As we started in on 2021, like many of you, we wondered if our typical resolutions were appropriate this time around. 2020 was a beast of a year, forcing us to find new definitions for ‘bandwidth’, ‘work day’, and ‘me time.’ It tasked us with reevaluating how we collaborate, what we prioritize, and where we want to take our business in the future. Events on the national stage highlighted the bifurcated state of our country’s philosophies and shone light on the levels of frustration with the status quo.
Typically, as we start planning for a new year, most of our thoughts are on quantitative growth. We set goals for upsells, for new accounts, for how many heads we want to add by year-end. However, in light of everything we learned last year, we decided we want to plan for 2021 a little differently. This year, we want to focus on more qualitative signs of progress and to make sure we’re not just bettering our business, but also bettering what it means to be a stakeholder in our journey.
To that end, we’re making our 2021 New Year’s Resolutions public. Our hope is that by putting them out into the universe, we’ll have a constant reminder of what we set out to accomplish this year and will have all of you to keep us accountable.
Resolution #1: Maintain our pre-pandemic company culture, no matter what lies ahead.
Summer getaways to Montauk, unforgettable holiday parties, intern thunderdome sessions, group lunches in the kitchen, and all the other social touchpoints, big and small, that made AmsiveDigital so special may not be part of our routines anymore, but that doesn’t mean we’re willing to let go of the culture they engendered. We’re not ones to lay low and wait for things to go back to normal. As we move toward new ways to work and as our workforce begins to cover an even broader geographic span, we are committing ourselves to finding new, innovative ways to make our company spirit stronger than ever and to supporting our employees’ emotional and physical well-being through the hurdles ahead.
Resolution #2: Prioritize inclusive hiring practices.
We’ve always prided ourselves on our diversity and inclusivity, but the important conversations we’ve had in the past year have made us realize that it’s not enough to mentally keep those traits in mind as we build out our team. We need to put official processes in place to stamp out unconscious biases, confront harmful assumptions, give everyone a chance to succeed, and ensure our vision for an equitable workplace is always adhered to. We will spend this year learning about and implementing ways to do just that.
Resolution #3: Prioritize inclusive promotion and decision-making practices.
One thing removing physical workplaces from the equation has brought to our attention is how easy it is to leave vital voices out of the conversation if there isn’t a thoughtful effort to include them once the collaborative flows of an office are gone. With this resolution, we pledge to not only follow diverse hiring practices, but to also thoughtfully assess opportunities to elevate our employees beyond their starting roles and to give them ample opportunities (and Zoom invite links) to make their voices heard.
Resolution #4: Push our creative boundaries across digital marketing channels.
We’ve long prided ourselves on being an ROI agency, and that will never change. However, as the digital landscape becomes more and more crowded and as consumers become more and more savvy, it is clear that only creative that truly connects will have the power to make digital natives take notice. We’ve spent the past few years building out our creative department and we couldn’t be more proud of the team we’ve assembled. With the talent in place, we’re excited to use 2021 to push for bolder statements, higher production value, and bigger creative risks — with our eyes always on delivering our clients bigger rewards.
Resolution #5: Use analytical prowess to go beyond best practices.
Data is one of our first loves. Our insight-driven strategies have always been part of what makes us stand out in the digital landscape and we wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s why it was so exciting to be able to use 2020 to make strategic investments in talent and software that allowed us to push our analytical capabilities up yet another level. With exponentially increased power in consumer segmentation, opportunity assessment, and attribution, we’re making it our resolution to leave any sentence that starts with “common knowledge usually dictates…” behind and take on the new year with in-depth insight at the forefront of all our marketing strategies.
Normally, this part, the one where it’s all written down and set in stone, is the part where we start to get nervous. But, again, right now is anything but normal. The shift to goals whose completion depends fully on our commitment and effort is an exhilarating one. After all, if there’s anything we learned over the past year, it’s the power of personal responsibility.
