ALCHEMYcreative

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Producer of Adobe

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Adobe offers groundbreaking technology that empowers everyone, everywhere to imagine, create, and bring any digital experience to life.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Produce a top-tier video for our marketing efforts for a major Hollywood post-production team.

SOLUTION

How did you find ALCHEMYcreative?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select ALCHEMYcreative over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Easy to work with.

How many teammates from ALCHEMYcreative were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

3-5 minute video on how a Hollywood post production team utilizes Adobe Premiere Pro. On top of the hero video, cutting this down into digestable social media cutdowns in the correct sizes/formats. Scope of the work included (but not limited to) - hiring the correct crew, renting the correct gear, getting logistics sorted for the shoot, directing the shoot in a very limited amount of time and then offering a soup to nuts post production services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

These Hollywood Customer Story videos are the first of their kind - not only working Adobe but with large streaming networks like Netflix and FX. The measurable outcome was very much ensuring that leadership across the spectrum was pleased.

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

ALCHEMYcreative produced everything on time and responded on the same day - always. The project management of team Alchemy is top notch and truly unmatched.

What was your primary form of communication with ALCHEMYcreative?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Having worked with many production houses, the spectrum runs from good at their job but terrible humans. To amazing humans but lacking creative vision. The Alchemy team has everything in the bag without ego. Talent, creative vision, and just very easy to work and get along with. These folks get it.

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

Nada

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the customer marketing lead at Notable. We are an intelligent automation platform that automates the manual work required by human staff in hospitals and health systems. For example, filling out paper forms, making phone calls or data entry into the electronic health record. Our primary focus is to help the healthcare industry operate more efficiently.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

We wanted to build brand awareness among our customer base and appeal to new prospects. “Intelligent automation” can be complex, so we wanted to use video to educate the market on the problems it can solve and the resulting outcomes. 

Our goal for the videos was to establish credibility by serving as reliable testimonials from our customers. We also wanted to champion our partners and showcase their industry thought leadership in their use of this innovative technology.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

ALCHEMYcreative has created a series of more than 10 video testimonials for us. We typically work together to brainstorm the concept, and the team creates a mood board for the set design and flow. Then, we collaborate iteratively on the script-writing process. 

Once we’ve ironed out the concept and script, ALCHEMYcreative films the video on-site and provides hair and makeup services. The team is also responsible for all the post-production aspects, including video editing, audio mixing, and music selection. The final deliverable is a video testimonial that ranges anywhere from 30 seconds to two and a half minutes. 

They’ve also created multiple versions of each video for us to use as creative assets for different mediums, including sizzle reels combining multiple videos into one. We’ve used their video testimonials for branding, lead generation, and social media purposes, as well as new employee onboarding. And of course, our sales team leverages the videos for conversations with both prospects and other current customers. 

What is the team composition?

We have primarily worked with 3–4 team members, including Dan (Senior Producer) and Will (Director). 

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative? 

When I was in my former position, I found ALCHEMYcreative through a referral and reached out to them. We didn’t get to work together then, but kept in touch with them, so I reached back out when the opportunity arose.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $300,000 in the partnership with ALCHEMYcreative.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with ALCHEMYcreative in November 2021 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been pleased with the results ALCHEMYcreative has delivered. Their equipment is top-notch, and the videos are beautiful, powerful, and ultra high-quality. Their interview style made customers feel comfortable during the filming process. The authenticity of the testimonials has also helped us build credibility in the market. 

Additionally, the sizzle reel has really captured users’ attention, which is key for us. When we added the sizzle reel to our home page, we got over 100 complete views in the first 48 hours. We also play the videos as part of our exhibit booth during trade shows, and people have been captivated by them and always stop by to ask questions. They’ve also shared positive feedback regarding the sleek, high-quality look. 

Making this investment was a big investment for us, but it has paid off tenfold, and we’re planning to engage them again. 

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

ALCHEMYcreative has done a great job anchoring us and guiding us in the right direction. They meet deadlines and provide realistic time estimates, which they communicate upfront (including context for why an edit is being delayed), which really helps me answer questions and manage expectations internally. They strike the perfect balance of giving us guard rails and holding us accountable to deadlines, while also providing us with enough creative freedom and flexibility based on our needs. 

The team is very professional and easy to work with. During the filming process, they worked directly with our customers and made them feel comfortable, which was great to see. We typically communicate via email and text, and we meet in person. They send video cuts through Frame.io, which enables real-time collaboration and allows us to leave comments. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with ALCHEMYcreative’s eye for detail and commitment to delivering exactly what we ask for. The video production process has also served as a branding exercise and helped us identify gaps in our guidelines. They’re an honest partner who has pushed back when appropriate. When we started working with them, we didn’t have a fully baked brand, and they shared their ideas respectfully and gave us a lot to consider that has ultimately impacted our brand’s evolution. 

They’ve done a great job capturing the vibe we strived for while also incorporating the look and feel of our brand. We wanted the videos to look refined, and elevated, and feel real, and they’ve delivered. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing ALCHEMYcreative could improve on. Although they’re expensive, they’re totally worth it. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be honest about your branding and open to their ideas to try new things in the context of a video.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior creative producer at Tecovas, a boots and Western apparel company based out of Austin, Texas. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYCreative?

We needed a content partner who could lead our TV production process from pre-production to final product delivery. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ALCHEMYCreative handles the entire production process for a TV commercial to promote a TV show, Yellowstone. They focus on everything from casting and location scouting to the final broadcasting process. At the start of each project, they collaborate with us on the pre-production planning process, which includes developing creative concepts. 

Then, they hire the crew and film the video using their equipment, which is sent into postproduction for edits and a final review. Once we finalize the video, ALCHEMYCreative's team liaisons with the TV studio to get the final video uploaded. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with about four teammates, including Trevor (CEO & Creative Director), Dan (Senior Producer), Cliff (Creative Partnerships), Will (Director of Photography), and Heather (Accounting). 

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYCreative?

Their team reached out to us with a pitch; we had some creative scoping calls before deciding to work together on the commercial.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $150,000–$175,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement began in September 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The commercial has accomplished what we’d hoped it would — the video is very successful. The video has been published on Paramount+, which hosts the TV show. 

ALCHEMYCreative is incredible; their team is well-prepared and provides amazing creative contributions. They take our ideas and run with them while also implementing their own creative ideas. Their team is easy to work with from start to finish. 

How did ALCHEMYCreative perform from a project management standpoint?

ALCHEMYCreative stays on budget and adheres to deadlines. Their team is very upfront about communicating when they need more time to execute our vision. They’re always discussing our needs and how they can serve us. We typically communicate through emails and phone calls. 

We work with them on a project-by-project basis; we recently negotiated fees to renew the commercial spot. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re go-getters — they’re hungry for work and dedicated to the creative. ALCHEMYCreative has a lot of energy and enthusiasm for projects. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers need to have good communication and conversations with ALCHEMYCreative; they’re open to ideas and aren’t hesitant to provide feedback. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive at a design agency. I oversee the development of social media, including content campaigns, advertising, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

We wanted to promote our company's message with a narrative that described this organization, so we needed someone to work with us to turn our vision into a story that we could share with our global design community.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ALCHEMYcreative helped us with video production to continue with a campaign that we had already started. We had a brief that described what we needed to do, which was video content to showcase our narrative. ALCHEMYcreative took this brief and worked with us by coming to our offices to do interviews and all the production for it.

They essentially created the story that would tell the narratives of our company organization through a series of interviews and content production. The material involved incredible amounts of editing work and reviews, and we showcased these video assets across a paid media campaign.

Overall, they were 100% in charge of shooting, editing, storyboarding, casting, etc.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around six members of their team, including editors, photographers, videographers, and project managers.

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?

They were referred to us among 15 other providers. We put out the brief, and ALCHEMYcreative came in as the strongest regarding how much they understood our goals and how much homework they did on who we were and what we wanted.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2020–March 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received positive reactions both internally and externally. Our organization’s leaders also praised the campaign's great representation of this narrative that we tried to portray to our global community. Overall, we got a very positive reaction, and I think that hiring them again for this second project is a strong signal that our experience is positive.

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very organized and vocal communicators that presented timelines well. In addition, many big changes happened as we were developing this campaign for our company, so it was really helpful to receive their guidance and their ability to pivot and iterate — it was just a great group of people to work with. In terms of tools, we used email, chat, and video meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The high-quality level of work they produce is impressive. In addition, they understood our goal and our vision, and I think that's a really important thing that other providers can easily miss.

Also, they always made us feel like we were in good hands and were always willing to adapt and be flexible with us. As I said before, we had a big company change in the middle of the project, and they jumped in quickly to take care of our challenges.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think there's anything they can improve on; I think what was hard about this project is that we had a lot of stakeholders, and a lot of people had to look at the content and review it. Because of this, there were so many changes requests from our side, and they were very amenable to all of it.

I really wouldn't change anything about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Having a strong organization makes the work easier for everyone. Creating a consensus or an understanding of the timeline and how the work will be delivered and when is important, so make sure there's an agreement on everything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I run the Customer Success Group (CSG) brand marketing team at Salesforce. Our goal is to elevate the CSG brand, both internally and externally, to build trust in the idea that Salesforce experts are key partners in driving every customer's success.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Alchemy's video team to produce a short "sizzle" film for our annual company kickoff event. We wanted to use the video to celebrate our wins from the past year and drum up excitement for the future of CSG. We especially wanted to highlight our people, and solicited user-sourced photos and videos from across the org to add into the film. We received direction from leadership just 3 weeks before the event that they wanted a film, and had to quickly execute.

SOLUTION

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

Our creative team has long worked with Alchemy and recommended them as the right people to turn around a high visibility project on an accelerated timeline.

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

We started with a kickoff meeting to review the previous year's sizzle video (which had been produced by our internal team). Alchemy drafted a new script, which we went through several revs on together. We sourced user content (photos, videos) and business stats to highlight. Alchemy leveraged the Salesforce DAM system to leverage existing graphics and created new ones where there were gaps. In the last week and a half, we had meetings every other day to review progress and share feedback from exec stakeholders.

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

We primarily worked with Senior Producer Dan. His team worked on scripting and video revisions and we met with them frequently given the short timeline. We provided feedback through a combination of comments in the script and on the video, and verbal feedback in our check-ins. Dan's team actioned quickly and produced 3 or 4 revisions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This video was meant to celebrate our employees and bring up the energy in a room full of executives prior to our President of Customer Success delivering a session – and it achieved that. Our President called it “an extraordinarily exciting film" when he walked on stage right after – and our CEO was spotted tapping his toe to the music and dancing along as he watched from the crowd. We had requests from multiple chiefs of staff to reuse the video in team-specific kickoffs following the main event, and are also able to use it in other high profile events throughout the year.

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

The video production team had excellent communication and project management. They responded quickly to every request and actioned quickly on our multiple rounds of stakeholder feedback.

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

Their Salesforce knowledge! Here's a piece of feedback from a senior director: "This agency is on fire and they “get” Salesforce." Huge praise to the team for embedding themselves in the Salesforce brand!

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

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Velocity Global provides an intuitive and safe platform where employers and talent connect. The platform consists of our proprietary technology, global infrastructure in more than 185 countries, and various workforce solutions. At Velocity Global, I lead the product marketing team where we mine deep customer insights, build go-to-market strategies and shepherd our product solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired ALCHEMYcreative to produce a short sizzle video for our cloud-based technology. Our goals were to introduce and generate excitement around our new technology while grounding it in customer need and value extended.

SOLUTION

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

After interviewing several video production companies, we selected ALCHEMYcreative because of their extensive and impressive animated video portfolio - particularly for SaaS companies. Another reason was their clear articulation of their creative process and their excitement to collaborate with our in-house creative team.

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

The final deliverable consisted of a 1-minute animated video that included shots of our live platform. ALCHEMYcreative was able to frame the problem encountered by our users and position our technology as the solution.

We had an account manager who I worked with primarily on the administrative and financial details. I then worked closely with our lead project manager who first kicked off our project, elicited a thoughtful creative brief from our team, used that to create initial storyboards and illustrations, and then moved to animation after Velocity Global review.

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

We worked with our principal project manager and the feedback process was smooth at each step. The process was frictionless because in our kickoff meeting, we aligned and adhered to the agreement that Velocity Global would ensure all decision-makers would get their full and complete feedback submitted during the official review sprints. In this way, we stuck to the timelines and were able to move in lock-step with the creative brief.

In terms of actual feedback, there was the right amount of challenge from the ALCHEMYcreative team with solid reasoning for some of our thoughts. We wanted a video partner who would feel free and confident enough to push back as needed and use their expertise to help guide us in the right direction.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This video was used in multiple tradeshows, embedded on our technology page, and shared internally to elicit excitement. The video currently has the highest number of views of any video previously produced by Velocity Global.

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

Frequent and thorough communication is the hallmark of ALCHEMYcreative. You're never left wondering whether your project is still on track or whether your question was seen. They used common review tools in which we connected such as Frame.io and email communication was frequent.

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

Though the concept of what Velocity Global offers is a seemingly easy one, it may be more difficult to digest and share visually. We were impressed with their ability to understand what we do, simplify it, and elevate it visually - all at the same time. I've worked with a number of video production agencies within the CPG world and retail and ALCHEMYcreative is unique in its ability to do this.

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

No, there's nothing I would have wanted them to do differently.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an executive producer at Adobe. We create software for creatives, artists, and marketers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

ALCHEMYcreative is one of our regular vendor partners to produce multiple types of video.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ALCHEMYcreative has worked on a variety of video projects with us, such as screen capture animation, how-to guides, customer profiles, short documentaries, and product videos.

In each collaboration, a group of stakeholders comes to us with a problem and a budget. We then figure out internally what type of video would tell this story best. After that, we’ll talk to Trevor (CEO / Creative Director, ALCHEMYcreative) to bring one of ALCHEMYcreative’s producers onboard, like Laura (Executive Producer, ALCHEMYcreative) or Will (Director of Photography, ALCHEMYcreative). 

We tend to do the concept and script writing in-house. However, ALCHEMYcreative has such a wonderful vision and style that we’re always happy to collaborate with them and hear their thoughts. They can put together cell frames or determine the look and feel of the video, depending on our scope and needs. They also help lead shoots and bring a high level of knowledge about every product and how they work. Because we’ve been working with Trevor and his team for so long, they know our brand and aesthetic intimately and work well with us.

What is the team composition?

Trevor is always our first point of contact. Laura tends to join our conversations on scheduling, budgets, estimates, location releases, model releases, and the overall statement of work. We bring in Will for our creative needs.

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?

I’m not sure how long ALCHEMYcreative and Adobe have been working together. They were already a partner vendor when I started working here as a producer.

Whenever I needed to do a project, I would go to my boss who would then show me reels and websites from different vendors. I really liked ALCHEMYcreative’s style, and my boss agreed that they would be a good fit for this first project. Since then, they’ve been one of my favorite vendors to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

For my projects, we’ve spent at least $500,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with ALCHEMYcreative in early 2014, and the partnership is ongoing.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ALCHEMYcreative consistently delivers beautiful videos. They have a really high production value and a beautiful, cinematic aesthetic. They can elevate corporate video to a whole new level. The team also regularly tests new gear and wants to talk about different looks or more creative methods. Their willingness to innovate makes for a great collaboration.

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

My side serves as the project management liaison between the stakeholder and the vendor. We protect our vendors from our stakeholders by delivering any feedback or directions in a clear, concise manner. The hope is to make ALCHEMYcreative’s job easier. 

However, ALCHEMYcreative does a great job at project management from my point of view. Since they’re a small company, we have a lot of personal conversations and have everyone pitching in to help each other. When we’re on location and ALCHEMYcreative doesn’t have a producer on-site, I step in. I always feel like I’m in good hands with them.

We communicate via email, texts, and phone calls. Trevor and I talk on the phone a lot.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Trevor is fantastic. He’s a kind, highly creative, and technically proficient person and a pleasure to work with. He works incredibly hard, understands our products, comes up with great ideas, and always wants to push boundaries. He’s just a wonderful filmmaker.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Whenever Trevor isn’t available and we have to use another director, the project tends to fall apart. We don’t get as much of a high touch with people other than Trevor. ALCHEMYcreative really needs four Trevors, or to hire directors that can do work to the same quality as Trevor. That’s not realistic all the time, but that’s just my constructive feedback.

I’d also add that ALCHEMYcreative tends to have a high bid, higher than what we’re used to or what we can typically afford. I’m happy to negotiate from there because I believe they’re worth every penny, but I think other people don’t want to have those conversations. Their initial prices might cause some people to walk away.

Any advice for potential customers?

Talk to Trevor — you’ll be in good hands with him.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director of a data storage company. We provide software and hardware data storage products to large enterprises.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

We wanted to tell compelling video stories about our customers and their success with overcoming their challenges by using our products. I was looking for a fresh, inspiring way that put the customer first and differed from the usual approach to customer storytelling. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ALCHEMYcreative is our support partner for creating customer testimonial videos. Their team has a professional approach that lets our customers feel like an extension of our team and produces a beautiful, sophisticated video that checks all our boxes.

We needed a partner that can jump in quickly, take directions, and execute each task without a lot of handholding. ALCHEMYcreative is highly organized and has strong preproduction and postproduction processes. They anticipate our needs and can reach out to different people in my company if they need answers that I can’t provide. I appreciate ALCHEMYcreative’s independence and willingness to be flexible.

For location shoots, ALCHEMYcreative consistently provides a full production crew, whether they fly in talent or work with crews in the area. That way, we can always ensure that our client’s story is going to turn out beautifully. ALCHEMYcreative is also fantastic at connecting with our clients. In one case, a client told us throughout the preproduction process that we wouldn’t be able to access specific areas for the shoot. On the day of the shoot, however, ALCHEMYcreative negotiated with the client and won access to areas we didn’t know we could ask for. As a result, we could tell a much richer and deeper story.

What is the team composition?

Whenever ALCHEMYcreative provides us with a large group of people, they also give us a central point of contact. Generally, we always with Laura (Executive Producer, ALCHEMYcreative), Bryce (Director, ALCHEMYcreative), and Cliff (Creative Partnerships, ALCHEMYcreative), who manages our account. Cliff always keeps in touch and asks if we need help with any tasks. It’s helpful for us to have a consistent base of people that I can rely on.

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?

I was looking for production companies in the Bay Area—specifically for companies that were considered the latest and greatest. I came across ALCHEMYcreative and found that their portfolio resonated with me and with our brand. Their work was also incredibly consistent, which I admired. When I reached out to them to talk, it was a great fit as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in January 2018 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients are blown away with ALCHEMYcreative’s work. Whenever we get feedback, we’ve only had to make minor changes that we didn’t anticipate—it never has anything to do with the storytelling or quality. That alone is a testament to ALCHEMYcreative’s intuition and ability to take direction from our clients.

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

ALCHEMYcreative is on top of everything. Even when my end is out of control and I can only give their team 30 days notice on a project, I know that their plan is going to be secure and watertight. We communicate mostly over the phone and email. We have meetings on an as-needed basis. When deadlines get closer, we perform weekly syncs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

ALCHEMYcreative doesn’t have an ego. They’re more interested in doing what’s right for us and the client. Their positive attitude makes their team a pleasure to work with. I also appreciate that ALCHEMYcreative defends its boundaries whenever we or try to push them. They’re very clear and upfront about their time and budget constraints, and it makes for a more transparent and beneficial relationship for all parties involved.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. The only time we don’t use their team for projects is when the project has budget constraints.

Any advice for potential customers?

When working with any company like ALCHEMYcreative, you need to set your goals and flesh out your plan. Understand the story and its purpose so that their team can tap into that in their work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the VP of professional and product marketing with Advance Auto Parts, based in Raleigh, North Carolina. We have various banners like Carquest Auto Parts, Autopart International and WORLDPAC.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

Using digital technology to provide a seamless engagement with our customers, the B2B side of our company was developing very quickly. We wanted to show how these changes make it easier for our customers to do business with us and how this was enabled through the expertise and value propositions from our varying banners.

Still, we needed to present a united message and strategy over all of our platforms.  It was important to us that the video resonated with internal people, but also could be used to reach out to strategic customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ALCHEMYcreative developed a short video.  They also did some still photography to capture the essence of our professional customers and articulate key parts of our transformation.

Before beginning the work, they asked smart questions and came back to us with relevant ideas. They visited several of our customers and stores in an unobtrusive way to create strategies for the video. They incorporated our feedback and went through rounds of proofing to add our insight. From there, they shot all the footage for us and put together the final video.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of four people, including the director and the producer.

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?

We saw another video that they had worked on, and it was professional and inspiring. We tried something similar with our in-house team, but that project stalled. We reached out to ALCHEMYcreative because we really wanted the same emotional impact that was in the video they made for another company.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $400,000—$500,000 with them. We did go over our budget, but it was because of the changes that we needed to make. In comparison, a previous partner was more expensive and wasn’t able to deliver the same value that we received from ALCHEMYcreative.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2018—January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We showed the video at a company-wide meeting, and it created a tremendous amount of excitement within our organization and with the board of directors. The video clearly showcases the breadth of the work we’ve done and how it will impact the future of our business. Despite the fact that the video was about an auto parts company, it was emotional and people were clearly moved.

We also used the video to leverage customers, who have all been amazed by the film. Now they see us as a company that is modern, technologically-based and is reflective of the vehicles that are on the road today. The video demonstrates the level of expertise that we have and the technology that we have available, indicating that we are ready for the future.

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

They were some of the best project managers that I’ve worked with. We primarily spoke through phone, email, and texts. They outlined realistic timelines, and never missed a deadline. Even when we presented them with a last-minute request from our EVP, they shot additional footage. Additionally, they showed initiative throughout the project.

Their team was very engaged with us, and they asked a lot of questions during their process. It was clear that they absorbed a lot of what we said and understood our business and customers. While they focused on the specific things that we asked for, they brought their own ideas to the table, and kept in mind how something would impact the mission of the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciated that they were down to earth despite their creative talent. Although they listened to our input, they were innovative and were able to create a fantastic product.  We were lucky to connect with them. They’re really good at what they do and obviously are very passionate.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I do not think I can come up with anything for them to improve on. ]I speak not just for myself, but for the whole team when I say that we were really happy to work with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open and listen to their perspective. They can take the vision you have and expand it with their ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at a digital workflows cloud provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ALCHEMYcreative?

We needed to up-level our customer testimonial videos, which have traditionally been talking-head footage. Another challenge is that we needed to condense our testimonials, tell a great story, and convey the business outcome that our customers achieved in just ninety seconds. My company wanted to hire a creative agency that had expertise in high-quality storytelling.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ALCEHMYcreative is our vendor of choice for producing customer story videos, and they’ve delivered several videos. When we begin a new video project, my team provides ALCHEMYcreative with customer background information, i.e. what their problem or challenge was, how they solved that problem, and what business outcome they achieved. We either deliver that information in a 2–3-page written story on the customer, or ALCHEMYcreative joins us on customer phone calls.

When it’s time to film the video, ALCHEMYcreative’s team travels with ours to the filming location. We’ve shot videos all over the world, including England, Australia, Japan, and Switzerland. They help us scout the filming site, interview customers, and shoot B-roll footage. They oversee filming and casting, post-production, and delivery.

What is the team composition?

We always work with the same producer, director, and director of photography. At each shoot, ALCHEMYcreative organizes a local crew of 10–12 people.

How did you come to work with ALCHEMYcreative?

We went through an RFP process and invited 8–10 agencies to our office to pitch. ALCHEMYcreative was within our top three choices and, after looking at the videos they’d produced, we knew they were the company that could help us take our videos to the next level.   

How much have you invested with them?

My company’s spending is in the $1 million range.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in July 2018, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our customers—large enterprise, often Fortune 100 companies—have been tremendously happy with the outcome of the videos. Our internal executive staff is also very pleased with the videos, which have garnered many views. The videos have been extremely helpful to our sales organization, since they’re essentially a sales enablement tool.

How did ALCHEMYcreative perform from a project management standpoint?

When we ask customers to participate in these videos, we’re essentially asking them to do us a favor, and ALCHEMYcreative always makes sure the process is well-planned so that it’s as easy as possible for our customers. ALCHEMYcreative is adaptive and agile. The team has the ability to strategize in a very short amount of time and execute at an exceptional level.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Nothing seems to be a challenge for ALCHEMYcreative; they always find a solution to any obstacle that comes our way. They’re willing to travel all over the world and even do multiple video shoots back-to-back.

ALCHEMYcreative is also great at reading customers and understanding how much information they’re willing, or not willing, to share. They make customers feel comfortable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have anything for them to improve upon at this point.

Any advice for potential customers?

You should be as collaborative as possible. Provide them with information and set your expectations; the more information they have, the better outcome you’ll receive.