DVS: A Look Back on 25 Years and to the Future25 min read
It all starts with our roots
We have always been a communications company. Our purpose from the start has been to help organizations effectively communicate with their target audience. Even though the mediums that we use have radically changed over the years, our core focus of being a communications company has not.
Today, this means that we are a full-service Marketing and Advertising Agency with a strong focus on strategic design & innovation.
In celebration of our twenty-five years in business, please enjoy some photos of the journey that brought us to this point!
1993 – Our First Space
Beginning under the name Digital Video Services, we opened for business in the confines of this 640 square foot one-room office located on 36th street in Wyoming, Michigan. Despite signing a two-year lease, we outgrew the space in less than nine months.
1994 – A Much Needed Expansion
Our second location had us feeling like we would never need more room—this 1,500 square foot space complete with front offices, warehouse space, and even a truck dock only managed to keep us settled down for the next five years.
1999 – A Quick Layover
With continued growth, the Division Ave location become a cramped fit for our expanding operations, and our lease was quickly running out. While in search of a larger more permanent location, we set up shop in a temporary space off Broadmoor Avenue that we affectionately called the Bowling Alley, after its long narrow dimensions.
2000 – Expanded Space and a Shorter Name
In 2000 we moved into our 10,000+ square foot 40th Street SE location. This massive jump in floor space allowed for this location to be the home of DVS for the next fifteen years.
DVS went through many transitions in this location, including expanding our services to include strategic communication consulting, a full-time video production group, and a full-time web design & development group.
The start of the new century also saw us shorten our name from Digital Video Services to DVS. This name change reflected the beginning of our metamorphosis from a technically oriented marketing services provider, to a full-service creative communications firm.
Over the years that we have served West Michigan’s marketing communication needs, there have been many mediums in which we offered services. As seen above, we were at the top of the message delivery game utilizing over 500 VHS duplication machines that could all be remotely controlled, a first in West Michigan.
The below pictures show our adoption of the digital distribution formats (CD, DVD, Blu-ray, USB), as well as our expanding video production capabilities.
High-Definition Video Editing
A highlight of the 40th street office was our 1940’s private detective themed High-Definition Video Editing Suite. The editing suite was furnished with authentic items such as desks, fans, a tube radio, and many more items from the ’40s to provide a realistic ambiance.
Not only was the suite kitted out on the aesthetic side, but it also had the latest cutting-edge gear, including a custom sound isolation system to provide for critical audio decision making.
Always Innovating
As the years marched on so did technology and our services. As we have throughout our history, DVS continued to innovate by offering state-of-the-art programming services for digital mediums and the web.
An early testament to our innovation was the authoring of a seven-angle consumer specialty DVD-Video. The Senior Vice President of Pioneer Electronics even commented to us that this was the first one produced worldwide to his knowledge.
Community Involvement
Committed to building community and fun!
2015 – The Move Downtown
Since our start in the West Michigan area, we have gone through many transitions in our efforts to better serve organization’s communication needs.
Our newest space is in a historic century-old Steelcase factory that was converted into modern office spaces. The building offers rich brick walls, wood floors, and beautifully restored windows. In this new space, our office features an open layout that further facilitates our creativity and also boasts fourth-floor views of downtown Grand Rapids.
2018 – Our 25th Anniversary Celebration
Twenty-five years after starting as a one-man operation in a 640 square foot office, DVS continues to innovate and grow through what makes us unique – our passionate perspective and people.
Always evolving, DVS is a full-service Marketing and Advertising Agency specializing in small & medium size businesses communication needs.
DVS – 25 years of improving people’s lives through better communication and having fun while doing it!