Here’s one thing one which we can all agree:

Everybody who was asked in 2015 what the end of the century would be like got it wrong. Who would have thought that something a fraction of the width of a human hair could bring the world to a virtual standstill?


Annus Horribilis is a Latin phrase meaning “horrible year” – used by the Queen of England, to describe 1992, adding that it was “Not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure.” It’s fair to say we all feel that way about 2020.


But while it certainly has been a horrible year, many of us have found pockets of progress by leaning into the chaos and bending it to betterment.

  • More than 100 distilleries have pivoted to make hand sanitizer, including large beverage companies such as Anheuser-Busch and Tito’s Vodka.
  • Sports equipment maker Bauer took its expertise in protecting hockey players and used it to create specialized medical gear.
  • Cloudbeds is a San Diego tech company that just raised one of the biggest financing rounds of the year. They were going to help the hospitality industry. Instead, the staff now finds available rooms and beds for COVID-19 patients.

Around the world, even businesses representing the hardest hit industries have found ways to partner or pivot. Large airlines such as United, Lufthansa, and Virgin Atlantic have converted empty passenger cabins to cargo holders for the transport of all that stuff we’re ordering online for delivery. Fitness companies such as Orange Theory and 24-Hour Fitness are teaming up with apparel companies such as Under Armour to offer live streaming classes that we can take at home.


The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

We have Aristotle to thank for this observation – and it’s true.


We’ve witnessed it as we’ve continued to work with our partners. Many are as disparate as those ostriches and zebras. A challenge like we saw this year forced us to lean away from competition and embrace collaboration. We discovered that it’s better for everyone.


Partnerships are creating new opportunities for customer growth and profitability. Pivots don’t have to be dramatic. The pandemic prompted restaurants to rethink the way they connect with customers, giving rise to partnerships with delivery companies and the comeback of the drive-in and the automat.


Who says you can’t go to the movies or attend a concert? Boat-in movie theaters are popping up all over the country. Entertainers from Snoop Dogg to Brad Paisley are selling tickets to drive-in concerts.


These pivots and partnerships have one thing in common: They demonstrate the grit and fortitude that we humans possess. Knock us down. We’ll get back up. We’ll get by with a little help from our friends.


We truly are better together

As we look back at 2020, we here at Vinyl Art are grateful, humbled, and proud to have been there for our customers. You’ve pushed back adversity. You’ve offered hope. You’ve stepped outside your comfort zone and dared to imagine what you could do to make our world better.


We’ve all wobbled a bit, but look at how much stronger we’ll be when we move to the next chapter. We’re here to support you as we all move forward. How can we help?



We’d love to connect with you!

Contact the Vinyl Art Team at 1-800-569-1304 or sales@vinylart.wpengine.com