Commence Studio

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chairman of Cingulate Group. We invest in different ventures and verticals including real estate, commodities, sports and entertainment, and technology companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

We wanted to rebrand the group to activate better exposure online.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Laxalt & McIver rebranded our company with a new logo and theme. Their team completely reframed our brand identity. They built our website and managed our analytics.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 5–6 people from their team but Peter (CEO, Creative & Technical Director, & Principle) has been our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

We’ve spent about $20,000 with them.

How much have you invested with them?

A design colleague previously partnered with them and recommended Laxalt & McIver to us.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project around December 2019, and we’ll finish phase one soon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our main success metric's peoples' reactions to their work. All I hear is excellent feedback. Their team enhanced the legitimacy of our work by creating a professional image.

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

They communicate well, especially given their workload and the COVID-19 pandemic. Their team’s responsive, professional, and attentive to our comments. They’re great.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity definitely sets them apart from their competition. Also, their resources are impressive. There’s always someone who’s available to update us, which is special. It’s hard to find creative firms that want to discuss their work, but Laxalt & McIver are communicative. They’re great.

Usually, there’s only one person on a team who’s in charge of communication, which can lead to frustration. In the case of Laxalt & McIver, the process is smooth.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I only have positive comments for them. They could, however, add a component to their deliverables as a package deal.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try not to stick to your ideas. Instead, let them do what they do best — create. Define broader expectations for the deliverables to ensure that everything’s ready at the end.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CAO of Covered Insurance, and insurance technology company. We’re an independent insurance agency, and we interact with customers by way of digital platforms. 

We have a proprietary online platform that we use for direct to consumer business, and we also integrate our products and services onto third-party platforms to put insurance in front of people as a point of sale when they need it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

Traditionally in the insurance world, applications can have as many as 120 or more questions just to get a quote. Since we work with over 25 different insurance carriers, we needed a streamlined, consumer-friendly user interface as a way for people to provide that information in the simplest way possible. 

We had to get those large questionnaires narrowed down, and then create workflows and ways for people to interface with the site in a way that keeps them engaged and able to understand where they are.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The scope of our engagement with Laxalt & McIver has been relatively broad. Initially, they came in and did a discovery phase to understand our requirements for getting this platform in front of consumers. The team created some mockups and ended up building out our entire consumer-facing website, as well as several other things. 

We looked at some general web interface work, and we also did some mobile design mockups for mobile native applications. Our website includes general informational and administrative pages as well as a consumer portal. The team also built out transactional pages on the backend to support purchases. 

They used CSS, HTML, and some other technologies as well.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was initially Peter (CEO & Creative & Technical Director), and we’ve been working with Binh (Designer) over the past several years. We’ve also interfaced with Matt (Creative Partner) as well as a couple of specialists for various specific projects.

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

The decision was my co-founder’s. He’d seen some work Laxalt & McIver had done, and they had a mutual acquaintance who recommended them to us. After working with them for a very short period of time, it was clear that they were exactly what we were looking for. 

How much have you invested with them?

Over the years, we’ve spent about $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since November 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Early on, a lot of the work we had them do was in support of user testing. We found them to be a very iterative team, which matches our style well. They’ve worked hand in hand with us to set up and perform some of the testing, and they always played a role in the evaluation of the testing.

A couple of the apps they did actually won several awards, and one of the earlier website designs did as well. We’ve come back to them time and again because the quality of their work is much higher and their turnaround time is much faster than some of the other groups we’ve engaged. We intend to remain with them for a long time.

In general, each time we’ve gone through web design iterations, we’ve seen an increase in user engagement and visits. We don’t advertise directly to consumers, so all of that increase has been directly as a result of things Laxalt & McIver has done on the website, including SEO, UX, and workflows. 

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

Laxalt & McIver uses a number of tools for collaboration. They set us up with a dedicated web page that’s available to the team, and provides all of our assets really nicely to the team. The team has also shared programs for workflow management, where we’re able to collaborate in real-time between our two teams.

They’re always very responsive, regardless of the communication channel we’ve used with them, though our most common tool is Slack. They’ve never failed to answer our questions promptly, and they meet deadlines consistently.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team does a great job of understanding the business and use cases of the project they’re working on. They’re also not afraid to ask clarifying questions instead of making assumptions. Rarely do we have to go back and correct their work. Laxalt & McIver is a smart, thoughtful team. 

The other thing we really like about the team is that they’re very innovative. Their product offerings and capabilities are constantly evolving. Along the way, even though they’ve expanded their abilities, they’ve never lost any of their expertise, and they continue to grow at a high level.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind. They’ve been excellent.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you take the time to really go over the details of exactly what you want to get out of the relationship you’re initiating with Laxalt & Mciver. They can do a lot of different things, and if you know what you want, they’ll exceed your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a Nevada lifestyle apparel brand, we have two retail stores and some wholesalers a long with our online presence. I founded the company in 2005.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Laxalt & McIver?

Brand identity and assets, web development.

What were your goals for this project?

Develop a new brand and visual assets, web design and development.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with them on some other projects and felt that they understood my vision and could execute.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They built my brand identity: logos, typeface, brand colors, shirt designs and created a web site that reflects the identity.

What was the team composition?

Multiple team members collaborating on the project, designers, programmers, photographers, artists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

We are the largest non fan based Nevada apparel company in the state. Laxalt and McIver took my vision and brought it to life.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The owners took the lead role and delegated tasks to the team. Communication was clear and concise.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The ability for many team members to work together to create a seamless end result.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Expectation management could and has improved over time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of Source Architects, an architectural firm in Australia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

Our branding needed a refresh. We wanted to grow up because when we did the branding it was six years ago, and my husband and I did it. We wanted a facelift so we could see ourselves as a larger firm than just the couple we were six years ago.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was a rebranding and everything associated with that: letterheads, business cards, signage, reports, and an overall vision of our brand. They helped with side things like copyrighting the words on the website and coming up with catchphrases. They independently settled wording disputes between my husband and I.

We had a few branding meetings. They used a lot of my words back at me. I really liked it — it allowed us to move forward because they reinterpreted my thoughts rather than come up with their own beliefs. They came with options of materials and skills to help me work through the design and branding that they proposed.

What is the team composition?

I worked with three people. Kylie (Creative Designer) was the main person who designed everything for me.

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

They worked on a firm here that does coffee and tea. We were doing work for this company and I really liked their unique graphic and branding. It didn’t follow trends that I didn’t feel comfortable with. Having someone that worked with a regional firm, not tainted by Sydney's graphic trends, and their great work made me go forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

It was around $7,000 AUD (approximately $4,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started work in July 2019 and finished in August of that same year.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve gotten really positive feedback — everyone loved it. Branding is like architecture, you shouldn’t have to explain it. The design just worked and prompted genuine positive reactions from everyone.

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

I had no issues with communication. We worked seamlessly. It was very easy to make comments and suggestions on their work, they made me comfortable to say “no” so that we had an end solution I was happy with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their professionalism impressed. I have really high expectations of anyone in the industry. I always think outside the square and my core business is design. For someone to exceed my expectations is next to impossible. It’s a really big thing that they met them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It all comes down to trust. They’re really good at what they do. The more you open up to them, the more they’re able to meet the requirements.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director at Big Data Institute. We work with teams and companies around the world on big data mentoring and architecture reviews.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

I wasn’t happy with our corporate website or image as a whole. I wanted something that looked as polished and professional as some of our larger competitors.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Laxalt & McIver’s initial deliverable was a new logo. We collaborated to create three mockups of logos and brand looks. Once we finalized those, the team gave us some templates for how the web pages and their components should look. One of our main priorities was emphasizing good, clear graphic design and color usage. The website development was done with Elementor on WordPress.

What is the team composition?

I’ve dealt with Matt (Creative Partner & COO), Peter (Creative Director & CEO), Binh (Designer), and Ali (Frontend Web Developer).

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

I knew Matt from a networking group. When I saw their creative portfolio, I was extremely impressed and decided to work with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $11,000–$12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since April 2019. Our relationship is ongoing as they continue to provide creative services on an as needed basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My clients have commented on the new logo and how good the branding looks. When users come to our new corporate website, they see it as a more polished product with a lot more thought behind it. The platform looks very professional and stands out from our competitors’.

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

The project went a bit longer than I would’ve liked, but when I’ve met with them for other engagements since that original project, it’s gone a lot faster.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of Laxalt & McIver’s creative work stands out from other providers. They’re a cut above other agencies I’ve seen. I’ve recommended them to others because I got exactly what I wanted.

The team is also great at hearing feedback. A lot of creative people can take criticism really negatively, but they were always willing to listen to and incorporate my feedback.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think they have room for improvement around some of the timelines. I would’ve loved to get much stronger timelines around when the work is done and when it’s ready.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come ready to collaborate, because Laxalt & McIver does that really well. They’ll go through an entire process where you can sit down together and think about what your brand should look like and what you want, and then they take it from there.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of Walker Basin Conservancy. We’re a conservation organization that focuses on acquiring water and restoring thousands of acres of land in the high desert.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

We’ve been working through very strict funding, and we often don’t have the ability to invest in our community outreach or build broad bipartisan support. We went to them to work on an outreach campaign with what our limited budget allowed.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us get over some of the perceptions with the constituency that we work with. A lot of them consider us a government agency with the way we’re structured, like a fishing and game type agency, and we wanted to soften that. We wanted to be more approachable and communicate with the communities we serve.

Laxalt & McIver came up with a set of varying graphic and visual badges to highlight some of the different flora and fauna in the area we work in. We wanted to remind people what’s in this unique part of Nevada. This is all tied into a larger campaign: an online recreational map they’ll create. It will use GPS coordinates to guide people off the beaten path and explore what out there in the Walker Basin.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Matt (Creative Partner & COO) on a few things; he and I usually stay in contact. Kylie (Visual Designer) was the graphic artist driving it. She worked with one of my staff to push the concept through.

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

I met Matta at a networking event. He showed a lot of interest in the work that we do, and I was somewhat aware of their work as our headquarters are both in Reno. The work in their portfolio was incredibly impressive and they’ve worked with some big brands.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $5,000–$6,000, and the next phase will be $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since August 2019. We’re done with phase one, so there’s nothing actively happening, but once I get the funds we’ll start on phase two.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We gave them a tight timeline, and they came through. They met some of our unforeseen needs to get some of this stuff out to the public quicker.

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

We kept in touch over phone calls and emails. For this project, it worked to send drafts back and forth over email. As we start to build that online database of recreational opportunities I imagine we’ll require more complex communication and some sort of project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The graphic art they produce stood out far before I engaged them, and I remain very impressed. They created something better than what I could have articulated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a few times we had to check in on them to see how they were doing with deadlines, so they could be more proactive. They didn’t miss any deadlines, but they could proactively let us know their progress.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Throw everything you have at them, especially if it’s a graphic design project. Trust what they come up with and trust the process; it works really well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of an event streaming platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

We needed some design work done for our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They came up with the UI/UX design, including the logo and colors. They designed the whole identity system and the current motion of the website. 

What is the team composition?

There was a project manager, and two people working on the project.

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

They were recommended by a friend.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2019 – March 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their design drives a lot of traffic to the site. Our team is very happy with the new design, and the job was done very well.

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

In the beginning, we used email to communicate. To accelerate the communication process, we switched to Slack. They delivered on time and within budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The designers were great and produced a wonderful final result. They’re also very good at communication.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I recommend working with them. They know what they’re doing and deliver a quality product.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Co-Founder of Barnacle Foods. We’re a food manufacturing business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

We worked with them to develop a label design. It had to communicate quite a bit of messaging in a very small space.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed our label. They took a lot of conceptual ideas and transformed those into visuals that conveyed the messaging that we wanted. 

What is the team composition?

I was the point-person on our team. We worked with one other designer named Kylie (Visual Designer). We also worked with Matthew (Creative Partner) and one other person. 

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

I found them on Dribble. I liked some of the other design work they’d completed.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $1,000 in the collaboration.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August of 2019, and the work wrapped up by October of 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are really, really happy with the quality of their work. We’ve heard a lot of positive feedback from customers and buyers. They did a great job and achieved exactly what we set out to do with them.

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very transparent, and they adhered to the deadline they laid out for us. They used a communication platform to share the design work they were drafting up, and it was super user friendly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Overall, I was impressed by them from start to finish. The level of their communication stood out, along with the quality of their work.
 
Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not based on my experience with them so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?
 
It’s important to have clear communication on both ends. It’s also important to have a clear set of expectations, which will make the process easier for both parties.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one the owners, along with Jake Conway, of a meadery called Black Rabbit Mead Company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

We needed branding done. We initially approached Laxalt & McIver because we wanted a logo, but we didn't realize all that branding involved. Our company hadn’t even been founded but we knew that the packaging was going to influence how people experienced the product. So, we reached out to Laxalt & McIver to help us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked with us to come up with concepts, approaches, and ideas. After talking through all of the concepts, we picked one and they allowed us to work with them to develop the products.

The team also taught us about what branding entails. In addition to the logo, they designed a font, color scheme, stamps, and labels for our bottles. They helped us to develop the overall brand. Kylie (Creative Designer) helped us with the visuals and Matt (Creative Partner & COO) advised us on the general approach.

What is the team composition?

In addition to Kylie and Matt, we worked with Peter (Creative Director & CEO), and another teammate.

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

We searched online for different branding agencies in town when we came across their website. They seemed to be leaps and bounds ahead of the competition in terms of the quality of their work. We crossed our fingers and hoped that they would be able to achieve that same quality.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $3,500–$4,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2016 our engagement is ongoing. As the company grows, our needs for branding and marketing grow as well, so we’ve decided to continue to work with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I didn’t realize the power of branding until we started working with Laxalt & McIver. We make a really good product but it wouldn’t mean much if it didn’t shine in a way that was easily felt by the community. We knew the product on an emotional level, but the team really helped us understand the soul of the brand.

It wasn’t until about six months ago that we opened up as a company, and it was so helpful for us to have a good visual representation of the soul of the company and our commitment toward and passion for it.

Laxalt & McIver has been absolutely integral to our success. The most popular feedback we get is about how great our branding looks. Before customers try our product, they are so enthusiastic because the labels look good.

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is good and they meet the deadlines they set. If anything, we aren't too good in this area. We correspond mostly via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m continually impressed by the quality and meaningfulness of their work, as well as their supportiveness. They are detail-oriented and passionate about the project. The team has also been willing to deeply explore who we are as a company. 

Laxalt & McIver produces tremendous work, and it feels like they are a part of our company. The way they were able to take our ideas and come up with a variety of different concepts was phenomenal. They are so patient and enthusiastic to explore what I want to explore, despite my pickiness. Collaborating with them has been a rare and incredible experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to explore with them and evolve your ideas. They’re really passionate about the project and want to make sure that you’re not just satisfied, but also proud of what they produce.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization is called Burrata House. It’s a new fast-casual restaurant where we serve regional Italian food. Burrata cheese is an Italian cheese that’s very popular in Italy and starting to get popular here. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Laxalt & McIver?

We wanted to design a menu for the restaurant by creating the concept around Burrata cheese. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created the logo and a branding booklet, along with all the things that add personality to the brand. For example, they helped design the menu, business cards, the appearance of the food truck, and the paper to wrap sandwiches. 
 
What is the team composition?

We had a project manager. We also scoped out the project with a few team members. Then, one of the lead designers would take on the job.

How did you come to work with Laxalt & McIver?

I was initially looking at a variety of partners. I found Laxalt & McIver through a friend. 

How much have you invested with them?

I believe we’ve invested around $5,000 with the team.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2019, and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Without their branding, we wouldn’t have been able to get into partnerships with the companies we did. We were able to partner with cool, go-to sandwich or bowl restaurants. Thanks to the way we’re presenting our sales, we’re able to open doors because we match the style of these partners.

How did Laxalt & McIver perform from a project management standpoint?

While I wasn’t directly involved in the day-to-day, I’m sure that they knew what they were doing. They know how to collaborate with clients. They are real professionals that know how to meet deadlines. They will try to go above-and-beyond to ensure they can deliver a product by your deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their designs are excellent. They are my go-to branding group. They’re the guys I trust to provide an identity that has a lot of personality. They create beautiful drawings but also come up with the specific elements that speak to the soul of the brand. Those elements are the parts people will resonate with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have a clear idea about what you want to accomplish. Make sure you know your brand positioning and your target customers. If you give these guys a clear direction, they’re going to kill it.