'm reserving a couple of hours a week to look toward the future and hope it will help me be more prepared for my annual projects and the unexpected challenges.

Tyler’s Take: Love Wins.

So much suffering. Lives and livelihoods lost. Racial disparities and wealth inequalities boiled over. It was a dark and scary year. And yet, as 2020 comes to a close, I look back and see—standing in stark contrast to that darkness—moments of love, of light, that give me hope. 

Scientists worldwide funneled their collective knowledge and expertise into creating a vaccine for this deadly virus. Communities came together to support those who’ve lost so much. Meaningful reform, albeit painfully slow, is beginning to right systemic wrongs. And countless couples led with love, streaming their intimate wedding ceremonies live—a small reminder to all that, despite great distance, love can bring us together.

We’ve seen how much we can overcome together if we just lead with love. It’s what gives me hope that 2021 will be better.

Happy 2021 to all of you. May you find peace and comfort in the new year.

— The Peas