Matchstic

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director for a CBS affiliate in Tampa. We’re a local news organization, but we provide more content as well. We’re multi-platform and we’ve been focusing on out digital and social platform in addition to our on-air product.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

When I came to Tampa, my first goal was to dive into our branding. In 2020, our parent company did a big market analysis, so we had some great data, but we didn’t know what to do with it and how to move forward. When we hired Matchstic, we needed them to guide us because they’re experts in brand building.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave them all the data and they created a fantastic roadmap. Through the process, we discovered the right opportunities to position our brand in the market.

This was an all-inclusive project. We went through a discovery process. They spent time doing market analysis and looked at the market to determine where we stood and what some of our weaknesses are. They identified key areas where we could capitalize on because no one else was occupying.

They helped refine our internal brand and how to work with our team to include them in the process, and that helped us define our core values.

From there, we defined what the pillar of our brand are, what we stand for, and what we can deliver on. Then we did our name, our look, mantra, and all of that. It was inclusive from start to finish, both internally and for our market launch

What is the team composition?

I think we worked with 6–­10 people, including Blake (Founder & Creative Director), our rep, Lauren (Senior Project Manager), and then a graphic artist and some copywriters.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We saw their work with another station. I work closely with the marketing director at that station, and we were really impressed with the brand process, how they walked the team through it, and how inclusive they were throughout the process.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $60,000–$80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2019 and we launched officially in May 2020. We had to push it back a bit because of COVID-19. We did launch internally in February 2020, and that gave us a few months to work with our content team to prepare for the external launch.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There wasn’t a great way to track the success of their work statistically. We had a roadmap and deadlines and they met those. When they brought us ideas and proposals, it was all about how our team responded. It was great and they always had a good rationale for what they were proposing. They helped educate our team on branding, which was priceless, because now we have a whole new way of thinking. The process was so transparent.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They were fantastic and we relied on their project management so we could go about running a television station. My direct contact was great with communicating with me, often reminding me of deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We looked at a lot of different agencies, and their knowledge stood out. They had a spark to them. They were current and modern. In addition to having a well-thought-out roadmap and game plan, their spark and creativity was their most impressive attribute. In meetings with us, they would push us farther than we were comfortable with, which was good because it helped us evolve into something really unique in the market. Everyone on their team is brilliant and they were fantastic partners. We meshed really well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really don’t think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We let them take the ball and run with it. We wanted to be different and bold, and they did it. I would tell anyone considering hiring them to let them take the lead.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO for Cognia — an education improvement organization. We provide assessment and accreditation services as well as proof of services for early learning through 12th-grade institutions, both private and public. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

Matchstic came on board as a result of a merger opportunity. AdvancED was merging with a company called Measured Progress. We needed to determine whether one of the two companies should absorb the other from a brand and naming perspective or if we should move forward a new name and identity for the merged organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matchstic first conducted market research to assess each brand's perceived value in the marketplace.  Ultimately, the board and executive team decided to move forward with finding a new name and identity for the merged organization.

Matchstic directed a number of listening sessions and workshops composed of key people within the organization. They helped us to determine our organization’s attributes and ultimate identity profile.

Their team also directed a name exploration and came up with a slate of names. We iterated on those names. Then, they helped us put together the pieces of the actual brand including a logo.

They also referred us to a company for web development services. Their team provided creative oversight for that initiative. They reviewed copy for brand consistency and voice. Their team also reviewed visuals to make sure the all photography adhered to brand guidelines.  

Since then, we’ve worked on one-off projects together. They helped us with copy and voice on a premier identity brochure. Their team also worked on a corporate video, supporting production and storyboarding with another company.

What is the team composition?

They dedicated people depending on the project’s phase. We worked with a project manager, graphic designers, brand strategists, and visual designers. Blake (Founder & Creative Director) was a consistent presence throughout the engagement.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

In the IT arm of our organization, we had people who were familiar with Matchstic. I looked through their portfolio and liked what I saw. We narrowed our choices to three organizations—one in New York and two in Atlanta. We preferred to work with a local company and Matchstic stood out. We felt that they had a thorough, comprehensive, and transparent approach.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our engagement in August 2018 and revealed the brand in August 2019. We enjoy working with them, so our partnership’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The experience was overwhelmingly positive. The name and logo were well received by not only our staff and board but also our peers in the industry. We learned a lot throughout the process and landed in a place where everyone’s happy. Matchstic truly hit a home run.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

Our CEO was impressed by their approach. It’s easy for executives to run over a vendor, but Matchstic didn’t position themselves as a vendor. They positioned themselves as a partner and leader in this work. Their team was capable and professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Matchstic had a methodical and professional approach to the project. They were transparent about how the engagement would proceed, which was exactly how we moved forward. Their team was flexible enough to manage the needs of a bunch of executives while staying true to their process.

They took feedback about what we wanted to see in the process. For example, one executive requested more diversity in the images that were used during activities because we serve institutions all over the globe. Their team didn’t bristle at the feedback. Rather, they took it to heart.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust the process. Be clear about your goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Dwell Design Studio and am an associate principal. The firm specializes in multifamily apartment construction. We do housing, high-rise apartment, and we have a strong retail division and interior design.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

When our company first started, our founder came up with a logo himself. Since then, I maintained our marketing until we felt like it was time to start promoting ourselves. We wanted an actual logo, so we reached out to Matchstic.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us with copywriting and our logo. We rebranded all of our collateral. They also connected us with a good website developer who could rework our site to reflect the rebranding. They set us up with all the templates we need moving forward for things like email marketing. They’ve been a real resource for us.

What is the team composition?

They had about four people on their end.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

The owner of our company reached out to them many years ago, but we didn’t have the capacity to rebrand them. So when it came up again 10 year later, we reached out to Matchstic. We contacted a few others too, but really wanted to work with Matchstic because everything meshed.

Their style and creativity align with ours. We felt like our personalities matched and that they could think outside the box and get us to where we wanted to go, which is more off-the-wall compared to other architectural firms.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent below $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019 and we wrapped up in December.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is up and they’ve passed all the assets to us. Now we can teach anybody else how to stay in line with our brand. We’ve been able to reach out a few times when we’ve had questions. We’ve received great feedback from our employees. Because we’re a unique architectural firm, it better reflects who we are. The colors and style represent our owner, our company, and our culture. Overall, we’re really happy.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very patient with us. They’re a deadline-driven profession, but they really understood that we wanted to be different and took the time to get to know us. We had eight meetings before we saw any visual redesign or color information. They really took the time to get to know us and understand our goals. As a result, it came together beautifully.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We wanted to work with someone who could think outside the box and be different. Tey were the only firm that presented differing styles. Their presentation was not the same, and their product was different from other firms. Even though they came in at a higher price point, going with them was the best investment.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Respond to them quickly. We could have met the timeline if we followed along with what they needed. They have a process, and following that helped us get where wanted to go.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of corporate communications and brand at Net Health. We make electronic health records for a variety of medical specialty settings.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We hired Matchstic for a complete rebrand. We wanted a full, new brand story, framework, and conversation; not just new colors and identity. We were looking to rethink the organizational purpose and narrative of our company in the public space.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matchstic did an in-depth competitive analysis, which was across different industries because we work through a variety of channels. They did interviews, led some question and answer discussions to determine insights from our stakeholders, conducted analyses, and gave us information presentations.

The team also helped us develop an entire brand brief framework which included why we exist, what we do, our personas, our audience, how we do our work, the value we provide, how we reach our audience, how we speak to them, and what our personality looks like.

They guided the conversation among my stakeholder group which included myself and three other senior executives at the company. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with about five team members including a strategist, a writer, a designer, a project manager, and an executive sponsor. 

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

After finding out about Matchstic through word of mouth, I sent them an RFP. Even though they don’t normally do so, they responded to the RFP because they thought our company, its positions, and the time we were in looked like an interesting piece of work.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from November 2019–April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team provided excellent guidance around determining the key pillars of the brand brief and moving us forward step by step. We got to answers that all of the stakeholders felt good about, which we considered a success.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

Their performance was very strong. We were on a compressed timeline with a lot of activity on their part and a lot of players on their side to get to the point where we needed to be. The team did a great job of managing the timeline. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

This was the first time that I’d worked with an agency that doesn’t do marketing. Matchstic really just does brand development, and they’re very good at what they do. They are intellectual and take a very thoughtful approach in terms of getting clients where they need to be. 

I loved that. They were exactly the right choice, so I have no regrets. Like anyone else, we hired them for this project because we knew we couldn’t do it in-house. So, there was a great benefit to having their process and intellect. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Having the top executives in our meetings with Matchstic was very helpful. This meant that I didn’t need to go to them after meeting with Matchstic and translate everything. My advice is to get the people you need in the room with the work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My company is a managed IT service provider, so we basically support small–mid-sized companies for all of their IT needs. I’m the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We wanted to refresh our brand. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought Matchstic on for a brand identity project. They had done our identity about ten years ago, and we wanted to modernize that. I reached out to Craig (Founder & President) and put together an engagement. The project included logo design and anything supporting our brand identity, like typeface and color. Some things remained mostly the same; we weren’t trying to change too much.

Matchstic went through and let us know what different collateral could look like, like business cards, letterhead, and our website. They didn’t produce all of that stuff; they handed the brand guidelines over to us, which we can use internally or take to another agency that does ongoing marketing.

What is the team composition?

There were four people assigned to our project. Our main contact was Cody (Project Manager).

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We had worked with them previously. I originally met Craig through an entrepreneur’s organization. The reason we ended up working with them is that they just do spectacular brand identities. I know lots of other marketing agencies, but it was evident that Matchstic was going to be the right fit based on the work they'd done.

How much have you invested with them?

My company spent about $27,000–$28,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project was from around January–April 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With a brand identity, a lot of it’s anecdotal; do people like it, does it look cool, and do we feel like it reflects our company’s identity? I would say that’s a definite on all three of those. Matchstic took a brand identity that was great ten years ago and dusted it off for the modern world. We wanted it to be clean and simple and reflect those same qualities in our business. We also wanted it to be differentiated, so that if you were looking at a different IT company next to us, it would be very evident that we were different.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team communicated really well. We were brought in throughout the entire project. I think a common approach to brand identities is that the vendor goes off and then there is a big reveal, which I’m not a fan of. Rather, we got to iterate with Matchstic. They would go through 2–3-week rounds, and then I’d be able to go in and be a part of that so we could move on to the next round. I think that’s a better way of working; they’re just transparent.

They did use project management tools, but I wasn’t involved in those, as I didn’t want to be in it that deep. A lot of our day-to-day happened through a shared Slack channel, which I think both of our teams preferred. We had weekly check-in calls, and then every milestone had a call or presentation. We were physically pretty close to each other, so I would usually go to their office and they’d spend an hour explaining their thoughts, assumptions, and the direction they were going in, while also laying out options. They were very organized. To me, it was really well put together.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to get to the essence of the brand is their gift. From seeing their other work, I believe that to be true in general, not just for us. They only do brand identity, and that’s their secret sauce; I think they’re super great at it because they only do that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really; of all of the service providers we work with, they’re the ones I never really have to think about. Any time we engage them for something, it just happens the way it should.

Any advice for potential customers?

It’s very important to be serious about your brand identity and someone being able to figure it out. This is not the place to go if you want a small project or you want someone to do what you tell them to do. For instance, if you go to them with a design spec, they might do that, but I don’t think that’s where their gift is, and it’s probably not the best use of your money. 

If you want someone who can really explore your brand, what it means, and who its constituents are, and then speak to those constituents through something as small as a logo and a typeface, they’re masters of their craft in that way.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an independent consultant that works with the private sector, nonprofit, and government organizations that focus on environmental challenges. They hire me to build a bridge between their organizations and find shared values and a common path forward.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

I recognized the need for some professional branding and language around one of my clients, so I sought out their services and brought them to their organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our client’s goal was to protect forests and address environmental and social challenges associated with that mission. This partnership has been working on a strategy to align the client’s 40 different partners. At this point, we’re moving toward being a public-facing association rather than continuing to plan the project. As we move toward action, we realized that we needed to cultivate a single brand identity that people could align with. They were challenged with creating their own central identity while allowing each of the 40 partners to see themselves in the brand as well. They were tasked with taking complex messages and creating a common, repeatable language encompassing it. 

They delivered the visual identity, which included a logo, a brandmark, consistent colors, and other components that would be associated with the organization. We needed verbal messages to accompany those. They drafted us concise language that could describe the partnership as a whole. 

What is the team composition?

We interface with about 5–6 people. I’m sure there were designers and other resources operating behind the scenes as well. 

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

I first encountered them in a monthly gathering for creatives in Atlanta. From what I’d seen, they’ve done excellent work. I liked that they were located near us, so we hired them.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $110,000 on their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from October –December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re at the beginning stages of launching the deliverables to the public, so we haven’t been able to track any metrics yet. However, the complexity and interdependence of the work we do in the environmental space can pose challenges for communication. We tend to speak at high-levels with a lot of jargon. They were able to distill four years of complex work into a simple, compelling message. That’s helped us communicate with people and those our organization was hoping to influence as well.  

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They were fantastic at keeping a decentralized organization on track and engaged. Their team was helpful and flexible in their project management efforts. We asked for a quick turnaround, and they were able to provide that as well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were also impressed with their interest in our work. They did an immersion day during which they went into the field with us. Their questions and care were evident. That came out in their work and interactions with us. We could tell they were committed to making us successful so that we could make a difference in the world. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think they could’ve improved in any area. We ran into additional costs later into the project, but that wasn’t their fault. It was nice to have their voice in the mix during that time as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand the complexity of their work. They’re working to get to the heart of your processes, which can be a huge challenge. I’d encourage partners to think about the relationship in this way, instead of harping too much of logistics.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive VP of marketing and communications for a chamber of commerce. We’re a business advocacy organization where businesses in our community can grow their company and invest in our economic development initiatives for the community. The goal behind that is to create more jobs and opportunities within the county. I lead all of our marketing, PR, and general communication efforts for our programs and events. My role involves promoting our membership to the chamber as a whole. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We hired them to lead our rebranding project, hoping that they would look at our logo and do a whole reassessment of our brand. Our team felt that our identity didn’t communicate what we were anymore.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As part of our rebrand, they led us through a process that made us consider our positioning at the time and where we wanted to be in the future. From there, they delivered a visual and verbal identity by conducting interviews and research to understand our organization. They also hosted presentations with our board of directors and project teams. 

What is the team composition?

We had a core team of about five people. However, I’m sure there were others working in the background. Melissa (Account Manager, Matchstic) managed the project, and we also had someone for strategic direction, a writer, a messaging lead, and a designer. 

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We were familiar with their work from years ago. My creative designer got her hands on a printed piece from a large conference they handled and found out that they designed it. We were impressed with the creative quality of that piece. When we did an RFP within our members, they weren’t a member organization. So, we reached out to them despite that along with some other firms. After going through a selection process, they were awarded the project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $70,000, and we offered them a place in our chairman’s circle that was worth an additional $15,000 in value. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from April–December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We weren’t tracking anything specifically. I was impressed with their intelligent approach and the thoroughness of their research that allowed them to understand our identity as a brand.  

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job. From our very first meeting, they mapped out the process for us. After telling us what to expect, they communicated from month to month regularly. Our project manager was always available and helpful. There weren’t any surprises on the way, even when we covered difficult topics. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a true branding house, so their specialized expertise sets them apart. I was always impressed with their communication style and ability to facilitate the conversation with our large team. They had us talking thoroughly about our challenges. Sometimes ideas are in conflict with other ideas, but they were able to understand the sentiment behind each comment while directing the conversation in a productive manner. That got us on the right path for our rebrand. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a direct conversation with their team, keeping an open line of communication throughout. Understand what you want from the beginning to make sure you end up with what you want.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a school fundraising company that serves more than 3,000 elementary schools across the country with a character-infused fun run program and school spirit wear. We've helped schools profit more than 300 million for important educational purchases since 2002. I am the VP of Marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Matchstic?

We hired Matchstic to help us evolve our branding. We wanted to work on new brand architecture and an approach - we had a lot of different logos and wanted to move to a single brand look under Booster vs. many different brands.

What were your goals for this project?

Simplify our message. Make our brand look more current. The end result was a complete overhaul of all equipment used by our teams across the country, in addition to uniforms, sales materials, websites, social channels, etc. This was a very large brand flip for us.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We've worked on smaller projects with Matchstic before and enjoyed them and liked their work. Culture is important to us and they understood us and fit right in with our team. This alignment made the process a pleasure.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The project was to redefine who we are. We hadn't used the Booster name very much, we were known as Boosterthon which is our fun run program - it's a service, not the name of the company. We asked Matchstic to walk our team through a process to evolve our brand look and feel.

They started with a session to understand our current state and where the brand was, what we felt were sacred cows in the process, etc. They clearly mapped out the process they would take from day one and the first meeting and they did exactly what they said they would do. The end result was a new Booster logo, new sub service Booster logos, brand visual assets and brand style guide.

After finishing the project we've continued to work with them to ensure that we had their consulting as we began to refine sales materials, websites and more. They were extremely collaborative with us in this process.

What was the team composition?

We had 4 team members that we met with pretty regularly. From senior partner, project manager, strategist and a lead designer. They were an incredible blend of talent. And, what I loved most is since they understood us and our business, they were able to adequately challenge our thinking periodically and push us appropriately when we needed to be pushed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The feedback we've received from the enhanced brand launch has been incredible. It's taken our brand look to a new level. What's also been remarkable is the sense of pride our team members across the nation have taken in the new look. The end result, while intended to be marketing-focused and setting us up for growth in the future, also infused excitement into our culture which was such an added-value!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Incredible. Not much more I can say here. The Matchstic team was fantastic.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It's hard to nail one thing so I'm going to share a few: Collaboration, Culture, Strategy and Care. I've worked with many agency partners and they are certainly up there at the top of my recommendations list.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing I can think of. It was such a delight to work with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of marketing at Big Nerd Ranch, a digital product development agency. We partner with startups and mid-size organizations to help build a compelling mobile app for their businesses and train their engineers to build as well. I oversee all marketing and branding initiatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We had expressed an interest in repositioning from a B2C training organization to a consulting organization in an attempt to attract a B2B market. Our team was looking for third party facilitators to assess our situation, help guide us through the process, and rebrand our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matchstic rebranded our company to match the transition we were making. The first phase of our engagement began with a project brand strategy project. Their team consulted ours on how best to change our brand to match the market we were trying to capture and finding ways to stand out. They identified our value proposition, target audience, and strengths, while also pointing out our main competitors.

The second phase was a visual identity system refreshment. After a strategy session, Matchstic redesigned our logo, selected new colors, and updated our imagery system. They also changed our font and website photography. 

What is the team composition?

At any given time, we were working with four members of the Matchstic team, but overall close to five.  We worked with Craig (Founder & President, Matchstic), a project owner, a senior consultant, and a designer. 

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

I had worked with them in a prior role and was familiar with the quality of their work. Someone else at our organization also had ties to their owner.

How much have you invested with them?

We have invested about $90,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Matchstic ran from March 2018–March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While the website has not yet launched, we have received positive market feedback from events we have participated in. The brand brief grew our target audience, and everyone had told us how unique and warm the visual identity system is. That’s exactly what we were going for.

We also received decisive internal feedback. Sharing the branding with our board went off without a hitch. Our employees, who are primarily engineers, also supported the new branding. 

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

Matchstic did a good job. The project owner would set up meetings and would make sure all deliverables were met, while the senior consultant would lead the conversation and make sure we stayed on track. Craig also participated on a regular basis and provided us with insight. 

The Matchstic team understood the dynamics of working with companies who have many different priorities and can’t give their full attention to the rebranding. They successfully leveraged resources, such as email, Slack, and LaunchPad, to send us reminders, schedule appointments far in advance, and allow us to share feedback and files. Their transparency was very helpful in allowing us to see how we were progressing. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their location was really convenient for us, but Matchstic went above and beyond by always coming into our office. In the world of technology, it's easy to set meetings up as web conferences or calls, but they never did. 

Matchstic showed us how much we meant to them as a client. Having Craig there to oversee the project made me feel like his team was always going to perform at their best. That level of specialized attention was great. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

While we had a link we could access to view the project during the process, we didn’t have any downloadable. Once I mentioned this to them, they integrated LaunchPad into their project management and gave us access for free. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you have the bandwidth to have an aggressive schedule of deadlines and deliverables. Even though you’re paying a vendor to come in, you should have realistic expectations that your team will have to support the project. If you put in the effort to help usher them throughout your organization’s ecosystem, then you really get the best of what they have to offer. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a broadcast news station that owns several other stations and properties. I'm the director of marketing for the station, responsible for branding, promotion, and marketing strategy needs for our local branch.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We hired them to help us bring our brand to the next level. We wanted a new brand identity, visuals, and messaging, both internally and externally.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, they provided new visual identities. They designed a new logo and a strategy for that logo on-air and online. They also helped refine our mission statement and position in the community.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We explored a few agencies, but we found out about them at an event. This was the first time we approached the brand in this way, so we wanted to work with a company who already had good executions behind them. We were impressed by another client of theirs and decided to pursue them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000 or less over the course of our engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January or February 2018 and completed the work in March 2019. We plan to use them again to evaluate the state of our brand near the end of 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our corporate headquarters works with another company that evaluates our brand. We've seen internal growth, but the last evaluation was completed before we launched the logo externally. There's no formal survey of the external impact, but our viewership responds very positively to the changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When we visited their website, we saw instantly that they understood brands. After a conversation with them, we knew immediately that their engagement and passion were just as high as ours. They felt like a part of our team, and they walked us through every step. They educated us along the way and built up our confidence in the brand. This was a true partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't name a single thing they could improve. I've already recommended them to our other stations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent about the current state of your business. Ultimately, that will help the end goal. If you don't understand something, don't be shy. Know the strengths and weaknesses of your business, and they will assess where you need to go. The more information you can provide up front, the better they will be able to help you.