Featured Story Renacimiento del Turismo by Indra Gardiner Bowers If your Spanish is a little rusty, that title means the Rebirth of Tourism, which was the slogan of this year’s Tianguis Turistico, Mexico’s annual travel and tourism event. After last year’s virtual event, Tianguis was back live last month, and it certainly was lively. Held in Merida in the state of Yucatan, nearly 4,000 attendees were vaxxed, masked, and ready to do business. And we were right there with them. Read More
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Featured Work
SDCCU Holiday Bowl
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62ABOVE was tapped for a new platform, campaign & media strategy for one of San Diego’s most beloved annual events - The San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl. With a 5K, parade, concert, and over 40,000 fans in attendance at Petco Park (the bowl game's new location), is it any wonder why 62ABOVE has positioned the Holiday Bowl as San Diego’s Biggest Holiday Party?
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Nicole Doré Design Director |
Hometown: Officially, my hometown is San Ramon. But after spending the past 20 years in Carmel-by-the-Sea, that's really turned into what feels like my hometown and every time I return, I feel like I'm coming home.
Favorite Vacation Spot: West Coast: Del Mar. I just discovered it and loved it (and our dogs did too). East Coast: Pass-a-Grille Beach on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten: Chapulines (Toasted & Seasoned Grasshoppers)
What are you listening to right now - and why: The Cult. I saw them live a few years ago and have been a fan ever since! It's the perfect music to rock out to during the work day.
What are you most passionate about at work: Building brands from scratch and crafting creative campaigns that truly connect with people and drive results for clients. I love what I get to do every day — it's challenging, rewarding, and so much fun!
If you were an animal, what would you be: A flamingo!
Surprise party for your birthday - yes or no: Yes, totally!
What was your first job: Junior Lifeguard at the San Ramon Olympic Pool. |
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Jeff Burghardt Senior Director, Accounts & Strategy |
Hometown: My true hometown is Carmel-by-the-Sea, but I have definitely lived in a LOT of places throughout my life: Nevada City, Grass Valley, Boulder, Sausalito, Mill Valley, Carmel Valley, Truckee, Carnelian Bay, Chico, Sacramento, Napa, Lahaina-Maui, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Tucson, and now I call Rancho Mirage home.
Favorite Vacation Spot: I'm always drawn back to North Tahoe as a lifelong fav and fell in love with the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia.
Most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten: While it’s not necessarily unusual, I think it has to be escargot.
What are you listening to right now - and why: At this very moment, it’s Fleetwood Mac “Rumors” on Pandora, but I am a major music lover. I can hardly work and live without music playing. My top 5 list would probably be: 1. Led Zeppelin, 2. Neil Young, 3. Red Hot Chili Peppers, 4. The Cult, and 5. Smashing Pumpkins.
What are you most passionate about at work: After 30 years in the ad and PR business, I truly love creating awesome client relationships and orchestrating integrated, multi-media campaigns that produce results.
If you were an animal, what would you be: Bald Eagle
Surprise party for your birthday - yes or no: Maybe? I’m not a fan of surprises, but I might like the attention.
What was your first job: Busboy at the Tinnery Restaurant on Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove. |
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The Update
Hot things cooking up in the 62ABOVE creative kitchen:
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Cross Border Xpress
Cross Border Xpress was recently featured in Business Insider, including a first-hand experience by aviation reporter Thomas Pallini. View the article here to find out why he calls CBX “one of the best kept secrets for travelers”. CBX was also included in a CNN Travel roundup of airports that cross international borders, along with a two-page story in the The Orange County Register highlighting record growth at the facility. |
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Baja California Clients Featured in PR Hits
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Holidays Celebrated in Valle de Guadalupe
We closed the office for a day recently and took a company-wide field trip to visit one of our clients in Baja California. Valle de Guadalupe is home to Mexico’s own finest wines, with more than 100 wineries located just 75 miles from the US Border.
Our team took an easy and safe walk across the border from San Ysidro to Tijuana and hopped into chartered vans for the 75-minute drive to the Valle. From there, we sampled award-winning wines and ate delicious things and took in all the gorgeous views in this growing region.
Have you sampled wines from Valle de Guadalupe yet? If not, it may be time for a little field trip yourself!
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Fun Stuff
We asked the team to share some of their best/worst holiday gift memories, and they came through with some humdingers!
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Venice
Best gift ever: getting the first Harry Potter book at age 11, kickstarting a magical love affair that's lasted 20 years. Doesn't get much better than that. ⚡
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Amy
For more years than I am willing to admit, I packed my clothes and personal belongings into a beloved Eagle Creek backpack that I received when I graduated high school. It traveled the world with me, including personal and business trips. I got more than one joke about looking like a human turtle with a giant shell on my back and a few sideways glances at upscale hotels. Last year, I (finally) got a navy roller bag for Hanukkah…so now I look like an actual grown-up when I travel.
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Pierce
Every year my grandma gets all of the grandkids pajama pants, which is cute! However, she thinks that each of us is about 164 pounds heavier than we actually are so they very much do not fit. One year though, we embraced it, and now we look forward to enjoying adult beverages in our oversized Old Navy PJs.
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Rachel
When I was a kid, my grandparents gave my brother and I a sled for Christmas. It was a legitimate, vintage looking one... really heavy, long, wooden with a steel frame that was painted red. We spent a lot of time vacationing in Colorado, but living in the South this seemed like a ridiculous present. Then it snowed on Christmas day that year - in Louisiana of all places!
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Indra
After a business trip to Tokyo, I came home raving about their futuristic, and nearly intimidating toilet seats featuring pop up lids, heated seats, bidets and more. On Christmas morning there was an enormous, and very heavy, box under the tree. I couldn’t imagine what Santa had brought me that was that large. My own Toto toilet seat! Unusual and one of the very best gifts I’ve ever received.
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Anonymous
This is a story about my mom, not me. The first year my parents were married my dad got her a vacuum for Christmas. I vividly remember Christmas morning she was pretending to use the attachments on shelves, while looking at my dad with a “I’m going to divorce you” look on her face.
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