Fazer

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the head of global marketing at an advertising services company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fazer?

Our initial goal was to define our product architecture since our company had gone through various acquisitions and integrations with other companies. We needed help cleaning our brand architecture and deciding which brands would be forward-facing. We also needed help defining the product stories and brand narrative. Further in our journey, we're looking to improve lead generation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fazer is our design agency on record and supports our company in designing graphics for events, reports, and landing pages. Fazer has also supported the creation of our brand strategy, product strategy, brand architecture, and visual identity. Fazer has designed and developed our website, too, creating a blog and case study sections that have a unique search and discovery mechanism for finding content around specific topics. Fazer also supports our business strategy. 

What is the team composition?

We work with 5–7 teammates from Fazer, including two strategy officers, a strategy director, a lead copywriter, an account director, a design director, and another designer.

How did you come to work with Fazer?

We searched for branding agencies on Google, and then a teammate found Clutch, where we looked for service providers with specific specialties. We sent Fazer an RFP during our initial outreach, which described our project's requirements, and the team responded and set up a call. We had around 2–3 meetings discussing the project, which was our discovery phase, before deciding to move forward with Fazer.
How much have you invested with them?

We've spent around $500,000–$750,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Fazer in December 2022, and our engagement is ongoing. We've finished big projects with Fazer, and now, they're on retainer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Fazer's work quality is very high. Our social engagement has increased by at least 15%. We haven't launched our website yet, but our lead quality score has increased by at least three points. We've worked with the same teammates of senior-level professionals throughout the entire project, which I find extremely valuable.

How did Fazer perform from a project management standpoint?

Fazer delivers work on time and communicates well with us through weekly meetings, email, and Slack. We use monday.com to track work and collaborate via Google Docs. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fazer keeps us on track and accommodates us. The team keeps us honest and are great people.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything for Fazer to improve. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I suggest being open-minded and reviewing the work Fazer does in a quick timeline. The team is quick, and you need to ensure you're making the time commitment to meet the schedule they'll create for you. Fazer takes a ton of work off your plate, so ensure you're committed to reviewing their work and sticking to the timeline to get you where you want to be. Be open-minded, and your life will be a lot easier. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a travel media company that will launch a booking platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fazer?

We needed support rebranding our company's visual identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a discovery phase where we discussed our vision for our company and our competition. After that, we had a bunch of various calls explaining our goals for the future and how we wanted our branding to look. Fazer designed our logo and new brand identity, delivering brand guidelines for our product. Fazer helped us discover our voice.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 5–6 teammates from Fazer, including Todd (Chief Strategy Officer & Founder) and Ashley (Director of Accounts).

How did you come to work with Fazer?

I contacted Fazer through a referral; they were highly recommended.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $65,000–$75,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Fazer from June–November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We haven't launched our final product, so I don't have quantitative feedback at the moment, but Fazer's work exceeded our expectations. 

How did Fazer perform from a project management standpoint?
Fazer laid out work initially and met deadlines, and there were no surprises. The team was on point. We communicated via Slack, email, phone calls, and text messages. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fazers's biggest strength was their branding services. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of any area of improvement for Fazer.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I recommend potential customers ensure they define the aspects of their company and its image when engaging with Fazer. To think about how they want the public to feel about their company. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am co-founder and President for a premium digital privacy service

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We are a start up and needed a full branding project - positioning, strategy, visual identity

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Fazer was recommended as an agency specializing in start ups and high growth businesses. I reviewed three agencies and selected Fazer based on the founder's experience, their knowledge of start up ecosystems and their creative talent

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

Working in parts:

1. Defined the positioning for our brand and business - through workshops and incredibly thorough competitive and market analysis
2. Created a distinct narrative and brand ID
3. In tandem with ongoing brand work have delivered interim collateral and stood up a website to address our ongoing "real time" needs.

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

There are roughly 5-6 people working on our project (perhaps more behind the scenes):

• Founder/Owner
• Account Director
• Head Copy writer
• Assistant copy writer
• Head creative
• Assistant creative

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The most important outcome was to get 4 co-founders aligned on our market positioning after 2 years of discussion and hypothesis. They delivered interim selling and marketing material to keep the business moving forward all while doing the ongoing branding project they were originally scoped for.

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

Project management is absolutely superb. This was one of my biggest criteria for assessing an agency. I have worked with many agencies of all sizes over my career, and Fazer's account management is exemplary.

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

The founder/owner is incredibly smart and savvy, he very quickly understood our category and needs. He has a great method for developing brand positioning and strategy. He has also hired phenomenal talent in every part of his team.

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

I truly cannot think of any.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Frontline Managed Services, a mortgage bank.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fazer?

We needed a company that could help us improve our online presence through a new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fazer has designed and developed a WordPress website for us. We started the project by going through our brand. After that, we went into design, wherein we applied general architecture at a high level. We then moved into copy deck, which involved understanding the content and ensuring all the content was correct. We’ve recently done a design and look and feel phase and a review and finalization process.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Todd (Chief Strategy Officer & Founder) and Aaron (Chief Marketing Officer).

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The site’s speed and design are significantly better compared to our competitors.

How did Fazer perform from a project management standpoint?

Fazer has performed well in terms of project management. We have regular meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Fazer has got a new website up and running in under six weeks, which is very impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve really enjoyed working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to communicate what you need clearly and concisely to make sure you have alignment.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company provides grief support to individuals after the death of a family member, and we partner with a funeral home to do that. I’m the co-founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Fazer?

We hired them for their branding and marketing services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, Fazer took the time to truly understand our company and help us flesh out the exact pillars that we were looking for in our brand identity. From there, they’ve been working with us every step of the way, ensuring each asset they create resonates with the delicate nature of the work that we do. They’ve developed our brand style guide, website, business cards, magazines, etc.

Additionally, their team helps with putting together ad campaigns. They come up with the overall strategy, including the taglines, slogans, and other ad materials.

What is the team composition?

We work with five people from their side.

How did you come to work with Fazer?

We found them through an online search and LinkedIn.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in February 2022, and it’s still an ongoing partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our company was still operating in stealth before the start of this engagement. Thanks to Fazer, we now have the essential pieces that we needed to go live and are in the process of rolling everything out. We’ll be able to share specific metrics after a month or so.

How did Fazer perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve delivered everything on time and within budget. They’re also very responsive and receptive to feedback — they always incorporate any ideas that we have in mind. For communication, we use email, Zoom, and phone calls. We also meet in person at times.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their willingness to truly get to know us, the mission that we’re doing, and the business that we’re building. Not many companies within our industry would do that.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

No, we’re definitely going to keep them as a partner.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You should start working with them as soon as possible — they’re a great partner.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CMO of PartnerCentric

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Affiliate marketing and management for powerhouse and challenger brands

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Fazer to accomplish?

• Articulate our differentiated value in a confusing marketplace
• Rally our internal team around a credible and easily expressed purpose
• Update our website to more clearly reflect our differentiated value to our current and future customers

SOLUTION

How did you find Fazer?

• Referral

Why did you select Fazer over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Fazer were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Fazer was hired to better articulate the unique and differentiated value of our brand, and translate that differentiated platform into language and design that would express it most powerfully. We began with a deep dive into our nearly 20 year history, the vision of our leadership, and the needs of our clients in order to fully frame why we do what we do.

The result was a brand narrative that was used to spawn a revised company logo, a refreshed graphic look and feel, and an engaging website design that would further encourage visitors to reach out and learn more about us. Beyond this brand narrative, the deliverables articulated our brand purpose in a way that is simple and inspiring to our internal and client audiences. All this was then applied to a fully functional website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

At the time of this review, our rebrand has just launched so we do not have data to support its success. We have set metrics to do so such as improved website traffic, increased inbound and referral leads, and talent assessments that are expected to deliver on our brand purpose.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The Fazer project team was meticulous in communicating our agreements, what was expected of us, and what their deliverables were each week. They were responsive, easy to work with, eager to please, but also committed to the goals set out for this project. There was virtually no friction, no chasing after deliverables, or missed deadlines.

What was your primary form of communication with Fazer?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

All members of the Fazer team seemed to walk to the same drumbeat. To a person, they reflected their commitment to us, their willingness to try again when we weren't quite satisfied, and to hold us to our own goals for this project.

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

We could have used more clarity around web development; what was within their core competency and where they expected us to fill some of these needs on our own.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sales Marketing Manager of (a/an) Financial services

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a financing service company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Fazer to accomplish?

• We needed help with branding.

SOLUTION

How did you find Fazer?

• Online Search
• Referral

Why did you select Fazer over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Fazer’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

In order to support our expansion into national markets, we partnered with Fazer to update our company's image. Their team assessed our existing brand and presented new strategies for positioning our company, as well as assisting with an overall communication and image overhaul. This involved recommendations for a new website design, slogan, logo, product brochures, and sales deck. Through research and analysis, they advised a unique brand image that incorporated industry-relevant colors and distinguished us from our competitors.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• After relaunching our brand, we have observed a rise in our engagement rate on LinkedIn and an increased response rate on our email campaigns. We have also received positive feedback from everyone who has encountered our new brand image.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Fazer effectively managed our expectations throughout the project. Overall, the project was completed within our timeline and budget constraints. Our communication with the team was mainly through email. We also had weekly catch-ups with our market manager, as well as nightly calls, and the collaboration went smoothly.

What was your primary form of communication with Fazer?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

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

Fazer has a team of intellectual powerhouses who were able to translate our research into practical insights. Their guidance on leveraging our weaknesses to create a brand positioning that effectively projected our image in the marketplace was impressive.

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

None, they’ve done well!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of (a/an) IT Services

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are an ITAD and Data Destruction services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Fazer to accomplish?

• To develop a brand identity and articulate its unique value offer.

SOLUTION

How did you find Fazer?

Online Search, Referral

Why did you select Fazer over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Fazer’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Fazer undertook a comprehensive branding project with us and immediately immersed themselves in the details. They reviewed numerous documents and videos that we provided them to capture the essence of our culture. Their detailed key learnings informed their naming brief, capturing our style, messaging, and tone preferences. They presented us with two rounds of names, each with supporting rationale to contextualise and envision each name as our own.

After we agreed on a shortlist of names, Fazer conducted a preliminary trademark analysis to eliminate any obvious conflicts before submitting a final shortlist to our counsel. Once we selected our final name, Fazer created a design brief similar to the naming brief, describing our style preferences. They presented us with a dozen logo concepts, conducted a few rounds of refinement, and explored colours until we settled on our final logo.

Fazer also developed our full-color palette, sourced accompanying typography, and assembled a style guide to help guide the activation of our brand moving forward. In addition, they created extra brand exhibits for us and provided accompanying design files, giving our rebrand a significant boost off the ground.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Our brand now represents our company's identity, values, and the dedication of our passionate team.
• Fazer received positive feedback from our employees.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Fazer not only met every milestone deadline promptly but also ensured that there are representatives who are available at all times. They also kept in touch with us regularly, providing updates on the progress and addressing any queries we had. Fazer was highly accessible, and we could quickly arrange calls and meetings with them on short notice.

Our communication was conducted via Google Meeting/Zoom and email, and they consistently demonstrated effective communication skills throughout the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Fazer?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Fazer has a deep understanding of naming and has honed it to almost a scientific level. We were impressed by their expertise in the field and the way they eagerly delved into learning about our business and culture. Their creativity in both names and designs was exceptional, as they explored the messaging and visual territories that best aligned with our business.

We appreciated their responsiveness, attention to detail, and dedication to achieving excellence. Furthermore, they are genuinely kind and good people, which made working with them incredibly easy.

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

None that I could think of, they’re amazing :)

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Director of (a/an) IT Services

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a cybersecurity company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Fazer to accomplish?

• To come up with a name for a novel product.
• Establish a brand positioning and value proposition.

SOLUTION

How did you find Fazer?

Online Search, Referral

Why did you select Fazer over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
•  Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

What was the size of Fazer’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We hired Fazer to name our new product for its launch, providing them with a detailed brief on our brand vision, strategy, tone of voice, functionality, and unique selling proposition. Fazer led an exercise to identify competitors and aspirational names, and guided us on name types and alignment with existing product names.

They provided us with initial and refined name options, checked for trademark availability and language anomalies, and will work with us again for a brand refresh and another product naming project. We plan to enlist Fazer's services for a brand refresh, and we have already assigned them another product naming project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Their approach was highly structured, which suited our needs, resulting in a relatively smooth process that met our expectations.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

They demonstrate excellent project management skills, meeting all our expectations. They possess a perfect blend of structure, creativity, flexibility, and experience to deliver on our projects. Fazer consistently met all of our deadlines and kept us well-informed of the project timeline. They were also very accessible, and we could easily schedule calls and meetings with them at short notice. We communicated via Zoom and email. They exhibited effective communication throughout the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Fazer?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Fazer displayed exceptional dedication to researching our product's market and assisting us in formulating a strategy during the naming process. Their team presented an incredibly streamlined process for naming our product, and their expertise in creative strategy development was unparalleled in my previous experiences with partners.

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

None, they did fantastic on this project!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Vice President Marketing of a software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

As a participant in the fiercely competitive software industry, it's essential for us to remain current and appealing to our target audience. We aimed to introduce a revitalized brand that would establish better connections with contemporary B2B purchasers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We hold the belief that the work carried out by an agency is as important as the relationship developed with their partner. We conducted a comprehensive search across the country, which took a considerable amount of time. During our first interactions with Fazer, we had productive meetings and established a great connection with them. We found them to be a perfect match for our requirements.

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

The project was complex, involving interviews, discovery sessions, and a market research project that helped refine our brand, which impressed us with its valuable insights about our evolving brand. The final brand guidelines were delivered after several rounds of presentations, which followed a typical branding process.

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

We mainly worked with Todd but there were 3 people at the time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After launching the updated brand, we noticed an instant significant improvement in our brand's image, and our team has given us favorable feedback.

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

The Fazer team exhibited professionalism and effective communication throughout the project.

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

Fazer's ability to adapt sets them apart. Their team excels at projects of different scales and deadlines, consistently delivering quality work with few revision cycles. They demonstrate impressive agility in accommodating challenging requests. I commend their capacity for establishing and meeting client expectations.

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

None, they were awesome!