Noise 13

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Executive of Clif Family Winery & Farm

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We make organically farmed wine and specialty food. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Noise 13 to accomplish?

• Redesign our specialty food packaging.
• Redesign our company web site.
• Brand positioning and design for our new food subscription box.

SOLUTION

How did you find Noise 13?

B Corp Company

Why did you select Noise 13 over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Noise 13 were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We hired Noise 13 for 3 projects:

1. Positioning, design and copy for the launch of our Food Subscription box.
2. Complete redesign of our website.
3. Packaging redesign for our food packaging line. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We relaunched our website within the timeline. Our new food packaging has been well received by our retail accounts and customers. 

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

Noise 13’s project management was truly exceptional. Their ability to consistently meet deadlines, deliver high-quality work, and maintain open communication was a game-changer for our project. They were always proactive in addressing our needs and offered innovative solutions that exceeded our expectations. Their dedication to ensuring a smooth and efficient process made working with them a pleasure.

What was your primary form of communication with Noise 13?

Virtual Meeting

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

We're particularly impressed by how Noise 13’s values perfectly align with ours. As a fellow B Corp Certified company, we knew they would have a deep understanding of our commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Noise 13 consistently demonstrated their dedication to these values throughout our projects, ensuring that our brand’s message was communicated in an authentic and impactful way.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Noise 13 could have done differently?

We are thrilled with Noise 13 and the work they provided us!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am VP of Marketing and Enrollment. Galvanize is a leader in the online coding bootcamp space, helping consumers, military service members and enterprise partners advance their careers and success in tech.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Noise 13, and what were your goals?

Galvanize had acquired Hack Reactor, another leader in the space, back in 2018 but the brand strategy had never been addressed. This left the company with two websites, two brand identity systems, and most critically, an increasingly confused marketplace.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Noise13 was referred to us by a business associate of our CEO. We conducted an extensive proposal process that included several prospective partners and ultimately chose Noise13.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Our project was a comprehensive branding strategy project. Steps and deliverables included Discovery & Audit, Brand Strategy, Brand Architecture, Brand Messaging, Brand Identity System, and Brand Guidelines.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with 6 people from the team over the course of the project. Dava, the CEO, was very involved and accessible throughout the project. We also worked with a project coordinator, two brand strategists, and two branding creatives (one senior, one junior)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It's early but we are very pleased with the outcomes of the project. Noise13 coordinated well with our website agency and we have launched a new website that brings our brand strategy to life. Our new brand identity system has also received very positive reviews. Given our complex history, we were also very pleased with the positive reception of internal team to our new branding.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had weekly meetings and utilized a project management system as the central hub for communication and documentation of project progress.

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

The involvement of the agency CEO in our project was impressive and unique. We were able to tap into the very best their agency had to offer and appreciated this given our complex situtation.

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

There were occasional blips in project management and communication but these were always quickly rectified to get back on track.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of WAGNER CREATIVE, a boutique marketing, communications, and public relations firm specializing in the A/E/C industry, with offices in San Francisco and New York City.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Noise 13?

Logo and company branding.

What were your goals for this project?

To accurately express my brand for the launch of my new business in a very tight timeline.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have worked with multiple designers for other clients during my 20 years in the Architecture/Engineering/Construction (A/E/C) industry and have seen consistent results with those that have used Noise 13. Based on my industry and their experience they were an apparent choice. I also enjoyed all the communication and interaction with the team and felt a personal connection with the team.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Logo and branding assets needed to launch my new marketing and PR firm. The deliverables included: logo (b/w and color versions), business cards, letterhead, wordmark and headers/footers that could be used for website.

What was the team composition?

For this project - I worked with the company founder, Dava Guthmiller one-on-one.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Almost everyone I hand my business card to comments on it, it definitely stands out and is highly unique, but also reflects my personality and brand immediately. The same goes for the graphic that was designed for my website and letterhead.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Dava was easy to get in touch with and the process was efficient as I was in somewhat of a rush to get things up and running. She was very flexible and held meetings in person or via webcon for each revision. The process moved quickly and seamlessly.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Noise 13's ability to completely understand who I am and the message I was looking to convey blew me away. They execute it so seamlessly with minimal revisions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can think of!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, a nonprofit trade association for the wineries and hospitality businesses in Paso Robles, California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Noise 13?

We let our last agency go without acquiring a new partner and needed to find an agency to help with branding and design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We originally hired them for the user experience and design of our new website, branding banners, and advertising and print collateral. They produce artwork like posters, rack cards, brochures, and digital banner ads.

We weren’t unhappy with our branding, but they knew we weren’t looking for its polar opposite. We wanted them to tweak what we had to bring it to the next level.

As a nonprofit, we don’t have unlimited resources. None of us are in love with our logo, but it’s everywhere in Paso Wine Country. To completely change it, we would need to replace signage at hundreds of establishments, which is cost prohibitive. Noise 13 is very understanding and works within our constraints.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact has changed quite a few times. We deal with three different account executives. Their CCO is always our main contact.

How did you come to work with Noise 13?

They were a recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2016 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website was nominated for a Webby Award. Our web traffic is up and our events are selling well.

How did Noise 13 perform from a project management standpoint?

In terms of budget, they’re probably the best agency we’ve worked with. Their billing is really transparent. They estimate based on the number of hours, so it’s clear whether they’re tracking over or under.

As a nonprofit, we’re sensitive to prices. They did creative from scratch for our 2017 events. In 2018, they said they could deliver everything new, but could also just change the photo and the date for a more realistic cost. They’re cool about working with our limited budget.

For communication, if we’re in the middle of a project, we use Mavenlink. Otherwise, we use email. We talk to them at each project kickoff, but don’t speak on the phone often. When we built the website, we talked on the phone quite often so they could present page designs. Now the work is far less complicated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re flexible, which is what someone told me when I called for references. Their billing is straightforward. They’re easy to work with, with no drama and no attitude. It’s pretty pleasant.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’ve been assigned several account managers per project, which has been fine, just lacking in consistency. That said, it is a small team, so everyone seems to be in the loop on our account.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about who’s working on your business. If it’s project-based like ours, find out if you’ll have the same person working on everything or if it will depend on who has time. That would have been helpful for me to know going in. It’s worked out fine and hasn’t been a problem because they have a small team, but it would have been nice to know who my go-to people were.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Ziesche Modern Apothecary. We sell bath, body, and personal care products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Noise 13?

We needed help with branding and design as well as the overall look and feel of the brand. I had a prior name for the company but it became too popular so we’d had a bit of a rebrand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They took care of all the logos and labels, graphics, colors, fonts, and the whole look and feel. They helped with all the branding and all the things required for social media, such as badges and widgets.

How did you come to work with Noise 13?

I’d worked with Dava (Chief Creative Officer & Founder, Noise 13) before, so when I was ready to launch this brand I went to her to set up all of our logos and labels.

How much have you invested in them?

I invested between $10,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from 2013–2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everyone that sees the look and feel of the brand, loves it. I get nothing but positive feedback from all kinds of people, other brands, designers, or whoever.

How did Noise 13 perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent—there were no problems, and communication was easy. We most often communicated through email, and sometimes phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re really consistent in knowing their clients and what they’re looking for. The team is really good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I would use them again. I would never think of using anyone else. The look and feel of my brand, my logo, and labels all look amazing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’ve always been so wonderful to work with. They’re very approachable, informative, and super easy to work with. They’re excellent when it comes to design.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Dovana, a family company that makes cannabis-infused caramels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Noise 13?

I needed to build a brand for this new product. I have a candy business that’s non-cannabis, but wanted to have a completely separate brand to take the cannabis product to market. I didn’t have any experience with branding and marketing so I needed to find an agency to lead the process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started with an exercise around naming. Noise 13 led a session with me and my wife to learn about our business and our background. We landed on the word Dovana. Based on the name, they created a logo, brand design, and everything else related to the aesthetic perspective. Instead of just creating packaging for the specific caramel product, they created a system that I can modify or add different product SKUs in the future. They also created a landing page for the caramels’ online presence.

What is the team composition?

Kate (director of business & innovation, Noise 13) was the lead designer on the project. She led a team of four.

How did you come to work with Noise 13?

I ran into their founder at an event. After talking, we realized we’d worked together in the past but never met in person.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent somewhere in the range of $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve heard from so many people that the caramels have an amazing design perspective. I’m actually getting calls from distributors—including high-end boutique outlets in San Francisco—who want to carry my product. They’ve reached out to me just based on the design.

How did Noise 13 perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve never been on this side of the business, and I really appreciated that the project manager led me through each step of the process. Kate was very clear on the expectations and the outcomes and guided me through the creative process. We used an online project management tool to track everything. We also emailed and had calls at key decision points, such as when we needed to review the color palette.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We came to Noise 13 with a vision for a high-end and artisanal product. I didn’t know what they were going to come up with, but they met or exceeded all of my expectations. They took our ideas and came up with a high-quality, amazing product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This was my first experience going through a creative project, but I can’t think of anything. The entire experience was great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Tell them your vision. Let them guide you through the creative process instead of trying to direct the action. Just let them do their thing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a graphic designer at a software startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Noise 13?

We were becoming a multiplatform software company and needed rebranding. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Noise 13 helped us with the marketing strategy. They created a collection of research and devised a strategy document to give our brand future direction. They then implemented the brand strategy, which involved everything from color, font, photography, and completely reworking the website to create a new visual level. 

What is the team composition?

I worked with a creative director and the founder, as well as with designers and project managers.

How did you come to work with Noise 13?

I found them online after doing some searching and looking at a lot of different companies. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $280,000–$300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project began in June 2017 and is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The visual language they've created has allowed us a platform to create design work. The internal messaging strategy they designed has created new work as well. We've also seen views and conversion rates go up. 

How did Noise 13 perform from a project management standpoint?

The project management has gone very well. Everything has been on time and within budget. We communicate via phone, email, and a project management tool, as well as in person. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have honest communication. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no suggestions for improvement. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They're great business partners. Have faith in them because they give professional insight. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of J. Street Chocolate

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Makes bean-to-bar chocolate bars using creative ingredients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Noise 13 to accomplish?

• Redesign packaging to make it easier to package chocolate
• Clarify the branding/name of company
• Make branding/packaging fun and approachable with a natural feel

SOLUTION

How did you find Noise 13?

• Referral
• Other

Why did you select Noise 13 over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Noise 13 were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Redesign the packaging to improve the packaging flow, redo the branding completely and provide a fun and bright look.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Improved workflow (faster, less complex packaging process) 
• Better product on shelves 
• More wholesale accounts 
• Better sales at events/popups

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

Yes. They were great to work with and timely with deliverables. They worked with my requests!

What was your primary form of communication with Noise 13?

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

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

I think it's hard to find a company that aligns with your values and Noise 13, being a certified B corp, aligns with my values and so I didn't have to explain a lot of small characteristics that I was looking for because they already understood that.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Noise 13 could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am founder/CEO. Greensparc builds edge internet infrastructure to meet the needs of unserved and underserved markets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Noise 13, and what were your goals?

We needed to rebrand and pivot our identity to better articulate our mission/vision to stakeholders in our markets.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I've known Dava and Noise13 for over 10 years and I've always wanted to work with them. Given their focus on sustainability and ESG issues I knew they would be best suited to help us with our marketing strategy.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

I can forward you the scoping document if you want. Much easier than me entering it in this text box.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Several... probably over the entire term of the engagement maybe 10 professionals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They nailed it. Our team, supporters and key stakeholders really came together with Noise13 to evolve our brand and identity to really drive home to new audiences what Greensparc is all about.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Excellent project managers marshalled us through the strategic exercises and work required. Communication tools spanned multiple platforms and everything was on-time.

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

Their ability to understand the drivers of our business. They executed a creative vision that really helped us redefine our messaging, branding, and identity.

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

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of mymilligram, a media brand and a curated weekly newsletter that features in-depth reviews of the latest low-dose and high-quality cannabis products in California, as well as events, news, and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Noise 13?

I hired them to assist with creating our brand identity, website, and newsletter.

What were your goals for this project?

My main objective was to have a memorable and vibrant brand that stands out.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had previously worked with Noise 13 on tablehopper, my other website.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Noise 13 conducted a great initial brainstorming session which included a presentation of the possible look and feel of the website. After that, they began the usual design process, whittling options down till finding the favorite one. Their team also designed our logo, business cards, and newsletter.

What was the team composition?

I worked with their founder, who had three people executing the work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The swift turnaround was amazing. Noise 13 created a brand that’s very memorable and fits my vision exactly. I love it and other people do as well.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was marked by Noise 13’s prompt, proactive, detailed, and highly skilled team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I really appreciate their creativity and quality of work. Noise 13 is very intuitive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. Noise 13 is my favorite company to work with.