Person People

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Poler Outdoor Stuff is a Portland, Oregon based brand that makes apparel, bags, camping gear, and other accessories with an outdoor adventure focus. In 2018, I was working as an art director at Poler. We were in the process of revamping our website and were looking for ways to provide more examples of the technical features of our products in a fun, aspirational context.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Person People?

We hired Person People to fully handle production of a video series. Person People wrote, directed, filmed, and edited ten videos for us. The biggest challenge with video for Poler was that because we were trying to take a different approach to our industry from other, more established brands, we have a unique brand voice that was very important. Because of that, it was hard to hand off projects to people who weren't immersed in the brand full time, and we preferred to do things in-house. But in the summer of 2018, things were too busy and we had to branch out. Person People was able to demonstrate that they understood our customer and what we were trying to do, and was able to make a video series that represented Poler in a way we were proud of, with minimal guidance. Person People put in a lot of initial leg-work to get there, and we were impressed by that.

What were your goals for this project?

In 2018, I was working as an art director at Poler. We were in the process of revamping our website and were looking for ways to provide more examples of the technical features of our products in a fun, aspirational context. We needed to demonstrate how our products worked, but didn't want it to be just a studio video of someone talking through the features, as was the standard for our industry. Because our target audience was younger, we wanted the how-to videos to be engaging. We wanted the videos to be informative enough to exist on a product page of our website, but also fun enough to post on Instagram.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Person People was recommended to us by our friends at the Portland branding agency OMFGco, who we had worked with on a project. We met with Dorian Warneck, the principal of Person People, and were impressed by how knowledgeable he came in to our first meeting about our company, and how quickly he demonstrated that he understood what we were trying to do and how important our brand voice was. Dorian also displayed confidence that he could turn around our videos and make edits quickly, and expressed a lot of enthusiasm about our brand. That made us feel very comfortable with Person People. We spoke with a few other production companies who had reached out to us or were recommended, but Person People was the obvious best fit.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

As the art director, I gave Person People a general outline of what products we wanted to profile, some situations we would like to show them in, and what features we wanted to demonstrate. From there, Person People wrote the script, found the soundtrack, filmed, and provided multiple edits to fit different needs that we had. The videos featured up-close shots of things like tents being set up and various uses of different pockets on backpacks, as well as more lifestyle-focused action shots, like someone riding their bike to a park with the bag. At the end, Person People provided us multiple cuts of ready-to-post videos for a variety of formats (vimeo, instagram, etc.)

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We worked directly with Dorian Warneck of Person People. At the beginning we met in-person to screen the rough cuts and provide feedback, but after the first few meetings we trusted Dorian understood our goals, and we corresponded primarily over email. Person People was generally able to deliver what we needed in one or two rounds of feedback. They paid close attention to our feedback and stayed on track.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos racked up a lot of views on our Vimeo account, and when we posted on Instagram we noticed more engagement and comments than usual when we posted video. I think this was because the videos demonstrated fun situations that the viewers imagined themselves in, which is much more than you can hope to except from a video you are primarily looking at as a technical specs video.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Person People worked fast, and communication was solid throughout. We never had any issues, and were impressed by how videos things were turned around.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Person People put in a lot of time and effort into fully understanding our brand, and that made them very easy to work with and our videos to not have to go through too many rounds of feedback. Person People was also very receptive to feedback, and made edits quickly. It was a breeze. Lastly, we were very happy with the videos and found that most of them exceeded the level of engagement that we were expecting. Person People took our initial ideas and executed them past what we'd imagined, which was very exciting and rewarding.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Working with Person People was a great experience, and went as well as I would have hoped. We will definitely seek out Person People again when we have a video need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director of public affairs, communications, and events at Reed College, a private liberal arts institution in Portland, Oregon.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Person People?

I was looking for a team that could deliver video projects that spanned a mix of interviews and other videos that capture the essence of various events.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’ve hired them for a number of projects. Each one begins with a scope that outlines the goals of the project. We start by identifying who will be interviewed or featured, the timeline of the actual shoot itself, the timeline of post-production, and expectation setting for the editing phase.

They’ve done about four videos at this point—two of which were an event recap, and a sizzle reel. For each of these videos, they’ve set up interviews in an environment that feels organic. The team from Person People always provides the creative direction for the video.

What is the team composition?

I primarily work with Dorian (Director, Person People). Even though we had a number of people from my end involved, he was responsible for establishing a process and maintaining clear and open communication.

How did you come to work with Person People?

I watched a video that Person People made for another client, and I thought it was very well done. It was clear that the producer of the video had taken a situation that could’ve been boring and made it interesting. 

When I reached out to the client to see who’d made the video, I was referred to Person People. I was already looking for an agency like them at the time, that was creative but also within our budget.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Person People in June 2019. The partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All of the feedback that we’ve received on the videos so far has been positive. The engagement has exceeded our expectations in terms of videos for internal community use.

Our audience—a group that is highly educated—tends to be skeptical of video marketing techniques, but the reception has been excellent. The videos feel authentic, even to subject matter experts, because of People Person’s production style.

How did Person People perform from a project management standpoint?

The team from Person People sets clear expectations and is very easy to work with. They always stay on top of deadlines and budgeting. Many times, they are early with their deliverables. 

I think they’ve been able to maintain this because of their documentation, especially their creative briefs and scopes of work. This keeps us all on the same page.

In terms of communication, they are very responsive via phone or email. We’ve built a stable professional relationship because of that. There’s plenty of trust between us at this point; it’s been extraordinary not having to worry about small details.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What’s impressed me the most about Person People is that they operate independently from a project manager and still meet or exceed expectations. They’ve shown an ability to implement our vision during the production process without much onsite direction. There is an intuitiveness to their approach that helps them achieve our desired outcome.

The team also clearly has a passion for videography, which shows in their creative output. This, combined with their wealth of experience and helpful questions, has made them a valuable partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of any areas for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You can trust that they know what they are doing. They’ll be able to understand your brand and focus on delivering a quality product. Avoid micromanaging what they’re trying to do. 

Feedback is also helpful. This is critical if you want to have a fruitful partnership. Offer your perspective to Person People while giving them the freedom to do what you’ve asked of them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Impact NW’s services are unique in the community in that we are the largest, most comprehensive organization in the region dedicated to the mission of preventing homelessness. Across all our services, we prevent homelessness by partnering with thousands of people in danger of losing their housing. We work with people to navigate the complicated, often insufficient safety-net system, which ultimately benefits everyone in the Portland area community. Each year we work alongside 25,000 individuals and families of all ages to receive the skills, resources, and support necessary to stabilize and strengthen and to advocate for themselves and their communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Person People?

Impact NW holds an annual fundraising event and a huge part of the success of this event is the ability of our organization to create a compelling video that captures the essence of the work that we do, and the impact we have in the community. For this event, Person People created the best video we have had in the history of our organization. And, additionally, created another short video to highlight another aspect of our work and impact in the community. Person People created two extremely high-quality, thoughtful videos for our organization.

What were your goals for this project?

Creation of a video for our annual fundraising event.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Person People came to Impact NW through a mutual connection. It was the best introduction we could have hoped for!

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

The video is Keia's story. Together with Peron People, we had meetings and phone call check-ins to prepare and plan for the video footage. Person People was incredibly helpful, creative, thoughtful and always followed through on the timeline. We held video footage on one day with staff and client participants in the video. The video shoot was followed up by additional "b-roll" footage, and a viewing of the final product with an option for final edits. No additional edits were needed - it was perfect!

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Person People were always respectful, open, and trauma-informed in working with our staff and client. They put everyone at ease to make sure that staff and clients were themselves on camera. The company's approach to creating the video really proved to be effective in creating the perfect video for our organization. The video represents our new direction and the strength and resiliency of the people we serve and how we want to be perceived as an organization. There were open conversations to achieve a shared understanding of expectations and video direction. We had the option for final edits, but none were needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This was our largest, most successful fundraising event in our 53 history as an organization. The video created by Person People was the most talked about moment at the event, and definitely played a huge role in us exceeding our fundraising goal. Feedback from event participants said that the video was the best part of the event. We could not have held such a successful fundraising event if it wasn't for the compelling and compassionate video created by Person People.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extremely effective. We had open communication and Person People were flexible and timely.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The creativity, flexibility and compassion. We work with a marginalized part of the community and the compassion and artistic efforts put into the video were incredible.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. It was a perfect experience for Impact NW. We are working with the company again for our next annual fundraiser.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a small company that makes bicycle parts and accessories. I'm the marketing manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Person People?

They created a brand-lifestyle video for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our process was very collaborative, and we worked together to choose locations and direct the video. They were excellent listeners, and they brought my vision to life. I had the talent and location in mind, and I had a basic idea that they elevated. They took control of all the production and editing. The result was a two-minute video that demonstrates our location, our target audience, and our brand's story.

What is the team composition?

I worked with one point of contact.

How did you come to work with Person People?

They were highly recommended by our colleagues at another firm. We wanted to work with a local videographer, and we got along very well. It made a lot of sense to work with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We completed the whole project in June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We receive excellent feedback, and the video got more views than we expected.

How did Person People perform from a project management standpoint?

They completed the project earlier than the anticipated deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by how collaborative this effort was. It's hard to find an agency who is this good at listening. They were exceptional, and they made everything work within a small budget.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's nothing they should improve; we would be very happy to work with them again.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront about your needs, and come prepared with your concept.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of a small architecture firm with a few architects who support me on a contract basis.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Person People?

I wanted to make one of my projects look as good on the internet as it does in person.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created a project-specific video for a recent renovation. I sat down with them before the shoot to talk through my goals and a list of important shots. They did everything, and they came up with a plan of execution. On the day of the shoot, they captured what looked good. They went through all the edits, and the first draft they delivered a few weeks later was perfect. We used some music, but there is no narration. We let the space speak for itself.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with one individual.

How did you come to work with Person People?

I share office space with them, so I was familiar with their work. I liked what I saw, and I felt they were talented enough to make something great for me.

What is the status of this engagement?

We shot in mid-November, and we wrapped up here in December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video looks great, and I'd love to work with them again for other projects if this one performs well. I'd like to have more stand-alone pieces and a highlight reel of my work.

How did Person People perform from a project management standpoint?

They managed the project well, and they delivered the final project a little ahead of schedule. There were no surprises, and they were self-sufficient throughout. I trusted them, and the result was perfect.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our main contact is a nice guy. He was fun to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't know enough about this industry to give any critiques of their work. They explained everything very well, and I didn't have to make any changes. I have nothing that they should improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with any creative agency, they do their best work when their clients trust them. Let them work their magic.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former head of editorial at Chrome Industries, which is a manufacturer of urban bike gear. My role encompassed social media management and anything marketing-oriented.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Person People?

We were launching a new line of bags that departed stylistically and tonally from our other products. We were looking to create a Kickstarter-style video that would explain its features and specs.

While the new product was more oriented towards urban professionals, we also didn’t want to leave our bike-oriented customers behind, so we wanted to develop an inclusive marketing strategy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a pre-production meeting with Dorian (Founder, Person People) where we discussed our ideas and goals. We decided on an interview-style video; scripting was a collaborative process where we came up with interview questions together.

Dorian and his team then filmed everything and even took some stills for us. We appreciated their flexibility because we were a pretty small shop. The videos came out to be 3–5 minutes.

What is the team composition?

While we were mostly working with Dorian, he had a team of people working behind him.

How did you come to work with Person People?

Our graphic designer was acquaintances with Dorian, so included him in our RFP process. We thought Dorian was a natural fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent somewhere between $10,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted between October­–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While I don’t have access to metrics, I remember that the campaign was very successful. We got great feedback, and the bags sold fairly well for a product that digressed from our main offering. Person People did exactly what we needed them to, so we’re very glad to have engaged Dorian.

How did Person People perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was a breeze. They’re probably one of the most professional video contractors I’ve ever worked with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

While there are a lot of people who can make videos, but Dorian went beyond his great technical skills by being extremely easy-going. He was just a nice guy, I remember we had a great time hanging out after the shoot. While creative types tend to be difficult, he was phenomenally easy to get along with. His personality made the process so smooth.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything, other than how I’m looking forward to their expansion. They do an incredible job at their current size, so I’m excited to see what they can do as they grow.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go to them with a clear-cut, creative idea, because Dorian can help you flesh that out in the direction you want.