Matchstic

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

As a member of the operator communications team within the corporate communications department of Chick-fil-A, Inc., I work on initiatives to strategically tailor our internal messaging to both operators and team members across all departments—marketing, IT, supply chain, and operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

Although the industry generally views IT departments as a utility, Chick-fil-A promotes a sharp focus on technology to transform our restaurants, driving innovations, efficiencies, and differentiation across the quick-service industry. We’d recently had some reputation issues with our IT department, as they were only thought of when systems were down and it affected operations in the restaurant.

We brought Matchstic in to help us with reputation building among our restaurant operators. We wanted them to see the IT department as a reliable partner who could keep their restaurants stable. Once we improved on that, we’d have more leverage to highlight areas where we’re innovating to build confidence in how we’re future-proofing the business. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matchstic listened to our pain points and ideas for improvement. They conducted extensive interviews with all our audiences, in addition to operators, IT staff, leadership, and other business partners. With these interviews, they were able to compare a variety of perspectives and identify both internal and external gaps in how the IT department was viewed. Then, we created a strategic plan to address and change those perceptions.

Based on the interview, the first step was establishing credibility for the IT department and their innovations, which needed to start within. Matchstic helped us come up with three “get-rights” to improve the IT department—transparent communication, urgent responses to system problems, and proactive collaborations. The company’s leadership started measuring success and recognizing high-performers based on these criteria.

They also helped us establish a framework for key messaging strategies. In addition to the “get-rights”, they worked with us to establish a rally cry that promoted a sense of community within the IT department. It became the power and promise of the brand. Matchstic designed signage that featured both the rally cry and “get rights” to hang in the IT department and other conference rooms to guide conversation about company-wide initiatives. They also designed t-shirts with the same messaging.  

Matchstic also created content pillars that acted as a guiding principle for our communications. Together, we create a unique look and feel for the department that still fell within the broader Chick-fil-A standards and implemented it across documents and training materials.

Finally, Matchstic helped us understand that leadership had to take charge and support the new brand if we wanted to get complete buy-in from the IT department. So, we planned a huge party to announce the initiative—with food, videos, games, prizes, and guest speakers. Our internal leadership was heavily involved in the event, which set the foundation for the rest of the relaunch.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We ran an RFP process with three branding firms. Matchstic had previously worked with Chick-fil-A and was highly regarded. We resonated most with their proposal, and we felt they understood what we were looking for at a deeper level. They had a good grasp on our pain points were and how we could improve.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Matchstic in October 2016 and ended in the fall of 2017. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

About 15 months after the initial survey with operators, we ran a second round to gauge year-over-year progress, and the results showed movement in multiple areas. Analytics showed a 15% improvement in the viewership of our communications, with an even bigger jump in viewership of our IT website.

In October 2017, 41% of operators believed that IT was not providing the necessary technology to successfully run the business. By 2019, that number had dropped to 17%. The “get-rights”, the rally cry, and the general energy of this project impacted these results. 

In the earlier survey, we also asked operators for the top four areas they’d like to see improvement. Matchstic uses these answers to guide some of our communications strategies, and we tracked progress quarterly. In the 2019 survey, we asked operators if they felt we’d made meaningful progress in each area, and 70–80% responses positively across the board. Matchstic effectively helped us address some of our biggest pain points in 2017.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was aggressive, keeping the schedule in front of us so we knew if we were in danger of missing key milestones. From a project management standpoint, they were planful and professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Matchstic told us they were all about brand and department reputation, and our results are proof. They helped us improve our reputation and, beyond that, they leveraged their expertise to get us the results we were looking for.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes, when we asked them to write promotional material or articles for our operators, the voice didn’t feel like Chick-fil-A. We struggled with the output a bit, and we had to do some extensive editing. There just wasn’t alignment on that piece.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Organizations should be as transparent as possible with Matchstic. Give the team access to all communication channels. We were a bit overwhelmed early on, but they wanted to understand our company and embed themselves. We could’ve probably moved a little faster if we’d been more comfortable with that approach at first. Anyone looking to hire them should know that Matchstic is a highly trustworthy company. Give them as much detail as possible, and, they will take it and run with it.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a principal at an architectural engineering and design firm. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We hired Matchstic to take us through an overall rebranding process. Our main rationale for engaging a third party was to have an unbiased perspective from outside of our organization. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matchstic led us through the discovery phase so we could better understand our organization, goals, and an effective verbal and visual identity way to express them. We considered how to integrate these aspects into our culture throughout the various layers of our organization. 

The team conducted extensive research both within our organization and externally on our competitive landscape to create a real understanding of our current perception in the marketplace. They conducted interviews with our staff, clients, and aspirational clients to understand what they thought of us at the time. They investigated what our competitors are focused on and identified potential future ones as our business continues to grow. 

Matchstic crafted a comprehensive set of brand guidelines and identity standards. During the first stage of establishing our brand, the key deliverables were a new logo and tagline. We also went through a renaming. It wasn't drastic, but we simplified our company's name for better clarity. 

In the next stage, we translated this insight into specific visual and verbal aspects of a brand "personality." Once we established how that should look, they supported the implementation process as a collaborative effort. 

The team designed business cards, templates for brochures and presentations, and our new website. They produced a brand essence video to convey our new brand succinctly. They also helped us launch a presentation for our staff and facilitated educational sessions with key stakeholder groups. 

What is the team composition? 

A core group of about 5–6 people were client facing to us. I'm sure behind the scenes they had multiple people that were daily contributors to our project. We mainly interacted with a brand strategist, verbal identity and messaging lead, lead designer, and the overall account manager. 

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

As we researched the top branding firms in the industry, we found Matchstic as an option. We went through the typical interview and RFP process. They stood out as sharp, skilled, and a good cultural fit. They both had experience with our type of professional services clients successfully through a rebrand and felt like a team we'd enjoy working with.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together around March 2017, and our partnership is still ongoing. They now serve in an advisory capacity as a creative director. We'll provide them with some of the work our staff is doing in-house, and they'll offer critiques and a third party review of it. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of the most essential things Matchstic generated for us was internal alignment and excitement about what's going on at our company. This is a hard benefit to capture in hard statistics or metrics that we can directly attribute. 

Indirectly, we saw the enthusiasm during the launch of our website carried through for over a year now. We have been tracking analytics and can see an increase in traffic, engagement, and time spent on the site. We've gotten general feedback from our clients that we look more like a design firm than a law firm.  

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed well from a project management standpoint. The team was timely and responsible. Our account manager handled day-to-day scheduling and timing to make sure we were all staying on track. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by the team's personality and company culture. Even though our organization has a thousand employees, each person felt they had one-on-one attention. We never felt like just another one of their clients. 

Matchstic always made us feel like their most important priority. Throughout each of the phases of interviewing different vendors, they stood out from the competition from this perspective. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

While Matchstic takes all kinds of clients through massive rebranding efforts, it's not something our organization had been doing every day. As we approached the end of establishing our visual and verbal identity, they could have been stronger advisors about when to start preparing for the implementation. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take part in and trust their process and guidance. Everyone had a strong feeling that what we created during the project ended up in a place we all felt very good about.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of creative services for a national organization across the U.S. that provides after school services to kids. My department is responsible for developing creative resources and materials to support the local branches and national organization. We create infographics, videos, social media creative, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We produce lots of material for our branches, and we wanted to be able to consolidate it all under one standardized brand and template.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matchstic had an in-depth discovery phase with our leadership and standardized program team. They worked to understand the flow of our content in order to create InDesign documents that would visually represent the various types of materials. We collaborated on the project, and they researched our core program areas to create a visual identity and structure that were easily recognizable.

What is the team composition? 

We worked with a project manager, two graphic designers, and an account manager.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We’d worked with them before. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership lasted from March–August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provided phenomenal branding expertise.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

It can be extremely difficult to coordinate with the different departments and their leads, but the project manager was able to do it. She was incredibly patient and always available.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re flexible and have a fun and creative work process. Unlike other firms, they let us play a big part in the development of the final product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could’ve been clearer in their original scope and deliverables.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

If you need a branding expert, they’re your team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. We’re a large congregation that’s been operating as a valuable asset to our community for 171 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We have a long history as a church, but we lacked the ability to tell our story succinctly and cohesively. Therefore, we needed a digital marketing firm to lead a rebranding initiative.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matchstic provided full-scale service for nearly a year. The initial phase involved discovery work in hopes of producing a brand brief. They had conversations with congregation members and surrounding members of the community to establish the identity profile of our organization. That process highlighted who we are and how people perceive us.

With that understanding in place, they designed some high-level concepts that leverage our position as a challenging and charitable church in Atlanta. They also identified our ideal communication recipient. Once we agreed on concept design, they ran with the project from there.

Matchstic delivered a new logo along with thorough branding design guidelines. The guidelines help advise us how to best deploy the logo throughout our communication platform. They also worked with us to create taglines and other forms of content that tell our story. After some additional editing, we’re happy with what they provided.

What is the team composition?

They allocated a team of eight people to our project. The resources involved include one of their founders, a logistics coordinator, a lead writer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We created an RFP and sent it out to local vendors. Matchstic came in and wowed us with their pitch. They crafted a custom proposal that addressed our needs and challenges. That demonstrated their desire to work with us. Some of the other firms we heard back from only sent their standard RFP response. Ultimately, hiring Matchstic was an easy decision.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project took place from October 2017–March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any hard metrics to offer, but there was a positive reception within the life of our congregation as a result of their work. Our senior director of communication was impressed with how quickly they integrated new branding material with our existing website. Despite undertaking a difficult project, they accomplished everything seamlessly. Overall, it was an incredibly successful project.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

We were absolutely thrilled with the work ethic and responsiveness of their personnel. The project manager helped us unearth a lot of aspects of our identity that weren’t obvious to us. She provided high-level insights that have helped us grow as a church.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Matchstic completely immerses themselves within each organization and community they serve. Due to their size, they’re able to get intimately involved with each project and build strong business relationships. Their nimbleness and quality of work are phenomenal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Some of the verbal and written content they delivered didn’t quite meet our standards at first. But it’s my understanding that the reasons for that have been addressed internally. Overall, I highly recommend them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re perceptive and empathetic, so give them room to move throughout the organization. The more they understand about their client, the better the end product will be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of marketing for The Ariel Group, a communications training company that specializes in helping people develop influence. We provide assistance with verbal and written communication, sales acumen, and relationship-building skills.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We were in the process of integrating three separate training companies and wanted to rebrand these intellectual properties in a unified way.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a bit of a head start on the project, having conducted research through an industry media company. We passed this information to Matchstic for review, and they then conducted their own interviews with both internal stakeholders and clients from each of the three companies.

From there, they began a collaborative process of creating our united value proposition strategy. We worked together through a couple of brainstorming workshops, and they incorporated our feedback throughout each stage of development.

What is the team dynamic?

Their team is small enough that we got to know everyone on a personal level. Melissa Kruse served as our project manager, but we also worked with their co-founder Blake [Howard], their brand strategist Sarah [Melnyk], Danielle [DePiper, Strategist, Matchstic] and Brit [Blankenship, Designer, Matchstic].

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

I spoke with a number of companies but wasn’t impressed with their proposals. One of my colleagues had considered Matchstic for a previous project and recommended I look at their portfolio.

I spoke with Craig [Johnson, President, Matchstic] and was floored by the fact that he seemed to live the values our business teaches. He listened to our needs, asked excellent follow-up questions, and provided an articulate overview of potential solutions. He was also responsive, taking the time to answer one of my questions during his day off.

How much have you invested with them?

Between $100,000-$150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started discussions during the summer of 2016 and signed a contract the following October. The bulk of the project was completed by August, though we keep them on retainer for smaller side projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The rebranding project corresponded with an entire redesign of our products, so we’re still in the process of going to market with the new messaging. Anecdotally, I can say that our salespeople have gotten a great response and report that the messaging works and seems to be in line with what customers want.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

A lot of our employees come from a performing arts background, so, as you can imagine, organization is not one of our passions. Matchstic did an amazing job helping us prioritize deadlines and manage progress.

Melissa, in particular, is somehow both emotionally intelligent and organized. She sends us email reminders about any information they need from our end and provides regular updates. We’ve really valued having her on the team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're the perfect size for us, small enough to provide personal attention, but still large enough that they have the resources to produce high-quality work. We’re also a smaller company and we value the fact that Matchstic still views us as an important client.

They’re able to blend the creative side of their business with effective project management and work well under pressure. Our redesign efforts began just as I was going on maternity leave, but Matchstic’s attention to detail allowed them to deliver under strict deadlines without my having to guide them every step of the way.

I’ve also worked with creative companies in the past who can be defensive about criticism, but Matchstic was always receptive to our suggestions. By taking our feedback into account, they were able to deliver quality end results.

We developed a trusting relationship, and under their leadership, we co-created a new value proposition and brand story.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their strength lies in brand identity, and I tend to use them in this capacity rather than everyday graphic design.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization is a privately held home building company. We specialize in the construction of custom high-end homes. Our typical price point is somewhere between $700,000 to $3 million. We are a team of 50 people.

I am the chief experience officer. I manage sales, marketing, quality assurance, customer experience, design, and a portion the hiring and onboarding process for our team. Being one of the executives at the company, I am involved in land acquisition, new neighborhood startups, and that type of activity as well.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We have a great reputation, and people recognize our name. We did not believe that our marketing materials, our signage, our website, and any of our outwardly facing materials really captured the essence of who we are. We looked at a couple different avenues of how we could improve our branding. At the most basic level, we could have had someone design a new logo for us and update our color palette for marketing materials, but we were really looking for and striving to find a way to communicate to our prospective buyers who we are.

Working with Matchstic, they really helped us put into words that we are a design firm who happens to build houses. Our approach to a piece of land, a new neighborhood, or a new opportunity is very different from every other builder. They helped us verbalize that identity and put it on paper, which in turn helps us market ourselves much more effectively.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was a long, in-depth, and time-consuming process. There were times along the way that I even wondered if it was all necessary, but it really was. We put together a team from our organization that was tasked with working with Matchstic. That team was comprised of our owner and CEO, our COO, our CSO, and me. We also had some other people involved throughout the organization, including our VP of construction and our experience operations manager.

Matchstic started with a workshop to narrow down who we as a team thought we were in a series of words. We all got to cast votes about which words described our organization, and then we would all vote on which words could stay and which words had to go. It was a very interesting conversation. In the end, we were left with some good keywords that felt very on the mark as far as being descriptive of who we are. That process took a few months.

Matchstic didn’t just talk to us. They also interviewed a lot of our stakeholders, investors, bankers, and architects that work with us. They sat down with our clients and people who work for us, including trade contractors who’ve done business with us for a long time. They talked to other employees that weren’t on the committee.

Through these efforts, they were really able to get a clear definition of our company. It helped us to see some aspects that we were blinded to because we are so close to the situation. It was a smart process and very insightful.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked with Jason Combs [Designer], Craig Johnson [President and Co-Founder], Blake [Creative Director and Co-Founder], Danielle [Strategist], and Jonathan. That was our main team. We have continued to work with them on other projects after we completed our branding. In our continued projects that we’ve worked with them on, we’ve worked a lot with Blake, Danielle, and Melissa [Operations]. They are a good team to work with.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We originally found Matchstic through a marketing company that we’ve worked with for a very long time. We trusted her input. We also had a couple other referrals. We interviewed more than one company. Matchstic certainly was not the low-cost leader at all. They had the highest price tag, but we felt like we were going to get the most value for our investment with them.

When we interviewed Matchstic, we were drawn to their process. Ultimately, we felt that their team just fit with ours.

How much have you invested with them?

Between $100,000-$150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2015, and our work is ongoing. We still have them on a retainer basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Measurables are difficult with this sort of work. The overwhelming response to our new branding is positive. We always get great feedback on our website. We’ve been very successful ever since we finished the branding project. We have had two very good years of great success.

In the home building industry, one thing that is very important to a buyer is curb appeal. Our signage and our marketing material all play a factor in our curb appeal. We have a very affluent and aspirational buyer that wants the best of the best. For us, success is a when a buyer sees our material and feels that they are dealing with a top of the line, upper-end designer.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They did very well. They never missed a deadline. In our continued work with them, the only thing that ever slows them down is me. They’re an exceptionally nice team to work with. Everybody is very bright and very creative.

What did you find most impressive about them?

In my opinion, their finished product is much better then what I see other people producing. They cost a bit more, but it’s worth it. I don’t think other people go through the creative process quite like Matchstic. They really dig deep to capture the essence of the company. It’s much more than graphic design or creating fonts.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I really can’t think of anything that I would change.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of Humrun, a low-cost, easy-to-use mobile application that streamlines repair and maintenance processes for restaurants and small businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We wanted to rebrand our mobile application with new branding materials and a messaging system that brought our core beliefs into our brand identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Matchstic was responsible for 85–100% of our brand elements, including the logo, copy fonts, catchphrases, and color choices for our website and presentations.

What is the team dynamic?

I worked directly with Maggie Allen [Operations, Matchstic], who handled our account, and with her boss, Blake Howard [Creative Director and Co-Founder, Matchstic]. Correspondence was via phone and email. They may have used an internal tracking tool, but if they did we weren’t privy to it.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

Our development company, whose opinion we respect, recommended them. We had worked with smaller agencies, but no one of Matchstic’s caliber. They weren’t our least expensive option – in fact, they were one of the more expensive companies we considered – but we felt most comfortable with them. Their delivery in the interview process was genuine and heartfelt, and they showed the desire provide a good product.

How much have you invested with them?

Between $10,000-$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our relationship started around October 2016 and lasted about six months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Unfortunately, our software was delayed in development, so we missed a couple of windows. We just launched the app in July 2017, and the response to it is great so far. We should have more concrete information by the end of the year.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

On a scale of 1–10, they were a 10. They’re committed and smart.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are 100% process-driven, and every deliverable met the schedule they set. They adamantly stuck to their methodology, and helped identify the heart of our brand. They did a phenomenal job.

Advice for potential customers?

From a budgetary standpoint, have a good understanding of your brand goals. The process can cost a lot of money if you don’t go in with an idea.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are an online party supplier with the goal of simplifying the spectacular. The company was founded in 1926 as a catalog business, and went online in 1999. We have been growing ever since. I am the owner and I am a part of the creative and marketing team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We have a couple of different brands and we wanted to give the consumer-facing one a new look and positioning in the online world. We’ve had a couple of CEO changes and needed to refocus. Matchstic was our first provider at this company, but I’ve worked with different individuals in my past life.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a brainstorming session in order to get feedback from different areas of the organization—from merchandise, creative, management, product development and IT, Matchstic listened to everyone and collected data. They drew out different people’s perspectives internally and also went through this process externally, comparing us to competitive sites, and getting an understanding of what the competition was doing well, and what we weren’t doing well.

Matchstic did a nice job of getting all the background information. While researching and gathering data, they had a disciplined process and logical progression from the first engagement to the final deliverable. We were reminded of what had been done and what would come next. Along the way, Matchstic continued to layer on additional pieces around our voice and positioning.

The final deliverable was a book which we could share with the internal team, from those involved in packaging to customer service. It was a 170-page start-to-finish, easy to understand explanation with visual examples of what we went through as a team in order to get the outcome of the new branding and positioning.

What is the team dynamic?

I was involved in selecting Matchstic, but I was not involved in the day-to-day interactions until the project was a month in. They had a thorough process, came to our site, and got to know our operations, what we did, and who we were.

We worked with different people from their team. Melissa Kruse was our account manager, and the work was divided between their copywriters and positioning persons.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We looked at different companies going in. One of our board members works in the same industry and was able to source some good potential partners. She made four or five suggestions of brand identity companies. We researched all of those online, talked to their reps, and found out which one was the best fit at the best price point. Matchstic was a good option at a reasonable price.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Matchstic in November 2016. We worked together for about a year, finishing a month or two ago. We’ve had a CEO and marketing change, so there were a few delays on our part.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any metrics for the deliverable yet because we’re rolling out the catalog and website in October. Once it was done, there was a lot of work remaining on our end.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re organized, personable, work well together, and keep on-task. The division we worked with was extremely good. There was someone responsible for the overarching piece in each section. The team is young, in their early 30s or late 20s, and I was impressed with their professionalism, their ability to get the job done ahead of schedule, and to work quickly and thoroughly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I felt that Matchstic was strong in the verbal, copy area, and their brand positioning people were also good. They’re a branding company, not a design one, so creating catalog or web pages is not their strength, but rather their strength is in finding a voice. Their process was very good. They kept everyone involved and didn't let one voice take over the conversation. Matchstic did a great job of echoing the information back, to make sure they had it correct.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re not really a design group so if the client needs them to create a catalog or web page, this is not their expertise. They have a strong creative sense for the overall look-and-feel of a brand, but not so much on the page-by-page execution.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the national vice president of brand and digital strategy for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

We had developed a new strategic plan, and we wanted to update the language of how we tell our brand story to reflect that new plan. We wanted to use impactful words and images to help people understand what Boys & Girls Clubs does and to effectively reach a general audience as well as specific target audiences.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided Matchstic with a big data dump and access to a lot of our senior leaders and clubs so that they could better understand our brand. It was an in-depth process; they did a lot of discovery, and then they came back and shared what they learned. Matchstic gave us two big deliverables: the brand handbook and the messaging guide, which was the focus of their work. It’s essentially a 40-page document that tells us how to talk about the Club to a general audience, on a website, in a press release, to educators, to teenagers, etc. The messaging guide highlights key attributes of our brand that are important to certain target audiences, so we can talk to them about our brand in a relevant way.

What is the team dynamic?

Who I worked with varied a bit, but it was predominately the creative director and the writer. In total, they had a strategy person, a creative person, a writer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

We got a few referrals from people in both the marketing and nonprofit worlds. As I did more research, Matchstic’s name kept rising to the top. We went through the RFP process and grading criteria for five or six different companies, and Matchstic was the best.

We liked that they had specific experience in nonprofit but also a lot of experience outside of it. They had worked with a nonprofit recently on a similar project and got really high marks, which helped give us some level of comfort. We liked that they were a small and nimble boutique versus a big branding agency.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We hired them in July 2016, and the project was completed in April 2017. We want to engage with them again in 2018 to build on the work they did.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provided the language for how to talk about our brand. That led us to hiring a creative agency that produced a PSA campaign. We developed TV spots, radio spots, and print ads, and most of the language was lifted verbatim from what Matchstic provided. It launches next week, so it’s going to take time to measure the impact, but Matchstic laid a lot of the groundwork.

Overall, we’re very pleased with the work they did. As we went through the RFP process with creative agencies, we got consistent compliments on how sharp it was. We really captured the language of our brand, and Matchstic was essential in doing that.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very flexible. When we first started the project, they had put together a timeline, but I said it was going to take a lot longer than that. They rolled with it and started navigating the complexities of our organization right away. They were very responsive, and they were great partners.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Whenever we brought different departments within our organization together, Matchstic would command a lot of respect in the room. They did their homework, which established credibility and an understanding of our brand. They listened and adjusted to our suggestions, but they also pushed back at times when they felt very strongly about something and brought their expertise to the table. They were flexible, they were creative, and they brought a lot of integrity and gravitas. That earned everybody's respect and helped get the project pushed along.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The person leading our strategy left towards the end of the project, and we had a bit of a lull in production because of it. But the creative director stepped in and picked up the slack. We lost some of that intellectual property, but I would very comfortably recommend and use them again.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner and founder of Surcheros Fresh Grill, a Tex-Mex restaurant chain with six locations and a seventh under construction. We are a franchise restaurant chain, and I'm the franchiser.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Matchstic?

When I set out to franchise the business we had a name that hit a snag during the trademarking process, so we needed to create a new name, a new image, and an overall new brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We discussed doing our new name with them, but in the end, I did that on my own. When we rolled out the new name, they created a brand brief covering who we are, what we sound and look like, and how we should present our new brand to the public. They reassured me that we would likely gain customers instead of losing them.

On a more tactical level, they designed our logo, the interior of our restaurant, our uniforms, and our pocket guide to our service standards. They also helped with the content of the pocket guide. They also did a lot of food photography, worked on some of our billboards, and did our website.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked primarily with Craig Johnson [President and Co-Founder, Matchstic], Blake Howard [Creative Director and Co-Founder, Matchstic], and Maggie, our day-to-day project manager. We also worked with several designers, photographers, and web designers.

How did you come to work with Matchstic?

About three months previous, we worked briefly with another branding agency. It was more of a one-man show, and he knew that he was in over his head, so he introduced me to Matchstic. Before hiring them, however, I interviewed three other firms.

How much have you invested with them?

Between $50,000-$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from August 2016 until May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have statistics, but people love our new website. It’s a more modern, clean, fresh and friendly take on our brand. Plus, it’s more thought out than most of our competitors’ branding.

How did Matchstic perform from a project management standpoint?

They couldn’t have performed any better. They were very organized, and kept in communication so we knew what was coming up and had ample time to prepare. Plus, they always recapped recent work so we always knew where we stood.

Since this was such a visual project, we interacted mainly through video or web conferences. Other than that, we communicated through email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As a larger firm, they have more support than a lot of boutique designers. I like that because there are more heads to think about the project. They have a lot of young, but well-trained, designers with fresh ideas, and they’ve done projects for national brands as well as smaller businesses. That allows them to not only understand trends, but work together on a final product that’s far more thought out than one person would have come up with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They might think more about the actual marketplace performance of their designs. For example, on the initial billboards we put up, the design was beautiful, but the messaging was large and the logo small. Despite the fact that we already had national recognition, we missed an opportunity to brand ourselves a little better. I signed off on it, so it's my fault too.