Dear friends,

I am delighted to be reporting back for the first time since my sabbatical and am happy to be here! I have to start with my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Avalon who helped make my sabbatical possible. From taking on additional tasks, to covering the Avalon Dispatch, to keeping me just the right amount of informed, it was a team effort. It went beautifully, and I am so proud that we were able to make this happen.

While I was away, Avalon won an exciting GOLD at the Ad Age Small Agency Awards! This is their highest honor and makes Avalon the Ad Age Data & Insights Small Agency of the Year. Judges chose winners that could highlight both stand-out client success and thriving, employee-centric cultures. Congratulations to Avalon Analytics, to our account staff who use analytics so brilliantly to guide our clients, and to our entire team for making Avalon such a special place to work.

Analytics VP Sarah Birnie and finance VP Kristina Deutsch traveled to Boston to accept the award and attend the Ad Age Small Agency Conference. In the keynote, globally renowned brand strategist Bonnie Wan encouraged leaders to ask: “How are you creating conditions for people to bring their most absurd ideas to the table?” I love this reminder that innovation often comes from the most unexpected places. The next time a tactic or a strategy feels out of reach or too far-fetched, pause—then go for it. You never know, you might get the gold.

Kristina and SB accepted the award for Avalon last month in Boston.

I have also been obsessed with the Olympics, and I’m not the only one: Marketing VP Barb Perell shared a fascinating dive into Olympics marketing. The article explores how major brands leverage the Olympics to connect with audiences, and it explains choices for the Paris 2024 logo, posters, slogan, and mascot. For example, did you know this year’s custom typeface references the art deco style that was popular in France in the 1920s? 1924 also happens to be the last time Paris hosted the Olympic Games.

In tech news, Barb shared a story in The Washington Post that asks, “Wait, is PowerPoint cool now?” If you’re on TikTok, you’ve probably seen this trend: Young people are creating slide decks as a way to connect with friends, lobby parents or teachers, plan vacations, share niche interests, and more. Microsoft leaned in and even created a party template with the advisory, “This is not your father’s PowerPoint.” I don’t know how much time I want to spend on PowerPoint outside of work, but I’m glad people are having fun with it.

Speaking of fun, since some of you have asked, I had three separate adventures on my sabbatical: a Taylor Swift concert and a few days in Amsterdam with my book club, Mallorca for a few days with a dear friend, and two weeks in the South of France with my family. I loved being able to see so much of a new country and learning about their history and culture, but my favorite part was our family meals. We had so many great conversations and laughs over every meal each day in a way that was so different than what happens at home, away from our usual daily routines.

Dinner with my family in Nice.

I recognize that taking a sabbatical is a tremendous privilege, and I would love to help others make it happen. Please reach out if you are considering something similar for yourself or your organization. I will encourage you and am happy to share what we’ve learned at Avalon!