Blackcoffee®

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the managing partner of an association management firm based in Boston.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blackcoffee®?

We hired Blackcoffee to assist in rebranding one of our association clients.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a modern, easily recognizable position for this global association of professional advisors to multi-generational companies.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked with Blackcoffee on a similar project in 2011 and 2012 and were pleased with their work at that time, so decided to re-engage them in 2016.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

To look at the multiple initiatives of this organization, e.g., educational services, publications, membership benefits, conferences and increased public awareness and come up with enhanced positioning based on the work done in 2011-2012.

What was the team composition?

The two principals of Blackcoffee were involved throughout the project which lasted for about six months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This was not a metric driven process. It included a revision of the logo, which emphasized the abbreviated name of the group and was more recognizable that the original, longer version.

This revision and the accompanying tag line were easily used by the various elements of the organization at the same time keeping a consistent brand look and description. The results were well-received, and the change was seamlessly instituted.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We worked well together, clarifying the goals and objectives, which morphed a bit in the process, and keeping to the deadlines which were critical and relatively short.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I like their thoughtful approach and their ability to position an organization within its industry sector while drawing on ideas and thinking from a broader set of their client base. We especially liked their ability to debate various approaches and topics, holding their own professional position, but not forcing us into a cookie-cutter approach.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their latest work with my client was essentially an extension of the earlier work, so there was nothing that stands out as needing improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the pitmaster and owner of The Smoke Shop BBQ, a multi-unit barbecue restaurant.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blackcoffee®?

My partner and I needed help with branding our restaurant before it opened.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blackcoffee® started with naming our company. We wanted something memorable and promotable that spoke to our identity. Blackcoffee® ran us through a neat process to distill who we are in a name. They also created a sheet that gave us brand guidelines, defining who we are and what we’re not. 

In addition, Blackcoffee® created deliverables like our logo, our menu and its layout, our tee-shirts, the tape for our to-go boxes, and the door handle to our restaurant. They paid a great deal of attention to every detail, both large and small.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Mark and Laura (Founders & Brand Expressionists, Blackcoffee®). 

How did you come to work with Blackcoffee®?

I networked with them years ago. A friend of mine who owns a successful store and a strong brand used Blackcoffee® and recommended them to me. I had a small project with their team at the time, but I always wanted to work on a bigger project with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from another September 2015 until June 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While I don’t have any metrics, we went from being an unknown restaurant to being the highest rated barbecue place in Boston. And part of that success comes the brand that Blackcoffee® built for us.

How did Blackcoffee® perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job. I tended to want everything now, and they managed my expectations very well. I was always clear about how long things should take. We communicated over the phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Blackcoffee® could take my ideas—everything from our logo to our vibe—and put them on paper perfectly. We related to each other as creatives. It was like they took my tunes and turned them into music. I also appreciated that after the contract ended, Blackcoffee® stuck around for touch-ups and questions that we had.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven’t worked with other branding agencies before, so I can’t speak to how their process could improve. We had a really fun time working with Blackcoffee®.

Any advice for potential customers?

Use Blackcoffee®. They’re good listeners and executors. We had a great experience with their team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of True Tickets, a secure digital ticket delivery service. We’re a B2B ticket service that works with ticketing platforms to create a more secure experience for users.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blackcoffee?

The ticket industry is a competitive space. We wanted to differentiate ourselves from a messaging and branding standpoint. As a startup, it’s challenging to understand what you want to say, how you are saying it, and how it will be received. We needed to refine our value proposition. This new messaging would resonate and connect with customers, potential partners, and investors in the right and optimal way for us. We felt we were 70% of the way there, but we needed help on honing, aligning, and polishing our messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us find our voice in a succinct way. Through an interview process with clients and customers, they were able to hone in on our value proposition based on what they heard and then communicate that. We’ve always struggled to develop a clear value proposition—they helped focus on the idea that we provide our clients control to manage their experience.

They provided a distinct brand architecture through changing the color palette and assessing our logo design. They also did a full assessment of our company’s name. We also worked on a website refresh to make our product more accessible. It wasn’t a full rebranding process because they recognized there was some brand equity in what we’ve done. They provided us with a broad brand strategy to improve what we had.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three members of their team: Mark (Brand Expressionist, Blackcoffee), Laura (Brand Expressionist, Blackcoffee), and Alex (Advisor, Blackcoffee).

How did you come to work with Blackcoffee?

They were referred to us. We had talked to a couple of other organizations, but we connected well with Blackcoffee from a personability standpoint.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The work began in March 2019 and we are still actively working with them. We initially met with them in January.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we’ve modified how we pitch our company and the value proposition, we’ve been able to communicate and connect with people in the right way. With the website redesign, we can now direct potential investors, employees, and clients to the website because it clarifies what we do and how we do it. Once we changed our messaging based on their feedback, we saw immediate understanding from the people we were talking to. This is one of those spaces where you really want to see the value in less than 60 seconds to get excited about it.

We’re an early-stage startup, so there’s not much we can give quantitatively.  

How did Blackcoffee perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. I’ve been very happy with their management. They’re really friends of our company. I always enjoy talking to them. I think they’re incredibly personable and professional people.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a small, dedicated, and versatile team. Other providers wanted to have a team of six or seven with part-time specialists. With Blackcoffee, you get a broad set of skill sets and capabilities, but they’re able to move more efficiently because they’re a small team and there’s less churn.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing stands out for me. I’m really pleased with what they’ve done.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should be flexible, ready to listen, and open. You can have a preconceived notion of what needs to be done and what you want to get out of it, but I think the more open you are, the more you can get out of it. Don’t come with a full idea of the end result. The more open you are, the better.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a startup in the enterprise security space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blackcoffee®?

We are primarily an engineering and technology startup, so we needed a marketing department to help establish ourselves in the space through branding, naming, and other marketing efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blackcoffee® handled the overall branding and positioning strategy. They created a logo, a company name, and a company identity. Mark (Founder, Blackcoffee®) and other team members did their own independent research around the space. They tried to understand our value proposition from a variety of different perspectives before consolidating it into a collaborative process and creating a deliverable.

After launch, we’ll move into the next couple of stages of engagement with them, which will focus on product positioning and branding.

What is the team composition?

Mark and Laura (Brand Expressionist, Blackcoffee®) are the two principal team members. They are interchangeable in their roles, but Mark runs the project for the most part. It is a team effort with those two and our team.

How did you come to work with Blackcoffee®?

Someone on our staff screened several players in the space in the Boston metro area. After an additional interview, we landed on Blackcoffee®. I have experience in screening firms, and I thought they had a good sense of our culture.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested over $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in 2019 and is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback from our customers about the new name and positioning has been quite favorable. They’ve done an excellent job creating a name that reflects what our company does. Their work establishes us as a leader in our space.

How did Blackcoffee® perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve performed remarkably well. Usually, when we’ve put very creative people together in an engineering, program management-oriented culture, it’s been hard to get on-time deliverables, but they handled it well.  We’ve had in-person meetings and exchange a lot of our materials digitally. We share screens quite often to work on content. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their insight and methodology they used to acquire domain knowledge are impressive. That methodology quickly allows them to converge on a solution for naming and branding, rather than simply presenting a range of options. This shows that they do a significant amount of research before arriving at a final option. This is unique because many firms put that choice on the customer. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think if our firm becomes larger, we could potentially run into scaling problems.. Their small team could limit how many projects they can actively take.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should describe the business with as many facets as you can from the start. They have the ability to absorb it as opposed to having a single source give one perspective. I think the more input they get the more productive they are.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

At the time of the project, I was the CEO and chairman of the board of a small community bank.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blackcoffee®?

The new management team inherited some financial issues which they were addressing and wanted to improve the companies public image within the community. We also wanted to rename the company to set us apart from other local banks.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blackcoffee® helped us rebrand our company with a new name, logo, and messaging. We went through a fairly extensive process of learning what the community and employees thought about our bank. The public’s perception was eventually used to develop our strategic identity plan, which entailed modernizing our brand and setting our company up for growth; the new name removed our geographic identifiers, and the new logo used untraditional colors and fonts. They also prepared a complete guide so that our marketing team could easily incorporate a consistent voice in all of our future messaging.

What is the team composition?

Three or four people were working at their company at the time. We mostly interacted with the two principals.

How did you come to work with Blackcoffee®?

We interviewed several marketing and advertising companies but became drawn to Blackcoffee® due to their size and niche focus. We felt more comfortable working with a small business where the executives were hands-on, as opposed to working with a large firm where our project was handed off to a lower-level project manager after the sales pitch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$125,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

They started working on the project in February 2012, and they wrapped everything up in December 2012. It was a lengthy process because we had to go through a lot of internal review from our board members.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The brand strategy that Blackcoffee® developed had a lasting effect on our business. Our image shifted from being traditional and insignificant to modern and forward-thinking. The new logo was well-received by the public. Younger clientele joined the bank at increasing rates after debuting our more contemporary look. We also incorporated their brand strategy into our advertising, which humanized our banking process.

How did Blackcoffee® perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team was extraordinarily programmatic. They outlined their process at the very beginning and kept pace on the timeline throughout the engagement. I initially balked at the year-long timeframe, but it turned out to be accurate due to the long-winded approval process on our end. We used an online tool to communicate and track their progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As a small firm, Blackcoffee® was able to give our project the attention that it needed to be successful. With frequent communication and genuine concern for our goals, they quickly became a part of our team. They always listened to us and never pushed back when our preferences conflicted with their own.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were up front with the timeline and the date the project would be completed. I feel the whole process as an organization could have moved faster. This includes our internal process as well. It’s not a negative reflection on Black Coffee. As a CEO, I always want things to move fast with little or no cost.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice to other potential customers who are rebranding is to understand that the process is lengthy to get it right the first time and it's better to spend the money upfront for the right advice versus having to revisit a costly project in a few years. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the CEO of Arigo, a company that provided a legacy platform for private label and supply chain processing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blackcoffee®?

I’d just recently been hired as an initiative to get the company back out on the marketplace. We needed an entire rebrand to create a fresh look for the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We explained our concern with refreshing the brand and getting it back into the marketplace, and Blackcoffee® provided the idea we eventually went with. They suggested we create a video of me talking about our new company and then sending that video out on new iPads to the top 15–20 prospective clients as a way to reintroduce ourselves.

They brought in the video production team and made sure the video was uploaded to the iPads so that the recipients would see it when they turned it on. The video was about 3–5 minutes, explaining how we weren’t the old legacy brand anymore and introducing the new management team and brand image. Blackcoffee® ran the project from beginning to end, and they also helped design a new logo and create all of our new messaging.

What is the team composition?

We had two main points of contact.

How did you come to work with Blackcoffee®?

They came highly recommended, so we interviewed them and a few other firms. Blackcoffee® was the most creative and innovative, so we hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership lasted from April–July 2010.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We sent iPads out to 15–20 prospective clients and got a response back from almost every single one. The initiative had the desired effect, and I’d love to work with Blackcoffee® again.

How did Blackcoffee® perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was great. We mainly communicated via email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We presented our problem, and they came back with an outrageous but innovative idea that worked incredibly well. We were a small company compared to the other clients that Blackcoffee® had, but we always felt like their most important customer. I’ve yet to experience the same level of creative innovation that Blackcoffee® provided.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I had a great professional experience with them. They exceeded all of our expectations.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If you’re looking for creativity and innovation, you’ll be hard pressed to find someone better than Blackcoffee®.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of MaidPro. We’re a residential cleaning franchisor with over 200 local affiliates throughout the US and Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blackcoffee?

We reached out to Blackcoffee because we needed a partner to help us rethink our brand strategy and better understand our customers. We also wanted to update our logos and designs, which were 15 years old at the time. Our end goal was to reposition ourselves in what is typically a saturated market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started the partnership by conducting in-depth research with internal and external stakeholders. They spoke with franchisees, cleaning staff, members of my team, and some of our customers. Once they felt like they had a detailed understanding of our organization, they reached out to and studied some of our competitors. Their team analyzed the branding of similar firms to identify ways for us to stand out.

After completing their initial research, they came to us with information from our stakeholders and ideas for logos and designs. We went back and forth with the concepts they offered, and they gathered feedback from clients about their work. The project culminated with a launch presentation where we revealed our new logo and designs.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with Mark and Laura (Brand Expressionists, Blackcoffee) and they did the majority of the work.

How did you come to work with Blackcoffee?

I was looking for a company in Boston that had experience with branding. While reading reviews and talking to agencies that didn’t do branding themselves, Blackcoffee came up multiple times. I reached out to them, and, after a number of meetings, it became clear that they were capable of doing the job and meeting our needs.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in September 2011 and finished in February 2012.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mark gave an incredibly well-received launch presentation, and we received immediate positive feedback from our franchisees and customers. After introducing the new designs, we started to see more responses from potential customers. Our cost per lead went down, and we saw our conversion rates increase in many of our marketing segments. Additionally, our closing ratio rose by about 10%–15%. We believe this was a result of our new logo giving people confidence in our brand.

How did Blackcoffee perform from a project management standpoint?

Because we were dealing with a small team and were interfacing directly with their leadership, the project management was near flawless. The process wasn’t linear, but the execution was fantastic.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I enjoyed working with people who were experienced and knowledgeable. Sometimes, especially with larger agencies, new clients are assigned to work with junior team members, because senior partners are usually spread thin across multiple projects. This wasn’t the case with Blackcoffee, and I was able to take advantage of Mark and Laura’s expertise.

I appreciate their support, not only in designing everything, but also in their being present throughout the launch and delivery. We’re still impressed by the timeless and modern look of the designs they produced. I’m convinced that our logo is the best in our industry.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't identify any areas for improvement. This was one of the best vendor relationships I’ve had. Mark and Laura were thoughtful and easygoing from the first day we spoke.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open and honest about challenges and listen to their recommendations. Sometimes, it can be difficult to hear an honest evaluation of your company and brand, but it’s important to trust their insight. They can see things that most entrepreneurs and business owners won’t.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the CEO of Openbridge, which is a data integration SaaS platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blackcoffee®? 

As a technology company dealing with data, we struggle with trying to define branding that connects with consumers. We needed a partner to help us distill technical terms down into terms that are relatable to decision makers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

The scope for Blackcoffee® is primarily around strategy. They’re helping us with messaging, and they provide feedback and direction on the creative perspective as well. The deliverables to date are documentation for the brand strategy, positioning, and messaging process. 

What is the team composition? 

We work with both Mark and Laura (Co-founders & Brand Expressionists, Blackcoffee®), but most interactions are with Mark.

How did you come to work with Blackcoffee®? 

We’d heard about them and were connected to them through referrals. 

How much have you invested with them?

The budget forecast for this year is above $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement? 

Preliminary discussions were held in December 2018. Work began in January 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven't launched yet but we expect that to happen in the next month or two. Their direction, feedback, and challenging of our thought processes has been critical for us. 

How did Blackcoffee® perform from a project management standpoint? 

So far they've been fantastic. They’re always on top of everything, certainly more than we were throughout the process. Typically we'll exchange ideas electronically. We had a face-to-face kickoff and brainstorming session. We use a lot of digital communications such as video conference calls and text messages. We've gone back and forth on a few different modes of communication, but they’re quite flexible. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

I appreciate how Blackcoffee® gets us thinking about our brand positioning, messaging, and the overall value proposition. They really challenge us to think differently about how we communicate. That mental shift has been important for us. Their approach turns the prism in a way that allows us to break through in a complex, technical space. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, I don't have any areas of improvement. We're absorbing everything that they're providing us. I think they're doing a great job. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Have an open mind and be willing to challenge your assumptions and norms.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the owner of Tahaza Hummus Kitchen, a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant. We opened in 2015, and we're in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blackcoffee®?

Before opening the restaurant, we needed help with building all aspects of our brand. After hiring a restaurant consultant, we knew we needed someone with branding experience to develop our name, logo, and other materials.

What were your goals for this project?

I wanted all aspects of the brand to match my vision of a healthy, clean, welcoming restaurant. Ultimately, I wanted a cohesive brand between the name, space, online appearance, and staff.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

My restaurant consultant recommended a short list of branding firms, and after interviewing and receiving proposals from three, I knew Blackcoffee was the right option. Right away, it was clear that their energy and passion for my project was higher than the other agencies; I knew they were the perfect fit.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Blackcoffee was responsible for developing all aspects of the brand identity. Together, we defined my idea for success and articulated the goals for the project. From there, they developed the name, logo, color scheme, keywords, phrasing, graphic design, and appearance for our food packaging and menus. They also helped with tasks outside of branding, including participating in taste tests, touring the space, and helping with the photo shoot. Additionally, we hired them to create our website after seeing their effectiveness with the previous work.

What was the team composition?

I worked with the two founders and brand expressionists, Mark and Laura. They would occasionally bring other members on board for website creation or other tasks, but I primarily communicated with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Aside from how happy I am with the work they delivered, the restaurant was immediately successful, thanks to their assistance. We still have the same core principles and look that we developed before opening, and I credit Blackcoffee for that. Additionally, I love the name they helped us create more every day.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Even today, after completing the project, I can call them and still feel like a priority. Blackcoffee was very much a part of our team; they involved themselves in the entire process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

From the beginning of the project, they understood exactly what I was trying to create and we were always on the same page. This helped us make decisions together later on in the process, which was the most important part, ultimately. I’ve continued to hire them for multiple projects because of this success.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and CEO of a B2B travel technology business, providing the technology that sits behind travel websites to process bookings. We’re specifically in the rail space, figuring out how to incorporate train bookings on major travel websites.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blackcoffee?

As a startup, we needed help to create a mission statement and a brand strategy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Blackcoffee to help us with our first branding campaign. It was multifaceted, including strategy and definition around our mission and vision statements. They were part of the early stage of the company, and really helped develop the entire persona.

They also provided the web design in terms of look and feel, logos, and colors. They went through an extensive process to design a logo that reflects the history of rail travel, while bringing it into the modern day and age.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Mark and Laura (Brand Expressionists at Blackcoffee).

How did you come to work with Blackcoffee?

My co-founder introduced me; he’d heard of them through word of mouth.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together May 2012–2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We held the number one position in our space, and sold the company for a lot of money. That tells me that they did a very good job creating the brand. I can vouch for their capabilities around startup and early stage B2B companies. I would absolutely use them again, which is the highest compliment I can bestow. 

Our current logo, which has gone through several iterations, still has elements of their initial design. They did an excellent job bringing the theme and the history of rail travel into a modern logo.

How did Blackcoffee perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team was terrific. They were good at proactively managing a client who was super busy and knew nothing about branding. They used a project management tool, but I don't remember the name. We primarily communicated through email and phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They demonstrated a deep involvement in the outcome. At a lot of firms, the partners come in and pitch and then hand off the project to a junior team. With Blackcoffee, they were personally invested in the strategy and storyline. I could tell that much thought had gone into it. They were responsive to the nuances of our work. They were good listeners, and felt like a real partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of a specific recommendation off the top of my head.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be open-minded to their unique branding approach. By educating me and bringing me along on the journey, I ended up in a better spot than I would have on a more traditional approach. They had reasons for why the logo was going to look a certain way or why they picked certain colors, and it resulted in a very strong brand.