Perspektiiv Design Co.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I used to be the director of marketing for a company called Sweet Grass, a CPG cannabis company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Perspektiiv Design Co?

We needed graphic design support in establishing our visual identity as a startup.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Perspektiiv Design Co tackled various branding projects. They handled every element of our look and feel. They spearheaded all visional components of our collateral, store design, social media campaigns, and more.

What is the team composition?

We just worked with one teammate, Allison (Creative Director). We talked on a daily or weekly basis.

How did you come to work with Perspektiiv Design Co?

I looked at 4­5 dozen firms and independent contractors in Denver. I found Allison on LinkedIn, and upon interviewing her, decided to go with her. Our previous firm was too traditionally-oriented for the cannabis industry.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve probably spent close to $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in August or September of 2015 and wrapped up in March 2020. We’re no longer working together because our company was acquired by a firm that has an internal design team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Perspektiiv Design Co. designed every single SKU we offer and brought our entire brand to life, particularly after our branding exercise. Allison oversaw our significant growth in sales, which led to the acquisition of the company. There’s no better success story than that.

How did Perspektiiv Design Co. perform from a project management standpoint?

She was stellar. If anything, I was the one who held her back. Allison kept me accountable; they did a great job of making us adhere to deadlines and keeping us on track. They were organized and timely in their delivery.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by Allison’s ability to take ownership of the brand. She understood it from all angles and was able to be the steward of it. We had absolute trust in her.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. Any time there were bumps in the road, we worked together to resolve them. We were always learning and advancing the business together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s all about communication. Make sure that you guys are on the same page, beforehand. Be clear and upfront.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Conscious Brew is an eco-chic, sustainable mobile beverage cafe. A convert vintage trailer that offers both cafe services as well as bar services for private events. I'm the business owner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Perspektiiv Design Co.?

To create all the branding for Conscious Brew as well as the website.

What were your goals for this project?

To create a cohesive brand voice and image. A design aesthetic that speaks to the uniqueness of Conscious Brew and tells a clear story to our community and customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select Perspektiiv Design Co.?

Through social media I was able to see some of their previous work and felt connected to their brand and messaging.

Describe the project in detail.

Business branding development color scheme logo design - primary and secondary brand aesthetic messaging Website Design

What was the team composition?

For the most part I worked directly with Alison, they was a copy editor assigned to the project in the beginning. After a second period that individual was removed from the project when Alison realized that through our teamwork we could accomplish the desired results. Which actually saved my business money.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As this is an ongoing project and Conscious Brew has not yet launched, firm outcomes are still being awaited. However, the preliminary response to the brand, such as logos, and website has been nothing short of rave reviews and positive feedback.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extremely effective and efficient. They worked at my pace, never pressured or pushed me to make decisions or give feedback outside of a timeline that I was comfortable with. Every aspect of the project was meticulously tracked, accounted for and organized.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The attention to detail as well as the level of design capability has been unparalleled. Not only did they get my vision but elevated it to a level I didn't even know was possible.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly, from my experience with Perspectiiv Design, there is no major callouts in the way of improvements. Everything from work turnaround, invoicing, communication and quality of work has been absolutely top notch.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am President/Owner of 5 Star Development LLC, we are a Property Management company that purchases properties for Short Term rental use (Airbnb, VRBO etc). My role is very broad in the sense that I Iook for properties that fit our company profile, target market and audience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Perspektiiv Design Co.?

With time being at a premium and not having much of it free, we were struggling to reach our goals and consumers on the Social Media side of things. Just not enough internal resources at our disposal to dedicate the necessary manpower for it to be successful.

We decided to outsource this task and spoke to several companies/individuals about what we should be looking for and the services we required. Ultimately, we had a conversation with our Real Estate Agent and he referred us to Perspektiiv with the caveat that he and several of his coworkers used this company.

We had a conversation with Alison from Perspektiiv and was immediately impressed. In the beginning we hired them for Social Media management.

What were your goals for this project?

When we began with simple discussions around “end results/goals” for this project with visibility, follows and likes being key components. This would eventually push our goal of increased foot traffic on the different sites as well as physical track at the property which would drive revenue.

SOLUTION

How did you select Perspektiiv Design Co.?

During our interview process for companies to partner with we looked for small businesses that understood us as a company and had same goals in mind to include cultural, environmental and social.

We didn’t focus on pricing as we feel that would cloud our judgement. We interviewed or had discussions with 6 companies, some local and others located outside of the State of Colorado. The final decision to select Perspektiiv was made between myself and four other staff members.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Once we decided on whom we were working with we then outlined our Scope of Work. We wanted to put maximum focus on Social Media and Branding and felt 100% comfortable with Alison and her company.

I played a larger role in the project than my subordinates, as it was more of a natural fit for me with my past Project Management experience as well as pushing the timelines. We decide on a combination of task and strategies. Two key items again were the Social Media and Branding to keep all sites and items uniform and cohesive.

Thus making it easier to be seamless in our approach. In the early stages we did not have a specific campaign that we targeted, but as the relationship grew Alison interviewed us throughout the project to focus in on our target market which was huge!

What was the team composition?

My primary communications was directly with Alison, but from my understanding she had backend support like most of us small businesses. And not sure that I was informed around the size of the organization. Frankly was never concerned as I was actually the one slowing things down. Any date that was agreed upon was always meet and delivered early.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The impact of this relationship has been huge. We have had more comments on our Social Media sites and branding than I can count. Our followers love the weekly posting about the Summit County area to include the property.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect, because this is sort of a foreign area to me, but it has far exceeded with my initial thoughts were around it. Definitely money and time well spent!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I would say the workflow between both companies was seamless. Perspektiiv offered varying ideas and solutions on how to work on documents together, sharing our thoughts and ideas.

These tools came in very handy during COVID when we had to telework and did not always have items in front of us to look over. I also appreciate the general relationship when they truly cared about the success of our company and the project. Just doesn’t happen to often anymore.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Overall what they said they would do was done and to a very high level! If we had changes or made modifications it was never meet with anger, questions were asked so that they could ensure we would get what we wanted and again to that same high standard. Communications were very easy and transparent, so I never felt like I was in a holding pattern.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I was and still am completely happy with our relationship, so much that I have them earmarked for a few more projects. So nothing at this time to change on my behalf. "If its not broke don't fix it".

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am one of the co-founders and the CEO of Happy Mountain Kombucha. We brew, package, and distribute the best tasting kombucha in the Pacific Northwest.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Perspektiiv Design Co.?

We needed help with a full design process from scratch with custom printed boxes for each of our 6 standard flavors.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to create a unique, eye catching box design that could be distinguishable from one another while using only a single color on recycled cardboard. The boxes would stand out on their own, while also meeting the needs of our distributors to display necessary information while warehoused or being shipped.

SOLUTION

How did you select Perspektiiv Design Co.?

We had multiple referrals from other local business owners and friends of companies we admire. Perspektiiv's versatility with the brands they had worked with in the past, their portfolio of design capabilities, and ability to express a company's general vibe onto packaged goods made us confident they could do the job.

Describe the project in detail.

We first met with Alison from Perspekiiv, we sat down together and went over the look we were going for. They listened to our brand, style, and future goals with the company.

Once a general vibe of the company had been communicated, Alison presented some ideas they already had ready. After some back and forth on clarifying what we were looking to do, Alison took the ideas and created some rough mockups right in front of me. They were a perfect start.

Over the next month, there were 2 more revisions for a total of 3 revisions. Each time with only minor changes needed. Alison also helped work directly with the printers to make sure everything matched up directly with the final production.

The project was completed in the timeline we were looking for and Alison was very accommodating during a process that my company had not been through before.

What was the team composition?

People involved with this project were the box printer, Alison, and myself.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our distributor has made it clear our boxes stand out in the distribution warehouse. Customers are constantly commenting on the new designs. Grocery store members have mentioned how much easier it is to identify our brand and flavors.

Not to mention the custom boxes have saved our company time and money by not having to add labels to blank boxes and we now are able to print on recycled cardboard.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The process working with Perspektiiv was seamless and very effective. File transfers, education, and communication were as good as one could ask for.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The best part of the process was the ease. As a small business owner that has little experience in design tools, but a strong opinion of how I want our brand to look, Alison was able to take my idea and make it not only functional, but look better than I could have imagined. The process was simple (at least to me) which allowed me to focus on other parts of my business.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I honestly have no complaints. I've been looking for another project to work on with Perspektiiv and they will most definitely be my first choice when that next project happens.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a cocktail mix company. Our flagship product is a line of dry mixes that can fit in your pocket, allowing for easy transport when traveling, at concerts, or even just for home use. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Perspektiiv Design Co.?

We hired them for a brand identity and packaging project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

They were responsible for designing branding assets, logos, and packaging. Because we were on a time crunch, we needed the materials on our agreed deadlines.

What is the team composition? 

As far as I could tell, it seems like there’s only one person running the company. It would be better to call them a freelancer.

How did you come to work with Perspektiiv Design Co.?

I discovered them on a site called I Love Creatives because we needed someone who could do packaging design for us in a crunch. They were one of the few candidates that had done packaging. 

After showing their portfolio to our team, we agreed that their past designs were decent (at least on the forefront), but weren’t exactly what we wanted. We set them aside as our second choice and returned to them after our first choice didn’t work out.

How much have you invested with them?

They said they would charge us by the hour and provided an initial estimate. However, the final cost would typically be 1.5 times that. So, if a logo cost $1,000, the final price would be $1,500.

Not to mention, they would call us to ask questions about the task but then charge us for that time, even though they initiated the call. It felt like they didn’t care about the project and were just in it for the quick buck. 

In the end, we wasted $2,000 on designs that we couldn’t use.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from May–June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

How did your relationship with the vendor evolve?

It became apparent that they were more of hobby designers than professionals. The assets that they delivered felt amateurish, and I don’t think that they were familiar with packaging design. We asked for dielines, and they sent what looked to be a poorly-layered computer screen. That’s frustrating because the final results were things that I could do myself with my baseline knowledge of Photoshop. 

How did Perspektiiv Design Co. address the challenges that arose?

The communication was really poor. For example, after missing one of our deadlines, they told us that they would get us the design by Wednesday. They still missed the date and got it to us at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

When we messaged them asking to see the revisions and requesting small edits to meet our time crunch, they refused. The reason being that they don’t work past 5 p.m. nor respond during weekends. That seemed like a poor policy to adapt if they were going to send work at the last minute.

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

Ultimately, we didn’t get the deliverables we expected. After the issue with the last-minute delivery, I asked for the raw files so that I could try to finish the project myself. They declined the request, saying that they don’t send partial projects even though they knew we were on a deadline.

At that point, I was offering to do their job for them, and they wouldn’t even try to meet us halfway. They did send a few logos and emblems that were amateur-looking. However, we ended the engagement after the first round of packaging.

How did Perspektiiv Design Co. perform from a project management standpoint?

They knew that our schedule was based around a time crunch, so items had to be submitted on time. But, in the middle of the project, they went on a camping trip for two weeks, so we had to extend the project. 

Is there anything that the vendor did well or that you would consider a strength?

The brand that they’d sent to me was fine but not great. We didn’t use it, so it ended up being a waste of money.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Besides the nickel-and-diming, they shouldn’t take a vacation in the middle of a project and not respond to their clients. If a client asks for files, they shouldn’t refuse to provide them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re looking to do a branding and packaging project, save your money, and don’t work with them. There are plenty of other designers out there. Even if you’re on a schedule, don’t rush into the process without finding a design that matches up with your needs. You’ll want to find someone that you’re confident in.

Company Responses

The vendor responded on September 23, 2020.

Alison of Perspektiiv Design Co. terminated this project because of a void of contract by the client. Void of contract items included aggressive after-hours communication via text message, and refusal to pay invoices before approved work was delivered. Deliverable timelines were followed by Alison, however, delayed feedback from the client extended the project to out of the estimated timeline scope. After termination of this contract, all final and working files were delivered.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My name is Janet Turney and I am the owner of the Bear Creek Lodge in western Montana. Bear Creek Lodge is a high-end destination lodge for corporate retreats, weddings, reunions, etc. The lodge sits at the center of 155 acres of pristine nature with a mile of Bear Creek running through it. Private trout fishing, horseback riding & private trails for hiking.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Perspektiiv Design Co.?

I have worked with Perspektiiv Design on 2 projects; first, social media design work and second, design of our pamphlet.

What were your goals for this project?

To create and promote our company through creative marketing.

SOLUTION

How did you select Perspektiiv Design Co.?

Strong referrals.

Describe the project in detail.

Design work for marketing our lodge. Graphics and pamphlets.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Alison directly regarding our goals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yes, I was so pleased with her design work and received many compliments.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Perspektiiv Design Co. was professional, courteous, and reliable.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Professionalism and reliability.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I see.