Harbinger Communications

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the President of VTech Technologies Canada Ltd. We manufacture, sell and market VTech branded educational toys, VTech branded cordless phones, VTech branded baby monitors and LeapFrog branded educational toys and LeapFrog branded baby monitors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

To grow our market share and brand awareness in Canada.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Incumbent PR company when we acquire LeapFrog.

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

Preparation of Sell Sheets for all key market promoted products. Preparation of Press Releases. Pitching to long lead time and short lead time media sources - traditional print and digital.

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

VP Level to Account Manager - up to 3 people

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Many PR initiatives and campaigns were executed successfully, often exceeded benchmarks

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

Weekly meetings to review progress, outstanding work to complete, key decisions to be made and timing, and key metrics and results.

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

VTech has had the pleasure to work with Erin and the Harbinger team for over five years. We had a wonderful working relationship. Harbinger listened to what our objectives were and worked within our budget. We collaborated and discussed many ideas to help to grow our business and brands in Canada together. The Harbinger team was always friendly and accommodating to our requests. Together we executed many PR initiatives and campaigns successfully, and often exceeded benchmarks. We relied on the Harbinger team and their connections to industry experts to build awareness for our brands and products.

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

None that comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the marketing director at Conagra Brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Harbinger Communications?

We needed help in PR. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Harbinger was our PR agency, and they handled all the PR and corporate communication needs of our brands. This included influencer marketing, media outreach, individual brand campaigns, content marketing, and more. 

Harbinger took care of everything from PR strategy to execution. For our media outreach campaigns, they targeted all channels, including social media, radio, TV, and magazines. Their team also did some speeches and helped us with case studies.

What is the team composition?

I mainly dealt with Erin (SVP), but my junior teammates were in contact with 4–5 account managers. 

How did you come to work with Harbinger Communications?

Harbinger was already working with Conagra before I joined the company. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a couple of hundred thousand dollars each year while we worked together. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August 2019–December 2021. Our relationship ended when I left Conagra.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Harbinger had a significant impact on our business and improved the brand visibility of our products. Their work received positive feedback from our organization. They had great solutions and were pleasant to work with. I was 100% satisfied with their work, and they exceeded expectations. 

How did Harbinger Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

Harbinger was great at project management — they followed budgets and communicated really well. We collaborated through phone calls, emails, and in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Harbinger did strategic thinking and relationship management exceptionally well. They were wonderful to work with — their team was smart, talented, and creative. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ensure that you’re building the relationship and providing clear direction about your goals and expectations. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the Marketing Director for a consumer goods company, leading marketing for a number of snack brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Harbinger Communications?

We were developing plans to relaunch our brand in a troubled market. We reached out to Harbinger as our trusted agency partner to help develop both our marketing plans and our internal communications plans.

We needed a fresh approach in how we presented our plans with our sales organization so they would be engaged and inspired with the new direction.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to engage and inspire the sales organization - to then go to our customers with a new passion to successfully grow our sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select Harbinger Communications?

Harbinger has worked with our organization for years on other brands - and we were thrilled with their engagement, positivity, customer service and all-around support of our team's needs to deliver results.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Harbinger developed a full suite of sales tools and presentation materials and content to help us deliver an impactful presentation of our marketing plans.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with Sofia and her team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The sales organization was highly impressed - and became re-engaged and inspired by our direction. We were able to share our direction with customers with positive feedback from both our sales leaders and their clients.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Sofia and her team continuously delivered what/when/where they said they would. They are great communicators and project managers to help deliver what we needed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I have always been highly impressed with the team at Harbinger - and would love to continue working with them!

Are there any areas for improvement?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the GM of Canada for a consumer durables juvenile products company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Harbinger Communications?

• Company social media and rebranding
• Media relations
• launch strategy
• marketing strategy
• stakeholder management
• issues management
• media training

Essentially, they became our marketing department

What were your goals for this project?

To establish the brand in Canada, create a positive reputation with consumers and retailers.

Our goal was to become a credible leader in the baby hard goods space with the number one position in safety. With the assistance of Harbinger we were able to accomplish this goal!

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We met with multiple vendors, however, Harbinger was able to identify a clear path to success in a manner that aligned with the goals/ideals of the company.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

With the assistance of Harbinger, we were able to establish our brand in Canada and create a positive reputation with consumers and retailers. 

What was the team composition?

VP, Account Manager and execution team including social media experts, issues management and design

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We doubled our business and improved the price points for the category.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We were able to work extremely well with them as there was a schedule for deliverables and frequent touch points

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The insights, their creativity, their willingness to become a partner and take the time to learn/understand the business to drive results, was truly amazing.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are always areas for improvement. None come to mind as we had an excellent relationship that exceeded our expectations, but recognize that we can all continue to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Unilever is a global consumer packaged goods company producing world-leading products in personal care, food, and cleaning. They're focused on sustainable growth by reducing the environmental footprint and improving health and well-being. I was the global brand VP during the project. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Harbinger Communications?

Harbinger led public relations for many of our large scale Personal Care initiatives.

What were your goals for this project?

Drive awareness of our customer's mission and launch personal care products in the market.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Harbinger participated in a pitch process and was selected amongst leading industry PR agencies for their creativity, consumer insights, and deep experience in PR.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Collaborated in defining and evolving the strategy for our customer and their self-esteem project over a decade. They then executed the project and associated large-scale product launch initiatives.

What was the team composition?

Harbinger provided a team led by a Senior Strategic Partner and comprised of media relations managers, a digital leader, a copywriter, a videographer/photographer and event management staff.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our customer has grown market share, and their sub-brand for a particular country has the highest market share of any country in the world. The self-esteem project will have reached 40 million girls globally via self-esteem building initiatives by 2020. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Consistently seamless workflow.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was blown away by their partnership with me. We collaborated effectively and achieved exceptional results together.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of eleeo brands, a company that owns and grows family-focused health and wellness brands, offering high-quality products designed to promote restoration, renewal, and a healthier, happier life.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Harbinger Communications?

We needed help driving awareness and trial of our key brands in Canada.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Harbinger Communications develops a holistic PR plan to drive our business in Canada. We give them an annual budget, and they come back to us with a thorough, detailed plan on how to drive awareness and trial of our key brands. This includes sampling among professionals, a broadcast media tour, targeted partnerships, etc.When we align on an annual plan, we agree to specific success measures (impressions, etc.). 
Each week, Harbinger Communications sends a program update in terms of where we are vs. the plan. At the end of the year, they provide an annual summary of how the program performed vs. the original plan. During the year, they take the lead on creative development for any assets we need as well as event management if our plan includes an event.

What is the team composition?

We work with 2–5 teammates from Harbinger Communications.

How did you come to work with Harbinger Communications?

Harbinger Communications was our agency when I joined the company. When we started eleeo brands, Harbinger Communications was the agency we used at my old company (that we spun eleeo brands out of). They knew our business well and had historically done a good job, so we wanted to keep working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $100,000–$499,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2020, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our business in Canada has grown steadily year over year. At the same time, Harbinger Communications has become more efficient in how they spend our dollars. They have learned our business well and even cut our annual strategic planning fees because they are so integrated into our business and know our needs. Those extra dollars have been reinvested into actual working dollars.

How did Harbinger Communications perform from a project management standpoint?

Harbinger Communications excels at communication. They are extremely thorough in their weekly updates, including highlighting outstanding items from us, timelines, etc. They consistently deliver on time and give me ample time for reviews.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Harbinger Communications is very detail-oriented and consistent in their communication.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At the beginning, it took a while to get the right team in place. However, over the past three years, we’ve had a super strong, consistent team that really knows us and our business.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Wrigley, Former Skittles lead.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Harbinger Communications?

Needing to get product in more consumers hands in an incredibly segmented market.

What were your goals for this project?

Awareness, Sampling

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Reputation

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Lead IAT

What was the team composition?

VP, Director of Strategy, AEs

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Double digit growth. Would highly recommend Harbinger to anyone else.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

VERY. Open communications, push back on ideas, partnership.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their talent and ideas were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

NO