Starfish

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a consultant for a large outsourced cargo airline.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Starfish?

We had an urgent need to recruit pilots for our company. We needed help to reform our marketing efforts to hire pilots and retain existing employees so we can continue our growth and galvanize our team during a time of significant change.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I called Starfish in for an RFP on very short notice. They had only 18 hours notice and still turned it around in time. Within a week of signing our contract, we hit the ground running to develop a digital marketing strategy to market the pilot job. At the same time, Starfish prepared an employee value proposition for us. They also built a WordPress website for us.

What is the team composition?

We worked closely with David (Founder & CEO, Starfish), a dedicated project manager, and a dedicated account manager. I know that our team worked with other projects, but they were so responsive in working closely with us that it felt like a dedicated team.

How did you come to work with Starfish?

At a previous company, I was a stakeholder during a design project that Starfish ran. I thought they were smart people that thought strategically and had in-depth knowledge of the business. I also enjoyed their working style and believed that they would deliver what we needed. 

In the RFP process, we considered 3–5 companies. While the other vendors mostly talked about themselves, Starfish spoke about our company, showing that they had worked to understand our business and the environment we were dealing with. They added value right from the pitch presentation, which helped them stand out.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $350,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from November 2018 until April 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Before Starfish came on board, we were facing a restrictive, competitive market for pilots and seeing a long decline in our ability to hire them. This year, we achieved a 35% increase in our success rate. Starfish also convinced our executive team to approve the employee brand strategy within five months. This incredibly fast turnaround rate speaks to their proactiveness and strategic nature.

How did Starfish perform from a project management standpoint?

We were dealing with high-pressure tasks and deadlines, and Starfish remained nimble throughout the process. If we called them up and asked for a job to be done by tomorrow, they usually said yes.

We could also challenge them to work creatively around our constraints. For example, one of the central components of our pilot recruitment campaign was stand-out photography. However, I didn’t have the budget to staff and run a full photoshoot. 

Starfish and I put our heads together, and we ended up running the photoshoot virtually. We had a photographer on set and the creative director over the phone, and they’d coordinate on shots through quick iPhone pictures. It ended up working well without going over my budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Starfish invested heavily in understanding our business. I felt like David and Grant (Management Supervisor, Starfish) knew more about the business than I did. They were an extension of our team and a frequent thought partner on not just the project but also on our entire strategic challenge.

Are there any areas they could improve?

On occasion, I’ve had to chase Starfish down for a deadline. This is only really because they’re incredibly proactive and frequently delivered the best possible result within a very tight timeline. Starfish often came to me with suggestions to improve on our request and strive for excellence, which I appreciated. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Invest in the time to brief Starfish’s team thoroughly on the strategic challenges you’re facing so that they have the full picture. Don’t treat them as a tactical partner and give them only pieces of the story. Starfish will add more value having the whole context.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Global Holdings is an Owner of Commercial Real Estate, I am Senior Vice President and Director of Leasing for the company which means I am responsible for among other things the Marketing and repositioning of our assets

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Starfish ?

We were looking to reintroduce 875 third Avenue to the brokerage community and highlight that we have 350,000 square feet becoming vacant. We hired Starfish to put together a marketing concept to compliment our marketing center and also provide direct mail concepts to the brokerage community.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals for the project was to create awareness for 875 Third Avenue, make sure the brokerage community knew about the upcoming availability and have a little fun with the project too.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with Starfish briefly when I was at another company and we gave them the opportunity based on that .

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The scope was for Starfish to come up with a comprehensive marketing approach for 875 Third avenue that would include, props for the marketing center, direct mail pieces for the brokerage community, print ads in NYC publications such as Crains, NY Observer and NY Post, and digital ads .

What was the team composition?

Jeff Negrin led the team. He is a senior partner there and was involved in the whole process. He added to the team as necessary and everyone involved in the project was knowledgable about the project and the process. The entire team worked very well with both our leasing agent and us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results were as follows: we created a great marketing campaign that included 3 mailers to brokerage community with various little"gifts" that were designed to stay on the brokers desks and keep 875 in their minds as well as creating a marketing center that made the tour of the building very clear and highlighted the space coming available, building amenities, etc. We leased the entire block of 350,000 square ft to 5 separate tenants in under 12 months, which was likely 6-9 months faster than we had anticipated. During tours we were routinely complimented about the marketing center for its creativity and cool props that we had outfitted the space with at Starfish direction . They were an integral part of the process and our success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

they were great throughout the whole process. Jeff and his team took direction well and got the concept of what we were trying to do right away. It was great working with them . Never had issue thru the entire process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were always prepared, had ideas that were relevant, but not afraid to reach for something different. We never had a bad meeting with them , all deadlines were met on time and the work product was always top-notch. We will definitely use them again should we have another big project.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I thought they were great.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the SVP of insights and community impact for Weight Watchers. In my role, I oversee insights related to reimagining our brand (e.g., advertising, positioning, vision, packaging). I also look for ways to democratize wellness, bringing access to healthy habits and education to all communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Starfish?

About four years ago, we were going through a period where we wondered if we’d become irrelevant in the wellness world. As a result, we initiated a four-year turnaround strategy to reimagine our brand, working with numerous partners, including Starfish, to support our ventures. We needed resources to help us retain our existing customers while recruiting more leads.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

One of the main projects involved creating a consumer journey map to identify opportunities to keep customers engaged. They conducted a full assessment, outlining a clear map of the different points where people faltered in their wellness journey. They then suggested different ways to move forward depending on the journey.

In another project, they did a deep dive into potential target consumers. We’d identified a number of demographics that faced wellness challenges, including men, new mothers, and newlyweds. They helped us figure out the strongest targets to pursue and came up with activation ideas for them. Since then, we’ve continued to reach out to Starfish for various assignments, the most recent being a naming project.

What is the team composition?

At my level, I worked directly with their CEO, but my team primarily worked with their senior brand strategist.

How did you come to work with Starfish?

Our SVP of marketing had worked with them previously for several design projects. He knew that they had expertise in the insight area as well, so he introduced me to them. Upon meeting the team, I was impressed by their quality of work. They delivered strong results like bigger companies while still providing a mid-tier price structure. I also appreciated their humility and how well their culture aligned with ours.

How much have you invested with them?

For the insight projects alone, we’ve spent between $150,000–$200,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Their work began in 2015 and is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our retention rate grew considerably thanks to the insights from their journey analysis. Not only did they provide in-depth assessments, but they presented the content wonderfully in a clear, visual manner. It was so comprehensive that I could easily share it with our CEO.

While our recruitment has significantly increased since last year, it’s hard to say which of our many initiatives drove those conversions. Nevertheless, we’ve implemented several of their identified sub-targets and are confident that they’ve contributed to our higher recruitment volume.

How did Starfish perform from a project management standpoint?

Because they have small teams, they’re really able to get to know us. They’re responsive, organized, and well managed. In terms of timeliness, they always meet their deadlines and often outpace them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their capacity to produce high-quality work while still providing a small-firm experience. They deliver as well as the most prestigious strategic partners but engage us like next-door neighbors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. They’re a perfect fit for our company thanks to our similar cultures.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

PwC is a professional services firm that focuses on audit and assurance, tax and consulting. PwC helps resolve complex client issues and identifies opportunities across a multitude of industries. Over my tenure, my roles included marketing and communications leader for the consulting practice, U.S. brand leader and signature services leader.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Starfish?

We used Starfish to help us build a stronger employer brand and to help embed our brand and value proposition inwardly at key employee touchpoints throughout their career at our organization (from onboarding to retirement or when they exit the firm).

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a proprietary model for understanding and identifying key brand touchpoints within our organization, in terms of where the brand intersects with employees and clients. Starfish developed a strategy for us to map out these brand identity spots or touchpoints. We were able to classify them and figure out a strategy behind each one so that the impact would be meaningful for our employees.

Together with Starfish, we developed a communication strategy that included design elements, messaging, visual expression and videos, etc. for the 10th-anniversary celebration of our merger. On another occasion, we created a campaign around PwC's rebranding efforts. It included creating physical installations in over 80 U.S. offices to allow our people to interact and learn about all the elements of the brand. Both of these efforts created a unique brand experience for our people making them feel pride in the firm.

Starfish helped us to develop a full recruiting campaign for college campuses, from the creative, to the messaging, to the strategy, to the full installation and the research behind it. This helped candidates associate a sense of purpose, opportunity and satisfaction with the type of work they could be doing for us.

Finally, they helped us make sure that the content on our website reflected our new language and positioning, as well as updating our sales tools and collateral material. In some cases, our collateral material needed customization (a unique look and feel) in order to differentiate it from the competition and to set it apart from other existing service offerings. Starfish accomplished this many times using their knowledge of our brand and visual guidelines. Many of these assignments were to help support a new service offering we were launching or to refresh an existing service offering for relaunch.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with a number of people from their team, including Grant (Management Supervisor, Starfish). I typically worked with David (CEO, Starfish) at a more senior level, but my direct reports worked closely with many of the Starfish management and staff and always found them very responsive and professional.

How did you come to work with Starfish?

I’ve been working with Starfish for 15 years. I started the collaboration when I was the advisory marketing leader, then the U.S. brand leader, and, lastly, the U.S. signature services leader.

How much have you invested with them?

Across 15 years, we’ve spent $8–$12 million with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve made a strong effort to increase awareness of our company on campuses and to hopefully become an employer of choice. There is an outside ranking organization that surveys students to determine the top "employer of choice" on US campuses. PwC was ranked somewhere in the top 15 to 20 companies prior to engaging Starfish. After which PwC was ranked in the top 5 and eventually number 1. Campus recruitment has been a definite win.

We've been able to raise our specific metrics such as increasing readership on our website and other materials, as well as increasing awareness with the industry analyst program. The creative work and its alignment with our brand have delivered a strong and clear message that has had a huge impact.

How did Starfish perform from a project management standpoint?

This is an area of strength for Starfish. Their project management team is exceptional from listening, updating timelines, maintaining budget and troubleshooting roadblocks. This, along with interpersonal skill, is one of the reasons why Starfish has been with me for 15 years,

PwC is a tough and demanding client. In order for any agency to operate in it for any length of time, it has to be at the top of its game, continually demonstrating added value for fees.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with boutiques before and found many of them to be overly inflated. At the end of the day, the value Starfish brought exceeded our expectations and was priced fairly. All of my internal clients had positive things to say about them and were often repeat clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Starfish is headquartered in New York and a good number of their clients are naturally on the East Coast. At some point, it could be advantageous for them to set up a few small satellite offices in other large cities outside NY as their customer base reaches critical mass and requires a physical presence (more day to day interaction).

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a former vice president of global marketing for a medical diagnostics firm focused on immunology diagnostics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Starfish?

We purchased a tick-borne disease business that needed rebranding to fit within our corporate umbrella.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They laid out a well-defined process, beginning with a discovery phase through internal and external interviews. They then developed the brand idea based upon the attributes they collected from their research. Once we agreed on the idea, they took us through a naming process. Then, they helped us integrate the name into our brand architecture and develop a visual identity for the new branding, including a new logo.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team lead, a day-to-day account manager, and another member of their staff.

How did you come to work with Starfish?

I found them by networking with my contacts. We wanted an agency that was strong, preferably with experience in healthcare and diagnostics. I spoke with several agencies and received proposals from four. Starfish offered the best combination of creative strategy people and price.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in November 2017 and completed it in May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Qualitatively, we received very positive internal feedback throughout the review process on both the brand name and the brand idea. Early external reactions are also very favorable.

How did Starfish perform from a project management standpoint?

They did well. They put together a good project plan and stuck to it. They were good communicators and managed the budget well. We had no surprises along the way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took time to understand our business and the way our customers viewed the new company. They integrated the new brand into our existing structure and were sensitive to our internal historical variables. They balanced all the considerations well while moving quickly through the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our company liked to look over a pre-read before each presentation. It would be helpful for them to send that sort of documentation a day or two ahead of time to make presentations and discussions more productive.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of project management and production for Human Resources at HP.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Starfish?

Two and a half years ago, HP split from a larger company into two smaller companies. We needed to develop a new people strategy that could be articulated to all employees. Our employees have varied job roles, from marketing and customer support to scientists, developers, and engineers. The people strategy needs to make sense and be relatable to everyone.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

HP asked five workstreams to develop white papers based on various aspects of our people strategy: Talent Acquisition, Talent and Learning, Our Culture, Rewards and Recognition, and The Future of Work. We provided the white papers to Starfish and they developed a cohesive format that made each workstream make sense within the broader strategy. Starfish boiled down the white papers to an articulation of the role of each workstream and their goals for the future. They had access to the leaders of each of the workstreams so they could ask questions and get clarification as needed.

Starfish produced two versions of what we call the HR strategy book. One is a 38-page printed and digital version that went to all of HR. The second is an eight-page executive version that was created for all HP employees. They developed the branding and brand strategy for both books.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two members of the Starfish team.

How did you come to work with Starfish?

I’d worked with Starfish when I was at another company. I had a good experience working with them previously, so it was my choice to connect with them on this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place from April 2017–March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Over 700 of the books were delivered to our HR professionals around the globe. We also created PowerPoint presentations based on the creative approach that Starfish developed for the new people strategy. HR executives are using the presentations to share the new strategy with their executive stakeholders around the globe. They produced exactly what we needed. We will be collecting metrics but unfortunately don’t have any yet.

How did Starfish perform from a project management standpoint?

The team was excellent. They were very responsive and always available. They had to quickly get up to speed on our voice and tone in order to write the book. They understood the project from the inception so there was no lag time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a brand experience company so they really try to understand the psychology of our brand. They put a lot of thought into what the end user is going to say, feel, and do. It’s more than just a deliverable on a checklist. They're very conscious that our external brand also needs to resonate internally. A lot of companies focus entirely on the customer. Starfish focuses on creating internal brand ambassadors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’d originally set a six-week timeline to get this done and it went on for about a year. That wasn’t their fault, because we had to go through several review cycles. However, it would have been helpful if they’d built a contingency into their Statement of Work. Given that delays are not unexpected, it would have been nice to know upfront what impact a delay has on the timeline and budget. They could build in some padding in case the project takes longer than intended. They could also give clients an alert before things get off track.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the vice president of marketing for Hisense. We sell consumer electronics and appliances. I also have experience working with Starfish from my years at Sharp Corporation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Starfish?

At Hisense, we’ve worked with them on various branding and digital projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They produced a complete style guide for us. Part of that process involved meeting with our marketing team and our senior leadership. That project took several months, and upon its completion, we could then address other needs. They have since produced a number of logos and developed a new website for us. We currently utilize their services for advertisement creation and packaging design.

What is the team composition?

I work closely with the CEO, a senior brand strategist, and a management supervisor.

How did you come to work with Starfish?

I was familiar with the CEO during his time with another agency. I knew his work was great and would match our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

Including my time at Sharp and my time at Hisense, my companies have spent more than $3 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

At Hisense, we started working together in September 2015. We have a number of ongoing projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have several advertising campaigns operating at one time, but a recent one for a large hardware supplier was very successful. They touted it as one of the most successful campaigns in their history with a specific brand.

How did Starfish perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve never known them to be late. They were always on time, and that was challenging because we were not always clear on what we were looking for. But they were very patient with us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We required quick turnaround times on several projects, and they were nimble enough to deliver on time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I’ve seen steady improvement over the years in terms of their creative. They’re as good as some of the bigger agencies we work with.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of Guardian Life, a Fortune 250 life insurance company. We sell life and disability insurance in addition to wealth management products and services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Starfish?

We were trying to build an education campaign around retirement to help people understand the challenges and options they face in retirement.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started with a fact-finding stage and spent a fair amount of time with us and our research trying to derive any insights they could. Then they helped us build out the creative briefs and the business strategy around the campaign, as well as how it would produce. They proceeded to build the digital and physical assets that went along with the campaign and spoke to two different audiences: our intermediaries and agents and our customers.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with their CEO and an account director.

How did you come to work with Starfish?

I stumbled onto Starfish when I was at a marketing conference during a speed dating scenario that they do for CMOs. I chose them because their CEO was transparent and their process was very thoughtful. I was able to see some of the work that they had done in the past and their focus on breaking client experience down into manageable bites of information appealed to me.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $60,000-$75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2017 until April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Typically, 2% of our advisors will click through and engage with our content, but right now we’re in the high 20s. Although the campaign only launched three months ago, the engagement from our field partners has also been unbelievable. We typically don’t get a lot of engagement from them because they like their own voice and content. We’ve always struggled with client experience – trying to tackle it as one big effort and it never gets off the ground. They were able to help us see a different way to think about the work.

How did Starfish perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very diligent so I didn’t have to call and follow-up. They pushed me and they’re very systematic in their approach, following a project plan and a very clear statement of work. This helped keep me on task.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They take a personal interest in understanding your business and helping you deliver your stated objectives. Their CEO gets involved in the early stages to make sure that things get kicked off on the right foot. He’s not absentee at the agency. He actively ensures that his teams deliver what he expects them to.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing I’d like to see from them is more options and alternatives early in a project, other creative avenues and scenarios we could explore. It’s possible that they did do that but it just didn’t get to my level.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of market research at a women’s health organization. We’re currently working in the hormonal menopause space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Starfish?

We needed branding and market research services. We engaged Starfish for their expertise in identifying—from a specific viewpoint—the things women experience and need as they age.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starfish examined our existing market research and identified knowledge gaps.

What is the team composition?

We worked with the CEO.

How did you come to work with Starfish?

A colleague knew the CEO and recommended Starfish. I didn’t consider other providers because I already had prior experience with a member of Starfish’s leadership team at another organization.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent less than $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together for three months and then put the relationship on pause.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

No, because we only completed phase one before discontinuing the partnership. As an organization, we changed course and direction, so we didn't need the information anymore.

How did Starfish perform from a project management standpoint?

They're excellent, professional, and organized. They're detail-oriented, insightful, and strategic.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Starfish’s level of detail and granularity distinguishes them. The team had an action-oriented approach to meeting client needs.

Any advice for potential customers?

Share as much as possible with Starfish. Even if the information doesn’t feel relevant, it will them do their job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP of Marketing of Holman

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Holman is an integrated global automotive services company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Starfish to accomplish?

• Provide research and strategic direction for potential brand changes
• Support execution of Holman's rebranding process and launch

SOLUTION

How did you find Starfish?

Online Search

Why did you select Starfish over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Strategic Expertise

How many teammates from Starfish were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Holman partnered with Starfish to manage our branding project, from research to strategy to execution and launch, taking us from a house of brands to a single Holman brand, including a complete rebuild and consolidation of our corporate web properties.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Launching our new Holman brand in March 2022

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Jeff and the entire Starfish team were unbelievable partners to work alongside throughout our rebranding journey. They listened, they provided insight, developed a strategy and worked with us closely to ensure a successful launch.

What was your primary form of communication with Starfish?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

The people. Jeff and team were so amazing to work with and the product they delivered was crucial for a successful project and launch of our new brand.

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

Starfish continually went above and beyond to ensure a successful project.