Hello and goodbye to the year that was 2020.
It’s always difficult to sum up an entire year – but this year was beyond exceptional. I don’t think anyone could have predicted what would happen to our world (unless of course you are Bill Gates) but it’s fair to say that whilst I will be happy to see the back of 2020, it wasn’t without its moments of pride either.
First up – the Truth team.
Wow. Where do I start? They surpassed my expectations in so many ways. Working from home, if I’m allowed to buck the trend here, is very hard. It’s not about flexibility (at Truth we already had this) it’s about being able to support people with the right advice, the right tools and the right levels of interaction, which are all paramount in a creative business. Doing it virtually is both a pain and inefficient. What’s more, it places huge amounts of pressure on your own mental wellbeing – when boundaries are removed, and there are no lines between work and home life, it’s hard – not to mention schooling children at the same time. Is the office dead? No, I don’t think so, and nor should it be – we are human beings who need human interaction to stay positive, productive and good at what we do. All of that said, the first lockdown brought a sense of team spirit that I’ve never known - gratitude from members of the team who recognised our careful management of a business over the last 14 years, that meant they were safe and secure. They persevered, they stayed positive and I’m proud of every single one of them.
Second – a new Truth Towers.
One of the most counterintuitive moments of the year was to purchase our own property in Manchester city centre. It had been on the cards for seven months prior to lockdown – and when that came, things were understandably delayed. I guess it’s testament to our solid position as a business that we were able to press ahead irrespective of the climate and completed in June. For Darren, my co-founder and husband, the idea of owning a piece of his beloved city was a crowning achievement. For me, where we’d always been able to look at the balance sheet with pride – this was a different level. Something tangible, something to be proud of and a moment of achievement from years of hard graft that I’ll never forget.
“The idea of owning a piece of his beloved city
was a crowning achievement.”
Third – brand, brand, brand.
This would ordinarily always be my first point in any conversation, but it’s fair to say that 2020 forced businesses to reflect on their values, their offer and ultimately their brand. We were well placed to deliver this, having shifted our digital brand sprint to a virtual white board. In June alone, I ran six brand sprints for one global client. In total we’ve worked on 14 brand projects this year! I’ve never known a year like it – and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them.
Fourth – the power of virtual.
I’m not going to simply harp on about Zoom here, I think we are all a little fatigued with it to be honest… But 2020 saw Truth deliver three virtual campaigns, empowering the clients in question to manage their commercial objectives. Each encompassed digital, paid strategy and motion – and each delivering a return on investment. I was also proud to take part in two virtual lectures for our valued client UA92 as well as an open day event – guesting as an industry expert of all things; and a masterclass for ProManchester. Nothing beats human interaction, but it’s amazing how we adapt and overcome in the face of adversity.
“2020 saw Truth deliver three virtual campaigns, empowering the clients in question to manage their commercial objectives.”
Fifth – Giving something back.
It breaks my heart that so many businesses are on the brink of collapse. Travel and hospitality are both sectors we’ve worked hard to support over the years and it’s immeasurable to assess the impact commercially and personally. We decided to give something back and offered a pro-bono piece of work to charities. First up was The River’s Trust – two creative campaigns to support their initiatives in making Britain’s water safe. Second, Foundation 92; a great organisation supporting young people who need to build resilience and gain access to opportunities. I ran a Brand Lab for the organisation and structured a brand proposition statement to really define the Foundation’s purpose and values.
5 great moments of 2020 wrapped up.
The year has been undoubtedly tough - but what has been great, has been people’s resilience and the very valuable network I’ve grown over the years – there’s something encouraging when you are ‘in it’ together rather than being lonely at the top. I should also give a personal shout-out to Will Matthews of BAE Systems. I was paired with Will as part of a mentoring programme called ‘Be the Business’ – and he has been not only an outside ear commercially, but has also become a great friend - another great positive in an arduous year. It’s far from over economically, but there are green shoots and I do hope we can build back stronger and better than ever before.
I wish you all the very best for 2021,
Jo Scott – co-founder and managing partner, Truth Creative.
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