Creative Mules

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder and CMO of a startup called GoodTreats; we formed two years ago. We manufacture handmade vegan and vegetarian dog treats and exclusively distribute them. We produce them in our bakery in Munich, Germany.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Mules?

We approached Creative Mules with the goal of giving our company a face to match the name. We also wanted their advice on anchoring our core values and visual identity, with the critical goal being future growth.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Ultimately, they help us with our marketing strategy as a whole. 

Before the project, we filled out type forms that described our needs and briefed them on our company and core values. They have developed our corporate design, including packaging, cross-media assets, and visuals. They also strategize with us on combining the core values with our visual identity. They help us define the wording and names of our products. we are developing the website ourselves, but they provide the visual assets we include on the site. 

Creative Mules uses Adobe Creative Cloud programs such as Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Lightroom to edit images.

What is the team composition?

We work with four people: a project manager, a creative director, and two other designers. Their skillsets include defining a visual brand, creating packaging, and designing graphics. 

How did you come to work with Creative Mules?

We found them through a personal recommendation. 

We had high expectations for what we needed out of a creative partner. It was essential for us to find a partner who didn’t just see us as another customer. Rather, we were looking for a partner to help us accelerate our unique brand through close collaboration. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around €15,000 (approximately $15,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in April 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

To evaluate the brand and measure its success, we asked Creative Mules for guidance, and they gave us multiple options to start user testing various brand designs. We had a big user testing session with many people from our target group. The feedback we gathered from our target group showed that our branding completely matched our core values, which is critical because that was our initial goal. 

They have been valuable in helping us build the foundation of our brand, which is necessary for a company to have a successful start. Creative Mules has really proven their worth, and I know we’ve chosen the right partner for our brand.

How did Creative Mules perform from a project management standpoint?

They've performed well. To start, we’ve set three milestones together based on our available timeslots and scheduled specific meetings to go through designs and review progress. We have several ad-hoc meetings in between via WhatsApp, phone calls, and a video calling tool. They are there for us whenever we need support or have questions. They always respond very promptly, within minutes or hours. We use Figma for design feedback sessions and other things. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I am most impressed with their team spirit. They are always excited whenever they come into a meeting, whether they are presenting their work, giving feedback, or discussing ideas. It’s always refreshing to talk to them; they answer our questions and every meeting is pure success. 

We had lots of discussions with other agencies, but it was essential for us to have a strong creative partner in the early stages of our company. During the initial meetings with Creative Mules, we could feel their excitement and enthusiasm for the project. It was immediately apparent that we had finally found the creative partner we were looking for. They don’t just work among themselves; they also guide us.

Other agencies told us we could only have a project manager and a designer. We are impressed by the resources that Creative Mules has dedicated to our project; four people are working alongside us, which is quite amazing.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing they could improve on. My only suggestion would be for them to expand their headcount because they guided us really well. I hope they grow in the future to help more startups.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Whether you are a startup or an established company, Creative Mules will be a creative partner you can rely on in any situation. 

The beginning stages of the project are the most important, so make sure that Creative Mules is aware of what your company stands for and what the core values are. Tell them what message you want to present as a company, and they will do their magic with branding and design. 

Companies should also be aware that they need to collaborate closely with the team for them to do their best possible work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a co-founder of unetiq and order.link. Unetiq is an agency focused on bringing Data Science and AI solutions to clients throughout europe. We identify use cases and implement solutions from the first prototype to a final application.

Order.link is a product of Unetiq and allows companies to automatically process incoming order requests and create respective sales orders in their ERP system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Creative Mules?

For the launch of our new product order.link, we were looking for an agency that can supply as with a complete package, from the brand identity to the final web page as well as assets such as a sales deck and white paper.

SOLUTION

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

Create mules convinced us early on through their reference clients that operate in a similar sector and region as us.They also convinced us by their commitment to our challenging deadline.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

A critical aspect of the project was time. We only had around 2 weeks to move from the initial idea to a branding + landing page of the product.
Creative mules structured the process really nicely.They started off with an initial branding workshop where they proposed 3 potential styles that fit to the industry that we are operating in.Just two days after, we were already presented with a fully developed branding and logo.

After that, we had an initial discussion workshop for our salesdeck and whitepaper. In a separate meeting, we discussed a wireframe for our landing page. After that we continuously updated each other in an asynchronous fashion without additional meetings – which we really liked.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

To my best knowledge they were working with around 4 people in their team.They had separate people working on the branding, UX, UI and weblow implementation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The branding, logo, whitepaper and landing page is publically available under https://www.order.link

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Overall the communication and workflow were great. A dedicated project manager handled the communication with us and was our central point of contact.

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

What we really liked was their transparency throughout the engagement.. We always had access to the WIP resources and had the change to provide our feedback in real-time.They had a great sense to what fits our company. There were almost no additional review iterations necessary because the presented work convinced us immediately.

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

It’s hard to come up with a point here. If I have to put one thing here I would say maybe slightly more testing before delivering the end product. However due to our very challenging schedule of just 2 weeks it makes sense that there was not plenty of time to do so. Also we communicated early on that we are expecting just an MVP level, the testing was sufficient.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder and CEO of Flux Robotics - a medical device manufacturer situated in Enschede. Flux Robotics is devoted to delivering helpful tools to surgeons. Our proprietary technology focuses on magnets as end-effectors to robotics arms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our startup just received the Startup of the Year Award at the UT Challenge - a competition organized by the University of Twente. Supplementary to this award was the Creative Mules Design Award, which approached us to help us with our branding and marketing strategy. Our goals were to have a brand that establishes trust within our consumers and creates loyalty.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We reached out to them via Incubase - a startup accelerator hosted by NovelT (Enschede, the Netherlands).

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

To start, we had a project discussion and meet & greet session scheduled online. We identified precisely which factors I was looking for in our brand and logo. I explained what type of brand awareness I was looking for and presented them with a logo and stylescape that I had in mind.

We then arranged a meeting to discuss the stylescapes presentation and receive feedback on their proposal. An updated stylescape followed this with a drafted wordmark, trademark, and color palette for flux robotics.

Finally, we discussed the logo presentation and the finalization of supporting assets after a month. They later on even assisted me with a pitch deck, social media posts, and the website.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I mainly worked directly with their Creative Director, so only one person at first. However, later on, he introduced me to their Co-Founder and Project Strategist, and we continued discussions from that point onwards.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Flux Robotics logo and brand have undergone a significant transformation following our collaboration. Thanks to Creative Mules, Flux now represents motion, flow, and dynamics within our magnetic technology and our team. This process informed our work and perspective as we approached the challenge of defining a new mark. The Flux logo is now visible all over our social media platforms and recognized around the Netherlands.

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

We had biweekly meetings to iterate the designs proposed by Creative Mules. However, they were always quick to respond via Slack, LinkedIn email, or phone. They delivered clear instructions and checked in occasionally with me to receive timely updates from my side (feedback on their designs). This allowed me to work at a consistent pace. They did not have stiff deadlines which resulted in a relaxed, albeit professional working environment.

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

I was amazed that they could convey more than I requested since we're dealing with a difficult concept to visualize. They tailored their designs to my needs, even after I requested several iterations.

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

None to report.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Chiron, an organ-on-chip organization. We develop a miniaturized system that replicates the tissue of the human body for drug discovery or to investigate diseases and biological questions. Our objective is to reduce the use of animals in drug development studies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Mules?

Because we’re a startup, we wanted to have all the different elements to start a business. We needed branding, including a name, logo, and presentations for investors and customers. We also wanted to have a website so that our customers could have a look at our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started by compiling some documentation for Creative Mules to help them understand what we wanted to do and how we envisioned our company. Then, we initiated discussions; at this stage, they presented the first two sets of designs from which we could pick. From there, the team did a couple of iterations of the designs to adjust the message that we wanted to show to the public. 

They helped us pick a color scheme, which involved many discussions because we didn’t want to be identified with similar organizations. The team also designed our logo, and they did a couple of variations. Although we gave them some ideas, they did everything from scratch. 

Creative Mules also developed our website from scratch. The website's purpose is for people to get to know us, both potential investors and clients. The team included a way for people to reach us. Currently, we’re discussing the design of business cards.

What is the team composition?

I work with the two founders of Creative Mules.

How did you come to work with Creative Mules?

We met due to a challenge issued by a university to support a project. Creative Mules liked our idea and purpose, so we decided to work together. They were aiming to support our kind of company; it wasn’t all about the money for them, which was very valuable from their side.

How much have you invested with them?

The price for the branding and website is €5,000 (approximately $5,000 USD). We have an arrangement where we spend the amount we have at the moment.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2022, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Brand awareness is the most important metric for us, and the site Creative Mules created has been pretty effective. Our website has been running for less than a month, and we’ve already received 2–3 requests from funding organizations that want to have further discussions with us about investment. We envision developing another website and want to continue collaborating with Creative Mules because they’ve done a very good job. 

How did Creative Mules perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re doing a good job with project management, considering they’re working on multiple projects, and ours is one of the smaller ones, so they prioritize. We have regular communication, and they’re very responsive, especially via WhatsApp, where we have a group. 

We also have phone calls and emails, depending on what we’re doing. Right now, we don’t have to communicate so much. We understand each other, so we don’t have to meet online; we use rapid messaging and emailing the most.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is young and open to taking risks. Creative Mules is vibrant and excited, which gives them a lot of push. They’re committed to their work and know our project is important.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could listen to the customer more, or listen to our advice. We also could have done a couple of additional iterations on the design. However, ultimately the message is well conveyed, and people understand what we are, so that means they did a good job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to keep Creative Mules on track; creative minds sometimes get a bit lost in transition. They can get very hyper for specific projects over others and sometimes focus more on one project. However, if you have an interesting project, they’ll put 120% of themselves into what they do.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the operations manager for a networking organization for Chemistry professionals. We organize events and meetings, we connect people, and we support science based startups.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The company had a really basic website and an old name, with a misleading word in it. The goal was to renew the name and whole perception of the company, which had just changed and expanded the team.

SOLUTION

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

We searched online, especially on Clutch, for someone with expertise in web development (the branding idea came later). Our budget was pretty low, below 6000 euro. We sent 5 emails, 2 companies replied immediately and we had a meeting with them. Creative Mules offered the best price AND the best service (UX design).

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a first meeting in which we introduced our ideas and CM convinced us of the value of re-branding. After some negotiation on what to include in the assets, we found an agreement. First we had to fulfill a document provided from CM about our company goals, then we had several session to elaborate the style and the assets. Everything was shared via Figma.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

A project manager was the main contact point. I talked with him often via WA, but also via email for the formal decisions and important steps. Other 2 up to 3 members of the team were presents during the meetings.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

All the board members were really satisfied. Our creative employees received a well defined style that we implemented in several other projects (reports, social media...) with success.

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

The communication can be via email and formal, but also via WA, constant and effective.

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

They are really enthusiastic about new project and ideas, but the results were always concrete, solid and professional.

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

Some time the schedule was not precisely respected, but without affecting the progressing of the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an interim project manager that provides project management services for large manufacturing companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Mules?

I’d just started my organization and had no marketing, branding, or web page and was looking for a partner that could help me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At first, I gave Creative Mules some ideas about my company, what I wanted to focus on in the market, and the information I wanted to communicate to my customers. The team provided a plan with steps, starting with refining the market focus. 

Then, they helped me find a color palette that fit my profession. They designed the logo and came up with ideas, symbols, art, and lettering. They continued to build the brand step-by-step, and within 4–5 weeks, they’d created a brand identity.

From there, Creative Mules designed my brand book, a brochure, and a business card. They also created my email signature along with other designs. For the last part of the project, they built my website. 

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with one customer-facing teammate, and they had around three creators in the background. Overall, I worked with 4–5 people, though I don’t know who worked on each part of the project.

How did you come to work with Creative Mules?

I found them through a recommendation from a friend. I know one of Germany’s top 15 interim project managers and asked him where he got his brand identity and nice design. He told me about Creative Mules, so I knocked on their door. 

How much have you invested with them?

I spent a little bit over €5,000 (approximately $5,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October 2021–March 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’m happy with Creative Mules’ work; seeing my website is enough to see their success. The team even included a section where users can download my brochure.

How did Creative Mules perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated directly through WhatsApp and phone calls. We had team calls each week or two where the different creatives would explain their ideas.

Our meetings were very structured; they would present 3–5 ideas, and I would choose one. A week later, they’d come back with the design options, I’d pick one, and they’d explain it further.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Creative Mules’ work was very well-rounded. Ultimately, hiring them was a good decision — I was really happy to have found a partner like them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t see anything they needed to improve; they just have to grow further.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Jump into it and see what happens! Aside from that, my advice is to be open-minded to different ideas. When we started working together, my initial ideas for the brand were very different from the outcome. Creative Mules’ ideas were extremely new, and I was really surprised by how much I liked them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a business developer for KLM Microlaser. We’re a startup company with a team of about six people. We cooperate with Kern Microtechnik because we’re in the same building; we have a solid business relationship with them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Mules?

We hired them to create our landing page. All the content was already existent; we wanted a new design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially gave them the requirements for the landing page, and they created it. Creative Mules developed a multi-step option for the website users to leave their data. We also changed the basis to Webflow.

They currently provide service for the landing page. If there are any issues, we have contact with their team.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people from their team. One was the main expert, and at some points, he had little help from other two design experts.

How did you come to work with Creative Mules?

Initially, they had been hired by Kern Microtechnik to create a website and do a facelift for it. Kern Microtechnik recommended them, so we followed up with them for the business.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent €1,500 (approximately $2,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from July–December 2021. However, we’ve ordered a one-year service contract with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We stopped all marketing activities in 2021 because we changed our product portfolio. It was on purpose, but traffic went down. Then, we did the changeover, and the landing page fulfilled its purpose.  It has very little traffic now, but we’ll increase it during the year. Our goal is to launch ads in April and improve it.

How did Creative Mules perform from a project management standpoint?

They were amazing, and we were satisfied with their work. We appreciated their constructive criticism when it was needed. When our ideas got too crazy, they brought us down to a realistic base. Creative Mules described what would be achievable and had good solutions for all our wishes. If we wanted an upload tool, they’d build a good one.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness was quick and high.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There wasn’t anything to be improved. They were very smooth.

Any advice for potential customers?

Talk to the founder, and everything will run smoothly. He was our project manager.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a self employed fullstack web developer, focusing on devops and cloud development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I hired Creative Mules to create the brand for my self employed business.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I found them on a social platform for designers and graphics artists and within 24 hours we had a signed contract and upfront payment done. They have impressive work in their showcase and I love the style of their brands.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

We started with 2 meetings where they asked me what I'd need, how the process would be and when to expect the first deliveries. Also the starting date was specified. After that date arrived, we had weekly status meetings where they asked questions, I provided information and later on showed the current works progress. This has been ongoing and I'm very impressed of their professionalism and how they do their work and how much effort they put into every step they do.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked with 3 people directly so far, altogether I was in touch and got to know 5 people from their team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The brand itself is coming to live now as the landing page has been done from a ui point of view and is in active development right now.

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

We had weekly meetings, communication was mostly done by video chat, e-mail and WhatsApp (as this was the easiest form of communication). Contract work was provided by an external party.

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

Their flexibility and love for work are impressive. It doesn't matter where they work or when, they do it with 150%, no matter what. You can feel the connection and you are working with people who love their work like you do.

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

There's nothing that comes to my mind that they could have improved.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a PR strategist and ghostwriter for the consulting and interim management industry in Germany.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The positioning of my old website was too "junior". My business advanced whithin the last couple of years and I wanted that progress reflected on my website.

SOLUTION

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

With their creative approach, Creative Mules gave it a new look and feel, more mature, but still promising: "I am the creative guy you need for your PR concepts and media relations." Creative Mules explain very clear the "why" of their design soultions. They don't just design some fancy layouts without concept.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

I was a fast process. I described in a briefing that I wanted: a more meture website, my work over my person, a clear disign with one or two little parts of color. The guys from Creative Mules came up with a couple of ideas we discussed in a further session and they finnished it. Now it's on me to provide the new photos (photo session date is scheduled).

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked with three people. The contact person and project coordinator, the web designer and the UX designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Not yet, but I did a survey with some customers - and all of them agreed on the more senior-like appearance.

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

A young creative team meets a young one-man-army: That's short decision ways, fast communication and hot results. We used "Figma" to show in real-time the progress and changes on the layout. And we had one online-meeting via "meet.around".

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

Their easy way to handle business, their global work performance (everybody works in a different country), their creativity, and their clear oppinions on what works and what doesn't - UX and design wise.

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

Get their creatice outcome better canalized. Some layut ideas were suoer creative, but off-topic in terms of my customers industry.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founder of Die Anika, I organize weddings, parties & floral design all over Austria and Germany.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Creative Mules?

I have hired Creative Mules for the UI/UX design and development of my website.

SOLUTION

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

Web presence in this line of work is extremely important and I wanted something really special that would stand out from the crowd. I searched for a really long time for a suitable agency and I am very happy that I found Creative Mules. They showed me other reference projects and explained their approach and procedure. That convinced me.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

First, Creative Mules wanted to know as much information as possible about me and my business. They helped me to think more structurally and present my services logically on the website. I already had a minimal brand identity with a few elements - they expanded this accordingly for the web and created a landing page design based on that. Once we agreed on a certain style and layout, they proceeded with the design of the rest of the pages.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

In total, I worked with 4 people: One main contact, the project manager as well as three other people that joined some of the calls such as their creative director, UI/UX designer, and their developer - all very lovely and friendly people!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone I have shown the website to so far has been absolutely thrilled and not once has anyone said anything negative about the website. I am also surprised by the loading time as there are really a lot of animations but the Creative Mules team has optimized the site perfectly. I am totally thrilled with the result and it has exceeded my wildest expectations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective. From the design phase on, most of the communication actually went through Figma and there it is possible to give live feedback directly. This was always implemented in a timely manner and for all major changes, the project manager organized calls in which everything was discussed structurally.

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

When it comes to web design, these guys were at the top of their game. At the beginning of the project I showed them references of other websites that I liked very much and I expected something on a similar scale, but they far exceeded those expectations.

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

We were not able to meet the originally planned deadline, but the delays were all on my account because I had underestimated my involvement in the project. So no, there is nothing to improve. I am happy with everything they have done!