Message from Lori Prosio
As communication professionals, two of our most dependable traits are our ability to grow – as professionals, as individuals, and with our clients – and to quickly adapt to change. With all that we’ve experienced this year, I’ve been proud to see the firm and all of our staff exemplify those traits in full force.
In a year that’s provided some of the most unique tests in my career, adapting for our clients has been a necessity. Our team has revised longstanding campaign messaging, advertising and social media strategies, creative, and much more – often at a moment’s notice – to help our clients navigate unfamiliar circumstances and sensitive topics. For the Sac Metro Air District and Bay Area Air Quality Management District, while urging people to take public transit or carpooling instead of driving had always been cornerstone messages, those actions suddenly ran counter to public health guidelines. Instead, a shift to encouraging remote work allowed us to continue promoting driving reductions while remaining sensitive to the current situation. When bicycle commuting as a trip replacement was no longer a call to action for May is Bike Month, we helped SACOG develop its first-ever virtual campaign, driven by social media, with a focus on biking as a safe way to get outside to exercise while still maintaining a safe, physical distance from others. When the California Office of Traffic Safety noticed a shift in speed related crashes due to less crowded roads and highways, we developed a new campaign about the dangers of speeding, and the need to “Slow the Fast Down” throughout California. And when our own team shifted to a permanent remote work environment in March, every PC employee stepped up to the challenge, maintaining the same excellent service our clients have been able to rely on for years.
We’ve also seen our own share of changes and growth: in June, Prosio Communications celebrated its 7-year anniversary, and in October, we purchased a new building that will become our permanent home in 2021. We’ve taken on some new clients and projects, hired new team members, seen several members of our team advance to take on new titles and responsibilities, and even had a few engagements along the way. So, while 2020 has not been without some challenges, it’s definitely had some bright spots, too.
I am grateful for our clients and partners, proud of the work we continue to do, and hopeful that 2021 will be a brighter year for all.
We wish you and yours a happy holiday season and a prosperous (and hopefully more settled) new year!
After starting at Lori’s kitchen table nearly eight years ago, Prosio Communications has had a couple of homes over the years. Looking for a more permanent place to settle down, we recently closed on the purchase of a new building! Once we finish renovating the space and adding our touch of PC style, we anticipate moving in Q1 2021. Stay tuned for more updates, and more importantly, photos!
A New Adventure
We’ve now spent the majority of the year working remotely in some fashion. It took some getting used to (especially for our resident extroverts), but we’ve continued to find ways to stay connected to each other, like our experiments with a virtual “Thirsty Thursday” team building. Some things we talk about haven’t changed – like our chats about our favorite Netflix shows, and others are…a bit different, like who’s got the best “quarantine hair.”
For everything we’ve heard about quarantine being boring, we’ve sure gotten a lot of stories out of it. We decided to document them so we could share some of the fun, and absurdity, we’ve been getting into:
You can’t spell “PC” without “Pets” (OK, Kari says you absolutely can; follow us for more quarantine grammar lessons), and we’ve all embraced our new coworkers.
They’ve taught us a lot about proper management style; lesson one: NEVER bark orders.
Client Updates
In 2019, Prosio Communications, along with our ad partner, developed the “Life’s a Trip” campaign on behalf of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which worked to normalize carpooling by showing how we share space with people in our everyday life. The spots were recently awarded two Silver Telly awards. The Tellys honor video and TV ads from all over the country, and winning is an enormous honor! As if there weren’t enough good news already, the spot was also awarded an Influence Award from PRSA California! Click Here to View the Ad
PC is proud to maintain long-standing relationships with several of our clients – some carrying over from work done by our team in prior contracts and agencies. We are excited to be continuing our work with the California Office of Traffic Safety into 2021, which will mark 10 years since members of our team first began working with OTS, and eight years since PC became the agency of record! Check out the new speed PSA that was recently developed for OTS!
Project Highlight: Bay Area AQMD
How do you adjust when your campaign has to suddenly shift from its most reliable calls to action? We saw that hypothetical turn into reality this summer with the Bay Area Air District’s Spare the Air campaign, when, like much of the country, Bay Area communities implemented remote work guidelines, reduced transit schedules, and increased public health guidelines limiting shared public spaces. Suddenly, urging the public to reduce emissions by carpooling or taking transit to work were no longer the right messages for the times. Without these mainstays, PC quickly identified a new strategy for the 2020 summer campaign.
The resulting “Take a Moment” campaign was a brand new direction for Spare the Air. Developed with drone and other footage to safely and efficiently work around coronavirus restrictions, the new campaign focused on the benefits of remote work, and how the time saved without a daily commute could be repurposed for spending with family, enhanced healthy habits, or a little more down time. At the same time, the spot showcased how much more pleasant life in the Bay Area could be when people aren’t commuting – from cleaner air, to less traffic. To further the messaging, PC focused social campaigns on how people could Spare the Air from home, by choosing to walk or bike to essential errands, be energy efficient, and even help by eating more plant-based diets.
This was a great opportunity to collaborate with a client on a completely unique campaign, even in the face of some new, unseen challenges. We are proud of the end result, and definitely learned a lot about how some flexibility and quick thinking can turn a challenge into a new opportunity. Click Here to View the Ad
Reasons to Celebrate
2020 has been a challenging year, but we still have things to be thankful for. PC team members celebrated lots of milestones and accomplishments this year. Here are a few:
Three – yes, THREE employees took on new titles and responsibilities in July. Congratulations to Aaron Samson and Sarah Gallivan, who have both been promoted to the role of Senior Account Executive, and to Jonathan Price who has been promoted to the role of Senior Graphic Designer. Sarah and Jonathan also celebrated their five-year anniversaries with PC.
More great news for Sarah! In addition to her promotion, Sarah and her husband Tyler also bought their first home. We’re excited for their next step, and to see what fun things they do to make it their own!
We also had TWO engagements happen this year! Congratulations to Kendall and her fiancé Nick, and to Noah and his fiancé Lindsay. We can’t wait to hear more about the wedding planning!
