Extraordinary times define extraordinary brands, according to the leaders of GSW. “As COVID-19 packed a wallop across the globe, GSW blazed a path of clarity toward wellness, redefining our brand beyond measure,” according to the agency’s executives. “GSW was built for challenges,” states JD Cassidy, president, Advertising/­Syneos Health North America. “2020 exemplified our collective strength as we continued to deliver for our customers, transform, and excel during one of the most difficult times in modern history.”

Agency leaders characterize 2020 as a “transformative” year for HCB Health. “We approached the new year with momentum having just come out of an all-agency in-person meeting held in Austin, Texas,” management says. “Together, we aligned on our focus and direction to establish a clear strategic roadmap for the next three years. When the lockdowns of COVID-19 took hold in March, we were fortunate that we had already accelerated our IT platforms to allow the company to move into a 100 percent remote work environment. Zoom meetings became the standard operating procedure, taking the place of in-person collaboration, and the agency adjusted its workflow.” 

In 2017, Intouch CEO Faruk Capan declared the audacious goal for Intouch Group to double in revenue size in just three years, equating to $200 million in revenue in 2020. What he didn’t know at the time was that 2020 would be the year of a deadly global pandemic, widespread social uprisings, and political discontent. Despite the challenge, Intouch made good on that goal – and then some – reaching $220 million in revenue in 2020 – 10 percent over goal.

For the JUICE Global Network (JGN), international borders were blurred like never before in 2020, according to the leadership team. “The global workforce was fully functional though fully remote for most of the year,” JGN executives say. “That accelerated cross-market collaboration and internal crowdsourcing in unexpected ways. The strength of the network – both in terms of its teams and its leadership – contributed to a growth year for global and multi-market assignments.”