id8

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director for an apartment developer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8?

We’re a third-generation real estate developer, and we wanted to update our business while respecting our history. We needed help recreating our business and bringing our branding into the 21st century.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redid our website and completely overhauled our logo, business cards, and other materials. We used some existing imagery, but went in a completely new direction with the site. We requested customizable sections, and id8 listened to everything we wanted and transformed our vision into reality.

Since we completed the rebrand, we’ve hired them to create two electronic brochures that describe our main business lines. They took everything we had in our heads and in our files, synthesized all of it, and transformed it into some really fantastic materials.

What is the team composition?

Overall, the group includes about five people. We mostly interact with their founder and another main point of contact.

How did you come to work with id8?

We met with multiple groups, but none of them offered what we needed. A partner in our firm heard about id8 and reached out to them. We met with them in person, and everything clicked into place.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We negotiated our contract in June 2018 and started working together in July. The collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a lot of pride in our history. Our chairman fell completely in love with their work, and we've received terrific feedback from clients and partners. The website really captures our personality.

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re extremely well organized. There is always a danger that a creative process will go sideways, but they are adept at keeping the process on track and achieving goals. We are impressed by how well they manage us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They never overstated their abilities, but always delivered on their promises. They are incredible listeners, and they made us feel comfortable right away. They work hard, and they fit well with our company culture and our practices.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they should improve. They’ve exceeded all our expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go and meet with them. Be prepared for an in-depth conversation, and allow them to challenge you. They will make great suggestions to chart a new course.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the director of marketing for a company that licenses the ability to manufacture several retaining wall blocks. We own the patents and do all the research and development on those products. I work mainly with marketing the licenses in order to gain more producers and manufacturers. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8? 

The relationship started before my time. Earth Wall Products first hired id8 to help with our branding, which was non-existent at that time. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

From the start, id8 was completely responsible for helping us create our messaging, our logo, and our first website. We came back to them a couple of years later to update the site. They completely redid it, including the creation of an interactive map. We came to them with the idea for a map of our manufacturing locations across the country. They developed the plugin and wrote the code.

id8 helps with messaging and branding on other products. They also do a lot of graphic design in terms of the website and marketing literature (i.e., sales sheets). 

What is the team composition? 

Julie (art director, id8) is our main account lead. Over the years we’ve worked with three or four additional team members. 

How did you come to work with id8? 

They were recommended to our founder. He chose them mainly because he’d heard good things about their ability to position a company among their competitors. When I came on, it was a no-brainer to continue using them because they’d gotten us traction with our branding. 

How much have you invested with them?

I don't know the amount from before I started. We’ve spent between $10,000–$15,000 in my time.

What is the status of this engagement? 

The engagement started back in 2013. They continue to provide ongoing maintenance and analytics of our website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website traffic has doubled since they redid the site. We’ve also seen big improvements in the Google Analytics and other SEO metrics. 

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint? 

Their team is absolutely incredible. Everything is extremely timely. Deadlines are always hit or even early. They’re good at communicating what we need to provide them, such as photos, so they’re able to work effectively. They always start each project with an onboarding meeting. They use their time wisely whenever they have us in their office, which we appreciate. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

I’ve worked with a lot of agencies. One thing that sticks out about id8 is that they always deliver excellent work. They’re quick to jump on everything. If we have a concern, they tackle it with urgency. Even if it takes time to get an answer for us, they’ll respond and let us know they're working on it. Simple things like that stand out. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

I really can't think of anything. We haven’t had a single issue in our entire engagement. It’s been quite smooth working with them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

The biggest thing would be to take in what they recommend. Definitely explain to them everything about your company and how it operates, but let them use their expertise. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director for a national company that deals in the food and beverage industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8?

We hired id8 for routine business printing needs, such as business cards for our various retail brands.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with id8 to design and print business cards for our different outlets across the country. All of our printing needs have varied depending on the brand, so we work closely with id8’s graphic designers for those routine needs and for a few small projects. They’ve also helped us create documents that our retail crews use to track expense allocation and other business operational materials.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with four or five people from their team over the years. My primary contact is Kriston (CEO, id8). I’ve also worked with Julie (Art Director, id8) and Ashley (Production Artist, id8).

How did you come to work with id8?

I was referred to them before they had rebranded to id8. I met Kriston and started working with her and their account representatives during their rebrand, and have been with them ever since.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $10,000–$15,000 annually.

What is the status of this engagement?

The company started working with id8 in October 2008. I started working with Kriston and her team in May of 2010. Our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t track them with any key performance indicators (KPIs), but we haven’t had to. We regularly see that they’re responsive, have quick turnarounds, and value our partnership with them. During one project, a printer that they used had a QA problem, and our cards were sent out to the end user cut improperly. id8 was fast to remedy the issue, reprinted the cards, and started using another printer until they could figure out what went wrong.

A few other situations arose where we had emergency print jobs or needed a quicker turnaround than usual, and they’ve always been able to make that happen. Instead of going through the normal process of submitting a form to them, I’m able to call someone and get a 1–2-week job done in 48 hours. They go above and beyond to accommodate us in any situation.

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good at keeping me in the loop with our projects and the people we work with. If someone I’m used to working with was going to be on leave for any period of time, they'd always let me know ahead of time and make sure I was comfortable working with their replacement. I got to know their team well, which is important in a long-term partnership.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There are pros and cons to working with smaller companies. With id8, the pros far outweigh the cons. Being able to work closely with the same people and learn their personalities has been very valuable. I’ve worked with larger, corporate vendors for similar jobs in the past, and they'd outsource our work to someone else when they got behind. We don’t have to worry about that with id8. They’ll help us any way they can and it’s nice to know them on a personal level.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only improvement I’d suggest, and it’s very minor, is to better vet technology and project management tools before implementing them. At one point after they switched to a new tool, I had issues with our projects not being on the right server, or emails being sent without attachments. As soon as I brought it to their attention, they switched back to their other method. Their recovery for that issue was so quick, the issue was inconsequential.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If possible, go visit them. They have held holiday parties and other small events for their clients, and they’re a great team of people to know.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Chabad Intown, a Jewish outreach nonprofit organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8?

We were in the process of moving into a larger building, which effectively grew our organization significantly. We needed a rebranding to bring our brand up to our current level of growth while being in line with the modernization, messaging and relevance of our nonprofit. Another challenge was ensuring that all the divisions within our group focused on their specific concentrations while maintaining the consistent feel across our organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

id8 created a brand logo and designed new logos for our programs and divisions within the organization. Along with logo design, their team generated new promotional materials and redesigned our site and social media pages. They also created content for press releases and other PR related work.

What is the team composition?

We have a primary point of contact there, but we interact with probably three of their team members.

How did you come to work with id8?

Someone who is involved with our organization has worked with different companies id8 has done branding work for, so he guided our process. We interviewed a few companies, going into what our needs were. We also wanted to hear what they felt they could bring to our nonprofit. id8 stood out to us because they had a clear sense of what we wanted and didn’t offer things we didn’t need.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $20,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with id8 in June 2018, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re wrapping up the engagement now. There are few items that need attention on our end, but we’re close to the finish line. From what we’ve seen so far, we’re looking forward to an excellent finished product. We’ve seen nothing but outrageously positive feedback so far. id8 hit all cylinders, working hard to accomplish our goals. They’ve captured the essence of our organization. Working with id8 has been a home run.

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management style is fantastic. id8 stays on top of everything. We’re an organization with a lot of moving pieces. They made sure we followed through, keeping the project alive. Their team put in the effort to motivate both sides, going beyond their initial scope.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are a company with boundless integrity and honesty. Their creativity was also impressive. id8 runs an exceptional operation with efficient processes in place to manage their workflow. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. id8 has done a tremendous job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

id8 is a wonderful company with a hardworking and personable staff. Their team took a genuine interest in our work. I would encourage anyone that’s looking for a branding agency to choose id8.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder & CEO of Trenton Consulting, a full-service management consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire id8?

We engaged with id8 to update our website and a company rebranding.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create a professional and contemporary brand and replace our website with a responsive WordPress site that works on various platforms.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I’ve known their business for ten years and have worked with them on previous projects.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

id8 built a six-page website to represent the brand’s image online. Their team reviewed various WordPress themes and developed two homepage concepts. After rounds of revisions with client feedback, their team began integrating Google Analytics, optimizing web graphics, writing code and formatted a sitemap. Then the site was tested on different web browsers.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, designer, and developer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The work id8 completed has updated our image. Our new site can compete with any others in the consulting industry.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

id8 employs a useful collaborative project management tool. Their team set regular informational meetings to provide status updates on the project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciated their flexibility. They even changed project managers for us when we got off schedule. Their team’s attention to detail and customer service also stood out. I had a clear vision of what I was looking for, and id8 delivered.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We started with a project manager who wasn’t as authoritative as we needed. Their team was quick to make that change.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Coleman Search Group. We’re a property casualty insurance recruiter. We find talent for both large insurance companies and privately owned businesses.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8?

We hired id8 to help with our brand campaign over a decade ago. We needed their support for branding and digital marketing work, along with website development.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the project with a discovery meeting. During these initial discussions, we focused on our company, culture, and message that we wanted to display to our audience. They created our logo, brand, and tagline based on these discussions.

From there, their team began building our website. To do this process correctly, they conducted numerous interviews with our clients and potential candidates to gather more information on the public perception of our brand. They provided content for the site. Additionally, they set up a Google Analytics account for us.

Years later, we had them rebrand and refresh the website. They included pages that highlight our experience and areas of expertise. They added a blog and a contact page for clients and visitors. In addition to this, they help us advertise our business by contributing ideas for marketing collateral, client gifts, and milestone recognition.

What is the team composition?

We work with Kriston (President, id8) and the team of developers.

How did you come to work with id8?

We followed a referral from a client of id8. I met with their team and impressed with their innovative thought process and hands-on methodology. We had a review of our business needs and they had the technical knowledge and enthusiasm we wanted. We felt that their excitement and strong suggestions would make them a good, natural partner.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with id8 in 2009 and we have an ongoing relationship for maintenance and support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The work id8 has produced for us has resulted in multiple successes for us. Firstly, we’ve had an uptick in traffic on our site due to the work they’ve done. Through our Google Analytics account, we can see our revenue growth among other things. Our clients have given us tremendously positive reviews and many admire our branding.

On an anecdotal level, we’ve had clients who are very satisfied with the marketing materials id8 helped us create. For example, one customer remembered a bamboo flash drive with our logo on it that we created several years earlier. Having them as a teammate ensures our clients receive meaningful work through their experience with us. id8 has become an extension of our company due to the strong quality of their work.   

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint?

id8 has been outstanding—they are communicative and transparent about documentation and cost. They provide a comprehensive document relative to pricing and show us the individual cost of additional services in case we want to be flexible. Their team has been responsive to my needs in terms of deadlines and budgets. As a group, they’ve been collaborative and professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their greatest strength is their ability to understand our business and convey our message effectively. They patiently got to know us and provided their own quality ideas based on what they learned. Their team has technical expertise and creative suggestions.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although in a perfect world, we’d have an insurance guru on id8’s staff, their team took the initiative to learn the specifics of our work. Because our industry is unique, there were occasions early on in the process where they didn’t have the field expertise to provide insight. However, over several years, they had the desire and ability to be more informed.   

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Have a clear understanding of what you’re trying to accomplish before starting the project. It’s important to give id8 as much information as possible because they like to think deeply about the work they’re doing. The person leading your project internally should be well-informed on the business’ history and goals so at least one individual is prepared to brief id8.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a tech company that develops security hardware and software for the self-storage industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8?

We wanted to rebrand our business and update the website and marketing collateral accordingly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

id8 presented four personalized branding initiatives to our team, and we selected the concept that best fit our needs. After defining the brand, they incorporated the new messaging onto our website and into various pieces of marketing collateral. They also produced four videos for our website and assisted with the production of our outbound video.

What is the team composition?

Their owner was present at a few meetings, but the assigned project manager was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with id8?

They were one of the four creative agencies that we interviewed. In addition to their competitive pricing, id8 was the best demonstrating how their work could improve our business growth.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership began in December 2016 and will conclude once they deliver the final videos.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work hasn’t impacted our ROI, but we are still pleased with their rebranding efforts. Most importantly, our audience is responding exceptionally well to our company’s new look.

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint?

They managed the project wonderfully via Asana. Whenever we needed assistance, they were willing and able to help; their office being close to ours was also a great perk.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their team has many amazing qualities, but their greatest strength is undoubtedly their creativity.

Are there any areas they could improve?

All of the work that id8 produced for us was incredible, so it was upsetting when they decided to move on and work for one of our competitors. As their largest client, it would have been nice to speak with them before they made their decision.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

A clearly defined scope of work is a great asset when working with creative companies like id8. We knew exactly what we wanted, so it wasn’t hard for their team to meet our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president and CEO of Tommy Nobis Center. We’re a nonprofit that works to empower people with disabilities through job placement and training services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8?

We wanted to rectify a poorly implemented rebranding attempt from a few years back. We tried to rename the organization, but the change was not well-received and resulted in brand confusion among our board and in the community. We wanted to solidify our meaning and values through a recognizable brand and well-developed marketing strategies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

id8 surveyed and met with our supporters, stakeholders, and board members to gauge brand recognition. They developed a consistent theme for our organization, complete with a unique logo and complementary color palette. They revamped our letterheads, business cards, promotional brochures, and online ads and banners with the new design.

They also provided content and implemented strategies to boost our social media presence and ensure maximum brand visibility. id8 will continue to advise us through the next fiscal year on both design and social strategies.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of four or five.

How did you come to work with id8?

A colleague recommended them to our board chairman. They submitted a project proposal that showed an understanding of our organization’s desired direction and customer service expectations.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial partnership was from November 2017—April 2018, but we will to continue to work with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Social media engagement has increased since implementing id8’s strategies. Our new theme has been received positively, is easily recognized, and of high quality.

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint?

The id8 team was a pleasure to work with. They completed each task by the established deadline and kept the project running smoothly. Their team took complete ownership of any errors or miscommunications and immediately made the necessary changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

id8 holds themselves to a very high standard. For example, they helped design a T-shirt to showcase our new brand. When they were first delivered, their CEO saw that the shirts were too thin to meet their high standards, so they took it upon themselves to order better shirts and covered the cost.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We enjoy our time with them. They are excellent at what they do and we are looking forward to future projects.

Any advice for potential customers?

id8 responds well to open communication and open feedback. They are able to adjust quickly and accordingly to your needs and expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the SVP of Freshens, a company that began as a self-serve yogurt shop, but has grown into a fast-casual food brand. About 60% of our locations are on college campuses – these have been our bread and butter – but we’re also in about 40 hospitals and 50 airports.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8?

We were trying to find some fresh creative work to help us communicate with the millennials and Gen Z’s on college campuses, which we were expanding into. Additionally, we were upgrading our yogurt and smoothie locations into fast-casual and Fresh Food Studio’s, which involved reimaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provide a wide range of services for us, helping us with menu designs, graphics, websites, sales presentations, packaging, and limited-time offer development. Sometimes, we have quick-and-dirty projects for test products, which don’t warrant $8,000–$10,000 in photography, and they get us to market in a few test locations. Other times, it’s a substantive, but quick-change on the web page that matches up with changes we’re making on our electronic menu boards, social media accounts, and store-level communication with students and administration.

One of the big projects that id8 has been working on is the country’s first smoothie without any artificial color, preservatives, sweeteners, or flavors. They helped develop the frontend, which talks to the customers in the colleges, U.S. military bases, and hospitals, as well as the actual webpage, which helps millennials and Gen Z’s to look deeper into our products, and easily find the assurance they need that we’re not misleading them.

The fall quarter is a big time for us, with all the incoming freshman, so they help us out with new, clean, bright, point-of-sale materials every two years – that’s how often we reimage our stores. They’ve also recommended suppliers when we have a new that we’re looking at. id8 also designs the collateral that our sales team uses when they’re bidding to take over food production for a hospital or college, or at a nationwide-show.

id8 has helped with our current move into the military, and health industries. These particular categories of customers are investigative by nature, and id8 helps us stay on the leading edge. We perform research on all our products through focus groups, and they use the results to come up with an approach for universities, colleges, and hospitals.

What is the team composition?

We have the benefit of having worked with their president, and with three or four people under them.

How did you come to work with id8?

We narrowed it down to three groups that we wanted to talk to, and after we researched some of id8’s work, we awarded them the particular project, which, I believe, involved some of our corporate brochures and early branding. This evolved into working on our menu designs and point-of-sale materials, on both a project-specific and long-term basis.

How much have you invested with them?

The overall cost, so far is around $200,000, but it varies year-to-year, and every other year we spend a bigger amount.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with id8 around May 2005, so it’s been a long time, but we don’t go out looking for competitive bids. We have confidence in id8, and we know that–based on their knowledge of our brand–they can deliver a project for us quicker, cheaper, and of a higher quality, than could a new company that we would have to find and train.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re very successful as a company, and we have no debt. We spend our own dollars on marketing, and we don’t charge our stores, so we have to get sales response and profits from what our marketing. With id8 as our partner, this has always worked out well.

We now have multiple brands, and id8 has grown with us in all the efforts we engage in with our four brands. It’s been a successful and comfortable relationship, and we’ve gotten some outstanding creative made by id8, which receives comments from people visiting our web page, and from people who look at our collateral. They particularly enjoy how we go about our business, and how we promote our brands. All of this is because of id8’s work.

We’re a small company, in terms of number of employees, but we’re the largest in our field. No one else does what we do within colleges; no one has programs like us; and no one has the same products. We have a foothold in a unique area and id8 has helped us establish it.

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint?

We have no problem communicating with them, from the top on down. I know that their president is involved in every project, and I know that she has more on her plate than just us, but it’s comforting to know that she’s looking at everything and giving it her stamp. For every project, we determine what we need and when we need it up front, and then they’ll establish a budget for us to approve. They’re always on the money when it’s all said and done, both in terms of timing and delivery.

Sometimes, we have a hard time understanding the time necessary for web page development, and the constant changes that occur. We’re dealing with a highly technical, constantly changing category, and we have a very non-visual president, who likes to get their fingers into projects. This can cause some headaches for everyone, but id8 has done a great job of holding costs to what they quote us.

It’s amazing that, after knowing someone for certain amount time, we can deal with them over the phone, or just shoot them materials in an email, and they’ll back to us with something that’s on target, and very close to being finished.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve always enjoyed working with them and their young, creative talent base. They stand out in terms of understanding our customer and brand, and delivering creative that is fresh and on target. They appeal to us because they’re able to communicate with the millennial and Gen Z customer base, and all of our products and marketing efforts target those demographics.

They also have a strong base of creative talent for tasks outside of their realm, like professional services, photography, and food styling. They have a good list of people, with whom we can work directly, and then coordinate back them on. Our sales literature is more focused on decision makers, but our in-store menus, collateral, web pages, and social media communicates to the end-user. id8 has done an excellent job of understanding that nuance and crafting materials that appeal to both sets.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a very visual firm, and their visual delivery is wonderful, but I occasionally need a bit of copy addressed to corporate-level decision makers, in the case of contract feeders. In those instances, id8 has found individuals for us to work with, but whom weren’t necessarily on their staff. They did develop a group though, partly because of our needs, as well as those of other customers.

Overall, though, we don’t miss with their work. We don’t have a problem with it, and we’ve never had a mistake with it. We’ve never had any issues whatsoever, either from a creative, production, or billing standpoint.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the economic development manager for Canton, Georgia, a city about 40 miles northwest of Atlanta.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with id8?

Although our city was growing, we had antiquated messaging that hadn’t been updated in nearly 15 years. Both our citizens and business leaders expressed concern that the city’s branding didn’t reflect the opportunities and quality of life here.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

id8 designed a new logo, which features the river that runs through the city. The team used data research to direct messaged and then gave us a lot of branding advice for the official website. They created marketing collateral including business cards, hats, shirts, and beverage koozies. id8 standardized city employee emails to have the same type font and embedded logo.

id8 also participated in meetings with elected officials, business leaders, and the public. The team attended festivals, set up roundtables with the local business community, and did real-time interviews with citizens as part of their research.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with three team members.

How did you come to work with id8?

One of the team members reached out to me because we had a mutual friend. We met and id8 later bid on the project when we distributed the RFP. Their team was new to the municipal branding space, but we saw that knowledge gap as an advantage because they would have a fresh perspective compared to the other bidders with city branding experience. Based on references, interviews, and past work, we knew id8 would deliver innovative and unique results.

How much have you invested with them?

We started working with them in August 2016 and the relationship ended in May 2017.

What is the status of this engagement?

We spent between $50,000–$200,000

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Canton now has unified branding that has attracted millions of dollars in new investment. City employees have embraced the new logo, which now appears on staff badges and staff shirts for our public works and building officials. The city council supports our efforts as we plan to invest millions more in river attributes including trails, parks, canoes, and lodges.

How did id8 perform from a project management standpoint?

The scope agreement required them to check in at least once a week, but we spoke much more frequently than that. The team’s accessibility and flexibility exceeded our expectations. We specified the timeline and they broke it down into discrete deliverables. Any delays were our fault, not theirs. Our main contacts were both passionate and knowledgeable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

id8 brought creativity and an artistic point of view, which are rare in local government. They were very flexible and sensitive to feelings and emotions that arose in the course of their research. Whenever they spoke, they put the city’s needs above their own. Since the experience was new for both teams, id8’s openness to new ideas and collaboration enhanced the relationship and the results. The team was responsive and put in extra effort to participate fully in meetings with external stakeholders.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although they were phenomenal, the team could adjust its research methods. Local governments use different platforms for research. In the future, it’d be helpful if id8 could find out what other governments use and then customize their research to that preexisting methodology. That way, their reports present data using the same language the employees use to analyze numbers.