JV Studios

BACKGROUND

I am the Director of Sales of DEKit

DEKit provides marine decking solutions to builders and aftermarket industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

• JV Studios was brought in to elevate brand recognition and optimize the product launch of three new lines of marine flooring
• Increase return on advertising spend
• Enhance brand reputation in our B2B circles

SOLUTION

Referral

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

2-5 Employees

JV studios served as DEKits outsourcing marketing leads since December of 2024. Scope included assessing DEKits existing marketing setup, building the marketing strategy for its marine  decking brands, video production and editing of for new products, recruiting and onboarding DEKits in-house marketing manager, who now runs CRM, advertising, and the website and agency relationships. JV continues to provide ongoing marketing strategy and oversight through regular meetings with DEKit leadership team. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Higher Quality B2B and B2C Lead Generation

Increased Return on Adversing Spend

Enhanced Brand Reputation in B2B Circles

Team was very quick with communication and delivered expetionally well under time constraints. 

Virtual Meeting

Culture and core values of both companies alligned and created a truly collaborative and workable environment to achieve the highest success. 

At no time did leadership feel that there were any gaps in communication, service or deliverables. Exceptional to work with. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Marketing Officer of Youtech

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a full-service digital marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire JV Studios to accomplish?

• Create TV quality advertisements

SOLUTION

How did you find JV Studios?

Referral

Why did you select JV Studios over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• High quality

How many teammates from JV Studios were assigned to this project?

20+

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

• “Agency Therapy” Campaign: For this campaign, we wanted to highlight our differentiators while incorporating humor. We didn’t want our message to beat the viewer over the head with a boring, direct approach. In tandem with JV, we worked with Hollywood writers to produce the comical concept of business owners attending therapy due to their poor agency choices.
• “Babysitting Your Agency” Campaign: Run just after the “Agency Therapy” campaign, our goal was to build on the essence of the first campaign. While this commercial can stand alone on its own merits, it does re-use some elements of the first: musical score, comedic thematic elements, and an overall message that the agency you’re working with might not fit the bill.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• JV delivered the work on time, with high quality and minimal edits.
• Their entire creative process was fun and engaging.
• The deliverables were everything we wanted.

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

• JV delivered everything to us before the deadline.
• You could tell they were incredibly passionate about our project.
• They genuinely love what they do.

What was your primary form of communication with JV Studios?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

Their love for their profession is second to none.

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

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the UX/UI & Visual Design Lead of SeaDek

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

SeaDek is the industry-leading manufacturer of marine & outdoor PE/EVA non-skid products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire JV Studios to accomplish?

• E-Commerce & Lifestyle Product Photography
• Website Design & Development
• Social Media Management
• Brand Awareness
• Commercial Video Campaigns

SOLUTION

How did you find JV Studios?

Referral

Why did you select JV Studios over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from JV Studios were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

JV Studios was hired on to conceptulize, direct, produce, and market several videos for SeaDek, ranging from a new Brand Story video, to product commercials and campaigns, which they then managed strategy and distribution throughout social media, and OTT / CTV.

Additionally, they have been an integral resource in providing us with exceptionally high quality lifestyle and product photography for many of our new products, processes, and special projects. We have utilized them for many marketing & promotional assets for use in e-commerce sale graphics, brochures, presentations, as well as strategic paid social advertising, a new website design and integration, and Amazon content creation services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The work that JV Studios has completed for us has filled an insurmountable gap in our content creation, and they have provided us with valuable content, creative solutions, and maintaining our brand awareness throughout strategic channels and marketing directives.

The campaign videos were very well recieved and widely acclaimed on our social platforms, and became key marketing assets for our diverse Certified Fabricator Network to utilize in their marketing efforts as well. JV Studios has been a valued creative partner, and a seamless extension of our Marketing Department, fulfilling our content needs with enthusiasm, professionalism, and passion for the work.

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

JV Studios excelled in project management, and many times they were the ones to hold us accountable, setting clear project timelines, deliverable check points, and regular meeetings to discuss project progress. If additional content was requested from us, they were very quick to pivot, or adjust plans in order to provide us with exactly what we needed.

What was your primary form of communication with JV Studios?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The "JV Experience" -- they make every meeting, every consultation, and every conversation feel energized, and empassioned by their drive for delivering high-quality, memorable, and beneficial content. They have an extremely diverse network of talented individuals who were ready and willing to assist us with anything we needed at any time.

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

If there was anything they could improve on, it likely came from our direction, rather than them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of GAM Enterprises, Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

GAM is a U.S. manufacturer of Robotic and Servo Gear Reducers, Rack & Pinion Systems, Servo Couplings, Linear Mounting Kits, and other precision mechanical drive solutions used in automation technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire JV Studios to accomplish?

• Produce a video presenting our value proposition
• Produce a video tour of our new manufacturing plant

SOLUTION

How did you find JV Studios?

Referral

Why did you select JV Studios over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

How many teammates from JV Studios were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

We wanted new corporate videos communicating our value proposition along with a tour of our new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Filming would be at our facility and involve multiple filming locations, including interviews with 7 team members.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team at JV Studios produced 2 videos for us and they are fantastic! They understood our goals and produced beautifully filmed, engaging videos that communicate our message. We have used them often to introduce our company to prospective customers and to share our new facility with existing customers.

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

JV delivered on time. They were receptive to our ideas and feedback during the filming and editing process. Thorough, professional, and easy to work with.

What was your primary form of communication with JV Studios?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their vision and creativity took what could be a dry topic and made it engaging. They were able to film in our working facility with minimal disruption. They were focused and professional and made the filming process easy for every one. They final product was so much more than we could've imagined. They were a pleasure to work with from the first planning session to the final product.

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

None at all!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an account executive at a full-service creative advertising agency. I handle client relations and manage the creative team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JV Studios?

We developed an advertising concept for a client that produces homeopathic medicine for kids and were looking to translate that concept into video ads. We needed to instill confidence in mothers to use the product, so we wanted the videos to have a lighthearted and playful tone and some family humor.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

JV Studios delivered three live-action ad videos with lengths of 30, 15, and six seconds, respectively. We provided the project’s guidelines, like the scripts, creative concept, and production requirements, and they assisted us with pre- and postproduction. 

They helped us manage the casting and select the talent with the guidelines we provided. We found the location through Peerspace. We rented a house, and the creative director went there the day before the shooting to arrange the set, including rearranging furniture and setting up the lighting. The shoot was two days long, and both the end client and our team were present. As JV Studios filmed, we reviewed the footage with them to ensure it was cohesive.

Finally, they handled the postproduction, including audio mixing, voice-over editing, and background music. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a 10-person crew from JV Studios. Vince (Creative Director) was our director, John (Founder, Managing Director & Creative Producer) was our executive producer, and we also had a director of photography and a prop stylist. 

How did you come to work with JV Studios?

We had worked with JV Studios a few years ago for another commercial shoot, so I already had their contact. I reached them via email, and they were available for our timeline.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $48,000 with JV Studios.

What is the status of this engagement?

The video shoot with JV Studios took place in August 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although I don't have access to our client's social media metrics, the 30-second video ad has 235,000 views on their YouTube channel. Overall, JV Studios met the end client's expectations, and the directives were happy with the result. 

How did JV Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

JV Studios was great at staying on budget, and the only overage was due to issues with catering and our location since we changed it for one that fit the scene better.

We mainly communicated through email, Google Meet, and phone calls when needed. They also gave us great follow-up during the postproduction stage. While waiting for the client's approval, they reached out to follow up with us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

JV Studios stands apart in the industry because John and Vince are some of the most down-to-earth and coolest people I've met. They listened and understood where we were coming from. They've been doing this for a while and were good at it. 

Working in advertising, we want to find people we can trust and rely on. JV Studios was always down to help and went above and beyond to do it; their commitment was evident. Vince even was on his honeymoon, and he still worked on the video. I'd also like to shout out to our prop stylist since she was helpful and accommodating.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have any constructive criticism for JV Studios.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I'd recommend potential customers reach JV Studios early since their schedules are probably booked.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Paper Crane Productions, a production company based in Los Angeles. We work with different clients around the country and create video content for them.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JV Studios?

We needed help with the production side of one of our projects. Our client makes pasta, so we helped them develop a TV chef cook-off that we filmed in Chicago. However, we needed a very strong video production company to help us manage the physical production in Chicago, so we hired JV Studios.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

JV Studios helped us handle the video production side of our TV project in Chicago. Originally, the client handed us a storyboard, which we shared with JV Studios. Based on the scope of work, we had to hire a crew, so they helped bring on about 35 people for the project.

JV Studios’ team helped us handle the cameras, lighting, and sound. They also assisted us with production design and location scouting. Basically, they acted as our full-service production team in Chicago. Once they were done with the filming process, they handed me the footage so that another editor and I could edit the content; they were not involved in postproduction.

What is the team composition?

We started working with around 23 people from JV Studios, but that team eventually grew to about 35 people in total. This team included John (Founder & Managing Director), Vince (Creative Director), camera operators, production assistants, sound operators, grip-and-electric people, and an audiovisual crew.

How did you come to work with JV Studios?

Our client approached us in May 2022 to discuss this project, and they wanted to film it at the end of August 2022. I had already heard about JV Studios and followed them on Facebook and Instagram, and it turned out that both of their owners lived in the same town as I did.

As soon as we got this job, I contacted JV Studios, scheduled a Zoom meeting, and discussed the project. They were the only company we approached because the work we had already seen on their website and social media platforms was top-notch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $170,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We originally contacted JV Studios in May 2022, and the project ran from August–September 2022. However, we hope to work with them again in the future.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

JV Studios was incredible. We weren’t very familiar with Chicago, so they were very helpful overall because they knew that area very well. Additionally, the footage hand-off process was perfectly set up; it was neat, clean, and organized.

The show was recently published, and it’s now getting distributed through YouTube TV, Sling TV, Vizio, LG Channels, and Roku. It was so well done that it’ll also be featured on an important morning TV show in a couple of weeks. Moreover, our client is now looking at doing another season of this show due to the great outcome.

How did JV Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

This was one of the largest video production projects we had ever done. Still, JV Studios demonstrated a very strong work culture. They had eight cameras and a whole crew operating those cameras and assisting with the entire production.

JV Studios also did an outstanding job with the production design, so we were very impressed with their services. Overall, they brought much more into the project than execution; their attitude and processes were outstanding, which was very important for a project of that magnitude.

As for communication, we used a variety of channels. When we were preparing for the project, we had a lot of Zoom meetings and phone calls because we had a lot of information to share. Additionally, we used Google Sheets to create a project list that we updated as the project progressed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

JV Studios’ strengths were their promptness and communication skills; those characteristics set them apart from other production companies. They were very professional, thorough, and creative, and they had a great attitude.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There was nothing JV Studios could have done differently for this project. All of our challenges came from our client because we had various scope changes leading up to the production. Still, JV Studios was very adaptable.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you want to hire JV Studios, know that you won’t have to manage anything. They’ll be all in and take as much workload from your back as they possibly can so that things don’t slip through the cracks.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a project manager at O Hello Media. We provide photography and videography services to experiential and brand marketers globally.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JV Studios?

We needed help with video and photography capture.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

JV Studios captures video and photography for us, helping us cover events in the Chicago area. They shoot specific events; we get the business from our clients, and the JV Studios team executes the photography and video capture. They supply their own filming equipment. After the event, they provide us with the clips.

What is the team composition?

They allocate their team members to help cover our events. We work with 1–2 photographers or videographers from JV Studios for any given project.

How did you come to work with JV Studios?

We came across them online in 2019. We always vet the people we work with, so we reviewed JV Studios’ portfolio and spoke with the owners. From there, we explained what we do, and we decided that ours be a good mutual partnership.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent roughly $25,000 with them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2019, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve worked on over 18 projects with JV Studios, and they’ve completed over 100 hours of work for us. Their content capture has helped us create what we call visual brand experiences, generating emotion and capturing lasting impressions. Many of our clients use the videos internally, while others publish them on their company websites and social media. 

How did JV Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very reliable and communicative. We really appreciate working with them because our processes mix very well together. In terms of communication, we use email and briefing calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

JV Studios’ strength is their quality of work. When we work with them, we know the output we’ll deliver to our clients will be phenomenal and consistent. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

In the vein of consistency, they should continue to make sure that the people they bring onto their team are of the same quality standards as they’ve had previously.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

To get the most out of your engagement with JV Studios, communicate your needs and be transparent in your conversations. Give examples of what you’re hoping to achieve, so they have a better idea of how to deliver on your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager of Merz Apothecary, a 147-year-old brick-and-mortar retail store in Chicago. We sell personal care, natural health, fragrances, and bath and beauty products. We’re modeled after an old-fashioned European apothecary, and we also sell a lot of hard-to-find European imports.

We’re a family-run business, and I’m part of the family. We’re a well-respected and known establishment in Chicago and the world. Last year, we got profiled as one of the top beauty destinations in the world by the New York Times.

Additionally, our e-commerce business is called Smallflower. It’s an extension of the Merz Apothecary experience, but we ship products all over the country and to some international destinations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with JV Studios?

The marketplace is crowded, and e-commerce is a complicated business, so it’s hard for us to compete with Amazon. Many of our products are sold by other retailers, but we believe that more people want to put their money towards businesses with unique stories.

Although we kept our two businesses separate, we were trying to incorporate Merz Apothecary’s story into our content marketing around Smallflower to concisely and compellingly tell our customers that when they order a product, it’s coming from a 147-year-old store in Chicago. We needed to tell that story through video, so we called JV Studios to help us with that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially had lunch with JV Studios to talk about the store. They came in, experienced it, and spoke to my brother-in-law, who runs it. They soaked up the store's essence and worked collaboratively with me to figure out what story we’d tell. It took a while, but once we had the direction established, they shot on-site at the store.

JV Studios brought their crew and equipment. The only thing they didn’t do was the voiceover because my husband is a sound engineer, so we recorded it. The voice talent was my father-in-law, the CEO and star of the video.

What is the team composition?

Vince (Director of Photography) and John (Managing Director) were involved. On the shooting day, there were 4–5 people; they were all contractors. It was clear that they’d worked together before and had a good working relationship. It seemed like a trusted group of people. 

How did you come to work with JV Studios?

Our advertising agency introduced us to them. John and Vince were from Chicago, and our account representative was also from here, so he thought JV Studios would be a good fit because they knew the city’s history. Also, JV Studios had a history of family businesses — their grandfather ran a barbershop on the south side of Chicago for a long time, and they were brothers.

Moreover, our interests aligned, so he introduced us. He’d worked with them before, knew they were professionals, vouched for them, and thought we’d get along. In the end, he was absolutely right.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $15,000–$16,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started talking to them in January 2021. They shot the video in October 2021 and delivered it in November 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were creative and generous collaborators. They had great impulses and intuition and were excellent listeners. Overall, they were absolutely professional in the execution, so it was an outstanding collaboration.

At this point, we don’t have quantitative data to share. We did an awareness video, and we’re starting to use it in a couple of different ways. We haven’t run it as an ad, but we have plans to cut it down into shorter bits that we’ll be able to run.

How did JV Studios perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great at communicating and organizing. The team met all the deadlines; we didn’t have complaints. JV Studios was very patient and helpful; we never felt pressured or rushed by them.

We mainly communicated via email, but they were also available over the phone. We had a couple of video calls and one in-person meeting.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They had incredibly high standards for themselves and were super passionate. Moreover, they authentically cared about telling their clients’ stories. For example, on the day of the shoot, we’d gotten all the shots we needed without overtime, but they still hung out for another 30–60 minutes to take additional shots. Overall, JV Studios were very generous with their time and attention.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t really have anything; it was a positive experience in general. They were very clear on what they did and didn’t do. When we started talking about creating the shortened ads, they told us they weren’t strategic ad marketers, so they clearly set the expectations about their expertise.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to make sure that your goals are articulated successfully so they know how to help you. We took a lot of time to ensure the concept and story were right before we got into pre-production, and I’m glad we did that.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Group Creative Director at a full-service, independent ad agency responsible for pulling in talented specialists and production partners for anything we're not comfortable handling ourselves.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire JV Studios, and what were your goals?

We engaged JV studios for help producing a relatively complicated video for a high-end appliance client who wanted to introduce their product line to the North American market. Video needed to do a good job of showing off the functionality of the appliance, while showcasing its fashionable form. Of the many video concepts we presented to our client, they predictably bought the most visually sophisticated, but didn’t have an unlimited budget to pull it off. We knew the right partner in this was going to make all the difference.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We triple bid the project with local production partners, as is our process. JV came in with a competitive bid but it was their enthusiasm for the project that won us over. Their passion for the work they do was obvious, and it gave us peace of mind to know they would be investing their best effort in it. We weren't just another video project to them.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

JV Studios was fearless in the face of the impossible, helping us plan and execute on the concept (during a pandemic!), and giving our client the signature visual piece they needed to secure awareness in key markets across the continent.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

They had a rather large production team assigned to this, which was a great comfort. Everyone we interacted with from the top down was great to work with, and highly competent.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Clients were on set with us and likewise appreciated seeing their passion for the work and their product. That made us proud to have brought them in, and also made it more likely we'll continue to get projects like it in the future. The video was well received globally as it was shared out socially, making our client look great...which is always our goal.

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

Their flexibility and ingenuity made it happen, and a shared commitment to delivering top-quality work made us feel like we had a partner in the trenches with us….someone who cared for our client’s business as much as we do. This was a fast-flying project and we didn't have time to over-process the workflow. We had to be exceedingly agile, and make decisions on the fly. They were perfect partners in that regard.

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

The first time you work with anyone can be a challenge, but they were so easy to work with, our team and theirs fused really well, and the result was a drama-free shoot with excellent results.

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

I personally wish I'd been more hands-on with them, but in my position I am often required in multiple places at once...but my team raves to this day about how well the shoot went.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Client Services Manager at a learning and development firm. JB Training partners with organizations to Make Work Better for their employees through engaging and dynamic instructor-led learning.

We are a boutique learning and development company that supports employees throughout their entire career - from entering the workforce all the way to succeeding in senior leadership roles.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire JV Studios, and what were your goals?

One of our clients wanted to create short, bite-sized learning videos to supplement their live training experiences. While we have the expertise to write the scripts and facilitate the videos in-house, we needed a team to actually film and edit the video aspects.

Our goal was to create 10 videos (3 to 5 minutes each) that highlight JB's content, our trainer staff, and the client's leadership talent.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We searched in our company's network for a filming crew that would be able to be flexible with our quick turnaround time and was within the budget from the client. JV Studios was the perfect fit.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

We started with a few discovery meetings to align on project goals, vision, and pricing. Then their team coordinated all of the logistics (timing, equipment, crew, etc.) while our team wanted to provide the scripts and talent.

The day of filming their team took control and led us through a seamless day of filming that was highly productive and even FUN. Afterwards, they edit all of the videos, our team provides feedback, they did a second round of edits to our liking, and we receive the final products.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We worked with the founding members, John & Vince, along with their producer for the shoot, Joey, and videographer, Brendan. All are incredible to work with - receptive to our ideas, brilliant in giving direction/recommendation, and even went above and beyond to take fun behind-the-scenes pictures for us to use as promo.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've worked with JV Studios a few times now, and our client is always WOWED by the professionalism and quality of the videos as it aligns well with their brand. This client continues to give their business to JB Training, and the success of these video projects always make JB look great.

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

The team is very communicative - checking in throughout the process to make sure both teams are tracking well. They provide easy to follow timelines for planning/deliverables, and always meet or exceed their projections.

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

They're FUN! They turned what could be a stressful day with high stakes into a day of laughter, creativity, and joy. I always look forward to working with the JV Studios team.

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

None that I can think of. They even brought donuts for our team on the day of filming! Who can top that?