It’s Great to Work Here … We’re One of Florida Trend’s 2014 Best Companies to Work For!

At VSBrooks, it’s our job to be fun, creative, and an overall great place to work. Not only do WE think we’re a fantastic place to come to work every day, but recently, the popular business news magazine Florida Trend agreed with us, naming us one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the state of Florida.

We were awarded in the Best Small Companies category (15-49 employees), in which there were 36 ranked winners. We’ll be recognized, along with the other winning companies, in Florida Trend's August 2014 issue.  

So, what does this list acknowledge, and how did we get it? Well, it recognizes companies that have built productive workplaces for their employees, strengthening their own as well as Florida's competitive advantage in the national and global arenas.

To participate, companies or government entities had to employ at least 15 workers in Florida and have been in operation at least one year. Companies that chose to participate underwent an evaluation of their workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. The process also included a survey to measure employee satisfaction. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the registration, survey and analysis and determined the final rankings.


We’re especially proud of this recognition, because if our staff is happy, then our clients are happy. Plus, “happy” is just an overall good thing to be.

Want to see who got a VD at VSBrooks?

We'd wish everyone here at VSBrooks got a VD. No, not that kind of a VD! A Vivian and Diana Award of course, celebrating our unique abilities and traits. I you haven't heard about our VD awards, you can catch a quick recap here of last year's inaugural awards.

Each year, categories are chosen to reflect VSB's year in review. An emergency room theme was chosen in homage to our new Creative Triage meeting room, which will explain the doctor's lab coats and scrubs in the pictures.

Alongside the surprising (and not so surprising) wins this year, we had a special guest presenter, Ingrid. Seems like we can't get rid of her, how VD-like!

Each winner has more than earned his or her awards this year. Take a look:

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The “She just won't go away” VD goes to the person who we just can't seem to get rid of.

This year's winner: Ingrid

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The “Got #swag” VD goes to the trendsetter, the fresh dresser, the “walk the walker.” S/he got game.

This year's winner: Saul

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The “AEP MVP” VD. We wouldn’t have survived AEP without her/him.

This year's winner: Nicky

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The “Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That” VD.  This person ain’t got no problem telling you no. And will snap her/his fingers while telling you so.

This year's winner: Maria

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The “Repressed Copywriter” VD.  Not a copywriter, but apparently hasn’t gotten the memo yet.

This year's winner: Karina

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The “Jessie Spano” VD. "There’s no time. There’s never any time!!!!"

This year's winner: Allyson

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The “Can Out-Twerk Miley” VD.  Miley Cyrus has nothing on these twerking skills.

This year's winner: Alex

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The “I’ll Never Take You Home to Mom” VD.  You wouldn’t take this person home because you know that it will turn out like a scene from Meet the Fockers.

This year's winner: Claudia

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The “Tom Cruise on a Couch” VD.  This person is SO deliriously enthusiastic, s/he might just start jumping on the couches in the VSB Lounge.

This year's winner: Junior

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The “Every time you say ‘process,’ it makes me want to drink” VD. You know what we’re talking about.

This year's winner: Vivian

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The “Least Likely to get a VD” VD.  Not once did you consider this person earlier in this list. The sidelines are a safe place for her/him to watch all the madness of VSB, while trying not to make eye contact with the rest of us crazies.

This year's winner: Lisa

It’s Hard to be Ideal and Humble, but We’ll Try!

On Thursday, the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce informed us and everyone else in the room of a little tidbit that we already, kind of, sort of knew – VSBrooks ADVERTISING is an Ideal Workplace.

Like the cliché says, we know how to work hard and play hard. In the process, we have a pretty good time, take care of each other and make our clients happy along the way.

When we arrived for the 2013 Coral Gables Diamond Award ceremony, we were feeling rather nice. As finalists in the Large Business Category, we were hoping for the best and received an even better surprise. The Ideal Workplace Award is not advertised, and we were not nominated. Instead, the judges look at all the applicants’ questionnaires and select the workplace they find most ideal, based on employee benefits, training and recognition.  

The four judges selected VSBrooks ADVERTISING, Miami Children's Hospital and Tarpon Bend as their top three, and our team won. If you thought we had an Ideal Workplace before, just check us out now. There are smiles, laughter, pats on the back and hugs galore.

Yep, we already knew we worked in a cool place with awesome people, but now everyone else knows too.

Thank you, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce for the public shout-out!

VSBrooks' Flavors of Thanksgiving

Turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. These are the tastes and smells of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. But at VSBrooks we're not as conventional. We asked around to find out what  the different flavors brought to the VSB family table are. There are some very different and palatable answers!


Vivian Santos:
Her Thanksgiving meal is very traditional, with the exception of the tequila shot everyone (over 21) takes right before eating. According to Vivian, no one remembers when the tradition started, and I think we know why.




Diana Brooks: 

Their Thanksgiving claim to fame is Krispy Kreme bread pudding with homemade whipped cream. Wow.




Junior Jimenez:
Junior brings his Puerto Rican background to the table with arroz con gandules, guineos en escabeche and templeque for dessert. Hispanic much?




Nicky Goicouria:
Nicky combines two traditional tastes; one Cuban, the other very American in her Pumpkin Flan.




Olivia Errasti:
Olivia augments the flavors of traditional pumpkin soup with the addition of craisins and green apples.





Becky Benitez:
Even though Becky's family cooks a traditional Thanksgiving meal, her cuban grandmother refuses to give in. She makes ropa vieja and fried yuca and twists everyone's arm to eat it.

Cristina Alvarez:
Well... we'll let her tell you:

"Turkey a la Cristina, injected with everything from mojo to wine to garlic. Non-Kosher stuffing with sausage, bacon, olives, dates, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, raisins, figs, onions, garlic, and peppers.
White rice a la Elsa (my sister in law) - venezuelan style. Potato salad a la Minita (my mom) with thinly sliced onions, peas, and hard boiled eggs, with a secret batter that includes mayonnaise, dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Mini miga sandwiches of a variety of flavors, including anchovies and hard boiled eggs; and prosciutto and goat cheese."

Eclectic as always.


Maria Williams:
Choose your carbohydrate! Maria makes her super secret potato salad, baked mac and cheese and sweet potato casserole with pecans.




Ingrid Trigo de Serrano: Her family mixes cuban and american flavors with their Sweet ham and congri and yuca.




Daniel Timiraos:
His Thanksgiving dinner is strictly traditional, except in how the turkey is cooked; with bacon, lots and lots of bacon...



So now that we've got your mouth watering go and cook something already!  All of us at VSBrooks Advertising wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving, spent with good food and better company.