Flipp Advertising Inc.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m executive director for KidSport Calgary, a local not-for-profit organization. It provides low-income families with registration fee assistance so their kids can participate in sports.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

We needed to find a partner for our 25th anniversary, which will be taking place in 2020. The key for us was to find a partner that understood our business, goals, and history.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flipp Advertising Inc. is working with us to create an anniversary program for 2020. We're in the initial planning stages now. They've done a strategy session with us to identify the core ideas that will be the central focus of the celebration.

They’ve also worked with us on another project. They built a simple website and integrated donation platform for our Calgary Flames Ambassador program called Goals for Kids. They did everything from top to bottom on the design. They're also supporting the digital campaign strategy and social media in terms of messaging and graphics.

What is the team composition?

We've worked with several members of their team, including designers and social media strategists.

How did you come to work with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

We selected them from a group of 12 different agencies that we interviewed.

How much have you invested with them?

I think the retail cost is around $30,000. That's not what we paid because they’re donating some of their time. As a small not-for-profit, spending money on outside resources is not something we typically do.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've definitely seen results on the Goals for Kids program. The web platform is outstanding. Our partners love it. It’s generating traffic and new donations. They’ve created a platform that can grow with us and amplify our impact.

How did Flipp Advertising Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We have no complaints. We're digging in now on the 25th-anniversary project and learning more about how to work together. So far they’ve been responsive and timely in terms of delivering on their commitments. We mostly communicate through email. They’re good about coming to us with any questions and getting the information that they need. It's a really great partnership.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Starting from the co-founders, their entire team has a positive attitude and approach to the work. Everyone there recognizes that we're not just a customer or a client. They understand who we are and what we're trying to accomplish. They’re all about trying to help us achieve our goals. They also push us to look at things a little differently sometimes. They’re willing to work hand in hand with us to use our 25th anniversary as a platform that will set us up for success for the next 25 years.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not at this point. Everything's gone well to date.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend the time to meet with them so they can understand what you looking for. They'll ask smart questions because they have a very knowledgeable team with great experience. If they're the right fit for you as a partner, they’ll help you accomplish your goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for an advertising co-op.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

We needed a new partner to manage all of our out-of-home advertising.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flipp Advertising Inc. does all of our billboards, radio, transit, and Canadian Traffic Network advertising. They provided the initial creative and then we chose the best campaign they pitched. They set all of the formats and created all the collateral, and then our internal team took over.

What is the team composition?

We have two main points of contact.

How did you come to work with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

I interviewed a few agencies and asked some to pitch campaign ideas. I wanted a small and local firm that would be able to have face-to-face meetings. I looked up references, read reviews, and chose Flipp Advertising because I liked what they came up with.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since January 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Out-of-home advertising isn’t really quantifiable, but it works in conjunction with our other advertising to drive awareness.

How did Flipp Advertising Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The senior account manager does a good job of keeping our project on track, but sometimes we need a bit more help. Flipp Advertising is incredibly busy, though, so I understand that they can’t make sure I have everything done when I need to.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like that they’re local.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They need to be more transparent about costs. When we initiated the partnership, I thought I was clear that we would pay Flipp Advertising a percentage of our advertising spend. That’s not what they ended up charging us for, so they need to be more honest and upfront about their fees.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Get all of the costs at the beginning so that there aren’t any surprises.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Creative Manager for Spiritleaf, a recreational, cannabis retailer franchise. We work with our partner to find them anything from a new location to advertising and supply.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flipp Advertising?

There wasn’t a challenge, per se, but we were starting a new company, so we reached out to them during our initial branding phase.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we started, our objective was to sell franchises, so they designed our website to cater just to investors and people who wanted to open their own stores. Once we capped out, they redesigned the entire site to cater more to our customers. Since coaching us through our initial branding, they’ve built websites for our holding company and four of our house brands.

They did a full logo design for us as well, both for our brand and our holding company and three of our house brands. They’ve also created a training portal from scratch where our employees can do their training courses. Right now, they're working on the packaging for our house brands and a loyalty program landing page.

What is the team composition?

I mostly work with their Strategic Account Director, who has been my main point of contact. I’ve worked a little bit with their Partner Account Lead, as well as their Art Director. We also worked directly a little with one of their developers.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $210,000 CAD ($161,490 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're completely sold out of territory, in terms of selling any more franchises, and that was through some of their creative. All of our franchise partners comment on our branding: the logo, the look and feel of it in general - they say that's what stands out in our industry. That's why I feel like we're so successful with selling and how we’ve generated a cult following.

How did Flipp Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

They always meet deadlines and they work really quickly. If I need something they get back to right away, either over phone or email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were easy to approach and they definitely feed on collaboration. They were much more flexible than another agency we worked with and took the time to know our look and feel. They sat down with us and dedicated time to learning how to reflect our brand and our company culture in their work.

Their Partner Account Lead provided a lot of mentorship, which helped us because, as a new company, we don’t know as much as they do. They’re really good at providing feedback and the right resources to make sure that we’re successful. They never leave us hanging.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would suggest that they let us meet the entire team: the developers, designers, whoever is behind our branding. We do have a main point of contact, but, on a more personal level, we could have a little bit more confidence if we put a face with the artwork.

Any advice for potential customers?

When we joined, we didn’t have much of a breakdown of our personas—who our customers were going to be. It would have a lot of value for them to walk their clients through the process of how they came up with certain designs or elements or colors.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a sales representative of a food manufacturing company that creates malt for breweries and distilleries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

We needed to rebrand our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flipp started with a discovery phase and met with our employees to get a brief overview and look in-depth into our company—who we were, where we are now, and how we want to be in the future. Using this as a foundation, their team created a timeline and budget. Then, they developed color schemes, a more traditional logo based on our previous logo, and additional designs. They're now helping us design our new packaging and planning to work on our web design.

What is the team composition?

We work with their managing partner and two account managers.

How did you come to work with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

We did a lot of research online and through phone calls. We narrowed it down to about five companies and analyzed their proposals. We looked at their portfolios, size, and found Flipp to be the right fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $125,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in May 2017, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients praise our new logo for standing out, and they can see that we're advancing as a leader in our industry. Our packing designs impress them as well, and they're looking forward to using them to help increase their sales.

How did Flipp Advertising Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication is excellent. If we have any issues, we can call them or meet them in person, and they'll take care of it right away. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a smaller company but have a lot of capacity and resources to get things done. We actually chose them because they are a smaller company and can provide hands-on support. They provide as much in-house support as they can.

Any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want going in. Keep your internal people on the project small or it'll be hard to get everyone on the same page. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president of NEST Condominiums, a small development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flipp Advertising?

We have a small, unique development site with 82 studio and one-bedroom units. The property does not have a parking lot, but every unit has bicycles. We needed to create a special image and branding to market the units.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Flipp Advertising uses innovative marketing techniques to capture our target audiences. Using our initial conceptual research, their team works with us in developing our name, branding, and related designs.

They’re also building out our website, the landing page, and our back door targeted mailing list, which they’re integrating with Facebook, Instagram, our blog, and our CMS. Their team also creates online advertisements for various sites and for social media.
 

What is the team composition?

I work with a project manager who leads everyday tasks, a web designer, an online marketer, and a social media curator.

How did you come to work with Flipp Advertising?

I looked online for Calgary-based vendors and found Flipp. Our initial impression was solid, and they showcased a strong set of skills. They were hip, edgy, and proposed out-of-the-box solutions, which were exactly what we were looking for.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $300,000 (approxmately $230,430 USD) thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in April 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve gotten solid leads from our target marketing group. The branding of our site signage is solid and gets lots of recognition. They help us develop a cohesive strategy, so I think we're headed the right way. It’s been excellent thus far.

How did Flipp Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is really solid, and their team is realistic in predicting a practical timeline and budget. We sometimes challenge them to make something more quickly, but they won’t sacrifice quality to attain an unachievable goal. It's better to do it right than to make mistakes. We communicate constantly through emails and phone calls, and have regular meetings to make sure that we're staying on track with the overall vision. We make adjustments together if we think we anything needs tweaking.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a positive team and meet our challenges head-on with creative solutions. They never complain and produce high-quality work. Even though we outsource work to them, they feel like a part of our team and make sure that we’re on the same page. They give us comprehensive and tailored service.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do a fair bit of your own research to understand where you want to take the project. The better you can define it, the better a vendor can deliver what you want. Be open to new ideas and work together as a team.
 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a project manager at Genstar Development Company. We build residential suburban communities across Canada and the United States. We handle all elements associated with parks, playgrounds, pathways, and roads. For the actual houses, our company divides the land into lots and sells them to individual builders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

We wanted a partner to help us market to the general public. Even though we don’t necessarily interact with them personally, it is still important for them to understand our community brand and be able to differentiate us from our competitors.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

A majority of their assistance was in the realm of consulting services. Flipp has a lot of insight into our target market and they offer valuable information to help us determine what audiences we should be trying to reach.

The Flipp team helps us with the creative side of both traditional and digital marketing, but we are moving more towards a digital-focused strategy. They have taken over all of our social media management needs and content creation processes to increase our followership and improve brand recognition. Additionally, Flipp guides our media buying efforts and handles our interactions with various key industry publications.

What is the team composition?

They provided a team of about 5 representatives. We had one main contact and the other team members each had a specific role.

How did you come to work with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

The company started working with Flipp before I joined, but we had a connection to the owner.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $300,000 each year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2010 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We track our success by the amount of traffic we get in or show homes, which fluctuates based on a variety of factors, but we attribute a portion of the success to Flipp’s marketing techniques. Their strategies are raising awareness levels and encouraging people to visit our communities.

Flipp has also helped us maximize our social media outreach through Instagram and Facebook. Our fresh and contemporary vibe continues to attract new followers. Looking at all of the results, it’s clear that the Flipp team is doing something right.

How did Flipp Advertising Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

The team has a very proactive and responsive approach to the project. I can expect answers to my questions within the same day. Because of their knowledge of the marketing industry, we are able to rely heavily on their expertise.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really liked the Flipp company culture. They are a smaller, tightknit company with an open atmosphere that facilitates collaboration.

Any advice for potential customers?

Clients should trust Flipp and allow them freedom when working on the project because they’ll get the job done. They are great to work with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director, Sales and Marketing of Action Furnace

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Specialize in residential comfort solutions in the Home heating and cooling industry for existing homes

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Flipp Advertising Inc. to accomplish?

• To help elevate the quality of our branding with a professional level commercial for TV and youtube

SOLUTION

How did you find Flipp Advertising Inc.?

Online Search

Why did you select Flipp Advertising Inc. over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Flipp Advertising Inc. were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Creation, design from initial concept to finished production of branding commercials

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Created timeline for the project from the outset. Regular progress and update meetings (in person and online) during the process

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

They were an incredible dedicated group of individuals. Everything was delivered on time with the highest of standards. Very responsive to all inquiries and needs along the process

What was your primary form of communication with Flipp Advertising Inc.?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The most impressive thing is the skill and dedication of the team to creating excellence in their product and production

Are there any areas for improvement or something Flipp Advertising Inc. could have done differently?

No, they were excellent to work with

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the Marketing Coordinator for the Calgary Land and Housing divisions within a Real Estate Asset Management company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Flipp Advertising Inc.?

We were looking for an agency partner for the launch of a new community in SW Calgary. Flipp was hired to for a website contract as well as a 2 year campaign covering a variety of marketing assets, digital campaign design and management, social assets, and more.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Flipp was already on my shortlist from knowing some of the team and seeing other work in their portfolio. Their knowledge and experience of the Calgary real estate market was an asset, but their variety in other clients gave us confidence that they could and would break the mold of a typical real estate campaign.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Scope of work was everywhere from design and development of the community website to print assets, digital campaign design and management, environmental wayfinding and signage, and more. We had a broad scope of assets, guided by our strategic marketing plan and Flipp was flexible in our asks and executions.

What was the team composition?

Day to day, I communicated with the Account Services team and met with the Creative Director and Creative team for important briefs, presentation, and milestones.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website was awarded Best Website at the local BILD awards and a merit award at the Anvils. This was a big accomplishment for establishing the community and the Calgary marketing team as shaking up the mold of a typical community launch. The digital campaign generated awareness and traffic to an 'event' hosted during COVID, in an educated and safe way.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

90% of our projects were efficient and followed an easy workflow. Their recommendation to have one key contact on our side of things was imperative and smart to keep work moving.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their commitment and understanding of this community's efforts and values were impressive. Flipp had to 'drink the Kool-aid' and believe in the new community design, approach, and principles as much as we did to be able to tell the story they did.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

The only part of the project that I found a struggle was the signage and wayfinding. Perhaps because we had limited them too much with our creative direction, or because it's not their strongest skill. I feel like that project could have gone smoother if the creative ask was more open to see what the team could really create on their own.