Mane Co

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Feld Films

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Feld Films is a creative agency that produces commercials and motion pictures.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Mane Co to accomplish?

• We hired Mane Co to help co-Produce a national commercial.
• We worked with Mane Co to staff over 50 union and non-union crew.

SOLUTION

How did you find Mane Co?

Other

Why did you select Mane Co over others?

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

How many teammates from Mane Co were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We worked with Mane Co to prep, budget, cast, and produce a commercial for a popular online brand. We filmed over 2 days, and completed multiple set builds, and staffed a crew of over 50, working directly with the local unions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The commercial was finished on time and on budget. The agency reached out multiple times after delivery asking for us to help with additional projects. The producers and directors on the agency side were very happy and spoke highly of our crew. Mane Co proved integral throughout the entire process. They’re fantastic!

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

Andrew (head of production) was amazing! He communicates clearly and often. During the bidding phase, he spent every waking minute working to improve and adjust our bid and schedule to insure that our team had the right plan heading into production.

What was your primary form of communication with Mane Co?

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

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

Mane Co has values! They were so kind and patient, and they will do everything to work with you and keep a low-stress environment.

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

Mane Co, like any young company, will continue to grow and refine their skills. We couldn’t be happier with the job they did.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO for Preferred Hotels and Resorts. We’re a family-run business that works with independent hotels. We support sales, manage booking engines, and do marketing for them. You name it, we do it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mane Co?

We’ve used them for several video production project. We’ve done training videos, videos for consumers, videos to onboard new hotels, and web ads for consumers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Filming, editing, producing, they did everything from soup to nuts. We use them for events every year. We have 2–3 large events with 200–300 hotels attending. Initially, we were doing photography at the event, real-time videos, and vision videos to get people excited for upcoming events. They ran our events as well.

We also used them to do training videos that we could send to hotels. We also did marketing videos. Then we ended up using it to do overviews of different departments within our company. We were making mini-videos for each department to explain their function and best practices.

What is the team composition?

It depends—we had a producer, a videographer, and maybe someone else helping with lighting. At an event, we might have seven people from their team. We usually have a core of 2–3 people there all the time.

How did you come to work with Mane Co?

One of our executives goes to a big church that does a lot of videography. They were doing terrific stuff, so we wanted to bring them on board. We tested them on one project and have brought them back for all of our video production needs since.

How much have you invested with them?

Annually, we spend over $100,000. Since we started working with them, it must be between $500,000–$1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in May 2014 and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen higher engagement with these videos than our sales team was seeing before. Before, only 30% of our hotels were using our programs, but now 50%–60% use it. The ROI was terrific.

We have over 700 hotels in our group, and we were struggling to contact all of them at the right time. We were trying to maintain quality sales. Pitches with quantity. At the end of the day, these videos ensure that we have the right sales pitch. We used to have a couple of sales people, but with the video, we were able to cut back on that staff, saving us about $100,000 a year.

How did Mane Co perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great and are super communicative. It’s always a pleasure to work with them. They’re really hands-on and their creative is top-notch. They’ve overachieved in everything we’ve given them. Sometimes I brought my vision, storyline, and scripting, and they worked with me to bring that into a reality and blended their ideas with mine.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of their work is killer. They’re also good people. I like them, they’re thoughtful, and they always keep in touch. I have nothing but positive things to say about them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, they doing everything well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know your objectives. They’re really good at nailing what you want if you’re able to tell them and explain why.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the digital marketing manager for a sports nutrition company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mane Co?

We needed to grow our online presence and wanted to present our brand in a high-quality fashion, using videos and photography.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did several video productions and photography. I presented concepts to them, and they added their ideas and technology to make it into reality.
They handled everything from pre-production to filming, to editing post-production. 

They also helped with SEO work. They advised and assisted us in getting e-commerce features on our site, suggesting apps to use. They monitored the e-commerce. They assisted in the majority of our digital advertising; Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc. They placed our ads, targeting the ideal audiences, and ensured that our ads were exposed to the appropriate channels.

What is the team composition?

Dustin (Co-Founder & CEO) was my main point of contact. We also worked with Morgan (Co-Founder & CCO). They had teams up to 5 people working on productions.

How did you come to work with Mane Co?

They were referred by another company that worked with them and had been very pleased with the work.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $70,000 - $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February 2018 – September 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Prior to working with them, we would get 500-1,500 impressions on our ads. We had over 10,000 impressions on their first video. They helped us reduce ad spend while increasing our ROI. Their advanced equipment, speedy work, and ability to turn concepts into reality exceeded our expectations. Our status was tremendously elevated through their work.

How did Mane Co perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very organized, efficient, and handled everything for us. We didn’t need to worry or micromanage anything; they always finished ahead of schedule. Communication was great. They offered project management tools, but we chose to communicate via phone, email, and text. They were always responsive and available.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There are a few things that set them apart from other agencies I’ve experienced. They need minimal direction, taking the brand on as their own. They are high-level thinkers, personable, and easy to work with. Their price point was great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I had no complaints. We would’ve loved to replicate them to have them accessible to work with us full-time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do a well thought out interview; disclose your brand and what you want your brand to be. That will allow them to take things to the next level. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an e-commerce marketing manager at the Boston Harbor Hotel.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mane Co?

We’ve worked with them on three different projects. For our first project, we debuted our luxurious presidential suite with a strong video. After that, we turned to Mane Co again for two more video opportunities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For our first project, they spent a week on our property. They were apart of some preplanning and they expanded our horizons by coming up with new ideas and pitching ways to debut the luxury suite. We shot three days’ worth of footage to capture all 4,800 square feet of the suite. They also shot some B roll and drone footage of the property.

As we reviewed everything they gave us, it was perfect. It captures the feeling of our hotel. We shot with them a commercial piece, a longer piece, and then we cut that down. We also shot a documentary that was 2–3 minutes. We also clipped those to be about 15–30 seconds for digital ads.

We used them on our website, for television ads, social media, and brand marketing. Our sales team also uses the footage as collateral to show our spaces.

We brought them back on board to shoot 20,000 square feet of meeting space. It’s so useful to have those videos because we can virtually show the space and opportunities, we have for different setups depending on the number of people we have for an event.

We recently approached them about doing a re-opening campaign after COVID-19. We wanted to portray that we’re Boston’s hotel and we’re here for our guests, and we’re going to lead the charge as we open up again. We explained our idea, and they came back with three different narratives. They came up with the idea of releasing a new video every two weeks to create excitement.  

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with three people—Dustin (Co-Founder & CEO), Morgan (Co-Founder & CCO), and Andrew (Executive Producer). Then they bring in some other people who assist on set. We’ve hired actors and stylists as needed for certain projects. So we’ve worked with anywhere from 4–12 people on each project.

How did you come to work with Mane Co?

Mane Co was doing a piece on different hotels around the US for an upcoming commercial. They shot our hotel, and when that came back, we were blown away. They were absolutely incredible, and we knew it was what we needed. They told a story and it resonated with customers who want a luxurious experience. We immediately thought to bring them back. They were flexible, easy to work with, and beyond creative.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $40,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2017 and our most recent project wrapped up in June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

 The ROI was huge—it was definitely more than the static imagery. Working with Mane Co, they’ve given us so many different angles to communicate our guest experience, whether we’re trying to appeal to a specific demographic, they know exactly how to cater to that and how to capture it through lighting, coloring, and styling. We’re always blown away with the product they give us. We’ll continue to use them to help promote our brand.

How did Mane Co perform from a project management standpoint?

Our three points of contact have been awesome. The entire team has the professionalism that anyone is looking for in a partner. Every person they’ve brought to our property has been respectful and kind.

We generally give them an idea of what we want the project to look like. They come back to us with options and build out an idea. They always add new depth to the project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’ve been blown away by their drone footage. It captured our hotel well and evoked a feeling that was incredible. Our hotel is right on the water and is a big part of the city skyline so that footage was fantastic.

I’ve also been impressed by how they piece together a narrative. They tell a story through the actors and models they’ve hired and they always represent our brand. They make sure that the piece resonates and it’s exactly what we’re looking for.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have a single bad thing to say about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to their creativity. If you tell them to do exactly what you want, I don’t think you’ll get the most out of them because they’re a creative agency. Let them run with your idea.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of production at Fight Camp.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Mane Co?

We were looking to create a series of marketing videos used for advertising.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

They handled the pre-production, production, and post-production for 4–5 marketing videos. 

What is the team composition? 

The whole Mane Co team worked on our projects at one point or another. There were about five core members and an additional 10 contractors.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We shot all of the videos in December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Working with them was incredible — they’re true professionals. Not only did they do an outstanding job on the videos themselves, but they were super responsive. During the pre-production, they got back to all of our questions right away. 

In terms of the videos’ performance, they were some of the highest performing marketing videos we’ve ever had. We saw good numbers on our Facebook and Instagram ads.

How did Mane Co perform from a project management standpoint?

They were well-organized and showed up on time. We communicated through a mix of in-person meetings, phone calls, emails, and text.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mane Co’s production value would typically cost three times what they charged. Just looking at the work that they do and the quality of their footage alone, you can tell that they offer the whole package.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’re really good at what they do.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust their vision. They’re talented and have a great sense of what works and what doesn’t.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work for a K-12 school district as a teacher and an athletic trainer, extremely involved in all home athletic events and the school district athletic programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mane Co?

We pursued Mane Co to help us produce a video for a National Competition highlighting our school spirit, our athletic programs, and the quality of our student-athletes.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to spotlight athletes, programs, and our school as a whole in the form of a promotional/highlight video. The goal was to use the video for athletic program advertisement as well as an entry for the National Powerade Power Your School Competition.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have a personal connection with Dustin and Morgan. Both guys are extremely creative and highly skilled. I knew the video that we wanted to make would need something out-of-the-normal, unique, high-energy, and high-quality. The video ideas I had I knew that I could not create them on my own or with the limited resources I had within my local connections.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Dustin and Morgan arrived on campus and set up for a filming session, took approximately an hour to get everything ready. In advance, I arranged student-athletes to bring gear and equipment and to be prepared for an informal interview regarding their school, their sport, their determination, and successes as an athlete. After the student interviews, the Mane Co team also attended a football game to capture some live athletic event video footage. I was very impressed with the equipment the Mane Co team used. I enjoyed watching them capture the video footage and interview the student-athletes. Mane Co. ended up making two videos both high-energy and high-quality. Mane Co captured all of the footage and made all of the edits in a timely manner.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Both Dustin and Morgan were involved in this project. They both had many different roles. I discussed ideas with both Dustin and Morgan many times. The Mane Co team was great to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos that Mane Co produced were submitted to the Powerade Power Your School Competition. Our school won the competition which was a $10,000 prize to the school athletic programs. Only 10 of these prizes were awarded nationally.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

In my opinion, everything worked out perfectly. Everything was done quickly and done well. This kind of work takes serious skill and creativity and Mane Co has it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Extremely motivated to make a great product. Extremely creative and unique in their video capturing, editing, and producing. Excellent communication. Timely and met deadlines.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Marketing Services Director at a resort. I work with outside agencies in the development of new marketing assets (videos, photo shoots, brochures, etc.) and help coordinate participation from internal departments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mane Co?

Mane Co has assisted in a number of video and photo shoot projects, including event coverage and general brand messaging.

What were your goals for this project?

Brand awareness.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Based on their previous work in the hospitality industry.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Copywriting, filming, editing, voiceover

What was the team composition?

I work closely with a core team of 3 individuals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The overall campaign was a success and the video components were an important component.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great! Mane Co is excellent with communication.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Mane Co is a joy to work with. They approach every project with professionalism and creativity and are flexible to our needs. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

n/a

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the producer for Harvest Crusades, an evangelistic organization that hosts events around the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Mane Co?

Mane Co produced our event apparel commercial to be used pre and during live events.

What were your goals for this project?

To reach a broader audience and enhance sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Through prior experience with them we knew they were the right company for the job.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

We present our idea and they went above and beyond to enhance, refine and pull off in great detail and precision. We had 3 versions, long, medium and a social short. They design and built the sets, brought in an incredible crew to shoot, light, dress and edit.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We worked hand in hand to develop and produce a piece that met our vision while also representing the mane co brand.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This was our most successful apparel spot to date. Rave reviews all around.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Work flow was easy, efficient and the Mane Co team was a joy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are attentive, quick to respond, retained our vision while enhancing it with their own ideas. Their team was kind and enjoyable to be around. Definitely a company that we would continue to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No areas of improvement that I can think of!