Jacob Tyler

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager at American National Investments. We invest in a variety of brands in different industries including retail, food & beverage, and corporate hospitality. Our company functions differently than the average investment company due to the vast number of brands and properties we serve.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

Our VP of marketing recently left the company, and we needed someone who specialized in marketing. We also needed an agency to deal with media relations and interface with our internal stakeholders.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jacob Tyler was hired to audit our marketing team, looking into how our team functions and how they could supplement us from a strategic and organizational standpoint. For the past six months, Jacob Tyler has stepped into the VP of marketing role by guiding the team, conversating with executives, and supporting all things marketing.

Jacob Tyler provides feedback on a lot of marketing plans. They’ve built out our Q1 matrix, ran through our 2019 marketing goals, spearheaded organizational meetings, and assisted with competitor analysis and market research. Their team has also dealt with HR related issues. In my experience, I’ve never seen an agency work with this unique of a scope, helping with high-level concerns as well as day-to-day organizational structure.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with around four people in total but mainly deal with Les (CEO & Chief Creative Officer, Jacob Tyler) and Amy (VP of Operations & Project Management, Jacob Tyler). Amy acts as our VP of marketing and works with us day-to-day, while Les comes in with strategic and creative input. 

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

I believe our CEO met Les at a networking event. They discussed our marketing needs and issues. Les came into the office and talked about what their team could potentially do for ours.

How much have you invested with them?

I would say around $100,000 or so.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Jacob Tyler in September 2018, and the engagement is ongoing. We recently hired a new senior director of marketing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Due to the uniqueness of our partnership, it’s difficult to measure any statistics. There’s been success in the organizational structure they’ve implemented for the marketing team and from the executive level. Amy has been an integral part of our team. She’s easy to work with. Les brings fantastic ideas to the table. Everyone, including the executive team, has enjoyed their insights and guidance.  They assisted with creating brand guidelines for one of our entities, and it was well-received from the entire company. Overall, the team has enjoyed Jacob Tyler’s presence and working with them.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team helped manage our current priorities. We work with a lot of brands. Jacob Tyler’s role is to guide which priorities, brands, and initiatives come first and let our executive level know what the team is working on.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Jacob Tyler has become an extension of our team, filling in a critical role. I’ve worked with agencies in the past, and it’s difficult sometimes to fully trust someone. I can truthfully say that this isn’t an issue with Jacob Tyler’s team. It’s a fantastic feeling to believe an agency truly and know that they have your best interests in mind. I’m incredibly grateful for them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. We’ve worked on something different with them. I’ve never seen an agency involved in this scope of work. Jacob Tyler did what we requested and delivered the best service.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients should make sure they have an idea of what they want. Our scope changed severely over the past couple of months, and their role morphed into something different. Even when you have to change a few things, make sure you understand your scope and what you’re signing up for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the former advertising and marketing director for Stan Miller Yachts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

At the time of the engagement, the company had been around for about 50 years, and it was not progressing in the way that we had hoped. We determined that our image was stale, and worked with Jacob Tyler to develop a new website and a new logo.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jacob Tyler built a new website from scratch because we barely had one to speak of to begin with. I wrote all of the content and relied on their team to coordinate the design and the layout. They created a new logo for us and implemented it on all of our collateral and marketing materials. They also produced new advertisements and promotional items for boat shows.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with Les (CEO/Chief Creative Officer, Jacob Tyler), but I also coordinated with an IT director and a designer.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

A friend of mine worked with Jacob Tyler at her company and recommended them after a job well done.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from 2005–2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a positive response to all of our changes. Our customers were very happy with our website, and they appreciated our efforts to become more digital.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated mainly through emails, but we also met in person a few times. The owner was always very responsive to our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I had worked with other branding companies before Jacob Tyler, and none of them had the same initiative. Jacob Tyler’s responsiveness and transparency were the hallmarks of their service. Everything was structured well so that nothing fell through the cracks, which was critical with so many projects in motion at once. We also appreciated the team’s enthusiasm to take part in the project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t pinpoint any needs for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of Planck Aerosystems. We build small, unmanned aircraft systems that operate from moving vehicles. Our clients are primarily government and industrial agencies looking for security and defense applications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

Initially, we hired Jacob Tyler to help our branding efforts. We were struggling to create a messaging strategy that targeted our customers, potential partners, and future investors effectively.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To begin the project, Jacob Tyler held an in-person discovery meeting so we could inform them about our business and overall goals. They interviewed several members of my team and our customers to glean feedback on our company’s value in the market. With this information, they formulated a formal proposal that included a set of key milestones, a budget, and schedule.

From there, they iterated several versions of a brand guide. This package included an overview of our company, our products, a positioning statement, a personality identification, and our key messages. Their team broke the approaches down into multiple categories to target more specific audiences, ranging from commercial customers to potential investors. They delivered the guide as a complete document to enable my team’s internal training efforts.

After wrapping up the messaging process, we began another project focused on product naming and other customer-facing items. They’re working on our logos, business cards, and other aspects of our visual identity.

What is the team composition?

Tom (Director of Creative Copy and Messaging, Jacob Tyler) is the lead for our projects. Marcela (Account Supervisor, Jacob Tyler) helps with the programming work. Les (CEO, Jacob Tyler) is our management contact and several others help organize meetings and answer questions.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

We used our network to find recommendations, as we wanted a team that had experience in our industry. We narrowed our list to three companies and brought them in for interviews. I liked that Jacob Tyler was local and they were the best fit for the project.

How much have you invested with them?

Including both projects, we’ve spent between $30,000–$35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on the branding efforts from October–November 2018. The engagement is continuing with the second project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have any external metrics, so the way we measure Jacob Tyler’s success is through deliveries. They’ve delivered everything on time and within our budget, which perfectly fulfills our expectations.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

They manage the project well. One of the initial traits I appreciated about Jacob Tyler was their great responsiveness. They use BaseCamp to communicate and share documents between our teams. They’re always ready to take my call and solve any issue. Their division of labor is very clear, so I know who to reach out to for any of my needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their experience working with industrial and government-facing companies is valuable to us. They understand our business’ language and what our customers want, which differentiates them from other vendors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their only limitation may be the smallness of their firm, but it works perfectly for my team and is a great fit.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing specialist at a wealth advisory.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We engaged Jacob Tyler to refresh our logo and brand identity in addition to delivering a set of branding assets.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, they led a brand discovery to learn more about our identity and discussed our direction with our firm’s partners. We provided them with a list of deliverables, including a new logo, presentation templates, and email designs and they worked with us on all of them. They also redesigned our print materials such as our business cards, letterheads, folders, and brochures.

What is the team composition?

The team consisted of their CEO, vice president of operations and management, and executive creative director.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

Because we’re a San Diego-based firm, it was important for us to work with an agency that was familiar with the area. We searched for local vendors and shortlisted about seven agencies, including Jacob Tyler. After our first meetings, we reviewed their portfolio and felt that their execution and level of detail would be a good fit for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work lasted from July–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Jacob Tyler delivered a much-needed refresh to modernize our brand, and our internal staff has responded positively. Even though we’ve rebranded, the new materials still feel in line with our identity.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was detail-oriented and took the time to recap meetings so that everyone was on the same page. They used Basecamp to coordinate the project, which allowed us to review and comment on designs. If we had any questions, they were quick to get back to us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Not only were they approachable, but they also provided honest feedback and guidance. I particularly appreciated how quickly they responded to our inquiries.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be a bit clearer about how much time it takes to print deliverables.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We work with healthcare, education, and social services to help our members get discounts from the vendors we have on contract. I am the director of corporate marketing and communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We didn’t have a social media presence or strong SEO. We hired them to help with our overall online presence, which included a video and some email marketing strategies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a study of our company and our competitors during a discovery process. Once they figured out our goals, they built a proposal of what they could offer us in terms of email marketing, a video, social media work, and our SEO. They also created our landing page and content for our blog.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with two of their team members.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

They originally helped us with a renaming and rebranding initiative a few years ago. We found them through an internet search for that project. We were familiar with their work and their style, so decided to hire them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $75,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around November 2015. We put a hold on some of the deliverables as we changed office buildings, so we haven’t finished our collaboration yet.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had almost no followers before this collaboration. Our social media presence has increased and we have much more of a following than we did. Interacting with our base is much easier now.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is good, and they’re very communicative. We have a weekly call and manage everything through Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their responsiveness is great. With any outsourcing or marketing project, it’s important to have good interactions with your vendors. Whenever we have issues or problems, they’re very good about solving them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really; they do a good job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don't have any specific advice for future clients. They're easy to work with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and president of BIOS Lighting (Biological Innovation and Optimization Systems). We specialize in R&D for biologically related lighting that corrects for or responds to biological systems such as people, plants, and animals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

Because we’re doing something that’s new and unique in the lighting industry, we needed an agency that could help us create and define our market. We wanted to be able to effectively communicate our marketing message while also educating relevant stakeholders to purchase our products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, Jacob Tyler spent a significant amount of time learning about our industry and company, since they were unfamiliar with our market. They then distilled all of our conversations into an extensive brand essence document, highlighting who we are, what makes us unique, and how our passion translates into our work. After we went over and refined the document, they used it as a roadmap for our marketing approach.

The team developed a new look and feel for our brand, updating our logo, refreshing the design language for our collateral, and generating brand guidelines to lead our efforts moving forward. Currently, they’re converting all of our old materials to meet the new standards, utilizing our revamped marketing and branding language to convey information in a more powerful way.

What is the team composition?

Les (CEO, Jacob Tyler) has been my main point of contact, but we also have frequent check-ins with Kate (Account Director, Jacob Tyler).

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

I found them through Clutch. When we briefly opened an office in the San Diego area, I was unfamiliar with any of the local agencies, so I used Clutch as a resource. I started with five agencies, narrowed the list down to three, and then interviewed the candidates.

How much have you invested with them?

By the end of 2018, we’ll have spent just under $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work started in April 2018 and is ongoing. We foresee this to be a long-term relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still at the foundational level, so it’s too early to see any metrics. However, Jacob Tyler’s deliverables have consistently exceeded expectation. The team enjoys what they do, and it shows in our interaction; we’re just two passionate groups that work well together.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

The project managers do a great job, coordinating everything through Basecamp so that all projects are visible at any given time. Communication is also transparent. We have ongoing meetings to discuss project status, and they inform us in advance if there are delays or schedule changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a nothing-is-impossible attitude and always strive to surpass our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything that’s been a challenge so far. I’ve been very impressed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a mobile-based ad agency. We use machine learning and artificial intelligence to perform media buying for programmatic advertising in the mobile ad space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

Since 2004, our company has operated as an online business. However, we’ve pivoted into the mobile market and now offer services like data science and analytics. We hired Jacob Tyler to help modernize our website as well as our corporate branding and strategy to better represent what we offer to potential clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We first met with senior management and gave them a sense of where we came from and where we wanted to go. We initially thought the team would focus only on frontend aspects such as our brand’s look and feel, but Jacob Tyler instead took a holistic approach to the discovery process. They interviewed members of our team and worked to deeply understand our identity, story, and goals for the future. They then created an image and overall brand appearance that represented our aspirations. After that, they quickly implemented new products: a new logo, design elements, media kits, and an updated website.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with Les (CEO & Chief Creative Officer, Jacob Tyler), who led a larger team.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

We found them through an online search. However, Les and I also happened to belong to a mutual business organization and connected there. We chose Jacob Tyler over other agencies because they showed great care and attention to detail from the get-go. While all the agencies we vetted had excellent portfolios, Jacob Tyler took the time to deeply understand our business—both its past and its future. Their holistic approach impressed us and distinguished them from the competition.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between July 2017—February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before we engaged Jacob Tyler, our image had undergone so many revisions that the brand became diluted. Jacob Tyler helped us create a uniform brand identity that our company can rally behind. A few subtle changes by Jacob Tyler have boosted team morale and cooperation dramatically. We’re now proud to put the company name on the side of our office building.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team demonstrated excellent organization and efficiency; everyone had a clear role to play. Also, because they thoroughly study a business beforehand, Jacob Tyler can accelerate a project and develop and deliver products quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their sophisticated style and substantive client list speak for themselves, but what stands out to me is the company itself. Jacob Tyler has developed a brand, culture, and leadership team that I can believe in and associate my company with. For years, I’ve thought their company employed far more people than it actually does because of the work they’ve done. They have a clean and polished presentation, a good focus, and a well-organized team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

One element I look for in a vendor is whether they have a lot of experience in mobile app development. Jacob Tyler’s portfolio, while impressive, doesn’t make it clear or obvious if they’ve done app development, which might dissuade potential clients in the mobile sphere. However, Jacob Tyler still outshone the competition in our initial meeting, and we’ve been very satisfied with their results.

BACKGROUND

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

It had been about 10 years since we'd done a branding refresh, so we felt it was time to update our look.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jacob Tyler interviewed many of our staff, customers, and partners to gauge perceptions of the company before diving into some rebranding work more collaboratively with our management team. They created a thorough brand analysis and plan, delivering a new style guide, website refresh, and marketing materials in the process.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Les (CEO and Chief Creative Officer, Jacob Tyler), as well as a few members of his team.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

We found them through an entrepreneurs organization locally in San Diego, and decided to work with them based on the strong reputation they had in the area.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested less than $100,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together for a few months from the summer of 2017 through December.

SOLUTION

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

Jacob Tyler's rebrand has contributed to a significant growth in business year over year.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed exceptionally well, meeting all deadlines and exceeding expectations in terms of the quality of work they provided. We didn't know what to expect going into it, but they truly helped us strengthen our messaging by the end of the engagement.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared to other vendors I'd met with, Jacob Tyler came off as a very high-end company with exceptionally talented and creative people on their team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president of Dynamik, Inc. We’re a wholesale distributor of industrial electrical products. Some of the many products we supply include solar photovoltaic system equipment, electric vehicle charging stations, and automation controls.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

We needed a marketing firm knowledgeable of the best practices for our industry to develop and execute an extensive marketing plan.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We held two discovery meetings with Jacob Tyler where they analyzed the relevant aspects of our brand. They later performed a thorough presentation on our company and walked us through their recommendations for the marketing plan. They made this process fun, engaging, and facilitated an environment that let our team participate in the creative portions of the project. Their recommendations included website design, a reimagining of our branding materials, and an internet marketing strategy. Once they laid out our options, we scheduled another discovery meeting to discuss the project’s proper scope.

Jacob Tyler delivered a brand positioning storyline and messaging guidelines to identify how Dynamik will present itself. These products were integrated with our company’s core values. Next, they designed a new logo and tagline for marketing purposes. Then, they redesigned our website and coded new elements for it. This process included implementing the on-site SEO by building backlinks into the site’s infrastructure.

We’re currently working with Jacob Tyler to put together the landing pages for our email marketing campaign and they’re managing a launch video we plan to release. Additionally, they’ve established our email marketing and Ad Words campaigns. We’re also bringing them in to oversee our PR projects. Finally, they’re running our social media accounts on an ongoing basis.

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Les (CEO, Jacob Tyler), but he’s got a decently sized team. I’m not sure how many people work on our account.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

We spoke with three other companies but valued Jacob Tyler’s experience with a few of our clients. However, the real deciding factor was the energy they brought to the table. They were extremely excited about the project that’s what separated them from the other candidates.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $150,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started with them in March 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The number of hits our website receives has increased exponentially. We were getting close to zero traffic before, but now the site’s attracting unique visitors like crazy. Jacob Tyler’s work has allowed us to contact multiple clients that we haven’t been able to reach in the past. Clients are few and far between in our industry, so engaging with as little as three new contacts is considered a significant success.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re professional, entertaining, and fantastic at managing numerous projects at once. They’re basically a part of our company’s ecosystem now. If we needed to hire an internal marketing resource, we’d want to hire someone that could mirror Jacob Tyler’s approach.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity is infectious. Our team isn’t that creative, but Jacob Tyler brought it out of us and led some awesome brainstorming sessions. It was a fun process to participate in and it changed how our office operates. Their deliverables made our brand pop in ways we didn’t expect.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They aren’t experts on everything, so they subcontracted our social media and PR efforts. However, those firms have been wonderful as well, so I can’t complain. They do their job and bring the right people to the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a client care specialist for Circadia by Dr. Pugliese. As a physician-formulated skincare company, we manufacture and retail products at wholesale cost to licensed estheticians, nurses, and doctors. I do a lot of the marketing projects for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacob Tyler?

I originally approached them to redesign our website. In particular, we needed to make the site mobile-friendly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

My initial conversations were with Les (CEO, Jacob Tyler). He explained what their company does and how they could help us with our website. Then he introduced us to his hand-picked team, based on our project and their expertise. We started with discovery calls, which evolved into mapping out the project. Then they started to actually work in the design. In addition to being responsive, the new site will allow for online ordering. The new site is scheduled to launch at the end of this month. We’re in the last stages of the project, combing through everything to make sure it’s going to work properly.

We’ve also expanded the scope of the partnership beyond the website. We're also using them for broader marketing purposes. They’re taking pictures of our products, giving us feedback on designs, and consulting on different ways that we can grow the brand.

What is the team composition?

I work with several members of their team. My main point person is the project manager.

How did you come to work with Jacob Tyler?

I first met the Jacob Tyler team a couple of years ago at a conference. We were presenting our skincare line to estheticians, and they were presenting on the growth of the industry. We’d been working with a web developer for 10 years since the launch of our original website. However, it was clear that Les had a different way of looking at digital trends. We decided to use them because of their knowledge and expertise in marketing.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $50,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

I believe we first started talking in October 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While we don’t have any analytics yet, I’m confident we'll soon be able to see the growth that the new website is bringing the company. I've presented the new design and layout to our entire team and it’s received excellent reviews. The online shopping functionality is particularly exciting because our old site was really behind trends in the market. Our entire team is looking forward to its launch.

How did Jacob Tyler perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management structure works really well for us. Our main project manager has been great at keeping us on track. We’re getting a new project manager this week. The transition has been very smooth, and we’ve already started to schedule weekly calls. Their whole team is super organized. I’m in constant communication with them. Someone on their team always has an answer to my questions, and they’re open to my feedback or suggestions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really appreciate that I have direct communication and contact with Les. He’s always reachable via text—no matter the time of day—for any question that I have. It’s really rare to have that kind of access to the CEO, and that personal relationships has been awesome. Also, they're really transparent about what they will deliver.