2009 was an interesting year at Anoroc, most in our industry will tell you the same and most likely so will most businesses. Companies struggled with a skewed economy, a changed consumer and the growing impact of social media on brand reputation. Companies flourished, companies faltered and many landed somewhere in between. But my bet is that few companies remained unchanged.

For many of our clients it was the year of evolving, of re-inventing. I believe it was Craig Charles who said: “It’s evolve or die, really, you have to evolve, you have to move on otherwise it just becomes stagnant.” Many of those we partnered with in 2009 understood the wisdom of adaptation. They empowered themselves to make ready for a new mindset, a changing planet, heightening consumer power and a new age of communications. And we were grateful to help push them forward.

Like the historic brand dating back to 1897 who saw the value in creating a sustainability-focused modern community, and the famous hotel brand, forward thinking enough to build the greenest property in WNC. There was the global technology company we worked with to change the way municipalities, governments, and businesses communicate. We were lucky enough to find ourselves on the leading edge of industries just beginning to change- we conducted research on healthcare consumers and end of life care choices. Research that will create new communication platforms resulting in better access to care. Companies engaged us to help them engage in an enriched dialogue with their targets through strategic social media- wanting to understand, connect with and hear their consumers. We retold old stories in a new way and created new stories just beginning to be told – like an emerging coffee brand, a global charity just taking flight, a market focused restaurant, a school in Southern Sudan. We developed new media  platforms that helped a company navigate through Chapter 11 to successfully come out the other side with an enhanced product line and no job losses. But all of these from the small shop on the corner to a company with offices in the Americas, Middle East and Australia there was a common view- it was time to evolve.

So as we reflect on 2009 perhaps our view will not be the struggles businesses faced but the transformation that made companies better, stronger and more focused on a better consumer experience. The year when it became about forging ‘deserved’ brand loyalty and creating a healthier planet.

When you’re lucky enough to be in an industry like ours, you often have the opportunity to view change that just may be history in the making.