McLean

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager of Manzana Products Co., Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Producer of organic apple products

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire McLean to accomplish?

• increase market share and sales
• drive business growth
• update visual identity to align with consumer expectations
• enhancing brand recognition and awareness

SOLUTION

How did you find McLean?

Online Search

Why did you select McLean over others?

• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from McLean were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Define goals and objectives

Conduct a brand and competitor audit

Develop new brand strategy

Design new logos

Revise brand identity, messaging and tone of voice

Redesign all 42 SKUs with updated look and feel

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Positive consumer and buyer feedback

Increased sales

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

Management of project was kept on track by both parties. Adjustments and additional SKUs were made throughout the project and delivered seamlessly and on time. 

What was your primary form of communication with McLean?

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

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

What we found most impressive about McLean Design was their incredible depth of experience and their ability to function as a truly cohesive team. From the start, they brought a level of strategic thinking, creativity, and professionalism that made us feel confident we were in the right hands. Their collaborative approach made the entire redesign process feel seamless and energizing. It was clear they not only understood our brand but were genuinely invested in helping us bring it to life in a bold, fresh way that stands out on shelf while staying true to our roots.

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

Not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder & Chairman of INDOxyz Surf

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Surf lifestyle brand around hotels, media and beverage

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire McLean to accomplish?

• create a logo
• create a brand
• design packaging

SOLUTION

How did you find McLean?

Online Search

Why did you select McLean over others?

Good value for cost

How many teammates from McLean were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We wanted to make coffee a lifestyle product and make it fun. Most coffee are boring and too speciality. We wanted to create a lifestyle brand that can go from beverage into merchandise, fashion, hotels, music etc. A brand that can cross over and still make sense. We target the surfing community as to build our brand.

Today, our brand is an upcoming premium surf brand and everyone loved our name, logo, design. We are not even exaggerating at the amount of compliments we received from all over the world, and all demographics. The agency helped with creating the brand logo, look, product packaging, and advised us on strategies and provided us with many valuable recommendations. Every presentation and options were incredible and every revision was fantastic. 

We could spot the effort and passion from their team towards our project. This is a world class team. They are a smaller team, but they are very focus, detail, on time, and very deep in quality and strategy. The founder is very pleasant and their team are very professional. We compared a few agencies prior and we decided to go with McLean. We are very pleased 100% and we would still work with them onwards. If you want quality, go for McLean. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

every person loves our brand design, logo and packaging. seriously. we just wanted to make sure it hits bulls eye each time. and we know we hit jackpot. its a very difficult task to build a brand name, etc. and we know this is Jackpot. 

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

everytime is professional managed. on time. every presentation represents full effort. example, they gave us 15 options on their first design presentation and all of them are so good and so close that we cannot make up our mind. it was not like half half effort. when we were looking for brand names, they came up with so many that we were pleased with the effort. 

they focused, paid attention to client, which is important because we are in time senstitive period, and we need to be quick yet not compromising on quality. you can speak to owner anytime and he will respond and handle internally. very reliable. 

What was your primary form of communication with McLean?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

they have a standard. they have a benchmark. they know what a brand is and should be. they dont compromise. they gave real feedback most people would not. they want us to succeed, the founder is a genius. we hired because we believe in their vision, idealism, ability to execute, and commitment to us.

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

nothing

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP Retail Sales & Marketing of a chocolate producer.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We produce chocolate for consumer packaged goods sold in grocers. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire McLean to accomplish?

• Create two new brands in a new channel of business

SOLUTION

How did you find McLean?

Online Search

Why did you select McLean over others?

Good value for cost

How many teammates from McLean were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

McLean developed two new brands of food. Deliverables included: brand name ideation, vetting & selection; package design including photography and completion of mechanical files for the printer.   

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The two new brands McLean helped us create were approved by retail buyers to much praise for their distinct new brand name and package design. Items are not selling in store yet but we are optimistic about consumer acceptance, given the overwhelmingly positive response from retail buyers.

McLean completed nearly all of their work on time and on budget and managed through great complexity very well.

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

Yes, on time for nearly all deliverables. McLean was a highly responsive team that went above and beyond to meet our needs and make sure we were delighted. From the company owner to the project manager, we were given their best work. And we loved meeting with them.  

What was your primary form of communication with McLean?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The owner is very strategic and wanted to understand the business strategy and context that the project will support. He challenged my thinking and helped make it better, and above all else, he and his creative team brought us beautiful, disctinct designs.   

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

No. They are transparent about pricing, honest about the status of work and the timelines and great communicators at all points in the project. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am a department head of Bubble Bud Inc.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Bubble Bud Inc. is a Canadian licensed producer of craft-brewed cannabis beverages using a proprietary infusion process.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire McLean to accomplish?

• Solidify Brand Positioning
• Develop Brand Identity and Creative Expression
• Package Design
• Create Complementary Sub-Brand Packaging and Creative Expression

SOLUTION

How did you find McLean?

Referral

Why did you select McLean over others?

• High ratings
• Referred to me

How many teammates from McLean were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Mclean helped position a cannabis beverage brand in a highly regulated and burgeoning category.  Ian and team helped support with:

• Positioning the brand for international success
• Creation of the brand name and identity
• Design exploration and refining/finalizing creative expression
• Built brand book including example expression across important channels (i.e. website, photography, retail assets, event assets, marketing collateral, etc.)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Mclean team were able to adhere to agreed timelines to create and launch the brand.  There were many challenges launching a new brand in the Canadian legal cannabis market, leading to uncontrollable delays.  The McLean team was agile and always there to support.  They truly care about the brands they create.

What was your primary form of communication with McLean?

Virtual Meeting

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

Ian is a creative master and beverage expert.  The Bubble Bud team were impressed with the speed in which Ian could develop a new brand.  His mind is always turning.  As an experienced brand and packaging creative thinker, he always shares his knowledge to help create brands that resonate long-term and are poised for international success. 

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

Mclean communicates his thoughts candidly and straight forward, intended to ensure brand success and market performance.  It was something we appreciated as it was important to help the business grow. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing of Nova Naturals

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a natural food and beverage company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire McLean to accomplish?

• Reposition the brand with a fresh new design.
• Stand Out On Shelf
• Improve Brand Messaging On Package

SOLUTION

How did you find McLean?

Referral

Why did you select McLean over others?

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

How many teammates from McLean were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Our 20 year old tea brand was in need of a desperate makeover to improve the brand positioning and overall design aesthetic of the brand. We asked McLean to assist us with a market segmentation analysis and deeper brand positioning exercise.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had exceptional acceptance of the new design at retail and were able to see month over month velocity increases at core retailers across the US.

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

They always delivered on time and in full. They often went the extra mile to ensure our core customer presentations were delivered with exceptional visuals of the new offering.

What was your primary form of communication with McLean?

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

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

Ian was a proven brand leader with an exceptional team of people who knew food and beverage design well. They have a unique ability to bring many different variables together and interpret them into design ques that create impact at shelf and with consumers.

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

None, we had a great experience.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and founder of a beverage company. We manufacture iced tea and lemonade.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with McLean?

We were rebranding our company’s logo and beverage label for five different SKUs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we provided McLean with several existing brand assets, including the logo and label files. We gave them a rundown of the look and feel we wanted to achieve for the brand. Basically, we hired them to guide us through the process and create a new look.

We had an initial meeting, and then they gave us a proposal based on what we could afford and how much time we could put into it. Afterward, they gave us several different concepts. McLean did a lot of research about our industry to create the concepts based on various brand fields. We initially didn’t feel strongly about anything, so they took some of our comments and new approaches to give us more options. From there, 2–3 options stuck out, and they refined them more. We kept going through the design process until we narrowed it down to the final product.

What is the team composition?

We initially met with Jeff (Director of Marketing Creative Services); he gave us the quotation and prepared the proposal. After that, we moved on to a project manager. Other people were on the conference call, but we mainly interacted with them. Finally, Ian (President & Founder) did most of the leg work on the design.

How did you come to work with McLean?

They did some work for another iced tea brand. I was really impressed by it when I saw it sitting on the shelf at a store. I searched on Google, and they came up because they had it on their portfolio on their website. Then, I started looking through all the other projects they’d done, and I thought they were the experts I was looking for.

What is the status of this engagement?

They kicked the project off in December 2021 and were done by February 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve worked with designers for a couple of decades, so we recognize that the work will be worth it in the long run. We wouldn’t have gotten the expertise and quality they had with a local designer. McLean asked the right questions regarding the brand, the feel of the beverage, and how it relates to the consumer. Also, they were knowledgeable about how psychology works when the consumer reviews the product and package, especially in the beverage industry.

Overall, they were top-tier designers; they knocked it out of the park with a great product. We liked the direction they took. Also, we received many compliments from customers, friends, and family.

How did McLean perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a very structured process; they did their concepts, put them together, and sent them our way. When the phase was done, there were no questions about it. Nothing got muddled regarding costs, and they always delivered what they promised. Overall, everything was well laid out. 

We mainly used Teams meetings, virtual calls, and emails. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their portfolio was really impressive; everything was so well done. Also, they were very particular about color. In the end, they sent us hard proofs of the label to provide to our printer so they could match it. Not many designers care that much about it or are adamant about giving the documents to ensure the printer follows through with them. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and president emeritus of Healthy Brand Builders. We’re a 37-years-old strategic consulting firm that does brand building in the consumer packaged goods space for food and beverages.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with McLean?

We typically hire them to do creative work regarding branding and name recognition. They’re one of six branding agencies we go to for new product development and creative branding, mainly in the beverage space.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

McLean has developed the brand architecture and principles surrounding names for end clients. They determine the name alongside the client and then move forward. For example, if we think about the creative process as a pyramid, we develop a hierarchal platform of inclusive things to support the brand and brand name. Then, we create a list of things that don’t support it, so we build a solid wall outside the pyramid. The terminology and definitions that we use, brand essence, emotional appeal, and psychographic and demographic orientation about the product are all included in the pyramid. McLean helps the client determine that.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with several people in the agency, including Ian (Founder) and Jeff (Business Development Director).

How did you come to work with McLean?

Ian and I spoke at the same conference, and we really enjoyed listening to each other. I was born and raised in San Francisco, so my career was there for a long time. Once we met, we began to build a relationship. He was in Walnut Creek, so we were pretty close to one another. One thing led to another, and we eventually added him to our cadre of creative genius entities.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them over the last 20 years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Without exception, every client that we’ve taken to McLean has been exceedingly thrilled with their work. There’s no such thing as 100% satisfaction, but generally speaking, the crew is great at listening, processing information, and feeding it back through a creative process. They do an excellent job on naming recognition and brand building — all the architectural components needed to put a brand on the map are well within the purview of their deliverables.

How did McLean perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re good at sticking to deliverables and timelines. They set up a strong architecture around the deliverable schedule, which is shared and agreed to with the client so they can be aware of McLean’s work in the background at any given time. The deliverables usually come at intervals.

We communicate through telephone and emails depending on the depth and breadth of what needs to be shared.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ian is the leading creative brain in the agency, and he has a keen understanding of the marketplace. Also, he’s very strong-willed in his opinions. Moreover, McLean is very insightful with clients that have been at the head of the curve. They often do rebranding for clients who just need a new update or facade; they’re great at it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In general, they do a great job; I don’t see a need for retooling their operation. If anything, sometimes Ian is a little hardheaded and has a feeling of how something should happen. It can be rough around the edges with clients, particularly if they’re not used to dealing with somebody as straightforward as he is. How we deliver has a lot to do with the acceptance level on the client’s end, so we can all learn a few things about how to deliver something to somebody. However, I like Ian’s honesty and how he thinks — it’s one of the reasons why we see eye to eye.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the interim COO of an on-demand home services marketplace, particularly providing housekeeping services to residences and luxury apartment buildings. They work with the property owners to offer a turnkey service, allowing residents to instantly arrange services like housekeeping, pet care, and laundry from an app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with McLean?

Our brand used to be more literal, using the butler theme, so we knew that we needed to rebrand ourselves. We wanted a more aspirational and less literal brand to eliminate the butler theme, which was overdone. Thus, we needed help to create a new name and brand identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, I provided McLean with a brand brief I produced that was tied to what we were trying to achieve, including customer feedback and industry research information I gathered. Then, we had various conversations to help drive the rebranding process.

During this process, we went through a lot of naming options, considering the different trademarks we would have to fight through if we chose certain names. Once we chose a name, we revised a few options for the logo and branding. The final deliverable was an entire branding kit.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Ian (President & Founder), Angela (Director of Client Services), a designer, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with McLean?

I brought in someone I had worked with in the past who helped with the day-to-day mechanics of the RFP process. During the process, we ended up researching for branding agencies, including those that friends and acquaintances referred.

We looked at around 30 different agencies, asked for information from 20, and got into further discussions with 5–10. After going through the proposals we received, we narrowed our options to three companies, ultimately choosing McLean.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

McLean helped us come up with a great brand that really fit us, which was very important. It was well-received by customers, and it helped position us for the rapid expansion the company is now experiencing.

How did McLean perform from a project management standpoint?

McLean performed really well. They were very organized, helping us meet our timeline within our budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

McLean was very approachable and easy to work with. Additionally, they were very patient regarding the various iterations involved in the process. I also really liked their creative thought process, which helped us find a balance in a brand intended to be more aspirational and feeling-evocative without it being too nondescriptive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t have any particular advice.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and creative director of a plant-powered energy drink company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with McLean?

We hired McLean to help us with our graphic design and branding needs. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

McLean helped us with the package design, providing us with design suggestions. On top of that, the team audited our status in the marketplace, where we’d been, and where we were going. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with Ian (President & Founder) and some project managers. 

How did you come to work with McLean?

I knew about McLean through an online search. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $10,000–$30,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from December 2019–January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were pleased with how the project ended up being — it was aligned with what we wanted and where we needed to go. We got our message across; it wasn’t cluttered, and it was easy to understand.

How did McLean perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was excellent. Their resources were efficient; they stayed on top of everything. If one of them couldn’t take our call, somebody else would step in and take care of it. We typically communicated through emails, phone calls, Zoom presentations, and in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their experience and industry-specific knowledge were great. They understood the consumer packaged goods market and were highly intuitive and astute. We were also grateful for their ability to take on this engagement even though it was something they didn’t usually do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. They challenged our preconceptions in a good way, and they had great teamwork as we came up with a solution. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be curious and challenge McLean — push back. That way, you’ll get the most out of the engagement.