Stan Branding

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing and sales organization at Pelmen Foods. We are a private, medium-sized, and vertically integrated manufacturer. We sell and market frozen perogies, a type of European dumpling. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

We developed a Slavic ethnical brand of perogies, and we needed the brand and packaging. We approached Stan Branding to do the packaging design for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stan Branding provided us with eight unique and different design options and creative streams. We selected one, and then they made the design.

Before providing those eight options, they looked at the market to see what our competitors were doing. We provided a brief and had discussions about the concept of the design. We had multiple conversations regarding our market, competitors, consent clause, what’s done well, and what is not — that helped them design the concepts. 

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

We looked at several design depository websites. We were impressed with Stan Branding’s designs, and that is how we started talking to them and other companies. 

We approached Stan Branding and asked if they were interested in doing the packaging for us. They said they were interested and asked for the brief; which I provided. Then, we had a conversation, clarified the brief, provided us with a quote, and started working.

How much have you invested with them?

We paid less than $10,000 for the designs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from November 2019–February 2020.  This was a turnkey project, and they completed the ethnic packaging design. We are still in communication about certain pieces, but they delivered what we needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are a private company, so I’m not at liberty to disclose the revenue. However, we launched the brand, and it is working; there are sales in those stores.

The work was very well designed. They offered a lot of options in the beginning, which was great. All of the design options were high-quality concepts that didn’t overlap. The quality was excellent.

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was very good. They were very attentive and followed a specific process. They also hit the deadlines. We typically communicated via video conferencing and emails. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We had a very specific task, which was to develop an ethnic brand. Stan Branding offers high-quality design work that is quite mainstream. Because they’re based in Ukraine, they have a specific view that helped us. Those two factors were important to us. The price was also reasonable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

On the project management side, they could improve to make it more formally structured. It's not critical, but it could help. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Agree on a timeline, and stick to it. That was the case for us, but I always find that critical in any project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

A boutique publishing and marketing firm that partners with authors to create distinct forward-thinking brand identities around their books. Co-Founder

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Stan Branding?

We hire Stan Branding for all of our book cover designs, branding kits, logos and illustrations.

SOLUTION

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

the professionalism, turn around time and talent stands above the rest.

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

Complete Book Cover Design... 3 Cover Samples Based on a Design Brief Shared with You 1 Final Flat Front (.jpeg or .png) 1 Final Flat Back (.jpeg or .png) 1 Final Flat Cover Wrap (.jpeg or .png) 1 Final Ebook Cover 1 Final Audiobook Cover 2 Final Paperback Print Covers Based on the Template From KDP & Template From IngramSpark ALL Master Source Files All Fonts Used (at a minimum the list of fonts) List of Colors Used (RGB & CMYK)

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

One - Stan the Founder of the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The author loved the final cover design, and Stan was highly creative with the design, took the design brief, and created a fantastic concept.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extremely effective, professional, and streamlined saving us all time and money.

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

Their talent and the level of customer service were impressive. 

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

No, this is why we will use Stan Branding for all of our design projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an e-commerce manager for a lighting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

We needed help with branding and e-commerce design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stan Branding has provided the design for our e-commerce. For our branding efforts, they’ve created logos, pictures, and artwork, among other things.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with two people from their team.

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

They were referred. We heard that they were good and fast at delivering, so we decided to try them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between €5,000–€10,000 (approximately $6,100–$12,200 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in December 2019, and it’s a continuous collaboration.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re very easy to work and communicate with. Also, they translate our ideas into designs quickly and accurately.

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through Slack. We’ve never had an issue with deadlines; they’ve even delivered ahead of time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their communication skills and high-quality design are most impressive. We’ve worked with other agencies before, but Stan Branding is better, faster, and easier to communicate with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d definitely recommend them. They bring many great ideas into the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a B2B food production company that produces soups and spices. We sell our products exclusively to retailers and wholesalers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

Our brand is well-known in Austria, and we were adding a new product to our inventory. The soups that we sell are different from all the others — we only use high-quality ingredients and no table sugar, and they’re ready to eat without boiling. 

We didn’t want to lump it in with all the other soups because both the quality and the price are higher. As a result, we were looking for a design that represented the high quality of our product. We had some dark colors and old-looking designs, and we wanted to make it fresh.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stan Branding did a redesign of our existing layout based on the content we provided. We’ve done five projects altogether, including a brochure and a roll up banner. In addition, we’ve had a lot of follow-up work with them since they finished the final product, including changes to the design and new products added to the catalog.

What is the team composition?

I mostly talk to Stan (Founder & CEO), so I’m not sure what the team size is. He acts as project manager and there’s also a designer. We’ve also got some advice about the content from one of their writers.

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

We posted the task on 99designs and got designs from over 100 designers. Stan Branding was the winner of the contest.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost so far has been around €5,000 (approximately $6,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Stan Branding in June 2019 and the final design was handed over to us in around five weeks. The collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s a new product and we don’t have anything to compare to show the impact. However, we did a field test of the soup and it got market acceptance — people absolutely loved it. We also tested five other proposed designs, and everyone preferred the design from Stan Branding. We’re very happy with the Stan Branding team and the results.

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via email, WhatsApp, and the 99designs platform. I upload my files and information there, and they give me back design proposals. Every task is performed quickly and to my full satisfaction.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s easy to communicate with the team. They pick up requirements fast without us having to explain a lot or make hundreds of revisions. They’re also good at accommodating any changes we may ask for.  

We used 99designs before working with Stan Branding, and we had a different designer for each project. It was a problem for our brand because we had to explain the history of the company, colors, and other details. For the last two years, we’ve only worked with Stan Branding and we’re very satisfied with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything Stan Branding could improve.

Any advice for potential customers?

The more detailed the requirements, the better the results will be. If the client gives a precise indication of what they want, Stan Branding will do an awesome job. They’re really professional and I love working with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an office admin at Domensa GmbH, an e-commerce company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

We needed help with graphic design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stan Branding designs the graphic for our Amazon listings.

What is the team composition?

I work with Stan (CEO).

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

My boss found them a few years ago on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000–$49,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We love Stan Branding’s work. Their designs are fantastic and of outstanding quality. It’s perfect every time. 

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate using Skype, and they work very fast. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Stan has a lot of good ideas, and he knows what we want and need. We’ll definitely continue to work with him.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I’d have them improve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company focuses on the online distribution of cannabis products, specifically CBD.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

A lot of companies and freelance designers out there offered their services to us quite often, but the challenge was to find a designer that could match our style and corporate identity in the best way. We hired Stan Branding to help us with our packaging design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stan Branding does everything regarding packaging, including the flyers and promotional material that we send to our customers, including the lighters that we give out as gifts. 

Normally, the work starts out with a brief which we send to Stan (Founder & CEO). It contains all the initial details needed so that he gets a feeling of what the new product line should look like. Once the brief is sent, we will spend the next weeks working on it together, doing everything through 99designs. Every product that we currently have on our website has been designed by their team. He’s also designed our gift cards, newsletters, and different marketing communication tools. At the moment, Stan Branding is working on a new flyer for our products.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with Stan and two others.

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

I knew Stan from his previous work. We kicked off our collaboration after I found him again on 99designs.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $20,000–$25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019. We’re continuously creating new products and new communication tools so Stan is still with us on this project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since we’re a startup, it’s the first time we’ve gone to market. Our company is exploding right now, so I would say that our products definitely match the needs of our customers. There is consistency in brand and concept throughout all our different product lines, all thanks to Stan Branding.

Everything they’ve done looks very premium. They understand the whole concept, and I believe that’s why they match our style.

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

Working with Stan Branding is uncomplicated, clear, and straightforward, and we can always reach them within a few hours. Stan is always available for his clients especially when something is urgent, which is very helpful for a young company like us. 

We speak daily through WhatsApp or 99designs, and we always have an overview of the status of the project. They normally complete work before deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Stan Branding offers excellent service in every aspect of their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Maybe they need to read through things twice because there have been times when they do an overcorrection but not in the right way. It doesn’t happen often, though. They need to test more carefully but I believe they’re already careful about it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would definitely recommend Stan Branding. All the points I’ve discussed here are what really makes them an outstanding brand on 99designs and other platforms. It’s very important to provide a very clear and conceptual briefing with all the information required. Stan is good at taking these briefings, doing research, and producing mockups of designs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and owner of a gift company. We sell on Amazon mainly within the US and a few other marketplaces.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

I was looking for someone to help me with the packaging design for one of my products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When I work with designers, I like to provide a basic idea of what’s important to me for the design because it helps me see how creative the designer is.

Typically, I start by telling Stan Branding all the specifics that I want to emphasize in the packaging or listing, including texts, product benefits, or any other details. After that, they start working on the project and ask questions when needed.

They produce the first draft based on the direction that I give them. The draft includes 2–3 different options, and from there I choose the one that I love the most. We continue working on that draft, and after a few rounds of changes, I get a final result.

In addition to that, Stan Branding worked on improvements for one of my existing products that weren’t selling very well.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Stan (Founder & CEO).

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

I’d been disappointed with designers in the past. Stan Branding was recommended to us by a good friend of mine — he said great things about them. I contacted them, and they made a good impression.

We did an initial packaging design test project, which I was very happy with. Therefore, we moved forward with more packaging and image designs for my Amazon listings.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $2,500 on their work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together about 1–2 years ago in 2018. There are a couple of months between each project. Currently, I’m planning on engaging with them again for some packaging and image design for a listing, which includes about 8–10 images.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I always consult with fellow sellers, family, and friends, and they all gave me very good comments about its new look. Additionally, I saw an improvement on the listing after they implemented the changes.

As far as the new products, I can say that my business is doing well and all of the products are selling. I’ve switched designers quite a few times in the past because it’s not easy to find a good one. However, I’ll continue working with Stan Branding because I’m very pleased with their results.

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

The communication with Stan Branding is great. Their team listens and takes all comments into consideration. Even if I ask them for more than what was originally promised, they really care about me being happy with their work — that's one of the most important aspects for me.

They don’t make us adhere to any specific platform for communication. Instead, we just talk whenever and however we can. We use WhatsApp and emails, and I’ve even spoken with Stan over the phone to explain some of my design preferences.

In the beginning, we did one product using 99designs. However, once we established a good communication flow, we started working directly with each other.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive aspect about Stan Branding is their quality. Their results are far better than what we’ve seen from other designers and at a great price. There are other good designers out there, but they’re really expensive.

While Stan Branding isn’t exactly cheap, the quality of their work is definitely worth it. This is the main reason why I’m still working with them. They’ve done a really good job.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything that they could improve.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be very clear about your needs and the direction that you want to take. Don’t over-manage them —let their creativity flow. When you control every color and detail, you get what you want, however, you won’t benefit from their creativity. If you hire a professional, you need to allow them to express themselves.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior marketing manager at getDigital. We produce and sell merchandise products online.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

We needed their team to produce the design layout and materials for our commercials and print ads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stan Branding creates cartoon drawings and layouts for our company’s online commercials and print materials like brochures and flyers. They’re also in charge of making sure that the wording and design placement are all according to our brand’s theme before we approve these materials for printing or online publishing.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with Stan (CEO & Founder) and Anna (Co-Founder).

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

We found their profile on Upwork.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $80,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in September 2016, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have enough metrics or numbers as it’s hard to measure design work, but I can confidently say that we’re always pleased with their agency’s astounding work.

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We use Basecamp to send our drawing and layout requests to their team. Stan Brading is always communicative and prompt — they always manage to send their deliverables 1–2 weeks ahead of the deadlines we set.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Stan Branding has met our company’s design expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing to complain about. I’ve had a great working relationship with their team.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be sure to have a clear schedule — I think that’s the most important aspect because design takes time, and good design takes even more time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of an e-commerce coffee company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

We wanted to outsource the designs for our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At first, we gave them an overall vision of what we expect in the product. I’m not an artist, but I send them examples of our needs, and they put our vision down — we’ve been working together for some time, so now they know what we like. Currently, they’re providing everything from website images to product packaging for our brand through several projects we’re working on together.

What is the team composition?

We mainly work with Stan (Founder) for this project.

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

We found them through 99Designs.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $5,000–$10,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2019, and the engagement it’s ongoing. They’re our go-to partner whenever we have a campaign for our brand.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can see how they put down my vision in any project we work on — that’s the main thing for me about our partnership.

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We work with them through 99Designs because they don’t accept PayPal payments nor other traditional payment methods we’re comfortable with. Additionally, there’s a dashboard on that platform that eases the tracking of the project with a history of everything that goes on. Besides that, we communicate through WhatsApp for day-to-day communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their fast turnaround on deliverables is what I think distinguishes them from others. Also, their prices are fair, and they’re able to tune in with our directions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I know this takes a lot of time, but I’d like to have more revisions on the work they deliver.

Any advice for potential customers?

Their work is as good as the examples and descriptions you give to them about your requirements — if you’re not clear enough, you won’t get their best results. On the other hand, if you’re detailed on your end vision, they’ll give you a good result in the first couple of revisions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of a direct-to-consumer e-commerce company with a focus on the North American and European Amazon marketplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stan Branding?

We needed to do a rebranding for one of our brands. We wanted a new logo, color box, and website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stan Branding’s team and I met up via Skype to discuss our goals and brainstorm ideas. After they had a clear picture of what we wanted, they worked on the designs. They sent me some previews and concepts, and I decided which one I liked the most. Finally, they delivered the designs after a few weeks of going back and forth.

Stan Branding continues to help us with some of our projects.

What is the team composition?

Stan (Creative CEO) is my main point of contact, but 2–3 people work with him.

How did you come to work with Stan Branding?

I got Stan Branding’s phone number from a friend of mine who was very satisfied with their work.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $10,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working in November 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Stan Branding improved our conversion rate. Also, their work has been awesome. We tried several good designers before them, but Stan Branding is definitely on the next level.

How did Stan Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate through Skype and phone calls to manage the whole project. Stan Branding usually responds to our needs within 1–2 hours.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their setting of our target audience has been most impressive. Anyone can do great artwork, but if that artwork doesn’t fit our right target audience, we couldn’t do our job properly. In addition, they focus on understanding the needs of our customers.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing Stan Branding could improve. We like the way they work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be honest with Stan Branding’s team. The rest of the work you can’t really control, so just ask questions.