Bottle Rocket Media

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the project manager for an information website. We’re not a company per se; rather, we lead an educational website project. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bottle Rocket Media?

There was a theory about how the pyramids were originally built, and we wanted to get the information out there in a concise but interesting way. As a result, we hired Bottle Rocket to put together a video that could be entertaining and informative. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, we had an introductory call where we discussed our interest in their services and whether or not they’d be a good fit for the project. We talked about what they could provide us with our budget.  

Moreover, our teams discussed the most creative ways in which we could convey information to our audience. We gave them some examples of what we were looking for, and Bottle Rocket told us what they could achieve. 

Then, we wrote the script for the video, and their resources made recommendations. Our illustrator provided the illustrations, and the team worked on them and added 2D and 3D elements. Bottle Rocket handled the entire production process and added plenty of creative elements that weren’t in our wheelhouse. 

From there, we worked through various iterations of the video to make sure that everybody felt that it was the best version of what we wanted to put out there. We did some revisions, and then we had the final product.  

At present, we’re in the middle of reworking a few things — we’re going to add closed captions, for instance. The video is just under 22 minutes, and it’s animated. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Brett (Principal & Executive Producer) and Dan (Creative Director), who did most of the creative materials. Stephanie (Post Production Producer) also worked with us. They were our main points of contact. 

How did you come to work with Bottle Rocket Media?

Our team found Bottle Rocket through Google. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around $65,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. The video was finished at the end of 2021, but we’ve been working on revisions. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

 We’ve posted the video on YouTube and our website, and it’s received around 50,000 views on YouTube. We’ve received highly positive feedback for it. 

How did Bottle Rocket Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Bottle Rocket’s creative process has been highly collaborative. We’ve done most of the work during the COVID-19 pandemic, so we’ve used Google Meet a lot and sent materials through emails. We’ve also used Zoom. The schedule has been pushed a little bit, but it’s because of both sides.  

Overall, we’ve been pleased with their work. The team has been truly helpful and worked within our budget while looking for creative solutions. In other words, they’ve managed the project well. Brett has been incredible, while Dan has done a nice job from a creative standpoint — we’re truly happy with what they’ve done. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Brett is accommodating and solutions-oriented. He serves as the driving force behind Bottle Rocket. Throughout the process, he’s worked with us to figure out what we can accomplish within a reasonable budget and period of time. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had a couple of hiccups, but we worked through them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent about your goals; figure out what you want as much as you can before going into the engagement because it’s helpful to have your vision sorted out upfront. It minimizes the amount of time the team needs to work on concepts, which can be advantageous from a budgeting standpoint. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

At the time of the collaboration, I was responsible for Marketing Strategy and managed our process to establish video as a content tool. The company I work for is a data analytics company with a focus on industrial intelligence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media, and what were your goals?

We had just added a new product to our portfolio through an acquisition of another company. Bottle Rocket Media helped us create a video to explain what this new product does. Due to the broad audience, the video had to be simple enough to reach people with little knowledge or understanding of the analytics space while also addressing the needs of more sophisticated viewers. Bottle Rocket Media was a critical and greatly valued partner for this project and even won a well-deserved Telly award.

SOLUTION

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

They came highly recommended by one of our senior execs for a project where they created magic although we were working with a pretty crazy timeline. For the project in question, we had several vendors in the final rounds of the selection process and Bottle Rocket Media stood out with the wide range of reference projects to help us identify the right style, the ability and willingness to work within our specific parameters, and just impressed all our team members with their technical skills and customer relationship management.

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

As one of the executive sponsors, I wasn't deeply involved in the day-to-day, but there were very helpful brainstorming sessions to set up the project, then evaluations of different styles and approaches, collaborative development of the script, delivery of a first draft and incorporation of feedback, to producing the final output. I remember our team being very happy with the level of attention their feedback got as well as the advice that the Bottle Rocket team was providing.

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

I was not involved in the day-to-day interactions during the production but greatly appreciated Brett Singer as a thought partner. On a different project with Bottle Rocket Media where I was more directly involved, the available timeline was too compressed to get properly defined project stages but I loved how quickly they were able to turn feedback around and deliver an amazing final product.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video has been one of our most popular pieces of content across platforms and Bottle Rocket Media won a silver Telly award. They should have gotten gold.

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

There was a significant degree of change going on at our company at the time and Bottle Rocket Media had to deal with a few challenges because of that. They did that without breaking a sweat. I remember using excellent interactive tools that made feedback easy. I definitely always knew I could rely on our feedback being heard and quickly incorporated and discussed.

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

They invested in the relationship and always worked within the budget/timeline constraints. Their pricing was in line with competitors, but their customer service and level of care very much stood out. I appreciate so many of the individuals on their team, both from a personality and professional perspective. They have assembled a fantastic team that is delightful to work with in every way.

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

They did mention an annual cornhole tournament and kept bragging about great hoodies. I was neither invite to that tournament nor offered a hoodie, which is very disappointing. But when it comes to the things that actually matter, all I can say is: Keep up the amazing work and congratulations on your 10-year anniversary.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m ACD art director for a pharma agency and we do marketing/advertising in a broad range of tactics including conference and sales meeting videos.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media, and what were your goals?

Bottle Rocket has produced a conference video to create excitement for a new product launch and a sales meeting video for a global pharma company to unify offices in the US and Europe.

SOLUTION

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

I google searched and recognized the names of some of the editors there. We needed someone who could collaborate and produce great videos for our smaller clients with smaller budgets.

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

The agency did the storyboards for both videos, and put them through legal reviews (pharma clients) then we had pre pro calls with BR to talk details and how to get the effect we wanted for the budgets we had. They set up a schedule to meet the tight deadlines and met all dates. They spent extra time for client changes and informed us of costs before hand. Both videos got rave reviews from the agency CEO and clients.

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

Brett Singer, Stephanie Jaslowski, Dan W. The feedback was structured but responsive. They got what we were looking for and communication felt seamless. They also had experience with pharma so understood limitations and legal requirements

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The sales meeting video was approved by corporate in Italy and was shown there virtually and a longer version was shown in person at the US meeting. They got an enthusiastic response from both crowds. The conference launch video got high praise from the client as the show stopper they wanted it to be.

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

Their style is friendly, collaborative, professional, We reviewed on zoom calls and also posted time stamped changes. For the sales meeting video we sat in on zoom for the final edit to save time. It was a tight timeline.

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

They’re incredibly experienced and guided us through the process every step of the way. They kept a really positive and creative attitude through challenging timelines and budgets. We consider them partners and will def use them again!

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

Nope. They exceeded expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Video / Motion media production manger for the Allscripts corporate marketing department. Allscripts is a vendor of electronic health record systems for physician practices, hospitals and healthcare systems.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media, and what were your goals?

Allscripts scripted a series of solution (product) videos that incorporated footage, custom motion graphics and voice over. Bottle Rocket produced (5) of these videos from mid 2021 to EOY.

SOLUTION

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

We had worked with Bottle Rocket in the past in developing motion graphics for our Allscripts annual sales meeting. The work was top notch and on time...and just as importantly, Bottle Rocket was a pleasure to work with. When the product videos project began in 2021, we already had Bottle Rocket in mind to do the production work.

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

Our internal marketing and communications depart would develop scripts explaining the features, benefits and outcomes of some of our key solutions. My team would storyboard the scripts and provide basic notes on editing and animations and then pass the script + storyboards off to Bottle Rocket.

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

I mainly worked with Stephanie (post production producer) and Brett (principal) In our initial kick off we set expectations (mine and Bottle Rocket's) and covered the most important aspects of the brand and tone for the spots. The upfront session really helped use move into a smooth cadence. We had very few required tweaks over the course of the project and never missed a date.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw a 2 - 3 % increase in YouTube CTR in conjunction with the release of the video series and received very positive feedback from our sales force who found the video useful and did plan to use them in their sales pursuits.

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

Very relaxed and 'partner like'. Very willing to hop on a call to work out a detail when it was needed.

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

Their team took our in-house concepts and pushed them in more engaging directions...but always in context of the Allscripts brand, which they became very familiar with from previous projects with Allscripts. Also just so pleasant to work with and absolutely no ego issues.

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

The project was run at the height of COVID...which meant we were dealing with all remote meetings. The creative spark that comes when being on site together was missed. Our project still came out great, but I wonder what interesting paths we would have explored if we had in person sessions. Hopefully we will for the next project!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder of a professional training company that offers on-demand team workshops focused on building connection and engagement for distributed teams.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bottle Rocket Media?

We hired Bottle Rocket Media to produce several videos for our firm to augment our workshop offerings. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bottle Rocket Media develops 5–20 minute videos for our on-demand workshops — they're our video and graphics partners. My team develops the content and framework for the video, and then Bottle Rocket Media helps us record each workshop, their team edits the videos and adds graphics and animations before final production.

What is the team composition?

We work with 4–5 teammates from Bottle Rocket Media, including Brett (Principal and Executive Producer), the project manager, and an account executive. 

How did you come to work with Bottle Rocket Media?

We found Bottle Rocket Media on Clutch.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Bottle Rocket Media began in March 2021, and it's ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Bottle Rocket Media has delivered around 15 videos for us so far that we've published to our digital platform. Our customers have been satisfied with our workshops, as evidenced by our proprietary metrics, which I cannot currently disclose. Overall, Bottle Rocket Media has enabled our success and allowed us to achieve our business objectives. I appreciate that they've gotten to know our business to ensure they're the best partners they can be. 

How did Bottle Rocket Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Bottle Rocket Media is very responsive and they meet our budget and timeline expectations. We mostly email the Bottle Rocket Media team, but we also use several tools to share assets. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Bottle Rocket Media is incredibly creative and helps us elevate our ideas into great content — their team thinks outside the box. No matter the challenge we're facing or the ideas we have, Bottle Rocket Media calmly and quickly addresses them and presents solutions that exceed expectations. Bottle Rocket Media is a truly exceptional partner. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have any feedback for Bottle Rocket Media. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd advise customers to bring Bottle Rocket Media in as a full partner and let them be a part of the creative problem-solving process so they can help develop a great solution. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing manager for a training company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bottle Rocket Media?

We wanted to create visualization and storytelling based on a complex programmed system.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bottle Rocket Media handles the whole creative process and execution of our vision and story. This involves reviewing the B-roll asset scripts, finding and selecting voiceover talent, editing the videos, and mixing the audio. They provide all of the equipment and studios for the project.

We’ve published the videos that we’ve worked on together on our social media channels, but we do plan on integrating them into our campaigns throughout the year. For now, we’re still searching for social proof before we start publishing them on our website.

We’ve since added an additional project due to the success of the initial one that we’ve done with them, so we’re going to continue working with them throughout this year. 

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Dan (Executive Producer & Principal) on setting up the budget for the project, their project manager on execution and timelines, and a couple of their editors on the animation as well as the overall video edits.

How did you come to work with Bottle Rocket Media?

We found Bottle Rocket Media through a Google search. We had reached out to several other video production companies when we were looking to build some of our video asset libraries.

After vetting several of them, we ultimately went with Bottle Rocket because of the quality of their animation, internal ability to handle all steps of the project, and timeliness.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $50,000-$100,000 on the initial project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2021, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve just launched the videos into market, but the initial feedback has been outstanding — hence the continued working relationship with them. One of the comments that we’ve received for our first video has essentially given us a referral to our company because of its quality.

We've also seen great success in using all of the videos for our training. The videos effectively provide the type of inspiration we were looking to create in the first place.

How did Bottle Rocket Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Bottle Rocket Media has performed very well in terms of project management. They’ve been extremely responsive and efficient in terms of turning around our requests.

We primarily communicate through email. We have meetings planned out, but I’ve been able to connect with them in between those scheduled milestones for updates and feedback as needed. They're just very flexible and easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am impressed with Bottle Rocket Media’s ability to bring what traditionally have been static brand assets into life. Their work truly complements our brand and has built upon it in a high-quality way through their exceptional animation and storytelling capabilities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything Bottle Rocket Media could have done better. We wouldn't have worked with them on additional projects if we weren't satisfied with the initial one.

If I had to say one thing, I think they could work more on continuing to push their clients on timelines and giving them friendly reminders on milestones or requests. I've got a lot of other projects on my plate besides the work that I'm doing with them, so sometimes I need some reminders to keep things on track for their timeline. They already do a good job at this, but over-communicating on these kinds of things is always good.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come in with a high-level vision of what you're looking to do and let them complement it with their creative lens and expertise. Let the experts in the room do the work, and they'll definitely elevate your vision.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Multimedia Director for a customer experience company. Representing some of the most recognizable brands, we optimize, innovate, and grow our clients' businesses through people and technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media, and what were your goals?

Due to the pandemic, we needed to produce a video that would promote our highly successful work at home program. Recording video in our employees' homes was not an option, so we looked to source an agency that could bring in talent and facilitate the production of a marketing video.

SOLUTION

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

We reviewed several proposals and found Bottle Rocket Media to have the best production process, regular feedback so we're all on the same page, and their outstanding process from scripting to storyboarding and all the way through editing and design. The main deciding factor in working with Bottle Rocket Media was their ability to record all scenes of the video in their office and studio space that kept production costs and time to a minimum while staying within Covid guidelines.

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

We started the project with a introductory meeting and expectations. Through the process, we worked with Bottle Rocket Media to select 3 actors and voiceover talent. We were able to be on-site for the recording of the video and give our direction. Video production was handled very smoothly. Each draft was delivered in a timely fashion and communication was always clear. After the final edit, we were sent the final files and raw footage for future use.

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

We worked with several members of the management team, and they would deliver any feedback to the production team at each milestone.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We showed this video to prospective clients and were able to secure over $10m in new business revenue within the first 6 months.

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

The team was very good at providing updates and communicating quickly when we sent messages.

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

For every stage of the project, I felt like they were part of our team and not an agency on the outside. They were very professional and worked with us to make sure we were happy with the end product.

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

Not a fault of Bottle Rocket Media, but I wish we had more projects we could work together and collaborate on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a leading NYC-based data science company that builds dense, accurate, and actionable maps of real world relationships between individuals using publicly available data and a proprietary Social Graph platform.

I am an Advertising Strategist on the Politics and Advocacy team where he works with clients to build and execute comprehensive paid media programs leveraging our data.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media?

Bottle Rocket Media was engaged to produce compelling digital-first videos on behalf of one of our clients looking to build awareness among voters of upcoming registration deadlines.

What were your goals for this project?

The main goals of this campaign was to educate voters on upcoming registration deadlines, generate a sense of urgency among voters to ensure they follow through with registering to vote ahead of critical deadlines, and ultimately yield a substantial volume of newly registered voters.

These videos needed to break down the nuance of state election law and the role it plays in undermining voter participation in elections, and Bottle Rocket was able to weave the needle perfectly and generate compelling and digestible videos that accomplished just that.

SOLUTION

How did you select Bottle Rocket Media?

Our team considered 3-5 other video and graphic production companies for this project, but ultimately Bottle Rocket Media's experience in producing similar digital-first videos for election work with other clients gave us the confidence we needed to leverage their services for this project.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we decided to move forward with Bottle Rocket Media, we set up a kick-off call to discuss our overall campaign goals and our client's vision for the utility of these videos in the scope of the overall campaign.

We worked with the team at Bottle Rocket Media to build compelling scripts that leveraged our campaign messaging, and once approved Bottle Rocket Media worked their magic and put together an initial version for our review.

We left enough time to be able to exchange feedback and generate subsequent versions of the videos with our feedback fully incorporated, and ultimately landed on versions of the videos with which we were satisfied.

What was the team composition?

Primarily, we worked directly with the project manager assigned to our account who served as our primary point of contact, but we were also able to interface and strategize directly with the creative team including Bottle Rocket Media's creative director during the concept and script building phase of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos Bottle Rocket Media produced for this project yielded a video completion rate on average of 75%, serving as a leading indicator of relatively strong engagement from the voters who were served these digital-first spots.

Separately, the finished product was well received by the end client and specifically called out the polished and compelling nature of the videos produced. Well done, Bottle Rocket Media!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our project manager was fantastic and always ensured that both Bottle Rocket Media and Applecart were held accountable to the project timeline and deadlines to which both parties agreed at the outset of the engagement.

The Bottle Rocket Media team was always responsive and accessible if we had any questions during the project, and accommodating of the overall project's rather quick timeline to ensure their deliverables were delivered on time and didn't hold up the project at large.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The professionalism and ingenuity of the creative minds at Bottle Rocket Media really make it such a pleasure to partner with them on projects.

The creatives at Bottle Rocket Media are able to elevate visual storytelling to the next level. They produce high-quality content to help their clients effectively communicate in an increasingly noisy digital environment.

Are there any areas for improvement?

During the project scoping process, the vendor could have been more transparent in terms of what elements were included in the project quote, and what specific elements would result in an overage charge.

That being said, the project as a whole was executed flawlessly and we had little to no feedback on how the project could have been executed differently.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As Chief Creative Officer at The Revel Group, we produce the country’s most innovative live and virtual events for clients nationwide always looking for ways to innovate and show the world how to Celebrate Better.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bottle Rocket Media?

We hired Bottle Rocket for the second time to produce a virtual awards show for a top university client that featured hosts and awardees from around the globe.

What were your goals for this project?

An event that is usually held in person, our goal was to bring the winners together to create a dynamic and captivating virtual show.

SOLUTION

How did you select Bottle Rocket Media?

Having previously worked with Bottle Rocket on a video piece, I knew their quality was industry leading. They also are built for speed which for this project was a priority having a short timeline in the beginning. But what was the key factor is the ease of use and collaboration we receive as a partner.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

The team at BR worked with both our team and the client to build a timeline, define deliverables and drive a schedule that was made challenging with awardees that needed to filmed remotely and were in 8 differant time zones in addition to capturing footage of speakers effortlessly.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

User friendly and painless is the best way to describe working with them. Their project manager Stephanie is a gem and the entire team takes feedback well and collaborates to get the best end product.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final video was a standout and received rave reviews from viewers across the globe. The client has already locked in our teams to produce their 2021 event video and other projects across the university.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Could not have been smoother.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Dynamic, creative, collaborative and responsive. What more could you ask for?

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not at all.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing for an AI company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bottle Rocket Media?

We think that having a comprehensive video strategy that helps customers visualize our product in context is essential to our selling motion. And so we're working with them on creating high quality, scalable, video content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They help us with video content strategy then they do all the production from very beginning to very end.

What is the team composition?

We work with 3–4 people on their team. We interact one of the founders of Bottle Rocket Media, a production manager, a project manager, and a strategy expert. Dan (Principal Producer & Director) is one of the principal producers and directors we work with.

How did you come to work with Bottle Rocket Media?

We were looking specifically for experts. I’m located in San Francisco and we did a cross-country search. We’re also an early-stage company so we were looking for partners that would be the right size for us. Bottle Rocket Media has a pretty extensive background. They worked for reputable companies and produced a ton of video content among some big brands, so their references were fantastic.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2020 and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our customers love it. It’s working and is helping us close deals.

How did Bottle Rocket Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They haven’t missed a deadline. We didn’t have any communication issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their overall production quality, married with the pricing structure we worked out with them has been phenomenal. We would have spent a lot more with other companies in different areas of the country. There’s a great benefit working with a Chicago-based firm as well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We haven’t had a single issue.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what your objectives are and communicate. Be open to their ideas because they have some great insight and can give you an idea that you haven’t thought of.