Rugged®

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing associate at a healthy lifestyle company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rugged Coastal?

We needed help with the development of social media campaigns.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I worked with them on a social media filter to support our summer campaign. It’s based on the idea that our program fits into the member’s life and they can make it into what they need it to be. On first visiting the site, members are greeted with a rotating GIF showcasing a variety of different styles. At the end, it says, “show us your style.” The filter then allows the member to upload their picture and add a word into the blank space to articulate their style. They can then download it or share it on social media.

One of the capabilities that we requested, and they implemented, was a blocker for certain words, such as curse words. They integrated a system where a member wouldn’t be able to submit a photo unless it passed a blacklisted word check.

There’s also a library of curated images that Rugged created from a pool of our master content. People can see the different ways they could use the filter, resize the word, or changing the color, etc. In the library of images, we have marketing content buckets, where certain images link to relevant content.

The site is currently paused because we’re rebranding and working on updating it. That concerns our font, colors, and general brand guide. This campaign has ended, and we will move toward our winter campaign to activate our new brand.

What is the team composition?

Our sole point of contact is RJ (Designer & Owner, Rugged Coastal).

How did you come to work with Rugged Coastal?

We had worked with another vendor last year on a similar filter, but they were unable to take us on this year due to the tight timeline. They provided Rugged Coastal as a recommendation and connected us to them because they knew their work was solid and reliable.

How much have you invested with them?

Our brand contracted Rugged for a high number of hours, so the cost came to a little under $50,000.

We shared this capability with our global partners and Rugged was contracted to create two additional features; one for Germany and one for the U.K. Each of those countries paid $12,000 to put them on retainer to create and manage their sites.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw incredible engagement, especially in the first couple of weeks—people were really excited about it and there were a lot of shares. There was massive participation both internally and externally, and it was well received by our member base. The KPI for us is downloads and shares, and we exceeded our previous campaigns and our expectations by four or five-fold.

The performance leveled off to the point where we could see a distinct pattern. It would go from X number of downloads every day for about two weeks, then drop off to around half of that and then to half of that. As a result, we used smaller marketing tactics to push the filter by putting it in our newsletter or promo emails.

We also addressed the drop off by asking Rugged to update the filter on a seasonal basis. We see increased performance whenever we articulate to our members that there’s a new way to participate in the filter.

How did Rugged Coastal perform from a project management standpoint?

RJ is fantastic. We speak all the time, even on nights and weekends. He’s quick to give me a call, answer my emails, or at the very least acknowledge the email. The communication is excellent.

There was a bit of a disconnect with their tracking system at the beginning as they use Amazon, and I initially found it difficult to see the downloads accurately. The system provided a rounded number. It would have been nicer to have something that showed exact metrics to provide to upper management.

Everything was delivered on time and impeccably, in the sense of how we asked for it to be. I appreciated their availability, attention to detail, and the general working relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very knowledgeable about UX and backend aspects. I have no technical background, so I let them take the reins and execute, which is very helpful. They did a great job managing expectations while providing expertize on what they’ve seen work well in the past.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The tracking capabilities could be a lot better if they implemented something like Google Analytics.

Also, there were a few moments where their judgment was clouded by their expertize. For example, if we asked them to make an edit and they didn’t agree with it, they wouldn’t hesitate to push back. I understand they want to guide us to the best possible solution, but there were times when I articulated that something was non-negotiable due to our upper management and we still received pushback.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure the tracking metrics are in order so as not to miss out on any data.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product line director for Twelve Weight. We’re a small, artisanal apparel and accessory brand that focuses on sun-protective clothing. Our current target audience is the fly-fishing market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rugged Coastal?

We started as a print-focused retailer, but as our company expanded, we decided to implement a more direct marketing campaign. We still maintain our print presence but needed an agency to work on our digital visibility and e-commerce site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rugged Coastal helps us design, build, and implement advertisements that align with our strategies and schedules while staying within our minimal marketing budget. Their services span print and digital channels, creating content for each that reflects our core brand. Additionally, they provide new ideas and suggestions to help us stay ahead of our competition.

Near the start of the engagement, the team helped us move our site from a local template provider to a new platform, which gave us more digital horsepower. The updated shop has enhanced shopping cart and credit card processing features. Rugged Coastal shoots all of our products featured on the site, helping us catalog and display our available inventory. They’ve also assisted with copywriting, header designs, blog posts, and much more.

Currently, we’re collaborating to keep up with our advertising strategy, publishing content on our website every two weeks. The content describes fishing trips, tells our products’ story, or explains how our technology works. They’re also helping us design graphics for our new apparel and products and are working on a visual project. They’re producing a video that illustrates our company’s origin story.

What is the team composition?

Initially, our main point of contact was RJ (Designer/Owner, Rugged Coastal). Over the years, he added members to the team and expanded the relationship, so now we interact with their whole team.

How did you come to work with Rugged Coastal?

RJ reached out to our company following a recommendation from his brother, who had heard of us locally. RJ was in the process of relocating to Portland, Maine, and, being a fisherman himself, he understood our market and was interested in starting a partnership. At that point, we were still a small business, so we weren’t really looking for a marketing partner, but we kept in touch. When the time was right, we re-engaged and ultimately agreed to work together.

How much have you invested with them?

We have a monthly retainer with Rugged Coastal, but they also help with additional projects that range in size and cost.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2015, and it’s an ongoing partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All of their work reflects our brand, which creates a cohesive presence when our products are featured in magazines, gear guides, or awards listings. We credit a lot of our success to Rugged Coastal because their design and advertising strategies help us create effective content. They’ve really helped our audiences understand our business, our products, and our values.

Specifically looking at the website, we’ve doubled our business, and our online exposure continues to grow. So far, Rugged Coastal has been a valuable partner, and we’re excited to be working with them.

How did Rugged Coastal perform from a project management standpoint?

Over the course of our engagement, Rugged Coastal has established a level of familiarity with our company and how we operate. They understand the scope of each project, creating reasonable and accurate estimates. They’re mindful of our budget, which we appreciate. With a diligent and honest work ethic, they always deliver high-quality products. If we ever disagree, they listen to the differing viewpoints and suggest a solution that pleases both sides.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re still a young and evolving company, but it’s truly one of their key strengths. The team is aware of new practices and technologies, but they’re still open to more conventional points of view. They can balance the ideas of more youthful generations with established advertising strategies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. They’re in the process of gaining experience and are getting some traction in the field. They’re expanding their portfolio of offered services, so it’s clear that they're confident in their skills. From my perspective, their future looks promising.

Any advice for potential customers?

Clients should have faith in Rugged Coastal’s abilities; they can produce really interesting content. Lay out the vision as clearly as possible, then go through their team’s process. They have a lot of potential and are very respectful of their client’s time and budget, but there has to be a little bit of give-and-take.