THIS YEAR AT THE AGENCY

It’s funny, you know – most of our 13 years in business have followed the same pattern. Except for 2020 of course, and weirdly – also 2023.

I’m a student of the ebbs and flows of this business (because I have to be), and how that cadence connects to what’s happening in our industry and in the wider economy (because I’m fascinated by that bit of alchemy). But this year was determined to buck all the trends.

So I threw out my Marketer’s Almanac, and buckled up for the ride.

Here’s a bird’s-eye view on what went down.

Our team and our processes clicked together in spectacular fashion.
There was a moment this fall when I sat back and took a tally:

o   we had five campaigns in market,

o   we were in the middle of launching two new brands,

o   we were testing a pre-launch website,

o   we were onboarding a new team member,

o   we were wishing a happy maternity leave to another team member,

…and nobody broke a sweat.

That kind of calm is created by a team that is confident and expert, and processes that are strategic and customer centered. It’s a powerful thing to witness, and I’m grateful for it.

We brought home four gold and one platinum award for client work (and one more for entrepreneurship).

Yes, these awards recognize the quality of our creative execution (which is chef’s-kiss gorgeous), but they also recognize the strategy (super-smart and insightful) and the project management (proactive, polished, and I’ll say it: patient) that went into bringing these projects to life.

We spent time and energy on developing and nurturing our staff.

This came in the form of executive coaching investments, new certifications and licensing, and time set aside for ad hoc learning. 

We launched Duchess, our alter-ego creative brand.

ThisisDuchess.com gives customers new ways to mingle with our work and gives us new ways to express our love for local…starting with our King’s Square seasonal linocuts and our West-side Holiday Tradition cards. Go take a look!

For more detail on the year that was, check out that amazing infographic (see above☝️) while I move on to my thank-yous 🙌!

To our clients, particularly those who walk together with us as partners – helping you connect at scale with the audiences who matter most is the “why” that gets us up in the morning. Thank you for being part of the Duke family.

To our partners and suppliers – you are a critical part of what makes us successful. Thank you for delivering the way you do.

To our team both in Saint John and in Fredericton ­– watching you produce amazing work and display such goodwill for each other and our culture here at Duke is such a privilege. Encouraging your individual growth and helping you build a career you are proud of is my personal “why”. You are incredible. Thank you for all that you do.

I’ll sum up with this: 2023 wasn’t all hearts and flowers. Some hard stuff happened too – but as the end of the year arrives, we are in a good place. We are taking time to be grateful, and to rest up…because we have set the proverbial table for the year to come.

2024, you can go ahead and bring it, because the Duchesses are ready for you.