Another year is wrapping up at Grapevine, and it feels only right to hit pause and look back at our theme for 2025: the Grape Takeover. For our team, it started as a way to pull back the curtain and reveal the many faces that make up our agency – and it quickly evolved into a must-read and must-see series that showcased exactly who we are. For our clients and followers, this was a year-long journey through the minds, talents and wildly insightful perspectives that not only apply to businesses and brands but everyday life.
Reflective. Fun. Personal. Thought-provoking. There are so many words that can describe the Grape Takeover. But, most of all, it’s been a reminder that creative, results-driving work isn’t a coincidence – it requires real people, real experience and plenty of split-second, exciting “aha!” moments.
That leads us to next year… and we’re taking it a step further. For us, great projects don’t start with assumptions and surface-level knowledge, but with having a deep understanding of your brand. As a full-service agency, we’re not attorneys, homebuilders, wealth managers, roofing specialists, auto dealers or insurance agents – but you can count on us to listen closely to your needs, learn the ins and outs of your world, and even step into your space to experience the work you proudly do firsthand.
This is what makes Grapevine different. In 2026, we’re walking a mile in your shoes and can’t wait to tell you more. But first, let’s take a look at what all of us learned, together, this year through the talented people at the center of our Grape Takeover.
What the Grape Takeover Taught Us
Joan Burnell, Executive Vice President of Agency Operations – How the ‘Shop Mom’ Moves Your Project to the Finish Line: Creativity is crucial, but how out-of-the-box ideas cross the finish line – and make clients happy – is with someone steering the ship behind the scenes, developing a schedule, setting deadlines and coordinating logistics and more.
Read Joan’s Blog
Tricia Robustelli, Client Relations Manager – The Life of a Client Relations Manager: With every project, there’s a bridge between clients and the creatives. It’s an essential role that not only keeps each project on track, but relays client objectives to the team, passes along feedback, gives constructive criticism when ideas are brought to life, analyzes results and ensures ideas become impactful campaigns.
Read Tricia’s Blog
Robert Holzler, Director of Web Development – Be Open to Learning from Unlikely Sources: The greatest lessons are unexpected, rising out of even the smallest moments, from jigsaw puzzles to Dungeons & Dragons, family members, childhood toys and more. Every day, be receptive – and leverage what you’ve learned and observed in your approach to life and your career.
Read Rob’s Blog
Ty DeMeza, Director of Social Media and Event Management – The Value of Being a Utility Player at Work and in Life: Learn a little bit about a lot, from new skills to taking up hobbies – all of which make you a well-rounded person and professional. Step in wherever you’re needed and gain a deeper appreciation for the effort it takes to succeed in a variety of different roles. Having a utility player, whether we’re talking baseball or the office, gives the entire team an edge.
Read Ty’s Blog
Dane Gass, Director of Video Production – The Power of Visual Storytelling – How One Teacher Changed Everything: Stories connect us – and compel people to take action, share a message, donate to an impactful cause or encourage us to reflect. For Dane, being a storyteller is more than a job but the result of someone who changed the course of his life.
Read Dane’s Blog
Aaron DeGroot, Director of Artistic Development and Client Strategy – Underpromise and Overdeliver – A Recipe for Success: There’s incredible value in setting realistic expectations – simply getting across that you’ll complete a task – and creating room to go above and beyond when developing a project into something great. It’s about going the extra mile when someone least expects it, setting yourself up to be a trusted, reliable authority in your space.
Read Aaron’s Blog
Meredith Dropkin, Executive Vice President of Public Relations – How PR Altered My Everyday Life: Always scanning for the story, the moment worth capturing or the angle that will resonate – it’s not just a career, but a way of life. For our clients, their brand is their livelihood, and we take that to heart in how we place them in front of the right audience.
Read Meredith’s Blog
Nicole Miller, Social Media & Online Content Contributor – Life on the Social Media Beach: Social media is like a day at the beach – full of surprises, opportunities and moments in which you may need to think on the fly. When it comes to creating meaningful, engaging content and authentic spaces, navigating online platforms is similar to beachcombing, spotting “gems” in comments, posts and partnerships, while mitigating trolls and other negative interactions.
Read Nicole’s Blog
Jay Gordon, Web Developer – Adaptability – It’s One of Life’s Greatest Values: Hard work and soft skills matter, but one of the most precious abilities you can harness is adaptability – the power to pivot and succeed, whether it’s in life or on your career path. But there are a number of skills that need to be mastered to make this one possible.
Read Jay’s Blog
Allison Imre, President & CEO – In a Modern World, the ‘Personal Touch’ is Still Supreme: In a world of AI, robots and more, personal, authentic interactions are a welcome relief – and that’s definitely the case in the marketing world. At Grapevine, every day we’re exploring how to deliver personal messages in the most effective way, reaching customers at the deepest level possible.
Read Allison’s Blog
About Grapevine Communications
Grapevine Communications is a full-service creative marketing agency celebrating 23 years of success on the Suncoast of Florida. To learn more about what we do, visit our services page or call us at 941-351-0024.
