Forge Worldwide

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive Director, Enrollment Marketing of University of Massachusetts Lowell

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell provides non-credit and credit bearing education offerings, on campus and online, at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• Develop copy to enhance the University's reputation and awareness and distinguish it from competitors
• Develop copy to support undergraduate and graduate student recruitment.
• Develop copy that can be used in advertising as well as in print collateral

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Previously worked with Forge

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Exceptional higher ed experience

How many teammates from Forge Worldwide were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Round 1: Develop 3-5 conceptual territories based on existing information about UMass Lowell's brand, recent brand research and a review of web content. Work was delivered in under two weeks.

Round 2: Based on our Round 1 feedback Forge developed conceptual copy directions delivering 47 possible options within 10 days 20 of which were accepted as is or with minor revision requests.

Round 3: Based on our feedback Forge developed additional copy, ultimately providing UMass Lowell with more than 40 usable lines and conceptual approaches..

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A high number of usable headlines and concepts that succinctly articulaee UMass Lowell's brand...and a very happy Senior Exceutive Director of Brand, Communications and Creative Strategy, Provost and Chancellor.

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

Forge was incredibly responsive to our requests and feedback - in all three phases of the engagement we were slower to get our feedback to them than they were with turning around our work requests.

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

Virtual Meeting

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

Perhpas most impressive is that the Forge team brings a tremendous depth of experience to the work they do which enables them to develop concepts and copy that resonates across audiences as diverse as high school students, working professionals, and senior administrators.

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

We were satisfied and look forward to future engagements with Forge Worldwide

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a director at Physician Performance

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a 3,000 member physician organization that physicians in positions of strength to succeed

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• Increase brand awareness and trust
• Increase engagement with physicians and increase clarity of key offerings
• Create visual brand and key messaging that reflects the purpose and values of the organization

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Referral

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

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

How many teammates from Forge Worldwide were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Research and planning, including project plan, insight gathering and research through small focus groups, group interviews and surveys and consensus group. Deliverables included summary of key findings, project plan, outcomes and insight report that outlined areas of current engagement and areas of opportunites, as well as focused input that was used for creating key messaging and branding ideas.

Brand strategy: developed a brand framework and narrative that pulled in information from prior stage, as well as input from key leadership. Deliverables included brand framework and narrive and creative brief

Creative: creative exploration to build creative concept options that captured our brand's core values and strategic vision; logo and tagline development that aligned with our new brand strategy, and a brand guide

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

met project timline

greater engagement from board on brand

survey to be sent out a few months post-go live to determine if engagement has increased

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

extremely well-run project management, very responsive both in terms of timeliness but also in completeness of responses. Their staff was very dialed into the work and the goals of the project. flexible in their adapting to our sometimes changing perspectives as we moved through the project.

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

Virtual Meeting

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

High level of knowledge and past experience regarding brand work, very creative options presented, exremely well managed in terms of project management 

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

NA

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Assistant Director of Programs and Policy of an education company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are dedicated to ensuring that all of Boston’s residents have the opportunity to acquire the education they need to find work in the region’s knowledge economy and to help them lead secure, fulfilling lives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• Support to develop a new name for our developmental screening intiative

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Referral

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Forge Worldwide were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Our initiative seeks to provide access to developmental screenings and referrals, and foster connections to developmental resources and services for all families in Boston. We asked Forge to help us develop a new name and tagline to convey our purpose and impact to families and partners.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Working with Forge has been an invaluable experience for us. They deeply value our initiative and share our commitment to community and families in the City of Boston. Over the course of the past few months, Forge has provided guidance and strategic input on the process of developing a new name and brand. They have helped us to clarify our goals and priorities by prompting us to define our purpose, tailored the process by highlighting key considerations, and provided feedback on the messaging conveyed. Most importantly, Forge provide strategic guidance on working with key partners to develop a new name. We feel grateful to Forge for the experience, support and strategic insights they have brought to the project.

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

Forge has always been immediately responsive.

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Forge's commitment to Boston families and our initiative, experience, and tailored strategy.

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of School of Brewster Academy

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Brewster Academy provides a transformative and inclusive learning environment that prepares diverse thinkers for purposeful lives, cultivating self-aware, capable students who lead by example and inspire positive change in education, their communities, and the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• Support our brand messaging
• Utilize compelling videos to convey our mission and vision

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Referral

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Forge Worldwide were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Brewster Academy hired FORGE to develop three videos to be used externally to build excitement, showcase the human spirit of Brewster, and illustrate the value of a Brewster education. The first was a general brand video, the second a social cutdown of that brand video, and the third a preview video for Brewster Academy’s 2035 Strategic Vision. The overall tone was intended to be upbeat, joyful, engaging, and exciting. The videos incorporated existing internal footage from Brewster Academy as well as newly captured footage, filmed in collaboration between Brewster and Forge on location at Brewster’s campuses in Wolfeboro, NH, and Madrid, Spain. These videos were then used on Brewster’s websites, in promotional materials, and on social media.

Deliverables
Creative Brief

A document outlining the project goals, audience insights, and key messaging considerations.
Videos

One up-to-2-minute brand video
One up-to-2-minute 2035 Strategic Vision video
Two sets of 15–30-second cutdowns for social media
Presentation Materials

2–3 video concepts
Storyboard and shot/wish lists
Scripts and storyboard visuals
A description of the creative direction for each video

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We evaluate the following key performance indicators (KPIs), focusing on reach, engagement, traffic, and video performance metrics, including impressions, clicks, landing page traffic, landing page visitors, time spent on the landing page, new and returning visitors, video views, and video completion rates to assess performance and success of campaigns leveraging these videos.

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

Forge demonstrated exemplary project management throughout our engagement, consistently displaying strong communication skills, a collaborative spirit, and an impressive level of flexibility when adapting to changes in direction or schedule. They were transparent and proactive about project needs, providing clear guidance on Brewster’s responsibilities and carefully managing scope to prevent overruns. Whenever new ideas or requests arose, Forge was upfront about the potential financial impact and helped us prioritize accordingly. Their team was consistently pleasant, professional, and supportive, acting as a trusted advisor and partner rather than a mere vendor.

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

What stood out about Forge Worldwide was their commitment to ensuring senior-level attention throughout the project. Their honest approach to finding the best solutions rather than just the easiest, and their willingness to receive and act upon feedback to guarantee Brewster’s satisfaction with the final deliverable were impressive. Beyond these qualities, Forge impressed us with their deep understanding of our audiences, their talent for connecting with both students and staff on camera, and their ability to capture Brewster’s unique spirit and “magic” in a truly authentic way.

Forge delivered strong value for money by executing a well-organized, quick-turnaround project, leveraging an efficient shot list, casting real students and faculty, and utilizing Brewster’s existing video repository to minimize extra shooting time, paid talent, and associated production costs.

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

The only area we believe Forge could have handled differently was recommending against using the motion graphics earlier in the process. While they were open to our initial request to include some form of animation, the graphics ultimately didn’t fit well with the final video. Nevertheless, our decision to remove them was a collaborative one, and it was clear that Forge intended to honor our creative direction and deliver on what we’d asked for which we appreciated and respected.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

 I am the Marketing Manager Department of Early Childhood of an education company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Public School District in Boston, Massachusetts. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• Rebrand our Pre-K initiative

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Referral

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

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

How many teammates from Forge Worldwide were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Develop a Brand strategy platform, creative concepts, and key campaign executions to support the BPS Universal Pre-K’s short and long-term awareness and growth of the program.

Some of the key deliverables were: 

Brand positioning

Brand narrative and creative brief

Name development

Key message development

Logo and tagline development

Brand guidelines Toolik

Campaign Assets, including new logo, family handbook, registration flyers, outdoor signage, out of home campaign ads, brochure.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Deliverables were used to measure the project's success

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

The team's project management was excellent. They were highly proactive and consistently delivered all items on time. We had weekly calls with the project manager, which ensured clear communication and alignment throughout the project. Whenever edits to deliverables were necessary, the team was incredibly responsive and adaptable, addressing our needs efficiently and working seamlessly within our timeline.

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

Virtual Meeting

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

What impressed me most about this company was their deep understanding of our mission and their respect for our internal processes. Despite the slower pace due to the need for significant internal alignment, they were patient and worked within our required timelines without compromising the quality of their work. Their alignment with our mission of centering families was evident throughout the project. They were highly responsive and embraced our feedback with a collaborative spirit, ensuring the final deliverables truly met our expectations.

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

Everything was great, and we had a fantastic experience working with Forge Worldwide. There’s nothing we would suggest changing, and we would love the opportunity to collaborate with them again in the future.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Partner and Client Solutions Director of AT WORK COLLABORATIVE

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a one stop shop for contract furnishings and interior and exterior architectural products. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• To refine our Brand Architecture for our Family of Brands
• To articulate our brand story and value proposition
• Brand Guidelines + Logo Design

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Referral

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Expertise

How many teammates from Forge Worldwide were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Refine Brand Architecture + Strategy - facilitate stakeholder and industry network interviews and market research, provide key considerations and recommendations for our family of brands structure, messaging, and overall strategy. 
• Create Logo + Brand Guidelines - facilitate visioning sessions for alignment with exisitng brands and make recommendations for rollout, collateral, and high-level digital marketing content.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Clear + Concise package was created and we were easily able to implement.
• Guidelines + Content were seamlessly integrated into our existing marketing strategy
• Process + Support was provided along the way to assist with onboarding of all stakeholders. 

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

Yes, we had an aggressive timeline and many stakeholders, so consistency in communication was key as well as candid feedback along the way to keep us on track. The team was always in alignment with our team which made for impactful collaboration.  

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Forge Worldwide's planning and the time they took to understand who we are and how they can help us were impressive. They also have a great model where each team member seems to bring a complimentary skill and perspective to the table.  The are a top notch team! 

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

 I do not have areas of improvement, they only continue to refine and adapt evolve their skills as industry demands change. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Writer and Editor of MSPCA-Angell

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The MSPCA-Angell is a nonprofit animal hospital and rescue shelter.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• design our bi-annual donor magazine

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Referral

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fits our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Forge Worldwide were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

This Scope Of Work :

● Account and project management
 > Includes selecting, partnering and managing deliverables with the print vendor

● Donor Magazine: Print version - print layout file
> 32-page
> Full-color
> Twice per year (Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer)
> Quantity: 5000
> Non-profit postage can be provided through the MSPCA Indicia account

● Donor Magazine: Digital version - design file

Each Companion version includes 2 rounds of changes, though we will target to limit change rounds to one.
Forge will manage the proofing process with the printer of choice as agreed upon by both parties.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their professionalism, project management, and creative  -- along with how quickly they understood the core vision of our brand -- enabled us to continue with the design, printing, and mailing of our donor magazine. They also recognized our need to operate within a limited nonprofit budget.

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

Forge's brand director, Millie Park, delivered a production schedule that worked within our time frame and was always flexible to adjust for delays. She communicated all the steps and was always an email away if we had questions; we never felt we were in the dark about our deliverables. 
All proofs were clean and error-free, and the art director, Meredith Wish, offered creative design solutions and worked with us to refresh pages if needed. They were always professional and precise—and, best of all, always a pleasure to work with. 

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

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

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

Forge is a smaller agency than most in Boston, which we appreciate. They're genuinely collaborative, and you can tell they care about the work they do and each other as teammates. We are a very small marketing group at the MSPCA-Angell, and we appreciate the attention and responsiveness that Forge can give us because they are smaller—we're not lost in the shuffle as we have been in the past with larger agencies. 

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

None!  We really do love working with Forge—they genuinely feel like a part of the MSPCA-Angell team. And while we initially reached out to them to assist with designing our donor magazine, we're expanding our collaboration with them due to their professionalism and seamless coordination. They consistently offer suggestions to enhance our marketing outreach while recognizing our need to operate within a limited budget. We wholeheartedly recommend Forge Worldwide to any nonprofit needing a marketing partner who prioritizes excellence.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing of Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Isenberg School of Management at the Univeristy of Massachusetts, Amherst, is an AACSB-accredited instituion offering an exceptional education—whether students are undergraduate or graduate, on-campus or online, or studying full-time or part-time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• Graduate Program Recruitment
• Branding

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Word of Mouth

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Expertise backed by smarts and creativity

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

Through our long relationship with Forge Worldwide, their scope of work included brand development and strategy, student recruitment advertising, and engagement with key audiences. Deliverables included:

• Continous brand strategy
• Brand campaign development and media execution -- digital, OOH, CTV/OTT video, event sponsorships, etc.
• Video production -- brand anthem video, alumni and donor pieces, and several shorter videos for student recruitment
• Content development -- long-form copy for content marketing, brochures, and web
• Photography production -- all facets of photo shoot production from the RFP process and location scouting, to day of production
• Student recruitment deliverables built off of the content, photography, and video deliverables where those creative assets were utilized in a full digital media plan executed across several channels including display, social, and search
• Media management across all efforts--brand, student recruitment, and engagment with key audiences--included plan development, media management, reporting, and optimization

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Brand awareness
• Qualified prospective graduate students
• Efficient media spends

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

The Forge Worldwide team fully managed all projects--setting and driving the timelines and deliverables, which they always met. Projects were always colaborative, never perscriptive, and our internal needs were always considered throughout the process. 

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

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

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

The most impressive quality of the Forge Worldwide team was their ability and willingness to roll up their sleeves and get down in the work with us. From strategy/planning workshops, creative production and development, to media executions and reporting, the Forge Worldwide team was with us ironing out details and doing the work. All levels of their team was invested in our success. 

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

The Forge team is outstanding. They do great, thoughtful work. Their process is to always improve. From one project to the next, they took previous learnings and applied them going forward. If there is something to improve on, they're already working on it.

UPDATED REVIEW

BACKGROUND

Please provide us with a brief description of your company.

I work for the business school of a large public university. The school was founded 1947, and has more than 42,000 alumni in 86 countries. We offer Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)-accredited courses to 4,800 students on campus, online, and in blended formats. The school's 3,400 undergraduates major in seven business disciplines, including industry specialties in sport management and hospitality and tourism management. Our 1,400 graduate students earn Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

What is your role at the company?

I am the chief marketing officer, reporting directly to the dean. I directly manage a team of five FTEs (full-time employees), 10 to 15 student workers, and indirectly manage and approve the work of all academic departments and administrative groups across the business school. I also liaise with the university to coordinate marketing and communications efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address when you approached Forge Worldwide?

Our initial business challenge when we approached Forge was figuring out how we could grow our most important revenue generating programs, particularly our online MBA program. Since then, we've begun looking into how we can build awareness and reputational capital across a number of key audiences, including academic peers and alumni.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of the project, and can you describe the specific services they provided?

We have worked with Forge for about 18 months. They are managing our largest advertising budget for MBA recruitment, which includes creative development and production and media planning execution and measurement. They also have developed the creative campaign for a few other programs here, but without the ongoing media maintenance. We are planning to engage with Forge to start a new awareness campaign for the entire school. 

What was your process for selecting Forge Worldwide?

We found them through a recommendation from a colleague. We met with Forge and another communications partner, and we felt Forge was a better fit based on our initial discussion around our strategic needs.

Can you give us a general estimate of the size of the project in dollar terms?

The cost was upward of $500,000.

What was the timeline of the project?

It's an ongoing engagement. The current work we're doing with them is a look at our school's brand and positioning. That work is on a three-month timeline.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project, and are there any metrics you can share?

We are still establishing a baseline for our MBA recruitment advertising, but recent results indicate that we are increasing our reach in a highly efficient way. Our business results are promising since we started working with Forge Worldwide. All responses to Forge Worldwide's creative work have been nothing but positive.

Is there anything unique or special about Forge Worldwide that really makes them stand out? 

We selected them in part because they indicated that they wanted to find partners who were willing to share as much data and information as possible. They want to build strong business case studies. Their greatest strengths are their great culture and smart people. You can tell they are all happy to work there and they like what they do. Their accounting people are very engaged and efficient, and they work hard to offer strategic business solutions. They are very thoughtful about using our budgets smartly. Their chief creative officer, Rob Stewart, is a very smart and strategic thinker with great experience. I like the way he thinks. He gets the big picture and knows where we need to go with our brand.

Looking back on the project, do you have any constructive criticism? Is there any area that they could improve or you would do differently?

We have had some executional hiccups concerning some of our digital display campaigns and how they were tracked and measured. To be honest, I think our team shares some of the responsibility, too. My main critique is that Forge was a little too nice and should have been more forceful in saying what specific technical requirements we needed and not assumed that my team would know. To their credit, they have taken steps to amend this in the future.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the internal communications manager at Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc. (HMFP), which is a physician organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Forge Worldwide?

We needed to find a partner to work with who could help us answer the pivotal question of who our organization was. When my manager and I came on board a few years ago, our organization didn't have a communication function, and a lot of the physicians associated themselves with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which is the practice in the hospital where they worked. However, HMFP is the organization physicians report to, and our challenge was to establish a brand identity and a logo.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first project we worked on with Forge Worldwide was developing our logo and branding campaign. We started in September 2021, and the team rolled out our new logo and graphic guidelines in May 2022. Forge Worldwide worked on several facets, including conducting visioning exercises with all our corporation's stakeholders. We worked closely with the team's designers, who created our logo, graphic guidelines, and communication materials. 

Once the logo was in place, the team created the rest of our communication materials, delivering a full branding campaign. The second project we worked on with Forge Worldwide was rolling out a new website in August 2023. Once the team finished our branding project, they jumped on our website. Forge Worldwide created a state-of-the-art website, which was a continuation of our branding campaign. 

Our previous website was outdated, and we wanted to create a platform that showcased our organization's vision and values and that was representative of all our prospective and current positions. We have an ongoing web maintenance agreement, and the team supports us when we request edits. 

What is the team composition?

We started working with a project manager who oversees the project. We also work with a branding specialist who has led meetings and visioning exercises. We currently work with a brand strategist and Caroline (VP, Accounts & Strategy), who is our main contact and started as our brand manager and was recently promoted. We also work with Forge Worldwide's creative team, working closely with one of their designers. We also work with the IT team on our website.

How did you come to work with Forge Worldwide?

My manager kicked off the search in 2020 before I started my position at my company. We selected Forge Worldwide after a substantial review of proposals and interviews with consulting firms. We wanted to work with a brand marketing consultant who had expertise in the healthcare space and saw that Forge Worldwide was the best fit.
How much have you invested with them?

We've spent approximately $100,000 on the website project and another $100,000 on the branding project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged with Forge Worldwide in September 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've had great results from Forge Worldwide's work. We rolled out our new logo and brand identity in our weekly newsletter, and the announcement was well received, with a high readership rate and a 52% open rate for the issue. This issue was one of our top newsletter stories for 2022. We've also seen an uptick in user activity on our LinkedIn account, and our overall social media followers have increased over the years. 

Moreover, we've received testimonials and positive reactions from our company's CEO and other teammates regarding the new logo and branding identity. Forge Worldwide's logo and marketing campaign won the NESHCo Lamplighter Award in 2023, an annual award issued by the New England Society of Healthcare Communications to honor excellence in healthcare communication. We won first place for the logo design and an award of excellence for the entire branding campaign. 

Additionally, Forge Worldwide has delivered a website that has also received great feedback from teammates of all our organization's levels. We've seen an uptick in user rates compared to our previous site. The site is engaging and representative of our positions, and the team has used real photos. A couple of weeks ago, we received an award of excellence from the NESHCo Lamplighterter Award for the website developed by Forge Worldwide. We're very excited that our work has been recognized. 

How did Forge Worldwide perform from a project management standpoint?

Forge Worldwide is highly responsive and organized in how they run projects. We have weekly calls, and the team meets deadlines every time. We primarily communicate via email, and the team has created Microsoft Forms for the visioning exercises they conducted. Forge Worldwide provides different design drafts, and we have a great partnership. The team is always timely and responsive.
Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I want to highlight Caroline, Joy (Brand Manager), and Meredith (Associate Creative Director), who are the main team we work with. They're fun, and Meredith has done an amazing design job. Rob (Principal & Executive) is working with us on a new project and is great. Lastly, Harry (CEO) has a great team and is present in some of our meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Forge Worldwide has extensive knowledge in many different areas and topics. Forge Worldwide is an expert in many areas we aren't in and offers solutions to our communications group's requests. The team is a great partner to work with, and we have other exciting projects coming up, including another branding project and a brand video. Forge Worldwide goes above and beyond for the services they provide. The team is very engaged and offers solutions to our requests.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I haven't found anything for Forge Worldwide to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing and Communications of a healthcare company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We offer the largest and most comprehensive telemedicine network in the world, partnering with hospitals, health systems, government entities, schools, senior care communities, law enforcement, and EMS agencies around the country to provide high quality care to every person and community. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Forge Worldwide to accomplish?

• Branding Overhaul
• Marketing Strategy
• Public Relations Strategy

SOLUTION

How did you find Forge Worldwide?

Referral

Why did you select Forge Worldwide over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Forge Worldwide were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Forge Worldwide helped us through the transition of an aquisition which required a new company name, brand, and strategy. The scope of work included the following: 

1. Brand Strategy 
   1. Primamry research, brand planning, brand positioning, employer branding, brand architecture and journey mapping
2. Marketing Consulting 
   1. Communications planning, digital strategy, user experience strategy, brand campaign development, demand gen campaign development
3. Media Services 
   1. Syndicated research, media strategy, media buying, anatics & tracking, and reporting & optimization
4. Brand Identity 
   1. Brand Identity Development 
   2. Brand & Product Naming 
5. Implementation 
   1. Advertising development
   2. Social media assets
   3. Video production
   4. Collateral
   5. Photography
   6. Trade show graphics

Key Deliverables included: 

1. Value propositions, inclusive of nuances for each service line, to unify internal teams, external audiences, and garner
   attention from influencers and thought leaders.
2. Brand messaging framework.
3. Message validation and measurement strategy to track and measure success.
4. Brand awareness and lead generation campaigns. 
   1. Assets to support such campaigns, such as ads, website landing pages, collateral, and more
5. Analytics and report performance metrics to all constituents.
6. Press Releases, Blogs, and Conference Trade Show Speaking Engagements 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• The number of unique users to our website increased more than 100% after the rebranding was done which spoke to the efforts of our ads and also the rebranding of our company
• Going from a health system to a for profit it took a lot of branding awareness for people to know as as someone else - so retaining customers and adding new customers at a significant level was a contribution to the work that was done with Forge. 

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

Forge did a great job of delivering items on time and in an efficient manner. They were impeccable at responding to our needs and always added a new vision and/or idea to the situation at hand! Could always count on them to ehance your idea and do so in a timely manner. 

What was your primary form of communication with Forge Worldwide?

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

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

Their compassion and heart behind everything they did were amazing; it made them stand out from the rest. They could have easily walked through the motions as if we were another client, but they took the time to know us and understand the "Why" behind what we do and that really helped us exelerate the work we completed and accomplished together! 

They also had an amazing project manager who helped keep everythin in line along with a creative team to drive new ideas at the forefront making every meeting with them unique and exciting! 

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

They were a great team to work with and I have no areas of improvement to suggest.