Miller Ad Agency

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the former VP and General Manager of 5miles, a mobile marketplace app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ad Agency?

We hired the Miller Ad Agency to help us launch our app through traditional marketing methods.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We relied on Miller Ad Agency for radio, billboards, and experiential marketing tactics. Originally, we wanted to focus on SMM, but they created a creative strategy to acquire users from off-line methods.

Of the campaigns they’ve led, they helped us get DJ endorsements on radio stations. They arranged the copy, introductions, and strategies for morning DJs talking about the app’s effectiveness.

They also produced a Super Bowl commercial. They created three different reactive options to support brand recognition.

Finally, we would go to supermarkets and sporting events to interact with users. These events connected to our in-house marketing strategy.  

Later, they were able to apply their expertise in the automotive industry to help expand our mobile marketplace.

What is the team composition?

Eric (CEO, Miller Ad Agency) is always available. They have a team of 20–30 people, including managers, creative teammates, production, and video editors. Their entire team was at our disposal.

How did you come to work with Miller Ad Agency?

Before we launched, we talked to several big agencies who didn’t believe in our story and thought we were too much of a risk. A few people recommended Miller Ad Agency because they had great expertise, have generated results for other companies, and were small enough to work with a startup like us. Their size made them nimble and the perfect partner for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $8.5 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from March 2015–October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had a lot of success in growing our brand recognition and user acquisition. Since we’ve launched, the app has been downloaded about 15 million times. We definitely saw an impact from their work. After the Super Bowl ad premiered, we saw a major jump in user growth and brand recognition.

I’m really pleased with their work because they were so creative. I never would have thought about using radio, but it was very effective.

How did Miller Ad Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team was small, nimble, and very creative. We were constantly changing copy, video ads, and things like that when needed. They were great to work with because they were flexible and were in-step with our team throughout the project. They delivered everything on time.

They were results-driven and budget-oriented. Their reports were excellent, so we knew how successful each project was. Using a dashboard, they demonstrated how each dollar we spent impacted user growth.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They treated us like we were a partner, rather than a customer.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’m generally pleased with our partnership.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re looking for an honest, hardworking, nimble, creative team, they’re the right partner for you. I’m confident you’ll be satisfied with the results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the founder of multiple for-profit and not-for-profit companies, including Educational Media Enterprises, Paladin Support Fund, Akicita Films, and Exquisite Pursuits.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ad Agency? 

I rely on Miller Ad Agency to handle my digital marketing needs for four of my companies. It’s a complex project; each communications effort needs to reach multiple audiences for various reasons. At the same time, they have to be integrated with each other so that we can manage everything as a whole. Miller Ad Agency brings together these disparate business units and gives them a sense of cohesion in how and where we communicate them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Miller Ad Agency manages all of my digital communications and marketing across my four businesses, which includes two for-profit companies and two not-for-profits. For each website, they work with our team to write the messaging in addition to creating some of the design elements and tracking our analytics. I’ve also tasked them with managing our social media accounts. They currently develop content for Facebook and Instagram, but we plan to expand our social as we stand up different efforts.

What is the team composition? 

The vast majority of their team is involved in our project in some way, from their senior leadership to their creatives. I work directly with their AV specialists, copywriters, and account executives as well as their CEO.

How did you come to work with Miller Ad Agency? 

I’ve known about Miller Ad Agency for quite some time due to my background as an automotive journalist. When I got to the point where I needed to integrate the communications for each of my companies, I reached out to them because I liked their work. What attracted me the most was that they were really pushing the boundaries in the digital communications frontier.

How much have you invested with them? 

We’ve spent between $100,000–$250,000 so far and will likely exceed that.

What is the status of this engagement? 

Their work started in 2018 and is ongoing. I see and work with them on a weekly basis at least.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Working with Miller Ad Agency has been a terrific experience. They’re a highly capable agency, and the team is doing extremely sophisticated work. They provide a lot of creative input, delivering a substantial volume of content consistently.

How did Miller Ad Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

If I need to meet with their principle, creatives, or copywriters, we have a meeting and parse it out until we converge on a solution. This access to their people was one of the key factors when deciding to go with them.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Miller Ad Agency thinks about the future state of the digital world in a way that their competitors don’t. They’re able to anticipate what the landscape will look like in two, five, and even 10 years and act accordingly. It’s their forward thinking and problem-solving skills that set them apart. Not to mention, they’re remarkably talented, providing high-level work while remaining nimble.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, I don’t have any significant counsel for them. They’ve been responsive to my needs at every turn.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They produce enterprise level work without a massive overhead. Pound for pound, they punch out of their class and provide both great creative and great service. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a senior solutions portfolio manager at NEC. We’re the incubation group responsible for next generation solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ad Agency?

We were exploring opportunities to partner with traditional and digital marketing companies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our main collaboration started as a partnership to find common customers. We combined our technology with their activities around digital and traditional marketing. Our technologies are geared towards gathering marketing intelligence and supporting customer retention. On their side, they provide services such as SEO, SEM, social media, promotions, advertising, and loyalty programs. Their team has also done some sketches for us as part of our market research.

The scope evolved beyond incubation activity to our current collaboration on a customer project. They’re doing animation work as well as internet of things (IoT) and AI capabilities that we offer customers as a commercial activity.

What is the team composition?

We work with four members of their team.

How did you come to work with Miller Ad Agency?

I was looking for local partners and noticed that they’re based here in Dallas. After I reached out to Erik (CEO, Miller Ad Agency), we really hit it off. I gravitate towards great people, and he's very forward-thinking.

How much have you invested with them?

Combining the commercial activity and incubation, we’ve spent between $80,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The work they provide is phenomenal. They demonstrate a real mastery of their craft. They do a great job interfacing with customers and are very professional in providing the customer with what they need.

How did Miller Ad Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate frequently and work together well. For example, if they've done sketches and I ask for changes, they’re always willing to talk it through. Our teams collaborate and come to a decision. Everything remains positive and focused on getting the best outcome.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their work is incredible. I’m able to easily communicate my thoughts, and they have the ability to deliver on my vision. Their team is skilled, and Erik is a great businessman. Being able to communicate and run things by him is very valuable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not from my viewpoint.

Any advice for potential customers?

Express your thoughts and the outcome you’re looking for. They will come back to you with great questions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the CEO of an online magazine that focuses on professional women over 50. We have worldwide readership in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, but we have readers that hit our site from over 200 countries. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ad Agency?

We needed help with branding, advertising, and SEO.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built the original site from scratch and uploaded our articles. Their objective was creating an attractive, appealing site, and they did an excellent job. They did the logo creation, design, and development, and they also created our site banners.

More recently, they helped with SEO. We purchased a URL for a considerable price and had no idea why we were struggling. The original owners had marked it as "adult," so people couldn't access the site and it was frequently blocked. 

They also market the website through Facebook boosts and other social media. When we were accepted to the Google Accelerator Program, they created four YouTube commercials. 

What is the team composition?

We work with four people. We're often in contact with two, and two others work as consultants. The webmaster has been involved since the beginning. Another person adds our articles to the site.

How did you come to work with Miller Ad Agency?

We knew they were in our area.

How much have you invested in them?

We've invested several hundred thousand. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in August 2014 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Once we were untethered from the people who thought we were an adult site, we increased from a few thousand monthly visitors. After our Facebook boosts, we'll see 500,000 unique visitors this month.

How did Miller Ad Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

It's been seamless. Truthfully, it couldn’t be better. They're responsive and responsible, and I can contact them anytime.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their designs are great and their level of service is impressive. So many people have issues with their site going down, but we have almost no disruptions. We get back online quickly when there's an issue, which is necessary in our business. We can’t afford not to stay online since we have readers all over the world. That service is critical to me.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Know what you want, clarify your expectations with the agency, and get everyone on the same page. Setting clear deadlines and creating corrections processes makes it work. Many people don’t know what they want, which is tough for an agency.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Essential Formulas. We’re the primary marketer of unique probiotic products and healthcare items for the U.S. market. Our products are primarily sold through health food stores and online retailers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ad Agency?

We needed resources to help us with some of our immediate needs (e.g., graphics and ad creation) in addition to supporting our long-term digital marketing objectives.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the moment, they’ve provided graphic arts/design, ad creation, and visuals for various projects, including our trade show booth. For a typical project, we usually have a general concept of what we want but lack any in-depth detail. They coordinate with us to expand on our ideas, outlining the end goals and brainstorming different approaches. Using our provided background information, they then create a copy of the visuals and refine it based on our feedback. Currently, they’re starting to support our social media, SEO, and SEM efforts, and we plan to pursue television advertising in the future.

What is the team composition?

We mostly work with their account executive and VP of account services but have also interfaced with their CEO and artists.

How did you come to work with Miller Ad Agency?

We found them down the street from us and liked their exterior signs. We’d actually just left our previous vendor and were looking for a local agency, so the timing was perfect. We were intrigued by their Google capabilities and decided to reach out to them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent a little under $50,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work began in October 2017 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While we don’t have any hard metrics regarding their designs, customer impressions have been very positive so far. In particular, we’ve received enthusiastic responses for our trade show booth. I also appreciate that they’ve attended trade shows in their own time to better understand our projects.

How did Miller Ad Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

To date, they’ve done very well. Our industry is a new category for them, so I don’t think they’ve had much experience with consumer packaged goods for health food products. However, as we’ve gotten to know each other, they’ve remained open to our critiques and modify their work accordingly. They listen to us and often suggest new perspectives that we haven’t considered before.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We've barely scratched the surface of their capabilities, but I believe we’re able to grow and build our business with them. There’s a lot of potential here, and we hope to continue building the partnership as we move forward.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We wish they would be more proactive with some of their support. It’s been great so far, but, because it’s still a new relationship, they might be a bit hesitant to push forward on some things. We’d love to work more closely with them as they take on greater initiatives.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on what you want out of the relationship, and know your industry well enough to explain it to their team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner and EVP of Yard Art Patio & Fireplace. We specialize in high-end outdoor patio furniture, glass doors, and gas logs for fireplaces. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ad Agency?

We’d gotten subpar results from many years on in-house advertising efforts. We started using outside companies to improve our social media and internet advertising but still worked on avenues like radio and billboards internally. Despite a substantial investment, we struggled to send a cohesive message or secure satisfying outcomes. We needed to find a company that offered both traditional and digital marketing. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Miller Ad Agency helped us align our messaging across every advertising channel. They’ve managed our traditional marketing like billboards, newspaper, television, and radios ads. Keeping our budget in mind, they handle all our media buying. They find available options and pricing for radio stations and billboards to showcase our ads. 

At times, we need to promote specific events like our annual spring sale.  Miller Ad Agency creates general campaign themes along with designs to enhance the look and feel. They've even sourced third-party suppliers like a balloon company. Concerning digital marketing, they focus on SEO, Google AdWords, and Facebook ads. Whenever we need marketing or promotional materials, they design print assets like flyers, handouts, or tags. 

What is the team composition? 

We worked with a 2-3-person team. Seth (Senior Account Supervisor, Miller Ad Agency), our main point of contact, handles the account. Mary (Account Coordinator, Miller Ad Agency) conducts research and manages informational tasks. She’s our coordinator when Seth is unavailable. Sasha (Art Director, Miller Ad Agency) modifies, updates, and fixes problems on our website, which we plan to eventually redesign. 

How did you come to work with Miller Ad Agency?

About ten months ago, we started looking for an advertising agency to handle all our media buying and campaigns so we could focus on the stores and sales internally. We interviewed 4-5 different companies with varied capabilities. During the interview process, we instantly connected with the whole team at Miller Ad Agency. They went above and beyond to make us feel important and like a part of their family. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $250,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We found Miller Ad Agency in November 2017 and started working together in January 2018. Our partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Miller Ad Agency helped us formulate an understanding of what techniques work best for us, which was a pivotal goal to achieve. We've been in business for 24 years and had never figured out how to maximize our advertising budget before hiring their team. 

Miller Ad Agency gauges the results of different types of ads and indicates which ones are worth pursuing. I send them a monthly list of customers who purchased products. Compared with our e-blast distribution list, they determine which contacts actually bought products based on their name, address or phone number. 

How did Miller Ad Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

After Miller Ad Agency designed new creative content, I'd often request a few general changes. Five of these times, they made wonderful changes without a problem. In 2-3 cases, they came back with detailed questions instead of the updates I needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I most appreciate how much Miller Ad Agency genuinely cares about our business, even though we're not a large client. They're clearly invested in our success and take pride in their work. I got this sense from all our sit-downs, email exchanges, and on every phone call. They make everybody on our team feel important whenever we visit their office. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

My only complaint would be their occasional response when the creative didn't go right. It took some encouragement to get them back on track. Luckily, that only happened twice in the last ten months. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best advice I can give is to schedule meetings each month. During discussions, ask a lot of questions. Miller Ad Agency is always happy to provide clear explanations and help you figure out challenges. They're never condescending. I appreciated how open and forthright they've been about their work and methodology.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are the automotive leasing arm for the Credit Union of Texas. We function as our own company but we operate under the umbrella of the Credit Union of Texas. We offer our members and the standard public opportunities to lease automobiles through our program.

I am the President.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ad Agency?

They provide us lead opportunities. We’re trying to get in there and get people’s business. They help us in the radio space. We also do email blasts, SEO [search engine optimization], SEM [search engine marketing], and we’ve done billboards to try to find another niche.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have an in-house marketing team that assists them with some of the design, but for the most part, they’re putting together the banner ads and email campaigns. They assist in writing all the copy points for radio, and we have input with that every month. They do manage our website as well. They designed it, manage the backend, and do updates.

How did you come to work with Miller Ad Agency?

They reached out through our marketing team. I believe they came to us. We met with them and they were able to show us what they’ve done for other dealerships. We aren’t a dealership, but we have similarities. It was a good fit. They’re a smaller company and so are we. There’s a lot of synergy between our teams. That’s what landed the spot for them here. That’s fed into them doing work for the Credit Union of Texas as well.

How much have you invested with Miller Ad Agency?

The project was between $50,000 and $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been with them four or five years. It’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We went from 30 to 50 leads a month with our internal efforts to 330 leads, the average for 2014. For 2016, we’re averaging 430. From 2013 to present, our company’s grown an average of 23% year over year.

How did Miller Ad Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good. We pose a little bit of a challenge because our marketing team and sales team both get involved in the projects. They’ve been the liaison between all of us and keep us on point. I can’t think of a deadline they’ve missed.

What did you find most impressive about Miller Ad Agency?

In the beginning, they created our jingle. We went through a lengthy process and they hired a very good writer. He put together two jingles for us depending on the radio location. We have one that fits on the country stations and one on the pop stations.

We’ve been able to maintain a strong relationship that’s helped us grow and be better at what we do, as well as being able to provide feedback to help them be the thing we need, without having any negative connotations coming from feedback. That spurred on their opportunity to work with our parent company as well.

Are there any areas Miller Ad Agency could improve?

We grew very quickly in a lot of areas. They were trying to get staff to manage the account. That was challenging for them. We were doing so many projects. We grew quicker than either one of us expected.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're a law firm.

What is your position?

I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ad Agency?

I was trying to revamp my website and get some search engine optimization work done inside the website. The previous website had none of that.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

They redesigned my website. They gave me photographs. They gave me text. They set up the format and style. They did all the domain and SEO [search engine optimization] work in and around the site.

How did you come to work with Miller Ad Agency?

I used to be the mayor of the town in their Dallas suburb. I knew of them through that. They were actually hired by the city to do some marketing work.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The project cost between $10,000 and $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

It's complete.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We get many compliments on our website. There's a lot of information on our site. Many in our industry just keep adding content. We don't do that. We try to put content that people can use and rely on. I've had several people ask me who did it. I've sent people to them.

How did Miller Ad Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They did things quickly. They did what I asked them to do. I needed someone who could give me ideas and tell me what to do. Their follow up was lightning fast in correcting any bugs.

What distinguishes Miller Ad Agency from other providers?

If I found a typo or glitch, I would call or email and, within five minutes, it's fixed. That's not something you run into often.

Is there anything Miller Ad Agency could have improved or done differently?

I don't have any complaints. We can all improve, but I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My husband and I own a small business that makes natural goods for people, pets, and homes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Miller Ad Agency?

We needed help to perform better in specific markets. 

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase our exposure in order to help capture new customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I worked with Erik (CEO, Miller Ad Agency) on previous projects and have always been impressed with his work and leadership. I knew Miller Ad Agency was the right fit.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Miller Ad Agency is helping us with our digital strategy including Google Ads and retargeting. They work together with us to select targets based on detailed market research. They then go through several steps of campaign planning and execution.

What was the team composition?

I’ve worked with about six people, ranging from the president to assistants. I primarily work with an account representative, his assistant, and the digital buyer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen an increase in website traffic and general exposure. We’ve also seen an improvement in our overall sales.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their workflow is very effective.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Miller Ad Agency is quite knowledgeable about the changing landscape of digital marketing. They’ve been so helpful to us as a small business because we don’t have the same resources and experience.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, none that I can think of at this time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own the Dallas Roughnecks, a professional Ultimate Frisbee team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Miller Ad Agency?

We engaged the team to develop an interactive website.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals included branding, promotions, and sales targets.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We hired Miller Ad Agency because they’re a local company that provides great service.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

The team developed and designed the website from scratch. The site included e-commerce capabilities.

What was the team composition?

We worked with Kirk (VP of Account Services, Miller Ad Agency) and Sasha (Art Director, Miller Ad Agency).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The site has helped us reach an international audience and grow the sport.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

The team had strong communication skills and was always a step ahead. That’s the reason we worked with them.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The account representatives were easy to reach for scheduling meetings.   

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were more than satisfied with the team’s service.