Herman-Scheer

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Creative Director of a well known at-home fitness brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Herman-Scheer?

To-date we've hired Herman-Scheer to deliver an all-new Social Media Organic Strategy along with daily posts for monthly content. We've also engaged the team on one-off digital media campaign assets including strategy, video and static content. 

What were your goals for this project?

Modernize the brand with a new, consistent feed look - and definitely boost engagement and brand affinity. Any promotional campaign efforts are focused on conversion. 

SOLUTION

How did you select Herman-Scheer?

I talked to Chapin and Johnny about potential brand identity work. Although we have yet to purse any full identity work with the HS team, every single one of my 7 referral calls with entrepreneurs resulted in the same thing: absolute raving about this team's creative chops. They didn't lie. As soon as I had an opportunity to toss work their way I jumped on it. 

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Social media organic strategy and content. Ongoing promotional campaign video and static assets. 

What was the team composition?

1. Creative Director/Strategist
2. Marketing Director
3. Project Manager
4. Designers / Animators
5. CEO

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're early in the process but I'll say this - engagement is up. A lot. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Effective. Easy. Seamless. These guys rock. Whether you have ideas in-mind or just need them to "run with everything" they will collaborate and communicate until you land at the best outcome. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Creative and polished team. The overall attitude and commitment to solid work is top notch. These guys want you to be successful first - and have amazing work to be proud of in the process. They clearly have the ability to think deeply and excute within the digital marketing landscape. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing yet. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a retail tech company that partners with national and regional grocers, and convenience stores to enable them to provide a checkout-free shopping experience for their shoppers. I lead the marketing team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

Herman-Scheer conducted website redesign and branding changes for our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They designed and developed our entire website on WordPress, which also involved creating and identifying different brand opportunities and identifiers for us. For example, we have a red line that goes through the website to represent our shoppers’ journeys. The red line was just one of the many creative aspects that were incorporated to help with our identification.

They also assisted us in positioning ourselves to a whole new audience, not just B2B, but also to shoppers and customers in the general public who would be using our services. With that in mind, they packaged all of it onto our platform. After they finished the site, they also helped with some screens for our app, among others. 

What is the team composition?

We had access to their CEO, creative director, and developers. We also worked with a program manager who worked in tandem with me during the entire project.

How did you come to work with Herman-Scheer?

I looked them up on Google by searching for different creative agencies in California, specifically in the San Francisco Bay Area. Initially, we were apprehensive about engaging with them because we wanted someone nearby who we could quickly engage in person. Herman-Scheer's office is located in the larger LA area.

However, we changed our priorities and enjoyed speaking with them in our early conversations. They understood us and took the time and attention to make us feel like we were the only client they had which was very hard and rare with an agency. In the end, we partnered with them because we liked their overall aesthetic and design, and the deliverables they finished.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $90,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our project ran from April–August 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We gave them a list of our wants and needs, and they considered all of our ideas and examples. As a result, they created something that was really unique to us. They developed something that was not seen with our competitors.

Overall, we received positive feedback, which is always great to hear. Everyone loved the clean look of our platform and how it provoked joy when they visited our site. We plan on working with them on another project.

How did Herman-Scheer perform from a project management standpoint?

I would say that they had fantastic client management. Herman-Scheer solidified our partnership by being attentive throughout the whole process.

We were like a terrible client that pushed or increased deadlines as things came up and priorities shifted. Despite that, they remained responsive. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their attention to detail was impressive. Additionally, they were very thoughtful in every design decision they made. Herman-Scheer was also incredibly flexible and understanding even when different priorities came up.

Furthermore, they were great at being consultants while also having the ability to provide best practices and several options for us to consider.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have no suggestions on areas they could improve. Honestly, our engagement with them was awesome.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Leverage their expertise. Herman-Scheer knows what they are talking about. They bring in so much experience across different verticals and industries.

Moreover, they have a great portfolio and they are always looking at evolving with different trends. Above all, they are a trusted resource when it comes to creative projects. Just lean in and let them do their best work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a direct-to-consumer CBD brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

We just launched our company in March 2019, so we hired Herman-Scheer to do web development and branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Herman-Scheer helped us create our company name. They listened to customer experience calls, during which customers described how CBD has helped them with sleep problems, pain, etc. so that they could understand the brand we wanted to create. They did all branding and design work for our products, packaging, and website.

For the website, Herman-Scheer outsourced coding to a third-party, and they managed this engagement.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Herman-Scheer’s founding team: John (Co-Founder, Herman-Scheer), Chapin (Co-Founder and CEO, Herman-Scheer), and Danny (Art Director, Herman-Scheer). They brought on one other person while we were working with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent at least a couple of hundred dollars.

What is the status of this engagement?

My company worked with Herman-Scheer from July 2018–May 2019. They launched the site at the end of March 2019 and remained involved for a little bit after that.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They successfully articulated our empathetic and human-centric vision. The brand expresses the benefits of CBD, through voice and even the design colors.

How did Herman-Scheer perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was tough because their team was lean, and we had a lot of expectations regarding the timing and wanting to know who was managing what. Having a project manager would’ve helped the process be a bit more seamless. My company’s other co-founders are experienced in design and product, so they were very hands-on throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity was off the charts.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Project management could’ve been better, but I know their team has been growing a lot. Also, there’s a bit of a disconnect between having an idea in your head versus making it come to life. Overall, they did a great job.

Any advice for potential customers?

You will be in great hands if you have your own internal project manager that can keep pushing forward. Herman-Scheer knows what they’re doing; they have a great founding team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO at Calidad Beer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

We were looking for a vendor to develop our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Herman-Scheer developed a Shopify website for us. It's a customer-facing website that has all the capabilities of a web store.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a creative expert, a developer, and a business representative.

How did you come to work with Herman-Scheer?

They were a personal connection.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between July–January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've been getting very positive feedback about the website, so we're happy with the results.

How did Herman-Scheer perform from a project management standpoint?

We had standing phone calls weekly. They were very organized with all the steps and kept the project on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very creative and listen to their clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Discuss your expectations before you sign the contract to make sure all the roles and responsibilities are assigned properly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I formerly was a marketing consultant for ThinOptics. The business focused on selling some of the thinnest, lightest reading glasses in the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

Herman-Scheer was brought on to help redesign our brand. Additionally, we were launching two new types of glasses and needed their help in rolling out campaigns for them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Herman-Scheer produced a comprehensive brand style-guide for us. This included the color scheme, voice, photography, etc. From there, they also provided web design services and created the design for email templates. For each item’s launch, their team produced all the branding work. They performed photoshoots, wrote copy, created templates, and rolled everything out across our site and communications.

What is the team composition?

Danny (Art Director, Herman-Scheer) handled the design while John (Chief Creative Officer, Herman-Scheer) handled a lot of the photoshoots and general imagery. Chapin (CEO, Herman-Scheer) primarily managed our account.

How did you come to work with Herman-Scheer?

When I joined ThinOptics, the CEO had already hired Herman-Scheer.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In a qualitative sense, the project was a success for us. We received great feedback on the appearance of the brand.

How did Herman-Scheer perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of managing the project, Herman-Scheer was great. They met all of our deadlines. Because they were so collaborative and communicative, they were easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Because of their small size, they were very attentive and dedicated their best teammates to the work. Instead of pushing the work to others, the senior-level staff was involved.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were some occasions where it could have been helpful to receive the work earlier. Although they met our deadlines, it would sometimes be after business hours when they delivered the work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Include them in the process. Be open to collaborating and give their team full visibility into your business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Neuro. We make functional gum and mints, meaning they contain things like caffeine and micronutrients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

We hired them to revamp our brand—everything from our website to our packaging. We wanted to fully establish our voice.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was essentially a full-service branding project. They handled all of our web design and development, as well as packaging and Dieline designs. They also did a deep-dive competitor analysis and worked with us on identifying our brand voice and messaging.

We started out working on the packaging and decided to add the website as we went along, so that’s still in progress. They’re using Shopify and Ruby on Rails with some additional HTML and CSS. We also used InVision to trade feedback on the wireframes.

What is the team composition?

There are five team members, including a project manager, a designer, and a web designer.

How did you come to work with Herman-Scheer?

We received a recommendation from one of our investors back before we were in a position to launch, so we contacted them as soon as we were ready to move forward.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $120,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2019, and the project is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’ve met all of their deliverable milestones and we’ve received constant communication throughout the process. They’re very hands-on with us.

How did Herman-Scheer perform from a project management standpoint?

We use a Slack channel for day-to-day communication and also hold weekly calls. The project manager even handles communication with our packaging and product manufacturers.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take a personal approach to working with their clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. If there was something that needed improvement, we’d resolve it immediately because they’re so communicative.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re very engaged, so try to be prepared ahead of time and respond quickly when they need things. We didn’t have all of our formulations ready when we got started and that caused some delays.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and COO of GirlTrek, a public health organization that serves black women and girls. We aim to support and inspire women to become active through walking and then we train them to become organizers in their communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

A primary function of what we do is “brand raising,” which involves redefining what it means to be healthy in this country, especially for black women. As part of that work, we need our brand to be inspiring and our mission to be clear. We approached Herman-Scheer to assist in the process of improving our site both functionally and strategically.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started by having a meeting with the company’s founders, Chapin and John, and discussed their creative process and their approach to collaborating with businesses. We also discussed our goals for the site. We were a relatively complex client for them because we needed a site that could not only tell our story, but also function as a fitness app that allows users to organize walk teams, track their progress, and to celebrate their success. They agreed and built a robust web platform that met all of our needs.

What is the team composition?

I communicated directly with Chapin on almost all aspects of the project, but John and our project manager were involved as well.

How did you come to work with Herman-Scheer?

We were referred to them by NationBuilder, a backend system we were hoping to use for its strong organizing capabilities. After discussing the project with them, we decided to move forward with the engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2016, and they completed the site within six months. Since then, we’ve established an ongoing partnership and still do projects together as necessary.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had about 75,000 members before the engagement with Herman-Scheer, and since then we’ve grown to 125,000. I would attribute a great deal of our success to the platform they built for us.

How did Herman-Scheer perform from a project management standpoint?

Chapin was very responsive and very organized throughout the project. Once the site was live, we collaborated more closely with our project manager, who was also easy to work with. They completed all deliverables within a reasonable timeframe and clearly explained any anticipated barriers to progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We work with a variety of design teams across the country, and Herman-Scheer offers a particularly unique aesthetic. They can translate a business’ mission into visuals and concepts that resonate with users on an emotional level. They do incredible work. Secondly, they have a great understanding of the bigger picture in how branding and technology can advance a business’ long-term goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We operate at a very fast pace, and there were times that a faster turnaround would have benefitted us. However, we often set deadlines that ended up being somewhat unreasonable, and I don’t believe that their team is at fault.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and CEO of RentMy, which is a peer-to-peer lending service that allows people to take a picture of anything they own, list it on RentMy website, and rent it to others.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

We're a new start-up, so I was looking for a company to help me establish my brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We used the sprint method, so they gave me some questions ahead of time and really tried to learn more about my business and my goals. After that, I met with them in their office and we had a brainstorming session. Once we established the tone and the feel of the brand, they got down to work. After a few weeks, they delivered a package that included everything from graphics and visual design to messaging. In addition, they built a website for me.

What is the team composition?

I worked with 4–5 of their team members.

How did you come to work with them?

We were considering a few agencies for this project. Herman-Scheer was recommended to me by someone who had worked with them previously and had a very positive experience. After we met in person and spent some time brainstorming my ideas, I decided they were the best fit for me because of their personable approach and enthusiasm.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $16,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between October 2017–December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're still in a prerelease stage and we're about to start beta testing. Once the website was up, I created a job posting for a technical co-founder and the response rate was overwhelming. I was able to attract 15–20 candidates a day by directing the respondents to my website, which looked very professional. I give Herman-Scheer full credit for that.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They have the best team I’ve ever worked with. I was impressed with how they run the process both within their own organization and when working with a client. Whenever they have a brainstorming session, the best ideas in the room win. I'm planning to use them for my second business.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team is brilliant. Many other agencies are just trying to get the job done, but Herman-Scheer genuinely cared about the product. There were times when they disagreed with me and they actually changed my mind. The way they work is rare to find.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. They established a fantastic process from the get-go and there is nothing I'd want to change.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of the World Trade Center Los Angeles, a nonprofit organization that focuses on helping international companies locate to the city successfully. We also assist local companies by finding international contracts, acting as an international trade partner for economic development projects. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

When I took this position over two years ago, we were trying to revitalize the organization and change the branding in our region. Our group had been seen as an older, more traditional trade organization. We wanted to adopt a new, modern, and more approachable feel in order to be seen as the clearing house for all international trade information. We’d like to become the go-to agency for the entire region for anything relating to foreign investments.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Herman-Scheer helped our team identify a strategy and understand where the brand had been, what we needed to accomplish, and how we hoped to get there. They created layouts, and we started working on design and implementation.

We initially went through some exercises with Herman-Scheer to visualize what we wanted to become. Once we were able to commit to this, we had an end-goal in place. Then, we mapped out various strategies around social media marketing and email campaigns.

We knew that many of our goals were niche, so few providers could’ve helped us with the concept itself. Herman-Scheer provided design and a way to present information.

First, we wiped our old website and started from scratch. We used the site as our information portal for international trade in the entire region. We wanted to collect brand-new information and set up a huge map of available options. Herman-Scheer turned that map into a wireframe for the website. It was designed piece by piece, making it user-accessible and removing the components we didn’t need. The final website has become the envy of our region.

Information pertaining to import-export activities can be quite boring and dense, so Herman-Scheer helped us design graphical representations for some of the data in a way that was approachable and user-friendly. This also reinforced our branding by helping us come up with color schemes and designs to match our website with our business cards. Everything had a thematic approach, so when people looked at our colors, they associated the visuals with the organization.

As we started doing more international trade missions, we wanted the brand and look to be recognizable. Herman-Scheer took data from our website and turned them into graphics, which we displayed at our booth for an international trade conference, showing people why they should invest in our group.

We hold an annual event called Select LA, for which Herman-Scheer designed a report, a website, and different collateral like fliers. They also produced a promotional video for the event, which was new for us. Herman-Scheer started a social media campaign to promote our event.

We have worked with John [Co-Founder, Herman-Sheer] directly on the strategic side, and Chapin [Co-Founder, Herman-Sheer] took over for the implementation. Our project manager was Tessa, and various staff members were assigned in addition to her. Chapin was always my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Herman-Scheer?

Another partner of ours had worked with Herman-Scheer for their website. We set up a bid and approached 3 different companies. We looked at their pricing, abilities, and compatibility with our group and chose Herman-Scheer.

How much have you invested with Herman-Scheer?

The cost of their work has been around $120,000 or $130,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Herman-Scheer in October 2015. The first phase of the project was completed in April 2016, when we had our website launch and received our booth design components. The material for our Select LA event was delivered in June. We’ve continued to work with Herman-Scheer for updates and signed another contract in November 2016. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

Results are hard to quantify. Our website usage could be completely attributable to Herman-Scheer, as we didn’t have a real website presence before. We haven’t analyzed the numbers for our social media campaign, but I think that those results are also attributable to Herman-Scheer. It wasn’t a part of our main contract or an end-goal, so we haven’t looked at those metrics as a measurement of their deliverables.

How did Herman-Scheer perform from a project management standpoint?

We have been happy with Herman-Scheer’s project management. They were flexible in working with us when we had other projects at the same time. Through their skills, they’ve pushed us to stick to the timeline and guided us through the process. We used Slack for communication. Since we had a lot of feedback relating to development, Herman-Scheer used a few online tools, including Google Docs.

What did you find most impressive about Herman-Scheer?

Herman-Scheer listened to our needs, concerns, and desires, which helped us articulate what we wanted and envision our future. That was an added value for us since we occasionally lose sight of the big picture. Also, they always delivered high-quality work. The design elements are eye-catching, and we attribute part of our success to what Herman-Scheer achieved. Their marketing insight put us on the map. In terms of project management, they’ve been fantastic to work with. Beyond the customer service, they kept us on track when we were late. If we gave them additional workloads, Herman-Scheer assigned more staff.

Are there any areas Herman-Scheer could improve?

They could improve their proofreading and make sure that all the text is accurate. We are partly at fault for this issue because of all the introductions we made. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Trammell Crow Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBRE, the world’s largest global real estate firm. We work on the sourcing, planning, and execution of large-scale commercial real estate projects. We work with all product types, including office, industrial, multifamily and retail. I am a development manager in the Los Angeles office of the company. The TCC team is rather small, with about 215 members, but we have $11 billion in development. This provides an idea of the size and scale of each member’s workload. We have fantastic diversity in our office and a lot of exposure to different consultants, many of whom bring over 30 years of experience to the table.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Herman-Scheer?

We were working on a large, 2.5-million-square-foot project in the Bakersfield community. For branding, we knew that we wanted to do something fresh and innovative. We wanted to make the location appealing to a broader audience. We had already contracted with a different branding firm and went through a rushed exercise, but we weren’t very happy. We decided to slow down, do it right, and find the right partner for the process, so we came to Herman-Scheer.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked directly with John Scheer [Co-Founder, Herman-Scheer] and Chapin Herman [Co-Founder, Herman-Scheer]. We practically auditioned to be a client — and I mean this in the best way possible. They explained that there was a complex process for getting things done. Once we understood, they outlined the workflow, timelines, deliverables, and goals. Even though the process was time-intensive, the results were much better than our previous engagements. As a result, we ended up utilizing Herman-Scheer for other projects in the office.

We had a massive idea that had to become tangible. This was really where Herman-Scheer showed their value. Since we were too close to our work, it was difficult to communicate it well with other members of the industry or community. Herman-Scheer was able to interpret our vision and turn it into a concise deliverable. Their output had a cohesive aesthetic and represented our vision for the property. Through our interaction, we developed the branding bible, the iconography, for the brand. This included the font, color scheme, and tagline, which bled into our website and social media presence.  

Our next project was different from the first one. It was a large-scale industrial project, the benefits of which we needed to make clear to the city. They created a marketing book that spoke specifically to city council members and to the community about the long-term benefits of the project. Herman-Scheer compared it to similar projects we’d executed across Los Angeles county.

How did you come to work with Herman-Scheer?

John Scheer reached out to me through IVY, which is a social network I’m a part of. His timing happened to be perfect. He wasn’t obtrusive or pushy — he simply detailed what his company did in case I would ever need their services. I did, so I brought them in for an interview.

How much have you invested with Herman-Scheer?

In total, we have spent $35,000–$40,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Herman-Scheer in February 2017. The first round was completed in May, but we plan to continue our relationship in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We know that everything has been successful to date, but we plan to bring the material out to a smaller audience first. I can’t speak to specific metrics yet.

How did Herman-Scheer perform from a project management standpoint?

The process was well-orchestrated. Herman-Scheer assigned managers who made sure we met our deadlines. This was challenging, given that their process is to collect and absorb information and let the clients’ goals float to the surface. This was time-intensive for us, but they did a good job of keeping us on schedule.

What did you find most impressive about Herman-Scheer?

Even though this is a cliché, the results speak for themselves. I was a bit apprehensive until I had a chance to see results. We were thrilled by how Herman-Scheer put together exactly the right materials for projects with different parameters.

Are there any areas Herman-Scheer could improve?

It’s evident that they are a younger firm and are still navigating some of the business aspects involved. Creative talent is at the core of Herman-Scheer, but they need to find the best way in which to execute those skill sets while maintaining business relationships. This was the only thing I could identify, and I find it almost endearing.