ALCHEMYcreative

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was a video producer of an enterprise IT company at the time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

We reached out to ALCHEMYcreative to help us produce a couple of videos that showcased some of our client stories. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ALCHEMYcreative created a couple of documentary-style videos that included interviews with some of our clients. Their team collaborated with us on the creative vision, including scripts, scheduling, brainstorming, and coming up with ways to onboard clients. They then traveled to client locations, captured footage, and provided editing services. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with 5–8 people on each project, including producers, editors, directors, and videographers. I also had a couple of main points of contact throughout the engagement. 

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?

The creative director of our company was familiar with ALCHEMYcreative through a network of other video agencies she was apart of. As soon as I met with their team, I was convinced they'd be a good partner. 

How much have you invested with them?

The company invested between $100,000–$200,000 for both video projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

We collaborated on the two video projects from May–November 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The videos ALCHEMYcreative produced gave our internal teams a sense of pride and professionalism. They were able to capture sensitive client stories in videos that effectively resonated with both external and internal audiences. The videos also became an excellent tool for our sales and marketing teams. 

We were very impressed with the production value of the videos they produced overall, as well as the way they conducted themselves around our clients during shoots. 

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent–highly proactive and communicative throughout the process. We mostly spoke through phone and email and shared documents through Google Docs. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creative vision and ability to make a corporate video feel cinematic sets them apart. The videos accomplished the human narrative we were trying to portray very well. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I'd just love to see them market themselves better to more organizations that could benefit from their services. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be communicative, collaborative, and open to their ideas because they have the expertise and creative talent to deliver polished end products. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief marketing officer at Parsons Corporation. We’re a top line revenue, defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure technology firm. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

Since we were taking our company public, we needed to convey a suite of software technologies that are foundational to our value proposition in a compelling way. We wanted to generate enthusiasm about the technology functions, and we wanted to be able to explain the solutions in a roadshow PowerPoint presentation. Ideally, there would be a dynamic user experience where people could get a good feel for what our technology does. 

During Analyst Day, (a day where we confidentially briefed the analysts on our proposition), we had live demonstrations of our technology with our technologists in the room. That was very effective, so we decided we needed to do a video for the roadshow. We had a tight deadline and needed to create a video in under four weeks.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since we didn’t have time to create a storyboard or a script, we had a guidance document and a creative brief. We communicated what we wanted to convey, and the ALCHEMYcreative team helped decide what the creative brief would look like. Rather than asking interviewees to read a script, they were provided with questions. ALCHEMYcreative and my team developed those questions together, it was an all hands on deck approach.

The resulting video was mostly live with a little animation. It was a combination of our senior leadership talking and our technologists explaining our technologies.

What is the team composition?

They had 9–10 people the day we filmed. My main point of contact was Cliff (Director of Business Development & Creative Partnerships, ALCHEMYcreative). 

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?

We interviewed a number of production companies, and the deciding factor was that they had experience working with tech firms in California, which was the vibe that I wanted. Also, when we spoke with them, I believed they were committed to meeting our deadline.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $100,000–$200,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2019, and the engagement finished in April 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The video was one of the highest viewed videos ever on NetRoadshow, a platform that’s used by the banking and analyst community for roadshows that support financial transactions. I was told it went viral. Not only was it shown in all of our analyst meetings, but it was also viewed independently by the analysts. 

We had an extremely successful Initial Public Offering: We initially priced our stock at $26, and our opening day price was pushing $32. In relation to that success, our banking advisors credit the video with being extremely helpful and compelling. 

I’ve been in the workforce for over 30 years, and I’ve never given a recommendation for any vendor—this is my first time. That’s how happy I am with this product.

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a very good experience. They produced the video in less than four weeks, an extremely short time frame. One of my direct reports worked with the team, and I would participate in calls every 2–3 days. 

We didn’t have time to use a tool for scheduling, however, there was a schedule. ALCHEMYcreative did a good job of communicating the schedule with us and saying what they expected from us. Since it was an extremely tight agenda and a complex project, tempers got a little hot occasionally. 

The first draft of the video was wrong; it wasn’t the right orientation. In a more traditional process, there would have been a couple more iterations, but there was no time that. I was discouraged. However, after speaking with Cliff and his team, they turned around the orientation of the video in less than 24 hours. That was spectacular. 

I ended up with a spot-on video that gave the vibe that I wanted in the timeframe that I wanted. It is a spectacular product—I’m a fan of their work. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They came into it with their eyes wide open. We were honest about how there was zero flexibility and how tight the schedule was. So, everyone worked extra hours and put in extra effort to get it right. When things went wrong, they fixed the issues with a positive attitude. Also, they are great, creative professionals. The ideas they brought to the table were very, very good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It was such a nontraditional project that it’s hard to give feedback. I would have wanted a script and a storyboard, more engagement, and more iterations, but there wasn’t time for any of that. 

At the end of the day, it was a positive work experience where I got a superior product. I’m extraordinarily happy—the experience couldn’t have gone better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The ALCHEMYcreative team is very willing to communicate. So, future clients should speak up and have an engaged conversation. They should also let ALCHEMYcreative do what they do best, which is to function as a creative developer. There’s no need to micromanage them, let them be a partner, and allow them to bring their creative capabilities forward.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of lifecycle marketing for Ingineo LLC.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

We needed a creative partner that could capture our brand’s essence and voice, and then present it authentically via television advertising. Our team hired ALCHEMYcreative to produce national television commercials for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ALCHEMYcreative provided strategic guidance based on our established brand guidelines. The team vetted talent and offered expert advice while filming and editing video. Next, they delivered two commercials that are now running on cable networks. Although the main work is completed, we are still partnering with ALCHEMYcreative to vary the calls for action at the end of the videos.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 4–5 people before the team scaled to 10–15 resources during filming. Cliff (Creative Partnerships, ALCHEMYcreative) was our primary point of contact and Trevor (CEO/Creative Director, ALCHEMYcreative) was our secondary point of contact.

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?

We searched for a local partner and vetted six agencies via a Google search before selecting ALCHEMYcreative. I had researched them to judge their passion and quality of work. The team invited us into their office and we had a wonderful experience, generating ideas in that first meeting.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2018 and the first commercials went live that September.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’re hitting key metrics for cost per acquisitions (CPA) in an effective manner. Even though the project was unprecedently large for us, the videos received enthusiastic praise from our senior leadership.

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

ALCHEMYcreative led the creative process while adhering to the tight timeline. We emailed them every other day and held videos calls once a week. In addition to two office visits, we communicated with the team every day during the three-day production stage.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They captured the human essence and emotion in our brand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, the project was highly successful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients should not be overly prescriptive. ALCHEMYcreative is a team of artists with business acumen that knows how to achieve clients’ goals.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a department Manager at Sennheiser

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Sennheiser manufactures microphones, headphones, and wireless systems for professional audio applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire ALCHEMYcreative to accomplish?

• Create compelling photo and video content

SOLUTION

How did you find ALCHEMYcreative?

• Outreach

Why did you select ALCHEMYcreative over others?

• Body of work

How many teammates from ALCHEMYcreative were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Shot and delivered 50+ studio photographs and edited and delivered 6 videos in multiple aspect ratios and formats. Assets were optimized for social media in a creative manor based on visuals, gfx, music.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They delivered assets that exceeded expectations.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

10/10. Assets were delivered on schedule and communication was always timely and clear.

What was your primary form of communication with ALCHEMYcreative?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I felt that we were on the same page creatively which made it easy to communicate. That level of trust played a positive role throughout the entire project.

Are there any areas for improvement or something ALCHEMYcreative could have done differently?

Not that I've experienced yet! Can't wait to start our next project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Amplitude is a B2B SaaS company specializing in product analytics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ALCHEMYcreative, and what were your goals?

We have an incredibly fast paced project to film and edit 3 separate customer stories in a very condensed time frame.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Their previous work demonstrated their cinematic eye and amazing editing capabilities.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

Three customer stories of SoFi, Square, and Data Robot. Filmed over 2 days and editing in a short time frame.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We worked with several members of the Alchemy team.  They were all very responsive, provided creative support and solutions, and were great to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The videos were very well received at our annual sales conference and by our organization in general.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We requested communication over Slack since it was such a short timeline. The team set firm but workable deadlines and communicated quickly and clearly.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They'll jump to any challenge while maintaining high quality in work.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No.