While 2020 was a turbulent year marked by a global pandemic, social unrest, and a stressful election season, it was also just another year of life. Between the frustration and sadness were moments of joy, big life changes, and small things to celebrate. Even if we couldn’t be in the same room, we’re lucky our team got to experience so much of it together.
So, to end the year on a lighter note, we thought we’d take a look back—through our Slacks, chats, Instagrams, and memories—to dig up the things we actually want to remember from 2020. We hope you’ll indulge us on this trip down memory lane, and we hope next year will bring more for all of us to celebrate.
We’re lucky we get to do awesome work with people, both our partners and coworkers. Here’s what we’re most proud of this year.
Broke our site traffic record twice in one year.
Didn’t let a global pandemic slow us down.
If you want to see our work in action, here are some of our most memorable projects of 2020.
Completed Behaviors of Inclusion training.
Check out LifeLabs Learning to see the awesome workshops they provide.
Witnessed our Director of Interactive Chad Giacopelli cut his hair (finally).
Before
After
Happy Friday, Chad!
Made our debut in TIME magazine.
Worked on the Column Five rebrand (coming soon in 2021).
Created our first quarantine project together:
The C5 Home Video.
If you want some inspiration to create your own video, here are six types of video you can produce remotely.
Started our custom
Brand Heart workshops.
Holler if you want to know more about ’em.
What hooked us in 2020? Trash TV (#sorrynotsorry), food porn, dramas, classics, and more.
Barry
The Haunting of Bly Manor
Chef’s Table
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Dodgers World Series Title Run
Empress of the Ming
Endeavour
Inspector Lewis
Inspector Morse
Killing Eve
Legion
Love Island
Love Island Australia
Making It
Masterpiece Mystery
Midnight Gospel
Parenthood
Parks & Rec
The Queen’s Gambit
The Haunting of Hill House
Sampson Boat Co. (YouTube)
Succession
The Boys
The Chef Show
The Crown
The Mandalorian
The Office
The Undoing
Top Chef
The Wire
Yeah, we have a lot of feelings—and we love to show ’em.
Our Team’s Top 10 Emojis
Our Emoji Queen
Producer Michelle Kirk (also the winner of our Bachelor Fantasy League) used the most emojis in 2020.
Her faves:
“I would like to thank Chris Harrison for one of the most dramatic seasons of The Bachelor ever, and I have to thank all of my C5 colleagues for giving me amazing work to emoji react to every single day.”
—Michelle
Since we weren’t able to chat in-office, we relied on these channels to connect and keep us sane.
#cowoofers
Welcome to all floofy coworkers, the place where we shared the pics that our social followers got sick of seeing.
#cooking
There was a lot of bread-making, we won’t lie. But mostly it was designer Rendell Ascueta making us all drool with things like his cheddar sourdough with marinated roasted red peppers, garlic slivers, TJ‘s balsamic glaze, and maldon sea salt.
#parentbods
From learning how to take care of a newborn, to potty training, to strategizing how to get your kid to sit still during virtual classes, our C5 parents bonded, commiserated, and kept the kids alive…somehow.
#music
Every week we compiled a themed playlist and listened/danced together on Friday afternoons. Shoutout to Strategist Megan Lieberman for leading the charge and keeping everyone to their 3-song limit. Check out our playlists here, featuring Dad Jams, Covers, and the Elopement playlist we made for Strategist Elise Kaufmann.
#sports
We got to celebrate the Lakers AND the Dodgers wins together. What. A. Year.
There were a whole lotta songs we couldn’t get out of our heads. Check them out if you want them stuck in your head, too.
TBH, we picked up some new hobbies and some new drinking habits. Don’t judge us.
New jobs, new people, new places—we did it all this year.
New Hires: 1
Art Director Camellia Neri came on during the Pandemic, and she’s the first C5er we’ve still never met in person.
? ? ?
Houses bought: 2
Moves: 11
Weddings Postponed: 1
Divorces*: 1
*Because sometimes you’re better off without them.
Marriages: 2
Senior Producer Jonathan Brewer-Sweet & Garrett Brewer
www.chrisglenn.com
Shoutout to Media Manager Kellyn Kawaguchi for helping Garrett and I figure out how to make the altar flowers for our wedding. She FaceTimed us with step-by-step instructions and even went around with us the night before our wedding collecting greenery so we could assemble it the next day. We wouldn’t have been able to pull off our day the way we did without the love and support of C5ers ❤️)
—Jonathan Brewer-Sweet
www.chrisglenn.com
Strategist Elise Kaufmann & Mark Mastio
New Babies: 3
New Pets: 4
Side Hustles Started: 3
Subscribe to this awesome YouTube channel, where Designer Jenny Famularcano offers lessons on all things calligraphy, typography, and more.
If your home needs a little love, check out C5 Senior Producer Jonathan Brewer-Sweet’s interior design consulting firm.
View this post on Instagram
Stay tuned for dog products by Designer Andrew Effendy (coming 2021).
These are the jokes, awkward moments, and ridiculous debates that distracted us this year (thankfully).
The Montel Jordan Cameo we got for Account Director Travis Keith (a guy who is constantly singing “This Is How We Do It”).
Our terrifying Photoshop of what Account Director Desiree DeLattre’s baby would look like.
Sorry, Des.
The Souplantation debate that almost tore our family apart.
Our goodbye party for Art Director Abheeth Salgado (aka Abheeth Fieri).
The epic Halloween costume contest winners.
As if Zooming from your bedroom wasn’t enough, these are the moments we’d like to forget…but can’t stop laughing about.
When Crosby the French Bulldog farted during a client presentation.
Even though no one said anything, it was a moment his owner, Director of Client Services Kelsey Cox, will never forget.
That time when Producer Elizabeth Spurbeck meant to send final files to a client but sent a llama painting tutorial instead.
The anniversary lunch Evite for Director of Strategy Asher Rumack, featuring his old spring break photos.
We had our first employees hit their 10-year anniversary with C5 (NBD), and got to celebrate our newbies, too.
Best of all, we all made it through 2020 in one piece.
Before we go, we want to thank everyone who made this year what it was.
Our team: Despite the hellscape of 2020 and the challenges we faced, we pulled together to make things happen—no matter how many kids or dogs interrupted our Zooms.
Our clients: From redesigning websites to building brand strategy, we got to challenge ourselves creatively and do great work with brands we believe in. We appreciate every laugh, meme, and moment along the way.
Here’s to a better 2021 for us all.
<3 C5
