Arcane

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director of communications and marketing for the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO). CAO is dedicated to collaboratively advancing the highest standard of primary eye care through the promotion of optimal eye health and vision care.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Arcane?

We needed them to develop an eye health and vision care campaign aimed at encouraging Canadians to see their optometrist.

What were your goals for this project?

We had always used traditional media campaigns in the past, such as trying to place stories in papers, developing collateral for our optometrist members to use, and PR events. We had no way of measuring actual success short of the catch-all "impressions". We wanted something that could reach our target group of women, aged 35-55, who are primarily responsible for health care in families. We also wanted to encourage more engagement and more substantively measure our reach.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We issued a select RFP to four different groups. Arcane was included primarily because of familiarity with the work of one of the principals at the firm.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After consultations with our team, they developed an overall digital strategy, including creative concepts for execution on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. They conducted a media buy and did all the tracking and reporting.

What was the team composition?

I worked primarily with the account director, who brought in other members of the team, including a creative director, a senior manager, and a junior associate, as required. My role was liaising with their team to provide guidance on creative, help distribute assets that they could also use, and provide feedback from our membership to better inform future iterations of the campaign.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our brand awareness increased in 2018 over 2017, and we fully expect that to increase again in 2019, given that by the end of last year, we had experienced brand lift. They delivered engaging collateral with tongue-in-cheek humor.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They had an extremely effective workflow. At the outset of each wave of the campaign, there would be a presentation of the creative concepts and the schedule. These meetings were conducted using Arcane's own VPN. We primarily communicate through email, and they always respond within a day. We sometimes hold phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their creativity is amazing, but their ability to capture and understand our market, including all of our opportunities and challenges, stood out. The learning curve was impressively fast. I’ve also found them far more responsive than virtually any other agency I have ever worked with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can’t think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and communications manager for Lunapads. We create reusable menstrual care products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Arcane?

We hired Arcane to support our online advertising efforts. As most of our revenue comes through our e-commerce business, we needed to have a better approach to digital marketing and we didn’t have the in-house resources.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Arcane provides a range of services to support our online marketing efforts. They help us create a strategy and follow it. They manage our Facebook ads and Google Ads efforts. Their team creates and provides designs, creative, and copy for our advertisements.

What is the team composition?

Arcane supplies a dedicated team led by account managers. We work with their search engine and social media marketing specialists and the design group led by their art director. We also receive technical support for the backend of our site.

How did you come to work with Arcane?

We received an email from Arcane after they saw our CEO’s presentation at a conference. I initially rebuffed their outreach because I thought it would be too expensive for our needs, but they showed a willingness to meet us where we were. Their ability to be down-to-earth and take the sales process slowly is what set them apart from other vendors. We’re also an actively intersectional, feminist organization and we could tell their values aligned with our mission.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $75,000, so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been hitting the aggressive growth goals we set since we began working with Arcane. Across all channels, we see a 40%–50% growth and their team has contributed to a significant amount of that. Just by having them on board, our processes perform and convert more effectively.

How did Arcane perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re exceptional project managers. They are always focused and available to our team. For example, we had a major incident in which a bug mistakenly deleted one of our ad accounts, and they worked tirelessly to fix the problem after-hours. We receive supportive communication, and their team delivers work as promised.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re an incredibly humble, down-to-earth team that reflects the culture of our organization. Arcane continues to meet us where we’re comfortable being. We appreciate the practicality, pragmatism, and humility they bring to the project. They’re also trustworthy and talented. Their incredible team has qualities that are rare to find in an agency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although we’re not on the same page 100% of the time, we’re growing together as we move along in the project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent to help Arcane see the bigger picture of your business goals. Sharing the most information with their team allows them to give better advice and create a strategy. Once you’re working with them, celebrate the fact that you have a strong partner for your project.