KOBU Agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of Marketing and Communication Digital Office of BNP Paribas

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

BNP Paribas, a global banking leader, offers innovative financial solutions, exceptional customer service, and a strong commitment to sustainability, making them a trusted partner for your banking needs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire KOBU Agency to accomplish?

• Create a web experience showcasing our product
• Create a creative campaign for the launch of a digital assistant
• Create a promotional video

SOLUTION

How did you find KOBU Agency?

Online Search

Why did you select KOBU Agency over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Creative work on their website

How many teammates from KOBU Agency were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Kobu worked on 2 projects at once, being the launch of our digital assistant and relaunch of our public page. It involved the creation of the UX/UI of the site, a promo video for the site, a creative concept for a direct mailing campaign, copywriting and design and illustrations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Sparkling new website and a very successful direct marketing campaign.

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

Kobu worked fast and according to the brief, in all cases surpassing our expectations in concept and delivery. After every meeting where they introduced their concepts, we came away excited, firm in the belief that we chose the right partner.

What was your primary form of communication with KOBU Agency?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They were the ideal mix of creativity, cost-efficiency, delivery, and technology. They scored on all fronts, which is almost too good to be true. Except it isn't.

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

Not yet, I hope they keep up this level of customer service.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Global Brand Manager of Minor Hotels

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Hospitality company managing a portfolio of 8 hotels & resorts brands, from luxury to mid-scale, from leisure to business, dispersed across more than 500 properties in the five continents.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire KOBU Agency to accomplish?

• Development of a Family Club umbrella concept applicable to urban hotels and resorts of 3 brands with different target audiences and different positioning's, considering also the nuance of having different brand concepts per each brand to consider
• Tactical work of adapting stationary items to a new logo of 2 of the brands

SOLUTION

How did you find KOBU Agency?

• Referral
• Have worked with them on successful projects in previous companies

Why did you select KOBU Agency over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Successful outcomes in previous projects with them

How many teammates from KOBU Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The expansion of NH and NH Collection brands' portfolios in Europe, Latin America and Middle East, has accelerated the process of adaptation of NH and NH Collection brands (but also nhow brand) to the resorts segment. This process has been developed in the last couple of years. 

The project started with a market and customer experience study to identify, not only how could the brands present themselves to the market and what type of guests could be targeted aligned with its global positioning, but also what these guests felt generically about their past resorts experiences, and how could potentially NH and NH Collection brands influence their perception in a positive way, by delivering a product and experience aligned with their needs.

The outcome of this research phase allowed the company to define a set of brand concepts, later filtered into core concepts for a more pragmatic and realistic implementation. For this project, we were looking to partner with an agency to address specific needs on a tactical and strategic level that can be summarized into 2 points:

1. The more tactical part of the project consists of the adaptation of an existing NH and NH Collection Hotels stationary deck for the new NH and NH Collection “Hotels & Resorts” approach, by means of replacing logos and applying slight adjustments to existing artworks – to create a baseline of stationary that can be quickly activated for any urgent rebranding or expansion need.

2. The more strategical part of the project – which also comprises a tactical part – is related to the adaptation of the generic brand positioning to something that reflects the reality of both urban and resorts.

   Additionally, the development of a core brand concept for a Family club transversal to 3 brands with different brand positionings, and its respective brand concepts - focusing on a new version of holidays that brings families together - including creative and operational approaches to be applied across the customer journey touchpoints (including copywriting and experience design definition per touchpoints, with specific orientations for implementation - materials, brand activation).

After validation, all the concepts need to be translated into a manual for implementation. The expected outputs are the following: 

1. Stationary
   • Adaptation of 100 existing artworks of 2 brands » Editable artworks + Print-ready PDF versions
2. Core Family Club umbrella concept applicable to 3 brands
   • Full brand identity creation that can be used cross-brand (logo, characters, signage, stationary and communication materials – posters, digital communication elements, check-in kit, merchandising, activities posters, f&b elements
   • Definition of distinctive element for sense of belonging with sustainability as base
   • Creative suggestion for outdoor activities around sustainability (farming, conservation, science, arts, etc.) and posible partnerships
   • Gamification idea to promote Family Club pre-stay, to reinforce usage during stay and promote continued relationship post-stay
   • Interior design elements moodboard and references for the space
   • Brand identity activation elements across all other resorts concepts
     1. The Family Hub
        1. Design elements moodboard and references
        2. Signage/decoration concept and artworks
        3. Brand identity activation elements
     2. Room For More
        1. Design elements moodboard and references for a flexible room concept that can be tailored to different needs
        2. Brand identity activation elements
     3. DYI Buffett
        1. Design elements moodboard and references for the space
        2. Brand identity activation elements
   • Brand concept manual featuring an inspirational presentation (creative copywriting), specific design and operational guidelines for implementation across each one of the concepts and sub-concepts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Quick turnaround of the 100 items stationary in 2 weeks time
2. Closure of phase 1 by end of March 2023
3. Closure of phase 2 by end of September 2023

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

The project management was successful, demonstrating flexibility in adapting to fine-tuning on the way and going sometimes beyond the scope, but also making sure we stayed on the correct strategic track. The delivery time was always on time and the communication flow constant onto define status and ownership of next steps.

What was your primary form of communication with KOBU Agency?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They take their job seriously and put themselves in the shoes of the client - understanding the needs, challenges and opportunities to the very last detail -, but with a critical thinking and not doing everything the client wants just because, but questioning the logic behind the decisions to make sure the scope of the project and the business and marketing objectives of the briefing are met in a successful way.

This is probably one of the most uncommon things on the market these days, to have agencies that don't do things thinking on the revenue they might have, but rather on adding value to the client/project on the medium and long-term as a primary goal.

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

Until now, everything has been delivered according to the brief, or even surpassing the expectations of the brief, so cannot think of anything by now worth mentioning to improve.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Project Manager of ANPlWWF

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Associação Natureza Portugal (ANP|WWF) is an NGO working for the conservation of nature, representing the WWF network in Portugal and seeks to implement transformational approaches to ensure nature and people live in harmony.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire KOBU Agency to accomplish?

• Graphic design
• Online activation for a campaign

SOLUTION

How did you find KOBU Agency?

Referral

Why did you select KOBU Agency over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from KOBU Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The work that was requested was as follows: 

• Graphic design of the Protein Guide (20 pages); 
• Images and copy for social media (Facebook + Instagram w/ reels + Linkedin + Twitter) 
• Online activation (digital experience for Eat4Change website and for use on tablets in face-to-face actions or events); 
• Offline activation (simple, transportable, family-friendly, low environmental impact and low cost). 

These deliverables are the result of our technical study that created a Protein Consumption Guide. Our aim was to give the necessary knowledge and tools for consumers to understand the impact their food choices have on the planet. The guide seeks to include various types of protein (pork, beef, chicken, etc.), compare them with plant proteins and analyze their impacts with regard to GHG emissions, impact on biodiversity and pesticide use.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Number of Guides downloaded and number of quizzes (online activation) submitted.

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

The KOBU team was extremely patient (on our side, there were successive delays in the delivery of the content) and they were always available to accommodate all our change requests. We are aware that they always worked against the clock, but always managed to meet the very tight deadlines. Communication was always very simple and quick.

What was your primary form of communication with KOBU Agency?

Virtual Meeting

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

They always showed a good understanding of our goals and what we wanted from these products and guided us throughout the process. In addition, the final products were very creative, and we were extremely happy with the results.

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

I don´t think so.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a management consulting company specialized in Experience Management with a main focus on Customer and Employee Experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire KOBU Agency?

New Metrics grew rapidly in the last years. When we stated our focus was mostly on training in the areas of customer experience and Digital marketing, however, as we grew we pivoted more into CX consultancy and XM technology. The company also expanded into 5 new markets. So we reached out to Kobu to help us revamp our website.

SOLUTION

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

We felt that Kobu understood what we were trying to achieve and they drew an exciting roadmap for our brand.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Kobu team had a series with different stakeholders at New Metrics where they tried to understand where we are and where we want to go. They spend time understanding our services and the way we work internally and externally.

They spoke to a few of our clients and tried to understand what they like about us. They assessed our digital channels and our marketing assets; they researched our current competitors and potential future competitors. After that they came up with a new brand guidlines, messges, a roadmap for the brand.

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

We had 7 people in total working with our project manager on it. Creative Directors Business Strategist: Brand Designer UI/UX Designer Front-end Developer Communication Designer Motion Designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a new brand and communication guideline and a new revamped website. We are really happy with the website and the new design. We've been hearing a lot of amazing feedback about it and the traffic increased exponentially. We have a feedback intercept on our website and we always receive 5 star reviews for the look and feel and the ease of finding info.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Although we have never met the Kobu team in person and the project was completely done remotely, the communication has been so efficient and effortless.

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

We were so happy with their creativity and their flexibility, They are very knowledgeable and professional and happy to spend the time explaining their thought process and how certain designs are technically or aesthetically.

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

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of Variações, an LGBT+ business association in Portugal.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KOBU Agency?

The tourism government branch of Portugal gave us the grant to create a campaign promoting our country as an LGBT+ destination, so we were looking for a provider to supplement our efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KOBU Agency led our campaign development project and provided us with web development, SEO & PPC, video production, and branding services. We worked closely with their team in building the platform from scratch, implementing the keywords we researched, and managing our digital presence through social media marketing.

Moreover, they organized and managed the online inquiries to LGBT+ visitors and collected the data for research purposes. The team also produced videos for the campaign and handled everything, from casting to post-production.

What is the team composition?

We worked with about five people from their agency.

How did you come to work with KOBU Agency?

Some members of the association highly recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about €150,000 (approximately $158,900 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March 2019–June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We increased our brand visibility and engagement and won an international tourism award for the campaign KOBU Agency developed.

Moreover, the feedback from the community and government has been overwhelmingly positive, which is exactly what we wanted to achieve.

How did KOBU Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We had weekly meetings to talk about the progress of the project and catch up with each other through WhatsApp and email. They also created a content calendar to keep track of all the content we were publishing.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed with their conceptualization and storytelling capabilities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We had issues finalizing the design of the logo in the beginning but other than that, I can’t think of anything they needed to improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be more honest and straightforward when it comes to feedback and implementing improvements to the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing manager at the Facialteam group, a holding with several surgical centers, a foundation, a rural house and a hotel under construction.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire KOBU Agency, and what were your goals?

Over the past years our business made an enormous growth, our main brand's (Facialteam) identity did not grow along and needed a big make-over to reflect our business values.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Initially we were just looking for a company to renew our website. We spoke with several agencies that could all get the job done. KOBU was the only agency we spoke with that actually said that we should not start developing a website without doing a full rebranding process. I liked the directness and transparency they provided during this initial call.

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

The project started with a discovery phase in which KOBU conducted a questionnaire among all employees and interviews with key figures within the company. A thorough analysis of our digital presence was done and the insights and remarkes presented. In the next step KOBU worked on the creative concept, based on the outcome of the discovery phase. This creative concept included the revised mission, vision, values, tagline and brand persona as well as a moodboard introducing the visual universe they were aiming towards.

After some minor adjustments to the creative concept KOBU presented us with a visual proposal. As we did a full overhaul of our offline and online brand assets, the visual proposal was a very long and complete document that gave us a very clear idea of what our brand would eventually look like. Once the Visual Proposal was approved, KOBU presented us with the design for our website as well. After they started to develop a total of 15 deliverables, assets such as templates and print material for patients.

Together with these assets they delivered us a Brand Book containing the Brand Essence, Copywriting Guidelines, Brand Identity Guidelines, Grid Guidelines and Branding Applications. A very complete document that allows to autonomously further develop our brand and its assets.

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

In the day-to-day communication, I was in touch with KOBU's project manager. During meetings I mostly spoke with the founding partner and the head of strategy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because of the rebranding project we have a consistent identity throughout our brand assets. Both internally as for our customers it is much more clear to identify our brand and its values. With the launch of the new website we've seen an increase of 1.5% in conversion rate, a 40% growth on organic traffic, and a 30% drop on bounce rate.

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

Communication is mostly initiated by email, in which the basic information that needs to be discussed is provided. Whenever needed meetings are planned to further dive into subjects. For ongoing projects, such as the maintenance of our website, project management software is used for feature requests and bug fixes.

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

KOBU Agency's ability to say no to bad ideas and come up with something much better was remarkable.

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

Overall working with KOBU is a pleasure, if there's 1 thing that could be improved it would be setting more clear ETA's. However, good things take time, and letting KOBU do their thing without putting to much pressure on the team, paid off in an amazing result.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

 I’m the CEO of a young biopharmaceutical startup company. We develop ultra-precise CRISPR genome editing enzymes using our AI-driven platform. Our goal is to create bespoke therapies for genetic diseases previously considered untreatable.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with KOBU Agency?

 We needed help with our branding, logo, website, presentation deck, and corporate identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

KOBU Agency has designed our logo, defined our brand colors, voice, and personality, and designed and developed our website accordingly. The team has also delivered all the required corporate visual identity materials, such as social media banners, visual templates for social media posts, a corporate presentation deck, corporate letters, documents, and business cards.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 4–5 teammates from KOBU Agency.

How did you come to work with KOBU Agency?

We found them through an online search. We chose them over other options because of their professionalism and large expertise across different fields, which perfectly matched our needs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2024, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

KOBU Agency has delivered a brand book, logo, website, slide deck, and other visual materials.

How did KOBU Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

KOBU Agency has helped us achieve internal milestones and project deadlines. Our primary form of communication is emails and calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

KOBU Agency's professionalism, ability to listen, availability to help, and motivation to go the extra mile are impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve done really great.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the General Manager of Andaz Lisbon

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Hospitality hotel

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire KOBU Agency to accomplish?

• Brand strategy & storytelling for ANDAZ Lisbon

SOLUTION

How did you find KOBU Agency?

Referral

Why did you select KOBU Agency over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from KOBU Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Complex preperation of Brand, Creative, story telling and visual branding

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Kobu achieved the desired outcome that were set to the project to prepare distinct and unique visual

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

Fast and Thorough

What was your primary form of communication with KOBU Agency?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They apply a unique creative process and well-researched solutions and proposals

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

NONE, excellent and will work with them again

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Project Coordinator of SAMP

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

SAMP - Sociedade Artística Musical dos Pousos is a Public Utility Institution established in 1873 in Portugal that promotes an Arts School with Official Music Teaching, a Philharmonic Band, and a diverse array of Social Projects, some of which have received national and International awards.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire KOBU Agency to accomplish?

• Develope a Virtual Museum plataform
• Digital Strategy
• UX/UI Strategy
• Create a Digital Experience

SOLUTION

How did you find KOBU Agency?

Clube da Criatividade de Portugal

Why did you select KOBU Agency over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from KOBU Agency were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

• Wireframes document outlining the website's structure. 
• Migrated website content in Portuguese and English. 
• Visual design layouts for the website based on SAMP´s visual image. 
• Static prototype showcasing the visual appearance. 
• Dynamic prototype with interactive elements. 
• Fully developed and functional website. 
• Successfully deployed website on the chosen hosting provider.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

KOBU Agency consistently met project deadlines and demonstrated meticulous attention to detail in the development of the virtual museum, resulting in a high-quality and visually engaging platform with an amzing design, what makes the Museum in the Village project a unique virtual museum.

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

The timely delivery by KOBU was on point, and they demonstrated great patience with our team despite management challenges within our company, which led to delays in providing certain copyrighted materials. They understood our vision for the virtual museum and elevated it to the next level. 

KOBU maintained excellent communication with our team throughout the project. In the end, we received an outstanding online platform, garnering positive feedback from both end-users and stakeholders of the Museum in the Village.

What was your primary form of communication with KOBU Agency?

Virtual Meeting

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

Kobu demonstrated excellent communication throughout the project, and the team understood our vision and the richness of the Museum in the Village project. Ou company had a high level of trust in their capabilities.

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

I am satisfied with both the quality of the work delivered by KOBU Agency and their overall approach. While the Museum in the Village was going on, the KOBu team demonstrated flexibility to adapt to unexpected changes in project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Cofounder and CMO of Ambiance Matchmaking

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We offer personalized matchmaking services for high-net-worth individuals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire KOBU Agency to accomplish?

• Increase brand awareness
• Provide valuable content to our audience
• Increase leads

SOLUTION

How did you find KOBU Agency?

Online Search

Why did you select KOBU Agency over others?

Unique and high-quality

How many teammates from KOBU Agency were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

KOBU's team provided a minor rebrand, copywriting, graphic design, and strategy for our social media channels.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Leads.

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

Marta was in charge of project management and she is phenomenal. She is always working ahead of schedule and with clear communication. This has been the best experience with a company's project management skills by far.

What was your primary form of communication with KOBU Agency?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I researched hundreds of digital marketing companies in different countries and KOBU stood out for many reasons. First, their brand messaging is intelligent and their intake process is thorough. The founders Nuno and Sandra are personable, knowledgeable about their craft, and took the time to understand our company. The designers and writers on the team are so talented with a super-organized project manager to top it all off!

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

To be honest, no. Everything has been perfect.