PopArt Studio

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a systems engineer and administrator at Contec Cro, a civil engineering company that has offices in Croatia, Berlin, Bosnia, and Serbia. We’re a daughter company of a German company, so our investors are all based in that country. Our business is project-based, and our engineers and constructors carry out the projects remotely. One of our most recent large undertakings was for a Tesla building.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PopArt Studio?

At the time of this project, our parent company in Germany had a website, but the company here in Croatia didn’t. We needed web development and design support as well as hosting advice.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We didn’t really know what we wanted at the beginning, so we had a few meetings with PopArt Studio to come up with a design. We kept it simple with only a few animations to allow quick site loading and great responsiveness across mobile and desktop devices. 

PopArt Studio went on to find a good hosting provider for us and then developed our website on WordPress. Their team made the site available in German, English, and Croatian and created logos for our Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian companies.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with two people. One person was from sales and the other was a project leader. All communication went through them, though we have interacted with other members during our meetings.

How did you come to work with PopArt Studio?

I googled for vendors in Croatia and found a catalog of PopArt Studio’s work. I really liked what I saw and chose them based on their portfolio and because of the fact that we both spoke the same language. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from September–December 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we aren’t specialists in web design and development, we were very thankful for the guidance that PopArt Studio provided. They let us know what we needed to prepare on our end, and they led the project from the planning phase down to the accomplishment of each milestone. Their team also gave us great advice when it came to hosting and guided the design by telling us what pictures to use. We’re very appreciative of the discount that we got for the logo creation as well.

How did PopArt Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Despite our slow responses, PopArt Studio was very patient and professional. They always reminded us if we were falling behind on providing the necessary content. Their response time was great, and they delivered everything that was agreed upon.

I gave them access to our Teams account, so we communicated through there. We also exchanged documents via SharePoint or OneDrive and spoke through emails, phone calls, and video conferences.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can’t find just one impressive thing about them; they were such a great development team to work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Everyone can always improve on something, but I don’t have anything in mind for PopArt Studio.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend that you work with PopArt Studio. If you choose them as a service provider, you will be satisfied. They provide great results at a reasonable price, and they will guide you through the process. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the creator of a lifestyle blog.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PopArt Studio, and what were your goals?

I hired PopArt Studio to help me create branding (logo, colors, etc.) and web design from scratch for a new blogging website. I have no experience with branding or starting websites, and when I first reached out to them the idea in my head was a little bit hazy and I needed a lot of help with the overall concept, structure, design, and everything.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I looked up branding agencies that had a style and website that looked like what I wanted and then I asked for quotes. PopArt quoted a price that included branding, design, and development for about the same price as other places (based out of the US and Australia) for just branding alone. It was a good value.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

PopArt developed a detailed proposal for me and we had a meeting to discuss scope before agreeing to work together. Then I met with a project manager and designer to share my vision.

We started first with the branding, colors, and logo. They sent me various designs to react to and we went back and forth until I was happy with it.

Then we moved onto web design. I met with the team every couple of weeks to go over what they sent me and talk about anything I owed them (text, descriptions, blog posts, feedback, etc.).

They did some custom coding/development in WordPress for my site and linked it up with MailChimp and various social media platforms. The features they developed were: comments, custom headers, custom contact form, drop downs, archive, and all the standard pages you'll find on a blog/website.

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

I primarily worked with a project manager who was the intermediary between me and 2-3 designers/developers. I met the designers/developers a couple times.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The design and website features were above and beyond what I imagined. They nailed the design/colors/logo/drawings. And they added some custom site features that were really cool, for example a thing on the side of each blog post that tracks what section you are in so you can see your reading progress.

I was most impressed by their art skills - they did some AWESOME drawings for me. The whole site looks spectacular and fun.

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

We met every couple of weeks (mostly because I was very slow at giving them content). They sent me designs in some sort of web design tool that made it easy to view all the versions. I sent them content via email. And I'm not sure what tool they used to stage the website.

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

Talented artists! They have very strong design skills and a lot of expertise with custom coding, SEO optimization, and WordPress. I didn't have experience with any of this, so they took the time to help me understand the different decisions we made and how to run the site myself.

I enjoyed working with and collaborating with everyone. They helped me shape my vision and create something much better than I imagined.

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

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for a tier-one automotive parts manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PopArt Studio?

We needed help to build a new website for one of our sub-brands.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

PopArt Studio helped us build a custom WordPress website for our sub-brand, for which they included a lot of content about the sub-brand and the products on offer. Their goal was to present and display the products’ characteristics in as positive of a light as possible.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project manager and someone representing their designers. PopArt Studio also had developers working on the project, but we never interacted with them directly.

How did you come to work with PopArt Studio?

We did a couple of web searches, saw some websites, talked to a couple of different companies, and decided to go with PopArt Studio. We found out that they had an office in Chicago near where we were located, which was appealing to us as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $5,000–$6,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

PopArt Studio did everything we asked them for, and they created a good-looking website. However, we haven’t launched the brand yet, so we don’t have any results to report.

How did PopArt Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

PopArt Studio’s project management was very good. Our project manager was very attentive and on top of any status changes or issues. We mostly arranged meetings using Outlook.

What did you find most impressive about them?

PopArt Studio was very diligent and hardworking, and we always thought that they offered tremendous value for the money. Overall, they were very accommodating.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The more concrete your idea is, the quicker PopArt Studio is going to help you realize it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Ibis Solutions is a company for software development and system integration. I am at the position of Marketing Director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PopArt Studio, and what were your goals?

After separating the part of the software development company from the measuring equipment part, we needed a website for the software part. Since we do not have employed people who deal with web design, especially nor SEO specialists we decided to hire PopArt Studio.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

After detailed conversations with 8 agencies that submitted their offers, we decided on Popart Studio because the offer was the most comprehensive and best defined, which showed us that they manage their business well.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

At the first two meetings, the structure of the site was defined. After that, the design of all pages and elements that can be used in WordPress was done. When the final version of the design was approved, the developers of the PopArt Studio finished the code, so we worked together on creating and entering the content.

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

1 project manager 1 web designer 2 SEO specialists 2 developers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

W started with new site few weeks ago, we didn't promote it and since the branch of the company is new, so far we have not had a website for that part, so we can't compare the data. What we can say is according to Google Page Speed insights, Desktop version have a score of 98 and Mobile version 86.

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

Responsible account manager, weekly meetings and respecting agreed deadlines.

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

They have a great web designer who usually guesses the direction we want from the first time. Very good SEO optimization specialists who know how to compromise between performance and requirements set by busines.

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

From the current point of view, everything was more than good, so I can't assess what they should improve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization is a video production company. I am a filmmaker as well as one of the co-owners.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PopArt Studio?

We needed a new website for our show called Marka Žvaka, so we hired PopArt Studio.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project began with PopArt Studio giving us ideas and suggestions for the design, structure, and architecture of the website. We are not professionals when it comes to developing websites, so we asked them to give us recommendations that we could choose from. When it was all done, they walked us through the website and explained how everything works.

What is the team composition?

We were in contact with 5–10 people from the team. The team is based in another town from ours, but we got to meet their owner when we went to do some filming around their location. 

How did you come to work with PopArt Studio?

We had heard about PopArt Studio; they are kind of famous in Serbia. People were saying that they were good and one of the best, so we went to their portfolio and looked at the other websites that they had done. We liked what we saw, so we decided to go with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with PopArt Studio in July 2020. The website went live just recently, but we’re still asking the team to do some work for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We appreciate that PopArt Studio came in with all those different design ideas in the beginning. They’ve implemented all the things that we wanted.

They’re a very professional team. Whenever we have concerns or remarks, we get a response within an hour. There’s always someone available to answer our questions.

How did PopArt Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

PopArt Studio’s project management is good. There are no problems in our cooperation. We usually communicate through email and video chat. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We don’t have much experience with other providers as we don’t often have the need to create a website, so I don’t know what makes them different. However, working with PopArt Studio has been a  great, problem-free experience for us. Their communication is very professional and they are there for us all the time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they could improve on. They could’ve offered us 2–3 more ideas in the beginning, but we liked their first idea so much that we decided to go with it and didn’t get a chance to see other suggestions they may have had.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go for it. PopArt Studio will be there for you. We didn’t have any difficulties in the process, and everything was just right.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of a catering and event venue company in Seattle, WA.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PopArt Studio?

PopArt Studio created a new website for us, utilize a new brand and vision that greatly differed from our old brand.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We looked for designers in our area and were unimpressed with the number of deliverables versus cost. With PopArt, their willingness to work within our budget and their high level of communication and responsiveness were the deciding factors.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

I was able to provide our number of pages, all copy, logo, colors, and vision for the site before our first meeting - from there, I met the entire team via webconference and they walked me through all of their steps, needs, and timeline. Then they designed the homepage, and with a few small tweaks, were approved to design all pages. Once approved, the design was sent to the developer who completed all of the coding. The last step was placing it on our host site, and a helpful training on how to use the theme they developed on Wordpress for future edits and updates..

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

One project manager, one designer, one developer, and then many people working in the background.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website is still in the soft launch phase, but already we have received feedback about the elevation of our brand/tone/overall look of our website. In addition, the ease with which we can navigate the theme within WordPress is phenomenal; leaps and bounds above any other wordpress theme I have worked with.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was wonderful. The time difference between our locations meant that they were hard at work when I was asleep, and vice versa. However, that actually was a great boon - when I awoke each morning I had progress updates or tasks to complete, and because they weren't waiting for an urgent reply, I was able to confer with my team and work on the copy, images, or other requests throughout the day. Once I provided them by the early evening, then they were waiting in the developer's inbox for when they started the next morning. It was the least high-pressure contract work I've ever experienced.

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

They were thoughtful, communicative, and clear in their progress reports and their requests for information. I also was greatly impressed by their willingness to work within our budget. I believe that this was possible because we came to them with our proposed sitemap, brand guidelines, copy/text, and images prepared - but regardless, no other company we spoke with promised to deliver the same output for the same price.

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

No. Their output was the perfect balance of what we wanted and their input on best practices. We were able to collaborate and create a perfect website.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of development at Cayenne Creative. We’re a digital marketing firm that does a lot of website construction work as well as general design. We do about 50% of our work in-house, and the other 50% is outsourced.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PopArt Studio?

Primarily, we were faced with a high-profile project for one of our biggest clients. We had a very short timeframe to execute the project. The site needed to be dynamic, and the client wanted it to be award-winning. Our team needed to bring in really skilled developers. We brought PopArt Studio on to build and oversee the construction work.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we gave PopArt Studio initial wireframes as well as showed them a couple of websites we were borrowing from. During the course of the project, we ended up delivering full designs and a style guide. Their team was enthusiastic from the very beginning that they could handle about anything. That confidence early on was what convinced me to go with them even that I had never worked with them.

The site was built with WordPress on the backend. There’s also a very fast-loading frontend. From the beginning, we were considering a JavaScript framework, like React, for the frontend. The website also needed a lot of animation. When we talked through the wireframes and the kind of experience we were looking for, PopArt Studio felt they could give me a good estimate before they even saw the design as well as a level of confidence that they could complete it.

What is the team composition?

During the initial discussions, I spoke with Tomislav (Chief Sales Officer). Once the project kicked off, I dealt with Jelena (Project Manager) and a developer.

How did you come to work with PopArt Studio?

I looked around for offshore resources that were familiar with WordPress and had a lot of design experience. I saw both of those requirements in PopArt Studio’s portfolio. They were willing to take on the project given its timeframe restrictions and design challenges. We could tell they’d be a great fit for meeting those challenges.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested about $12,000 for this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started in January 2021. We launched the site last week, and now we’re starting a new project with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The first measure of success was getting to the finish line. The challenge was that there was so much to do and the content came in very late. We didn’t receive the content until two weeks before the site had to go online. That meant that the supporting website had to change to accommodate the challenges in the content.

As a developer, we want to have all of those things ironed out long before we build it; that was not the situation here. We had a long list of issues and tasks as we were developing the site. Every single task was completed prior to the site going live. The backend was built on time and within budget.

Additionally, the reaction from the client was overwhelmingly good. They thought the site was fantastic. There’s been a lack of technical bugs, so that is great. PopArt Studio's skillset with the technology we were using was a real bonus. They agreed with the suggestion to use JavaScript for the frontend. It made for a really nice experience.

Our developer had a lot of experience and was able to guide us. Typically, I’m directing developers and telling them how to do things. In this case, I was happy to pass that responsibility to them and allow them to worry about implementation details. It was a wonderful turnaround from what a normal relationship is like for me.

How did PopArt Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

We started off by having weekly calls through Skype and Zoom. We also communicated through email and tracked issues on a Google Sheet. I could reach out directly to the developer on Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was very impressed with the project management side of things. When working with offshore firms, there usually isn’t someone to translate our request into definable tasks to help those developers make real-time decisions. Because of the time difference, I wasn’t there to metaphorically hold their hands during the design process so I depended on the project manager to distill what our primary objectives were and to help guide decisions on their end.

At the same time, the developer was making a lot of decisions on his own. He was creative and wasn’t just waiting for me to directly dictate and paint by numbers. Our developer contributed a lot of interesting interactions to the site. Based on his own skill and experience, we were able to make suggestions that helped the site move along quickly rather than waiting for us to make a call about something.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind at this time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Enlarge your vision when you’re working with PopArt Studio and leverage their built-in creativity and problem-solving skills. Don’t feel that you need to have a fully defined project when you come to them. They have a lot of design skills. Be open to engaging with them earlier in the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a metal office furniture producer. We’re a family-owned company that was established about 50 years ago.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with PopArt Studio?

About 10 years ago, we had a very underwhelming website. It wasn’t very professional, so we hired PopArt Studio to support design and development.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Since building the first site, they’ve built a second and third version of the platform as well. The latest iteration was built on WordPress. Now they provide SEO services and manage Google Ad campaigns.

What is the team composition?

I work with 4–5 people, including the CEO.

How did you come to work with PopArt Studio?

I found them through a recommendation.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than €10,000 (approximately $12,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started cooperating with PopArt Studio about 10 years ago, in January 2011, when they were a small company. We’ve worked with them ever since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We will stick with them because we know they’re professional. We have a lot of inquiries because of their work.

How did PopArt Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Their prices have always been a little higher than others, even at the beginning of our engagement. Now I don’t even question our partnership because the investment has been worth it. We’re happy to pay for their services.

Every person on their team communicates with us directly. We’re completely satisfied with how we work together. Even today, we’ve received 3–4 emails from their team regarding financing and ad campaigns. Everybody on their team does their part to get the job done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I describe what I want, they know what I mean and are able to design a better version of what I had in mind. That has always impressed me. On top of that, their design and communication abilities are top-notch.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We would always like our projects to be completed sooner, but that’s something I can always discuss with them on a case-by-case basis.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’ve told colleagues in the past not to worry about PopArt Studio’s price because their team is great. You can trust that the project will be done well and delivered on time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide top-of-the-line Application Security to Enterprise FinTech, TelCo, Healthcare, and Federal agencies. I am a product manager & product marketing manager, and oversaw the PopArt project from my end.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PopArt Studio, and what were your goals?

Needed to build a new website from scratch to improve our presence in the public arena.

SOLUTION

How did you select PopArt Studio and what were the deciding factors?

Aesthetics, design quality, price, and reviews.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Started with high-level design discussions, then spent a few weeks working with a dedicated team to land our stylistic direction, put together graphics, and finalize our messaging. After design, we had a small team of developers working around the clock for 5 weeks to implement the whole website using WordPress on our hosting.

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

4: Sales, Project Manager, Designer, and Developer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

+200% increase in website traffic 2-3x longer duration -20% bounce rate

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

2-3x weekly standup meetings for 10-15 minutes Daily design deliverables at first, then slowed down to weekly page launches

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

Their ability to land a unique stylistic direction is impressive. Animations load fast and are incredibly smooth. Also their ability to respond to changes in scope are very good.

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

Integrating outside forms went a little less smoothly than anticipated, but we had a unique situation and worked through it as needed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a software development company that creates custom mobile app solutions for the fitness and wellness industry. We aim to expedite the interaction between professionals and consumers through the development of modern, dynamic, and intuitive applications.

Our company employs various technologies, such as Viewport Meta, IPhone / Mobile Compatible, and ASP.NET. I am among the lead developers in the company.

Besides development, I am in charge of conducting in-depth research into the most optimal technologies used for our projects, as well as analyzing different work processes that will provide us with the best position in the industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire PopArt Studio, and what were your goals?

We were looking for a partner that could assist us in the development of web projects based on PHP and Laravel, as well as creating the design and development of custom-built WordPress themes.

We began working together on a smaller project related to the wellness industry, but as we quickly grew fond of the team and were impressed by their work, knowledge, and quality, we started collaborating on more complex, bigger projects.

Regardless of their level of involvement, tasks in hand, and the complexity of the work PopArt Studio had to do, they always excelled and delivered a quality solution in a timely manner.

SOLUTION

How did you select PopArt Studio and what were the deciding factors?

PopArt Studio comes from my home country, Serbia. I was already somewhat familiar with their brand and work, and when our company was looking for a partner, I began a more thorough inquiry of PopArt's works and projects.

I discovered that they opened a Chicago-based office as well, and it was a green light for me because expanding on the US market is a telltale of their expertise, experience, and quality.

Furthermore, I visited their Clutch profile to see other clients' reviews, contacted acquaintances to get a first-hand opinion on the company, and of course, had a good look at their portfolio and website.

Once we had the first meeting with the PopArt Studio's team, my colleagues and I were impressed by their ideas, motivation, and transparency, and our partnership officially began.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We initially worked with PopArt Studio on the development of a web application for a wellness center. The app boasted a complex reservation system as it was necessary to include time slots that would show available bookings in real-time.

The idea was to enable web visitors to see available bookings for particular services. However, as the wellness center offered varied services and had numerous employees, PopArt Studio had the task of transforming this complex idea into a simple, intuitive, and straightforward user dashboard.

PopArt Studio's team managed to create a coherent user path where the booking of service is only a few clicks away. As for the technologies used during the various projects, PopArt Studio used React, JavaScript, PHP, Laravel framework, HTML, and CSS.

React enabled us the most interactivity and improved loading speed of the web apps, whereas PHP and Laravel were used to create custom dashboards and back-end development for comprehensive admin access for updating bookings, services, and other elements.

Besides the wellness app, PopArt Studio also took part in developing an app for a chain of fitness centers. The task was similar to the previous one, however, it was more complex as it entailed more locations, and creating a web application with great UI and UX design.

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

I mainly communicated with the project manager but there were also UI and UX designers, as well as front-end and back-end developers. We had regular weekly meetings where we received updates and feedbacks regarding the project stages.

Besides these, we had monthly meetings with the entire team where we discussed future steps and plans within the project scope.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

PopArt Studio has delivered quality, reliable, and professionally-built digital products within the deadline, and in accordance with all requests and necessary features the app had to include.

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

Communication with the PopArt Studio's team was efficient and straightforward. They proved to be a team of creative, hard-working, kind, and dedicated individuals who poured their ideas and visions into each stage of the projects we cooperated on.

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

I was really thrilled to witness a company from my home country emanating professionalism in all aspects of their business, from communication with clients and partners to the specific tasks during project work.

They offer reasonable prices, delivery in time, quality products, and service on a global level.

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

We would like to see PopArt Studio embark on a journey into the world of software development because we are certain that their professionalism, knowledge, and potential would not go unnoticed.

So, besides web development, they should really consider kicking off some software development projects.