Founded in 1996, The Agency Has Been Recognized for its Marketing
and Creative Strategies for Professional Services Companies
LAS VEGAS – CIM Marketing Partners, a full-service marketing, graphics design, and digital services firm specializing in strategic marketing and planning, is celebrating its 25th year in operation in 2021. Founded in 1996 by Darcy K. Neighbors, CIM Marketing Partners (CIM) has established itself as one of the leading marketing strategy agencies in Las Vegas and in numerous professional service industries, including law, medical, construction, and finance.
CIM Marketing Partners was founded in 1996 by Darcy K. Neighbors, following a five-year tenure as the first law firm marketing director in Las Vegas at the Law Firm of Jeffrey Burr. After striking out on her own, Neighbors continued to service professional services companies, focusing primarily on legal marketing before diversifying into other industries.
“When I started the company, I was working out of my home with my 1-year old daughter. Now, I have a second daughter, and both are in their twenties with careers of their own. It’s amazing to see how much has changed in life and marketing over the last 25 years.”
CIM Marketing Partners grew organically, adding key employees along the way: Adriana Mendoza, Creative Director; Don Pursell, Principal/Strategist; and Darren Hankel, Principal/Digital Director. Neighbors credit “putting the right people in the right positions to grow, not only themselves, but the company,” as a major factor in the company’s lasting success. “Not only have we had clients for ten, fifteen, twenty years, but we’ve also had employees who have been with the company for that long, too. They are able to grow with the company into a role that suits them the best and makes them the most productive and happy. The average length of time that a company typically retains a marketing agency is about 3 years – some of our clients have been with us for twenty years. I think that’s because they get used to the people working with them and the service and the results they receive from the team, which creates a trust and comfort level that is tough to build and duplicate.”
CIM Marketing Partners has been able to adapt to a changing market, surviving through the economic downturn in 2007 and the 2020 pandemic. “Over the years, we have learned to operate as lean as possible so when we’re in a situation where the outside world can possibly affect us more than usual, we know how to handle it. We’re also working quite hard to stay in front of the curve, so when we implemented work from home days in 2017, we had already invested in the technology needed to transition to full-time work from home and maintain our productivity.”
Reflecting on her 25th year as a business owner, Neighbors looks back with excitement for the future. “In 1996, we weren’t doing a fraction of the things we’re doing in the digital space with Google, social media, and websites. I’m happy to see how far we’ve come and excited to see where marketing goes next. I know wherever it goes, I want to be a part of the future of marketing.”
Over the past 25 years, Neighbors and CIM have been awarded numerous accolades, including the Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2006, Angel Award as Volunteer of the Year in 2008, and Most Influential in Business award. Other accolades have included the Addy 2011 Silver Award, induction into the Leadership Las Vegas Hall of Fame 2011, and the CAI Nevada 2011 Heroes Award for Community Service Volunteer. She has the privilege of being named the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Lee Business School’s 2013 Alumna of the Year. CIM is a two-time winner of Best Places to Work in Southern Nevada.