CIG: Denver Public Relations, training, graphic design, research and proposal writing

Great Moments in CIG History – Chapter 4

Ahhh, 2008. Who can forget it? Described succinctly by the hipper members of my staff simply as “the year the SHTF,” …at least in terms of the economy. As the prosperity of 2007 began to wane around the country, buzzwords like “credit crunch,” “stimulus package,” and “staycation” gradually crept into our collective vocabulary, along with the ominous big “R.” Unprecedented gas and oil prices, foreclosures, billion-dollar bailouts and a plummeting stock market marked the beginning of troubled times for many.

However, despite the unyielding economic woes, 2008 was a historic year. U.S. voters ushered in Barack Obama as our first black president, watched Michael Phelps as he smoked Olympic world records (and later, bongs…) and begrudgingly acknowledged the Great Recession, as it settled in for an extended – albeit unwelcome – stay.

In January, CIG recognized the first of several historic events of our own that year, with the joyful return of my very first team member, Laurie Meza, who eagerly rejoined the working world after an extended maternity leave following the birth of her twins.

Despite a downward shift in the economy, CIG continued to grow at a steady pace. We formed partnerships with two new clients – the City of Longmont’s Education Task Force and the Town of Timnath – extending our reach further north along the Front Range.

Later that summer, it was time for my small company to grow once again. With the addition of Liz Viscardi to the team, CIG embraced another milestone on the road to “global domination.” (Yes, that’s right, we think big here at CIG…) Providing great support for the FasTracks team, Liz, a fellow former member of the Kiewit crew, proved to be a perfect fit for both our clients and our culture.

It was also a historic time for Colorado, as the 2008 Democratic National Convention (DNC) set up shop right here in our own backyard that August, bringing tens of thousands flocking to the Queen City of the Rockies. CIG worked with the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) to plan and host a national transportation forum, Transportation’s Catch-22: Challenges and Solutions for America’s Backbone, which brought together several of the nation’s leaders, in town for the DNC, to share ideas and solutions for the rapid rise of oil prices and foreign oil dependence.

That fall, the CIG team trekked to beautiful Lake Tahoe to attend the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA) annual conference where not one – but two – of our clients accepted national awards for their brand identity projects, designed and led by CIG. The City of Wheat Ridge won the Silver-Circle Award and the Longmont Downtown Development Authority took home the Savvy Award – a very proud moment for our clients and for us.

As I’m sure you all remember, the final months of 2008 brought an intoxicating swirl of fear and hope, as the American people elected a new leader… Fear of what might happen in the new year, and a new hope that came with the possibility of change. Regardless, people welcomed 2009 with open arms and CIG was among them as we braced ourselves for another year of opportunities and unknowns!

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