From virtual meetings to Gozo: a tale of two collaborations with ICOM

If you know Switch, you probably know that our team is fully remote. We’ve got people in Spain, France, Finland, and even one team member bouncing across Eastern Europe (soon to be logging in from Colombia).

Since the COVID days, remote work has become second nature (or maybe first nature, depending on how you look at it). And while we wouldn’t trade this lifestyle for anything, Q4 of 2025 reminded us just how powerful both remote and in-person collaboration can be, especially when the people involved are aligned, passionate, and working toward something bigger.

This is the story of two big ICOM Network projects that unfolded almost simultaneously. One happened entirely online, across time zones and continents. The other was in person, on a tiny Mediterranean island.

Let’s start with the first one.

The power of virtual collaboration

Two years ago, ICOM kicked off one of its most exciting projects to date: a full brand refresh. Like any proper project of this scale, it wasn’t about a new logo or a sleeker website – this was about real strategic realignment. About reflecting who the organisation is today and where it’s headed next, and how that determines how it presents itself in every touchpoint. 

In true ICOM fashion, this project brought together multiple member agencies from around the globe. Switch had the opportunity of articulating the brand foundations – its purpose, values, tone of voice, and the story it wants to tell. We were also entrusted to be one of the coordinators behind the scenes. A big task, and one we were genuinely excited to take on.

The visual identity was led by Ad Angels in Estonia, the website was crafted by Imagemakers in the US, SEO support came from Espace M in Canada, and the strategic direction was shaped by input from even more agencies worldwide. It became a real-time, real-world case study in international collaboration.

Yes, it meant 5am calls for some, 9pm wrap-ups for others. There were feedback loops, time zone confusion, and plenty of “you are still on mute” moments. But even more than that, it meant growth. Learning, patience, being open-minded, and a shared desire to create something that truly represents this incredible network.

Fast forward to October 2025, and the new ICOM brand went live: bold, lasting, and deeply reflective of the network it represents.

All made possible through collaboration from a distance, and yet, with so much closeness.

Check out the new look here.

The magic of meeting in person

A few weeks after launch, we had the opportunity to host the 2025 ICOM EMEA Regional Meeting in Gozo. And let me tell you, while I’ll always advocate for the flexibility that comes with remote working, there’s something undeniably special about gathering in person.

Gozo was a deliberate choice. We’d hosted our last regional meeting in Valletta back in 2018, but this time we wanted to offer something a little different. Slower, more grounded, and a space where agency leaders could pause the day-to-day and actually breathe, reflect, think and connect.

With that in mind, we decided on the theme: “From Gozo, with Growth.”

For a few days, surrounded by the Gozo’s green hills, sea, and silence, we explored what it means to grow – with new business, existing clients, as independent agencies and as a collective. There was strategy, of course, but there was also laughter, late-night chats, spontaneous brainstorms, and the kind of unfiltered conversations that only happen face-to-face, with people who just get it.

Hosting this event was everything we hoped it would be, and more. If I had to pick one word to walk away with (other than the obvious, growth), it’d be joy – because so much good came out of it.

And once again, it was a reminder: when you bring good people together (virtually or in person), magic happens.

These two projects couldn’t have been more different in execution. One happened entirely over screens. The other around shared tables, hidden away from the noise of everyday life, in peaceful Gozo. But both were driven by the same values: curiosity, collaboration, generosity, and a deep belief in doing meaningful work, together.

And that’s what ICOM is really about. It’s why we’ve been proud members since 2006, and why we’ve worked as their communications partner since 2019. It’s a network that challenges us, inspires us, and reminds us why we do what we do.

So here’s to bold ideas, to remote calls and in-person hugs and to collaboration that works wonders.