# Strategic Objectives Strategic Objectives Reviews (24), Pricing, Services & Verified Ratings - 4.9 out of 5 average review rating - 0 connections joined Strategic Objectives's Network [Visit Website](http://www.strategicobjectives.com/) [Get a Custom Proposal](https://clutch.co/profile/strategic-objectives) **We Make News.** Strategic Objectives is Canada’s most award-winning PR agency, and one of the country’s most creative, innovative, passionate, and successful marketing communications firms. Recipient of the Clutch 2020 Global Leaders Award and named Best Mid-Size PR Agency in the World at the IABC Gold Quill Awards 2023, Strategic Objectives is IABC/Toronto Agency of the Year 2023 and has been for 10 of the last 14 years. ## Company Information - Minimum project size: $25,000+ - Hourly rate: $100 - $149 - Number of employees: 10 - 49 - 1 Locations: - Toronto, Canada (Headquarters) - Founded in 1983 ## Services, Focus Areas, Industries, and Clients ### Service Lines - 60% Public Relations - 20% Content Marketing - 10% Event Management - 10% Search Engine Optimization ### Focus Areas - SEO Focus: - 40% Content development - 25% Multilingual SEO - 25% SEO Reputation Management - 10% Other SEO - Public Relations Focus: - 34% Online reputation management - 33% Corporate communications - 33% Crisis communications ### Industries - 10% Arts, entertainment & music - 30% Consumer products & services - 20% Other industries - 30% Retail - 10% Telecommunications ### Clients - 60% Midmarket ($10M - $1B) - 40% Enterprise (>$1B) ## Pricing Snapshot Average rating for cost based on this provider's reviews: 4.3 out of 5 **What Clients Have Said** *(This summary is based on verified Clutch reviews.)*: Strategic Objectives offers competitive pricing based on project size, with client investments ranging from $30,000 to over $3 million. Clients consistently report high value for cost, noting effective project management and exceeding performance metrics. **Most Common Project Size**: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 14 reviews *(Pricing information for this provider is based on reviews where the project size was available.)* ### Pricing by Service - Public Relations: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 11 reviews - Social Media Marketing: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 3 reviews - Branding: $10,000 to $49,000 based on 2 reviews - Advertising: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review - Content Marketing: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review - Digital Strategy: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review - Marketing Strategy: $50,000 to $199,999 based on 1 review ## Reviews Clutch investigates each reviewer's identity and work history. Every review goes through a rigorous, human-led verification process to confirm the reviewer's identity, and reviews that we verify are visibly marked as 'Verified' so you can trust that they come from a real client. [Learn More](https://help.clutch.co/en/knowledge/how-clutch-verifies-reviews) ### Strategic Objectives Review Insights Overall Review Rating: 4.9 - Quality: 4.8 - Schedule: 4.7 - Cost: 4.3 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 ### Top Mentions - Great project management (8 mentions) - Timely (8 mentions) - Creative (7 mentions) - Understands their clients' needs (7 mentions) - Well-organized projects (7 mentions) - Detail-oriented (6 mentions) - Exceeds expectations (6 mentions) - Proactive (6 mentions) - Communicative (5 mentions) - High-quality work (4 mentions) - Professional (4 mentions) - Accommodating (3 mentions) - Exceptional results (3 mentions) - Knowledgeable (3 mentions) - Trustworthy (3 mentions) - Unique expertise (3 mentions) - Accessible (2 mentions) - Easy to work with (2 mentions) - Great team (2 mentions) - Openness (2 mentions) ### Review Highlights **Desire for Broader Service Offerings** A few clients express interest in Strategic Objectives expanding their service offerings to include more core marketing services. This could enhance the overall value and scope of their engagements. **High Client Satisfaction** Overall client feedback indicates high satisfaction with Strategic Objectives' performance. Many clients express their intent to continue or renew engagements due to the positive outcomes achieved. **Exceptional Event Management** Clients highlight the successful execution of events, from press conferences to influencer gatherings. Strategic Objectives' event management skills contribute to high levels of media coverage and audience engagement. **Innovative and Creative Solutions** Strategic Objectives is lauded for their creativity and ability to develop unique and effective PR and marketing strategies. Clients appreciate their innovative approaches to engaging target audiences and achieving impactful results. **Positive Impact on Brand Awareness** Clients report significant improvements in brand awareness and market perception as a result of Strategic Objectives' efforts. Their campaigns effectively elevate client brands and drive consumer engagement. **Need for Early Communication** Some clients suggest that early communication of project needs and timelines could be improved. Providing detailed requirements upfront can help avoid delays and ensure smoother project execution. **Proactive Communication** Clients praise Strategic Objectives for their proactive communication, keeping them informed and involved throughout the project. Regular updates and prompt responses are a recurring theme in client feedback. **Impressive Media Coverage** Clients report significant increases in media impressions and coverage, often surpassing industry standards and initial KPIs. This includes both traditional and digital media, showcasing Strategic Objectives' strong media relationships. **Strong Leadership Involvement** The involvement of senior leadership, including co-founders and VPs, in client projects is highly valued by clients. This hands-on approach from top executives ensures high-quality service and strategic oversight. **Effective Use of Influencers** Several clients highlight the effective use of influencer partnerships by Strategic Objectives to boost brand awareness and engagement. Their ability to identify and collaborate with the right influencers is a noted strength. ### Strategic Objectives Reviews #### PR for Nonprofit Organization **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: June - Nov. 2022 **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provides ongoing PR services for a nonprofit organization. They utilized a multi-pronged media approach and social media marketing to increase the client's brand awareness. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 4.5 **The Reviewer** Manager, Nonprofit Organization - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Mar 27, 2023 **Feedback Summary**: Thanks to Strategic Objectives, the project was completed on time and met all client needs, increasing impressions and garnering attendees. They were personable and communicative throughout the process. They worked hard to understand the project goals and delivered accordingly. ""What was most impressive was they personable staff; We felt like we had the right people for the job from the start."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position. I am the Brand Marketing Manager of (a/an) Healthcare Describe what your company does in a single sentence. We raise funds for research, education, and the enhancement of patient care. Together with our donors, we’re helping the foundation pursue the knowledge that makes all our lives better. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Strategic Objectives to accomplish? Generate earned media coverage Raise awareness **SOLUTION** How did you find Strategic Objectives? Referral Why did you select Strategic Objectives over others? High ratings Close to my geographic location Great culture fit Good value for cost Referred to me Company values aligned What was the size of Strategic Objectives’s team? 2-5 Employees Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables. Supporting our Grand Cru Culinary Wine Festival, the goal was to generate awareness in the form of earned media coverage pre, during and post event. SO developed a multi pronged media approach, comprising traditional and social media relations to elevate the event and most importantly, the pioneering work at it helps to facilitate. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? Impressions Attendees What was your primary form of communication with Strategic Objectives? Virtual Meeting Email or Messaging App Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs? Laura, Sadie, Emily, the entire SO team was on the ball and communicative. They worked hard to pitch our pieces and understood the goals. Everything was delivered on time, but we would have appreciated them guiding us a little more and telling us what they needed and when so we could stay on track. What did you find most impressive or unique about this company? What was most impressive was they personable staff; We felt like we had the right people for the job from the start. Are there any areas for improvement or something Strategic Objectives could have done differently? As mentioned, would just love to have everything they need with timelines attached communicated as early as possible. There were a few things we didn't know they needed, if we had they would have been done. --- #### SMM & PR for Grill Manufacturing Company **The Project** - Services: Public Relations, Social Media Marketing - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: Nov. 2020 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provides PR and social media strategy support for a grill manufacturer company. They work on content calendars and content creation for Facebook and Instagram in English and French. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Senior Marketing Manager, Grill Manufacturing Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Dec 13, 2021 **Feedback Summary**: Thanks to Strategic Objectives’ efforts, the audience has grown from 60,000 to 175,000 followers in just one year. Also, the engagement has increased 4%–5%, which means the followers they’ve gained are quality followers, Overall, the team stands out for their commitment and attention to detail. ""They focus on being a partner and dedicate themselves to know the brand."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the senior marketing manager for digital and media for one of the largest grill manufacturers in the world. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? Firstly, we needed support with our growing social media because we had an aggressive growth target. Secondly, we needed a partner to help us with our PR campaigns. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Strategic Objectives provides a full support for our social media strategy. We’re in touch with them; we generally tell them our strategies and objectives in terms of product and support. Then, they identify content that will work with that and help our in-house team to develop it in English and French because we have to offer both in Canada. We work through our content calendars, and Strategic Objectives also helps us unfold the trends, what’s going on, and what’s working with our content. At the moment, our biggest platforms are Facebook and Instagram. On the PR side, they’ve made huge strides for our brand. They’ve gotten press and television coverage, which give us great positioning. What is the team composition? On a daily basis, we have about six people dedicated to our account. Our main points of contact are Vanessa (Account Director) and Saul (Account Manager). We also have a person based in Québec as a consultant because it’s a different culture than English-speaking Canada’s. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We reached out to people we’d worked with in the past and looked for recommendations. We wanted to get a small or mid-sized agency, so we cast out a wide net. Then, we narrowed it down to three partners. Strategic Objectives blew us away with their pitch for both PR and social media. They researched the brand and had a very thorough approach. We joked that they’d hacked our computers and read about what was going on because they were really far ahead. They were very thoughtful, and the answers they gave to our questions made us confident about going forward with them. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent between $250,000–$400,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in November 2020, and our relationship is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Our social media audience grew from 60,000 to 175,000 followers across Facebook and Instagram over the last year. More importantly, our engagement also increased by 4%–5%, so not only did we grow in number of followers, but they were also quality followers.  Additionally, we’ve been with them for almost a year, and it really feels like they’re part of our team. They’re our partner, not just an agency that works with us. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They’re great. We set parameters for our work, but they’re also responsive and great at alertings us the things we need to know right away. We all work together, and they feel like an extension of our team. We often use emails to communicate, and we have weekly or biweekly calls to go over things, depending on what’s going on. Also, we have huge seasonality, so we adjust when there’s a lot of snow and no one wants to be grilling. What did you find most impressive about them? They focus on being a partner and dedicate themselves to know the brand. Strategic Objectives jumped in with both feet from the beginning, so we didn’t feel like there was a huge education gap. We provided some training, but we didn’t have to answer questions all the time. Also, their attention to detail is outstanding. In my experience, it sets them apart from other agencies. Are there any areas they could improve? We’ve had a few changes on our team. Although they’ve managed it really well, maybe they could communicate those transitions bedore we find out. However, it’s a minor issue, and there isn’t anything other than that. Do you have any advice for potential customers? To set up the relationship for success from the beginning, make sure you have all your information up to date and provide them with what they need to know. Strategic Objectives is pretty engaged from the get-go, so sometimes they might pressure you to provide things — they’re very proactive when dealing with clients. --- #### PR & Marketing for Food Processing Company **The Project** - Services: Advertising, Public Relations - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: July 2019 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives works with a large food processor on marketing initiatives. They’ve launched virtual programs and created strategies to adapt to COVID-19. They’ve also worked on sustainability strategies.  **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of External Communication, Maple Leaf - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 10,001+ Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Dec 18, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: The support from Strategic Objectives has helped the client earn millions of media impressions and strengthens their outreach efforts for their initiatives. The expert team is full of exceptionally creative, insightful, and skilled people, making them a strong partner to collaborate with.  ""From an overall program perspective, they bring a lot of creative, bold ideas that make our company stand out." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the director of external communications for Maple Leaf, one of the largest food processors in North America. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We weren’t happy with our previous PR agency, so we brought Strategic Objectives in for a marketing initiative, working with our marketing team and one of our company brands. Our corporate communications’ team needed an agency for a large, multilevel program, so we hired them for that, too. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? From the marketing side, they’ve worked to understand the consumer we’re trying to reach and build a virtual online program, which is especially useful during COVID-19. After considering where people’s minds were during the beginning of the pandemic, they strategized around a different approach than a typical marketing communications program. They helped us build a program based on the new normal we were living in, creating a brand-focused, consumer-related program.  On the communications side, we were dealing with the company’s CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives. They worked out a strategy to celebrate our 1-year of being carbon neutral while in a pandemic. Additionally, they created new initiatives around other sustainability efforts that we were embarking on, culminating in an open letter to Canadian organizations that signed on to an initiative that follows the Paris Climate Accord.  They’ve done all of this work from a virtual environment and reach out to various journalists across North America. They’re continuing on with media relations, but that will be wrapping up soon. They’ve developed a strategic plan for 2021, so they’ll be leading that for the year.  What is the team composition? We’ve worked with multiple people, including one of the founders, the VP, the senior VP, and the director on a daily basis. There are also 2–3 people whose positions are below the director that we work with. Regularly, we work with 2–3 people, but for the overall program, it could be up to 5–6.  How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We wanted a team that had a high degree of integrity, experience, creativity, and the right people. Strategic Objectives has also won awards, but I wasn’t blinded by that, because it’s the quality of work and ability to strategize that is most important. They fit all of our needs, and since I’d worked with them at a previous company, I recommended we use them.  How much have you invested with them? Up until now, we’ve invested around $200,000 in the two programs.  What is the status of this engagement? Our ongoing relationship started in July 2019.  **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  We use media impression numbers to measure their impact, so we’ve seen between 30–40 million media impressions for the marketing program. For the sustainability program that we’re wrapping up, we’ve seen close to 50 million media impressions. Their work has been very successful and significant.  They’ve met our needs and are able to develop the strategies we ask for, so they’ve been very successful. The incredible open letter they helped us craft has been highly successful. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They are one of the few agencies I’ve worked with that have been great on an ongoing basis. Everything is done on time and within our budget.  The process has been very smooth overall for our team, which is a relatively small group of people. There are only two of us who work on external communication, so having Strategic Objectives keep us on track and keep things moving to hit our deadlines has been fantastic. The team is easy for us on the corporate side because they take the worry away around keeping track of the moving parts.  What did you find most impressive about them? There are many things I find impressive about them. From a people standpoint, they have very experienced, capable, seasoned people working with us. From an overall program perspective, they bring a lot of creative, bold ideas that make our company stand out.  We really needed to get them up to speed quickly about our company’s personality, and they were able to take off running immediately. They learned about the different aspects of our business and a whole as well as the individual teams. Their writing ability and skill in understanding the voice of our company has been right on from the very beginning.  I’ve worked with them at several companies and with various people on their team, and each and every one of them has been exceptional. It’s been quite remarkable because the people I work with are tough in the sense that they are looking for good ideas and creativity, and Strategic Objectives is able to work with all the various stakeholders, including the CEO, and have positive results.  Are there any areas they could improve? I have no complaints or concerns about them whatsoever.  Do you have any advice for potential customers? When a company takes on an agency like Strategic Objectives, it’s important to work closely with them. Educate them on your business and personalities. Have multiple conversations and engagements with them so they’re fully versed in who you are as a company and working group.  Too many companies will take on an agency and just leave it to them and don’t stay involved. As a result, they won’t be happy with the way things turn out or won’t be engaged. It is a two-way street and a working relationship. You can’t just pass the business off to the agency and expect them to do it all successfully when you have no ongoing involvement with them.  --- #### Media & Public Relations Services for Life Science Company **The Project** - Services: Branding, Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Nov. 2019 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: A life science company hires the expertise of Strategic Objectives to oversee its media and public relations needs. The client wants to work with a local team to help them establish their reputation and brand. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing & Communications Manager, Life Science Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 25, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Though there are no metrics to measure the engagement's success yet, the client is pleased with Strategic Objectives' efforts. The team's excellent professionalism shines through the project. Thanks to the superb communication and organization skills, the engagement continues to run smoothly. ""Their knowledge on the tasks and the ease of communication in the engagement impress us." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the marketing manager of a life science company. Our company focuses on creating next-generation phytotherapeutics for our patients here in Canada and around the world. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? Since we’re a young company, we need help with our public relations and media relations efforts. We want to elevate our reputation and establish our brand. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Strategic Objectives helps us draft and promote media outreach plans once press releases are issued on Business Wire. The team also helps our sponsored editorial content. As of now, their roles are limited to just media relations, press releases, and supporting media interviews. What is the team composition? We directly communicate with one contact person who then streamlines the information to two more team members.  How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? Our team found them through Google and we cross eliminated three companies. The two other agencies that we were initially looking at had a global presence but we want to work with a local team here in Ontario. We went with them because we like their boutique style and their responsiveness — which was great since we wanted someone who can pick up the work immediately. Also, they have a great reputation here because they’ve already won multiple awards.  What is the status of this engagement? The ongoing engagement started in November 2019. We just renewed our contract with them for another year. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  Our metrics are fairly new and we don’t have previous data to compare those results with. But based on the first year of the engagement, we’re pretty happy and pleased with Strategic Objectives’ efforts.  How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? The team has been excellent with communication and project management. Strategic Objectives has been well-organized. We never have to follow up with them because they’re always on top of deadlines. Communication between our ends goes through email. Whenever we have questions or concerns, we can easily contact Strategic Objectives. What did you find most impressive about them? Their knowledge of the tasks and the ease of communication in the engagement impress us. Strategic Objectives’ support through the process helps build the trust factor that is important to ensure they are delivering what is in the best interest of our organization. Strategic Objectives has this level of professionalism that stands out. Usually, CEOs aren't direct contacts during engagements and so we like the fact Strategic Objectives' CEO directly speaks to our CEO. Are there any areas they could improve? We don’t have criticisms for them at this point. Since we’re still a young organization, we don’t have anything to compare them with but we’re satisfied with engagement so far. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Trust your instincts. Strategic Objectives' reputation already speaks volumes. --- #### PR & Annual Retrospective for Tissue Product Supplier **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. 2003 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provides communications counsel, media relations, and event management for many projects, including an annual fashion fundraiser. They also helped develop COVID-19 response initiatives. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** VP of Bathroom Tissue & E-Commerce, Kruger Products - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1,001-5,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 15, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Strategic Objectives has provided top-level commitment on all aspects of communications, and its digital services have led to increases in brand awareness and media impressions. For more than 10 years, they've delivered expert resources and hands-on management, resulting in a pattern of excellence. ""Strategic Objectives is a top-notch PR agency, and I have the utmost respect for their entire team.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the VP of Consumer Bathroom Tissue & e-Commerce for Kruger Products. We manufacture and distribute Trademark and Controlled-Label consumer tissue products in Canada and the USA for sale across retail channels. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We were looking for a PR agency to develop a flagship property to promote a strategic brand. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Strategic Objectives (SO) has worked on multiple projects, including our annual Cashmere Collection PR event. This is a fashion show featuring original, couture dresses made from bathroom tissue, which spotlight leading Canadian design talent, and the event raises awareness and funds for the breast cancer cause at the Canadian Cancer Society. SO creates an annual retrospective for the Cashmere Collection, which is on our website, including editorial photos of the designs, designer bios, and descriptions of the garments. When the pandemic hit, SO was an integral partner in a collaborative, multiple-agency program to support frontline workers and food banks. The #RollingItForward campaign also promoted acts of local sharing, addressing panic buying by encouraging Canadians to share paper products until the shelves could be re-stocked.  What is the team composition? Day-to-day, I work with one of the principal owners, who is involved with strategy development and execution; an account director; and an account assistant. Within SO, many more team members are selected to work on initiatives to support our business objectives. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We were transitioning a key product to a new brand name. We put an RFP out to different PR agencies and chose Strategic Objectives based on their pitch. What is the status of this engagement? We began working together in January 2003, and we continue to collaborate on an ongoing basis. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? After events, we analyze media coverage metrics such as hours of video, number of stories, sentiment, etc. Every year, we see gains in media impressions. SO always exceeds the brand-awareness industry standard, with our brand being mentioned around 95% of the time vs. the standard of 75%. In respect to cost-per-impression, we fall well below the industry standard. There is great value in the work they do for us. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? Strategic Objectives is a disciplined, robust team that’s supported by strong leadership. They communicate well and always go above and beyond to deliver what they promise. What did you find most impressive about them? Strategic Objectives is a top-notch PR agency, and I have the utmost respect for their entire team. They are invested in our business, executing with excellence on all levels: strategy, implementation, reporting, and more. Are there any areas they could improve? I can’t think of any areas where I would say they need to improve. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Be transparent. The more information you provide, the better execution will be. Embrace them as a partner. --- #### Media Placements for Consumer Product Manufacturer **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Dec. 2019 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provides earned media outreach for a consumer products manufacturer. Their work includes helping their client gain multimedia placement in the Canadian market. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Senior Marketing Manager, Consumer Goods Manufacturer - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 28, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Strategic Objectives’ work has been met with high praise. The team’s guidance has helped its client increase Canadian Earned Media by a whopping 971%. Customers can expect a collaborative team that excels at building client relationships. "“The approach was logical, well thought out, and well-executed.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the marketing manager of a consumer product manufacturer. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? Our business had grown in the Canadian market, and we wanted to have an in-market earned media agency for them specifically. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? At eye level, we wanted them to be the media agency of record for our Canadian operations. We asked them to handle all of our outreach and gain multimedia placement. They were thoroughly insistent on starting with a process of information gathering and market research. There were also a series of related initiatives. They gave us the “boots on the ground perspective” since we made a lot of assumptions about the Canadian market. The team provided strategic counseling and suggested we attack the market from a different angle. Currently, we’re in talks to continue working with them on a full-time retainer basis. What is the team composition? Karina (Senior Account Manager) is my main point of contact. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We asked for recommendations through our network which didn’t lead anywhere. We turned to cold outreach and found agencies based on Google search. We sent RFPs to a number of agencies and ultimately decided to work with Strategic Objectives. We were impressed with their accolades, book of business, and relevant experience with working consumer product companies looking for growth in Canada. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in December 2019, and our work is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  They’ve exceeded the KPIs that we set in place. We ended up going with their set of suggestions and were successful. We’re up 971% in earned media in Canada. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They gave us a proprietary method of project management. The approach was logical, well thought out, and well-executed. They stand out amongst our agency partners in quickly earning our trust. What did you find most impressive about them? The team listens really well, and they’re pretty good of finding the balance of when to push back. When I think of some of the negative agency experience, I have, some vendors are rigid and act like they know better than the client, which isn’t the case with Strategic Objectives. They’re organized and committed to process and deadlines, too. Overall, the team is collaborative, innovative, and nimble. Are there any areas they could improve? There are some agencies that are a bit more on the “catch-all” side of things. On the one hand, we’d love to be able to work with them in some other areas. On the other, the more they diversify their product offering, the more they end up diluting quality overall. If there were more core marketing services offered that fit our needs, we’d definitely expand our engagement with them. Do you have any advice for potential customers? We found success in starting with a narrow scope of work on a finite contract basis. Then, you can evaluate and decide to expand the scope of work from there. Results really speak for themselves. --- #### PR & Media Strategy for Market Research Innovator **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Sep. 2019 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives helped acquire media coverage for a major event held by a customer insights platform. The team conducted PR efforts in order to reestablish the client as a leading innovation company. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** President, Trend Hunter - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Mar 31, 2020 **Feedback Summary**: Within a tight timeframe, Strategic Objectives succeeded in increasing attendance and securing media coverage for the festival. Their work allowed the client to expand their brand profile and acquire more talent. The team was realistic, transparent, and overall a pleasure to work with. "“They’re eager to hear what you have to say before molding it into something they can build on.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the president of TrendHunter.com, which provides insights and customer research to businesses of various industries all over the world. We look to help them spot future opportunities. My specific role is overseeing client experience; I work to ensure that clients are getting the best experience out of the services they’re purchasing from us. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We were looking to reassert ourselves as one of Canada’s leading innovation companies and reestablish ourselves as frontrunner trend-spotters. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They helped us build the company’s profile through various PR efforts. In a major push before an important book launch, Strategic Objectives secured coverage in both traditional and digital publications. They assisted in shaping the content we were looking for from different media outlets. We also worked on acquiring media coverage for our Future Festival here in Toronto. They sent out invites to their vast database to increase prospective attendees’ interest in our event. What is the team composition? We worked directly with Amelia (Senior Account Manager) and Deborah (Co-Founder).   How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We’d known Strategic Objectives for a long time; Deborah often invites our editorial staff to various PR events for the clients she works for. She’s done a great job of putting media-covered events together, so we were confident that they could do great work for us. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in September 2019, and the festival took place in October of the same year. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  We were able to get media partners to attend the festival, where we also enjoyed some coverage. The profile we were able to subsequently develop helped increase our ability to acquire talent and increased our brand exposure. They’re super realistic in their approach. I really appreciated how transparent they were about what they could and couldn’t do for us within a one-month time frame. Even though we brought them on a little late in the process, they dove in headfirst and were up and running immediately. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They’re excellent on this front. They’re extremely communicative throughout the entire process, so they were lovely to work with. We had a few in-person meetings, but our communication was mostly through email and phone calls. We can contact them anytime and get a quick response back, which was great. What did you find most impressive about them? They’re known for being one of the best in their industry–they win best agency awards, year over year. That puts a lot of confidence in anybody who’s looking to select an agency. They’re very human about everything; they’re eager to hear what you have to say before molding it into something they can build on. Are there any areas they could improve? Nothing jumps out. It would’ve been great to get even more media coverage, but it was the tight timeframe that held us back, so we can’t fault them for that. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Start off by delineating what your goals and objectives are. Then, you can leverage their expertise on how you can achieve those. --- #### Corporate PR Services for Packaged Goods Company **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: Jan. 2018 - Jan. 2019 **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives drafted press releases, managed media relations, planned events, and provided corporate crisis management. They also established a corporate social responsibility program. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Communications, Regulated Consumer Goods Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 8, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Overall, it was a positive engagement. They provided fantastic customer service and offered creative ideas on a variety of projects. A trusted partner, Strategic Objectives was diligent and detail-oriented. "“I knew that if they were working on a project, everything would run smoothly. No detail was left out.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the director of communications for a regulated consumer packaged goods company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? Strategic Objectives was our corporate public relations agency. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They worked on a number of different activities for us, including drafting press releases, managing media relations around specific announcements, drafting key messages and speaking notes for media briefings, and crisis management.  We have a high-profile CEO, so we didn’t have a problem attracting media attention, but Strategic Objectives recommended which opportunities would be the most valuable and ensured that our CEO was prepared. To support this, they profiled our C-Suite. They also planned events and thought leadership, including our corporate social responsibility program. What is the team composition? I had three key contacts that I spoke with regularly, though there were a few other people who worked on our account. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? I inherited them as an agency when I came on board. How much have you invested with them? We spent between $500,000–$1 million. What is the status of this engagement? Our engagement lasted from 2018–2019. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  They provide fantastic service. We were really pleased with their support of our corporate social responsibility program and media turnout. They’re well organized and their event organization is amazing. They had creative ideas that we appreciated. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? With every project, they took care of all the details. They followed up with reminders and were very diligent. I knew that if they were working on a project, everything would run smoothly. No detail was left out. Our teams were very close and we would communicate via text or email. We also had weekly phone calls and hosted teleconferences when necessary. What did you find most impressive about them? Their client service was outstanding. We were super pleased with that. Are there any areas they could improve? They’re strong partners and I didn’t see any areas for improvement. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Give them the opportunity to pitch on or provide proposals on projects that you wouldn't normally think of them for. Strategic Objectives is normally thought about as a very consumer PR shop, but the work they did for us was very corporate. Even areas they aren’t as well known for, they have very strong skills. --- #### PR Partner for International Development Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. 2013 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives spreads brand awareness through national coverage spanning social networks, news outlets, and television. They've re-named the brand, crafted marketing assets, and driven a global campaign. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Strategic Communications, International Nonprofit - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 15, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Expectations are continually exceeded. The vendor has forged strong partnerships, gained significant coverage, and facilitated successful events. They're a communicative team that brings a depth of expertise to meetings. A results-driven group, they always consider stakeholders' long-term goals. ""They’re always able to find really, really creative ways to raise our brand voice." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I'm the director of strategic communications for a child-centered international development organization. We've been in business for nearly 60 years, and we just rebranded. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? If you look at the scope of players in our area in Canada, it's a very crowded space for international development. Our organization has traditionally been about a tenth of the size of most of these other organizations. We had never done proactive public relations to raise awareness of our brand, our voice, or our global campaigns. And so, we started working with Strategic Objectives. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They’ve been working with us to help us develop a cohesive brand voice, cut through the clutter, and get significant media and PR coverage.  We knew we were going to be changing our brand to align with our goals. So, Strategic Objectives has helped us develop a name for our organization. We spent a lot of time working with media, influencers, and social media to really raise our brand voice so that when we changed the name it wouldn't be like, “who are you?”  They’ve invested a lot of time and energy to help us gain some really good national coverage. For example, we have an authority-building campaign with our current CEO. They’ve worked with us very closely to establish him as an authority in the space. They've also done media trips with us overseas. They’re very good at working with our marketing partners or any other partners that we have. They've played a really strategic role in that. And so, they're very integrated into the work that we do.  Also, they've developed all kinds of marketing and advertising materials for us over the years. In fact, Strategic Objectives created, developed, and launched our global survey campaigns from top to bottom for two years. This included creating the final report and devising all the media, social, and video materials.  What is the team composition? There's always a senior account person who does the day-to-day. Also, we've always had a very, very close working relationship with Judy (Co-Founder & Partner, Strategy Objectives). She's always been intricately involved in the project. I feel I can truly call or email her anytime, and she responds instantly. Normally, when we're meeting their team face-to-face, there are 5–6 people involved depending on the focus of the meeting. The people involved in media relations strategy could be different from the people involved in report designs or social media. A communications manager serves as our inside person to vet all the media requests and social tasks. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We had worked with some of the other really huge firms, but we hadn't had great success because we didn’t feel like we were like an important part of their business.  We had a need for content strategy, and we heard pitches from 2–4 companies. Strategic Objectives came out on top. When we find a good partner, we always want to grow that partnership because it’s a huge value to have a partner with a depth of knowledge about our work.  We chose to work with them because they are very, very knowledgeable in the sector and they have huge credibility with the Canadian media landscape and social influencers. They are known because they're so professional and proactive. They really know how to build influence or how to grow authority. They're super, doggedly determined to get the results that you want.  They are deep thinkers, and they understand what’s going on in the world, our sector, and the PR industry. They are not going to implement something unless it will resonate and get results. We work with them because they really take the time to sit down and figure out what we do. We may say, “We think this is a problem,” and they may turn around and say, “That’s a part of your problem, but did you also think about X, Y, and Z?”  They’re always thinking about the best way to get our message across and grow our brand over time. That’s why we’re with them, and that’s why we love working with them. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in 2013, and they serve as our ongoing public relations communication partner. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? So we have a very successful and results-driven relationship with them. Every year, the work we do with them results in better and better media coverage. It takes time to explain, position, and elevate your brand voice, and the media is really starting to understand what we do. The media has had no problem talking about our new brand.  They’ve helped us do a lot of events with the media. For example, we did an art show in downtown Toronto where a brand photographer took beautiful photos of our work.  They’ve also helped build our CEO’s authority in the space. During International Day of the Girl, he was called upon by national media to be a voice for our sector. The survey campaigns they created were run globally all over the world. We got millions and millions of impressions, media coverage, tons of interviews, as well as coverage with influencers, television, radio, and more.  How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? It’s a very positive relationship. They’ll submit a statement of work, and we have full confidence they’re going to get it done. They’re always going to exceed our expectations in some way.  Every week, they provide us with a full description of ongoing work, challenges, opportunities, and the next milestones. They’re on top of it. It’s a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. We have touch-base meetings, in-person meetings, brainstorming sessions, and phone calls. We always feel very, very confident that they're very aggressively pursuing their work. It's always very timely.  They’re always pushing us, saying, “Can we get your CEO in front of this media?” They’re pushing us because they love what they do. You can tell they take huge pride in their work, which is always excellent. We're always very informed of who's on the core team. If we need to reach different members of their team, we always can. They're very, very proactive in ensuring that we know who's doing what on their team. We know exactly how many hours each employee is devoting to each task. What did you find most impressive about them? They’re very creative and innovative. They’re always able to find really, really creative ways to raise our brand voice. They're always coming up with new ways of doing things. They have tangible examples of how they’ve achieved results over the years for many organizations, and those examples show their out-of-the-box thinking. We needed to really shake things up dramatically, and we've been able to do that with them. Are there any areas they could improve? We’ve worked together for so long that we have really honest and open discussions. I can’t think of an instance where they’ve let us down or where there’s been a challenge. If they don't understand a particular initiative, they'll just call us up and ask about it. I don't feel that there's ever barriers in between what we need to do or what they need to do.  I don't really have criticism. If I did, I'd probably be looking for another partner. But they're totally loved and appreciated over here. Do you have any advice for potential customers? The more open and honest you can be about your business challenge, the more you can engage with them, involve them, and inform them. Then, they’re better equipped to help you. You have to be really open and invite them into your staff meetings. You have to take the time to educate them so they can do their job well.  They need to understand the strategic vision of the organization. We share all of our documents with them (e.g. our three-year plan, our goal, and areas where we’re having difficulty).  --- #### Journalist Engagement for Nonprofit Hotline Launch **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Mar. - June 2019 **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provided media outreach for a nonprofit. Their main deliverable was a new service press conference where they facilitated stakeholder interviews and set up a live-stream of the event.   **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 3.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing & Communications Officer, National Nonprofit - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 11, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Far exceeding metric goals, Strategic Objectives work led directly to a successful service launch. Extending beyond the event, they delivered a thorough report that was delivered to the organization’s board. Strategic’s industry relationships were notable, as was the consistency of their support.   ""The support we felt at this very stressful point – since our marketing communications team was just me—was amazing."  " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m a marketing communications officer from a national nonprofit dedicated to ending human trafficking. We provider victims with referrals to service providers and law enforcement in their communities, as well as accept tips about human trafficking incidents. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We were going to launch a national hotline. To promote it and our organization, we wanted to engage journalists in small communities, but we had a small team. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Early on, they did 1-on-1 journalist outreach, as well as stakeholder relations with the Candian press, which got lots of coverage. Our hotline launch was picked up by national outlets and local newspapers. They also organized a Toronto press conference for us where journalists came in and interviewed our CEO and staff members, plus service providers and law enforcement from Toronto. The conference was live-streamed so our stakeholders could view it online. In preparation for the conference, they put together our key messages and fact sheets and did media training. Afterward, they provided media tracking, which we presented to our board. What is the team composition? There were roughly six people. Shane (Former Communications Manager, Strategic Objectives) was our main point of contact, but there were a few others depending on what was happening at the time. For example, on media day, we had someone to coordinate and escort us to interviews. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We’d worked with Judy (Co-Founder, Strategic Objectives) on pro bono level before, so we knew they could deliver. They provided advice on putting together our key documents as we grew: marketing communication strategy, a crisis communication plan. They also had input on our strategic priorities before I came to the organization. What is the status of this engagement? We worked together from March until the end of June 2019. The launched was in May 2019. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  Their original goal for earned media impressions was 4.5 million, and they got 83.5 million. They really blew that goal out of the water. They also earned 760 earned media pieces in French and English media outlets. The team presented all this information in a really great report after the event. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They really performed well for us. The support we felt at this very stressful point – since our marketing communications team was just me—was amazing. We wouldn’t’ have been successful without them.   What did you find most impressive about them? Their level of relationships with journalists across the country was incredible. We had a unique project for them regarding the smaller size of our budget and our subject matter, but their expertise in engaging journalists in our topic was amazing. We didn’t have that ability. Are there any areas they could improve? On the level of working with a nonprofit, they have room to grow. Not that they didn’t do a great job, they just don’t have as much experience dealing with tactics we use. For example, they wanted to use influencers in the campaign, but that’s not part of our approach. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Be organized and map out goals and priorities. Walk them through the other stakeholders and their priorities. We had board, community members, and victims and survivors to think about, so provide them as much detail as possible on the audience. They can do a lot of research, but it helps if it comes from yourself. --- #### Press Release for an On-Demand Delivery Service **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Aug. - Sep. 2019 **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives developed a news release to raise brand awareness for an on-demand delivery service. They created mailer kits for local influencers, designed materials, and executed a media event. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** PR & Influencer Marketing Specialist, foodora - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1,001-5,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 10, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Every KPI for this campaign was met or exceeded. Strategic Objectives was professional and well-organized, and they helped bring the brand to a new level. Their project management and communication were strong. "“Their pure ability to surpass our KPIs was really impressive.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. We are a third-party, on-demand delivery service. We deliver food, alcohol, and other household items. I'm a PR and influencer marketing specialist. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We're launching a new product on our platform for Toronto. We wanted to raise awareness and drive acquisitions. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They helped us with media relations. That included developing a news release and distributing it across Canada through targeted pitching. They also created mailer kits to send to influencers in Toronto. They designed and procured all the materials, put everything through production, and oversaw packing and shipping. They also executed a media and influencer event in Toronto. What is the team composition? We worked with two front-facing individuals: one account manager and their SVP. The account manager was our main point of contact. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We did an RFP, and we hoped to find a team that could fit within our budget and a rather short timeline. Strategic Objectives has a good reputation, and we wanted to work with a company that had the connections and experience to pull off an event and program of this scale. How much have you invested with them? We spent about $60,000 in total. What is the status of this engagement? The project started in August 2019 and was finished at the end of September 2019. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Our experience was very positive, and everything surpassed the KPIs we set for the platform. We were very happy with the work that they did, and everything was professional, well-executed, and organized. They took us to a new level. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They're very good project managers, and we never had to hold their hand. We communicated mostly through email, but we also had a weekly phone call. What did you find most impressive about them? Their pure ability to surpass our KPIs was really impressive. Are there any areas they could improve? I don't have any areas of improvement for them. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Give longer lead time if you can. The earlier you can start working with them, the better. --- #### Ongoing PR Campaigns for Snack Company **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: $1,000,000 to $9,999,999 - Project length: Jan. 2009 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provided PR solutions for the brands of a confectionary conglomerate. From conception to launch, they annually manage a seasonal proposal for marketing and campaign initiatives. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Export Account Manager, Packaged Food Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 10,001+ Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 10, 2019 **Feedback Summary**: Strategic Objectives demonstrates a keen understanding of the company’s different brands, and implement initiatives that are sensitive to customer behaviors. Over time, they’ve become a valuable partner by effectively providing a comprehensive service. They’re also great at adapting to feedback. "“I was taken by their enthusiasm and their genuine drive to represent the brand to the best of that brand’s potential.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the account manager of exports at a large confectionery company. I manage our UK exports as well as some of the North American imports.   **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We were seeking PR work and representation for a few of our brands. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They're instrumental to our PR procedure because they focus on brand representation and communication. Their PR involves marketing campaigns—communicating news items about our brands. They even work with influencers across social media. During holiday time, they’ll compile a yearly program that outlines different initiatives for different times of the year. They take into account what’s trendy and relevant to contemporary consumers. After we work together to discern which activities we want to proceed with, they’ll bring that plan to life. What is the team composition? I have consistent contact with around three members of their team. Different teammates work on different brands, but since I oversee all of their work, I regularly communicate with all three. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? It’s a historic agreement that existed before I onboarded at this company, but I maintain our relationship with them because they have an excellent understanding of the brands they manage. How much have you invested with them? We spent somewhere between $100,000–$200,000 annually, so the total we’ve spent would easily exceed a million. What is the status of this engagement? We’ve been working with them for almost ten years, from 2009. The engagement is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?  They continue to demonstrate an excellent understanding of our brands. They’re able to get under the skin of customers through effective consumer angles and engagement ideas. The extent of their attention to detail is very impressive. I also embrace the fact that they’re always coming up with different solutions for our particular needs. They provide a very full service, which is very helpful. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They’ve been excellent. They follow a methodical approach of coming up with ideas, scoping them out, putting a proposal together, then launching and managing it. They’re very approachable and open. We communicate via conference calls when required, but we also have occasional face-to-face meetings. In general they’ve been accommodating of different communication methods. What did you find most impressive about them? I was taken by their enthusiasm and their genuine drive to represent the brand to the best of that brand’s potential. Are there any areas they could improve? Nothing long-term comes to mind because whenever I have constructive feedback, I deliver it to them immediately. They’re great at taking and adapting to feedback, which I really appreciate. Do you have any advice for potential customers? Be communicative about how exactly you want the brand to be represented, and go in detail. It’s very important that all objectives are outlines with real clarity. --- #### PR & Brand Reputation Services for CPG Organization **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: $1,000,000 to $9,999,999 - Project length: Feb. 2007 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provided PR and marketing strategy to shrink a public perception gap on a product’s quality. They led research studies, engaged spokespeople, and delivered a video to review their results. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 3.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** National Marketing Manager, CPG Organization - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 5,001-10,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Nov 6, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: The campaign met all requirements and metrics of success. Strategic Objectives' diligence, dedication, and in-depth knowledge make them a valuable partner in every project. They deliver high-quality products on time at cost-effective rates and adapt to timeline and scope changes as needed. ""They bring in-depth knowledge to each project and adapt to last-minute tasks and scope changes with ease." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the head of marketing for a consumer packaged goods (CPG) organization. We sell our products in multiple channels of retail and e-commerce in Canada. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We’ve worked with Strategic Objectives for over ten years on multiple business scenarios. One particular challenge they helped us address was a quality perception issue with our pens. According to market research, consumers believed our pens fell short of market standards when from a technical perspective, they exceeded category norms. We engaged Strategic Objectives to create PR and social strategies to shrink this perception gap. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Strategic Objectives identified an opportunity to communicate the benefits of writing by hand versus typing. They tapped into our research resources and set up studies to demonstrate these benefits. At the same time, during these demonstrations with consumers, they subtly talked up our brand of pens with an emphasis on quality. They engaged several spokespeople to deploy this message. Throughout the process, Strategic Objectives dove into our business objectives to better understand our goals. After 2–3 rounds of discussion and negotiation, we settled on our final programming—including any deliverables or physical materials—and establish KPIs to measure impact. Once the campaign finished, Strategic Objectives provided regular performance trackers through a video and a PowerPoint presentation. What is the team composition? I work primarily with Vanessa (Account Manager, Strategic Objectives) who leads a team behind the scenes. We also collaborate with Judy (Co-Founder and Partner, Strategic Objectives), and Adriana (Vice-President, Strategic Objectives). How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We parted ways with our prior PR vendor because their level of client service didn’t meet our expectations. I asked for recommendations from industry colleagues and drew a shortlist of 6–7 companies to consider. Strategic Objectives was one of them. In our interview, we were looking at more than a company’s skill set; we wanted a partner that would fit with our project and organization’s needs. Strategic Objectives stood out from the competition, and we’ve been working together ever since. How much have you invested with them? We’ve spent over $3 million CAD (approximately $2.3 million USD) so far. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in February 2007, and our partnership is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We measure the impact of our campaigns using KPIs such as CPI rates. We look for a certain number of TV, radio, and print impressions and weigh it against how much we’re spending on those ad campaigns. Strategic Objectives reliably delivers CPI-efficient campaigns. They turned around public perception of our pen brand. Their campaigns meet or beat KPIs, and we are highly satisfied with our partnership. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They’ve made the collaboration seamless. The team meets every deadline and helps us stay on track to accomplish the next stages. What did you find most impressive about them? Strategic Objectives dedicates themselves to every step of a project. They bring in-depth knowledge to each project and adapt to last-minute tasks and scope changes with ease. Are there any areas they could improve? Over the past three years, we’re moving towards a more permanent presence in social media (rather than leveraging social channels as part of a campaign). While our in-house team is overseeing this effort, we could use insights from Strategic Objectives on social advertising. --- #### PR & Marketing for Global Automotive Company **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: July 2018 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: After brainstorming ideas and developing a strategy, Strategic Objectives spearheaded a PR and marketing campaign. They developed key messages to target a new audience and helped set the goals for KPIs. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Corporate Communications Manager, Automotive Company - Industry: Automotive - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 24, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Strategic Objectives has overachieved the KPIs and generated substantial media coverage. They go above and beyond to meet all goals, while their positive attitude, exceptional organizational skills, and ability to develop successful strategies made them a go-to partner. ""They're accommodating, strategic, and very creative." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I'm a corporate communications manager at an automotive company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We were trying to get more out of our sponsorship activities and target a new audience. We worked with the automotive journalism, but we didn't speak to the mainstream journalism, so we started looking for a company to help us find a new voice to share our stories. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? First, they sat down with us and tried to identify what the problem was and what business needs we had (our goal is to sell cars). After brainstorming their ideas and strategies with us, they identified one strategy and worked with me on developing key messages and setting the goals for KPIs. After that, they implemented the strategy. They did a fantastic job guiding the process and engaging their team members. They continue to update us on the new opportunities and let us know when the problems arise and what solutions they've come up with. What is the team composition? I usually work with three members of their team. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? I come from an agency experience, so I knew of some agencies. Strategic Objectives went above and beyond in terms of doing research and proposing some ideas we hadn't thought of, so we decided they'd be a good fit. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in July 2018 and the relationship is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? They've overachieved the KPIs that we set for the campaign, and we have more media coverage coming in. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They're very organized and someone from their team is always available to answer our questions. They have a thought-out agenda and they always follow up, implementing anything we've discussed. What did you find most impressive about them? They're very easy to work with. They're accommodating, strategic, and very creative. They have great ideas and a positive attitude. Are there any areas they could improve? I can't think of anything. They've met all of our expectations. --- #### Media Exposure for Global Automotive Parts Company **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: $200,000 to $999,999 - Project length: Jan. 2017 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives helped establish a relationship with Canadian media representatives and influencers to increase brand familiarity and visibility within the target market. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Brand Communications, Automotive Parts Company - Industry: Automotive - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 22, 2018 **Feedback Summary**: Strategic Objectives work generated over 8 million impressions, which is three times more than the original goal. The team is organized and efficient, carefully tracking all of their work in progress reports. Their professionalism and industry expertise have led to a lasting partnership. "“I’m completely satisfied with their services at this point.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the director of brand communications at a global automotive parts company. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We wanted to increase our brand’s exposure in Canadian media. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We wanted to establish a positive reputation for our brand in Canada. We wanted to highlight the advanced technology we use in our automotive parts, as well as our commitment to safety. Strategic Objective helped us build relationships with media representative and influencers. What is the team composition? Taylor (Account Manager, Strategic Objectives) is our account executive, and I’ve worked with several other people who’ve since left the company. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We sent out an RFP to several PR companies in Toronto. Strategic Objectives had more experience in the automotive industry than the other candidates. Ultimately, we chose to work with them for their unique perspective on storytelling. How much have you invested with them? For both the specific project and the retainer, we’ll spend around $240,000 by the end of 2018. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in January 2017, and it’s an ongoing relationship. Currently, we have a monthly retainer, which we plan to renew for the next year. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Overall, we’ve increased our visibility within the Canadian market. We have an internal system that measures our media coverage. Last year, we received triple the impressions than we’d hoped. Our goal was 3.8 million, but we passed that by 8 million. We’re still working on projects for the rest of 2018, and we’re on track to have a successful year. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? The Strategic Objectives team is very efficient in putting together daily and weekly progress reports for ongoing projects. Because we’re a global company, we value organization. We get documentation from our global office, localize it, and share it with Taylor and his team. For day-to-day communication, we use email. What did you find most impressive about them? I was impressed by their professionalism. They’re very experienced in Toronto’s media space—they’ve won multiple awards. We’re excited to continue working with them. Are there any areas they could improve? I’m completely satisfied with their services at this point. --- #### Public Relations for Educational Facility & Cosmetics Company **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Feb. - Aug. 2017 **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provided PR support for a Canadian market debut. They supplemented an existing partner’s advertising channels by identifying key publications and influencers. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 4.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Operations, Education & Cosmetics Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 31, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Internal tracking shows an increase in impressions. Strategic Objectives took time to understand diverse concerns, and organized their workload well. They provided regular updates and feedback, and were timely with deliverables. "“They have a personal approach… and made sure we were well represented.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I am the director of operations for an educational facility with a cosmetic line. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We entered the Canadian market through the department store we partner with. We needed PR assistance to promote our brand in Canada. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? We discussed our long-term goals. They advocated advertising both inside and outside of our partner’s channels, and helped identify publications and influencers that would work best for us. What is the team dynamic? My direct contact was Shane McKenna [Account Manager, Strategic Objectives]. We had a weekly call and communicated via email. Their team sent us regular updates and feedback on projects. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? We met with two other PR firms, but Strategic Objectives already had a relationship with our department store partner. We chose them because of that existing contact with potential consumers. What is the status of this engagement? We entered a six-month contract with them between February and August 2017. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Our internal marketing department tracks our market impact. Based upon the increase of hits, Strategic Objectives found good avenues to influence our consumers. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They were very detailed and timely, and they kept us abreast of any new projects we could collaborate on. They organize their workload well, and demonstrate their impact throughout the process. What did you find most impressive about them? They have a personal approach. They took time to understand our company, our concerns, and how we could best utilize our budget. They also considered our diverse offerings and brought high-level managers into the project to be sure we were well represented. Are there any areas they could improve? We had a bit of a bumpy start, but once they got to know our company our experience was completely positive. --- #### Public Relations for Chocolate Product Company **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Aug. - Sep. 2017 **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives launched an effective PR campaign for the back-to-school season in a matter of weeks. They conducted outreach to both traditional and social media outlets. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** President, Chocolate Product Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 1-10 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Oct 16, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Strategic Objectives' detailed understanding of the market contributed to millions of impressions, at a fraction of the average cost. Their expertise in earning media coverage will lead them to be onboarded for all future PR projects. "“I really liked their ideas, energy, and vision… [Strategic Objectives] reached more people than I could have imagined.” " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the president of a chocolate product company. We have the Canadian product rights for an allergen-friendly chocolate product from a larger food organization which originates in Boulder, CO. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? Our main objective was alerting consumers to the product’s availability in Canada. There is no other product like this in the market, and the allergen-friendly segment is totally new to us. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? They presented a strategic plan to reach all sorts of media. They reached out to magazines, TV, radio, and to the online community of bloggers, vloggers, and social media. What is the team dynamic? Sarah Leone [Account Manager, Strategic Objectives] was our team lead. I also work with Deborah Weinstein [Founder, Strategic Objectives], Jacqueline Rose, and Mia David. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? I met with Deborah at her office, where we talked about her experience with another chocolate company. I was impressed by all their awards and was very comfortable with her. I really liked her team's ideas and energy, and their vision for the product. I had no reason to look elsewhere. How much have you invested with them? We spent $30,000 Canadian ($23,769 U.S.). What is the status of this engagement? We started in August 2017, and completed the project in September. They turned it around in just a few weeks for a back-to-school launch. We’re not currently working together, but I will use them again for our future PR campaigns. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Their deliverables were better than any of us anticipated. We appeared in print media across the country, and had lots of people writing and posting online –both paid and un-paid– because of the excitement the product generates. We were featured on a couple of television shows, including a giveaway on a talk show that led to roughly 12 million impressions. The cost per impression is usually about 5¢, but all the outstanding coverage brought that cost to about .003¢. They reached more people than I could have imagined. I had never worked with a PR firm before and was skeptical when I started. Their work is showing lifts in Instagram, which benefits our U.S. counterpart as well. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They were exceptional in everything they did. Most of our communication was via email, and some over the phone. They responded to everything quickly, and we got feedback reports every Friday. What did you find most impressive about them? They’re in-tune with the market and have a lot of good connections. When they contacted the media, they knew if the person they were reaching out to had a food allergy. That kind of detail helped us market the product. I had heard about our U.S. counterpart’s nightmares with their first PR company, but I can’t say enough to praise Strategic Objectives. I wouldn’t go with anyone else. --- #### Public Relations for Large Retail Organization **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Dec. 2015 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives expanded their initial brand awareness engagement to encompass all PR and communications. Programming includes social media, influencer campaigns, product promotion, and media monitoring. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of PR, Retail Organization - Industry: Retail - Client size: 5,001-10,000 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Sep 15, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Strategic Objectives’ long-term focus boosts brand awareness and media buzz, and their campaign postmortems are consistently positive. The team’s solid influencer connections, 24/7 availability, and bankable deliverables match their stellar reputation, and they're a true a pleasure to work with. ""They are a constant force to be reckoned with."" **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. Our organization has multiple full-line stores across Canada selling accessories, apparel, and home goods. I’m the director of public relations, media buying, and organic social media. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We wanted to increase brand consideration. A previous PR agency handled our corporate communications, and another agency worked on our consumer-focused and experiential PR campaigns. We wanted to hire an all-encompassing agency to handle both so there would be fluidity. We also needed help with our perception in the Canadian market. We wanted to be considered as a destination for back-to-school, Christmas, and other major seasons. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? Strategic Objectives now takes care of all facets of our communications and PR programming. They began with more of a brand awareness campaign in the beginning, which has now morphed into more product-focused programs. We also work with them on general media relation campaigns. They provide media and crisis monitoring. They help run our influencer and blogger campaigns, which are a big focus for us. Whether we’re using macro or micro influencers, they leverage their longtime relationships in the Canadian market to showcase our offerings and get our message out to Canadian consumers. What is the team dynamic? We have a full-time team. We have direct access to Deb Weinstein [President, Strategic Objectives]. We’re also in constant contact with Mike Shipticki [Vice President, Strategic Objectives]. Their phenomenal account manager, Sarah Leone [Account Manager, Strategic Objectives], is my daily contact and my go-to person for everything. There’s a core team that works with us on all of our media events and previews. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? I’ve been a part of this business for over 10 years, and I’ve heard nothing but great things about them from friends and colleagues in the PR world. We put out the request for proposal and they were interested, which was fantastic. They are a constant force to be reckoned with. They have won so many awards for their work on small, medium, and large campaigns for clients in the Canadian industry and abroad. We wanted to partner with a well-recognized, well-established firm that we knew would do a great job. They were a great fit. What is the status of this engagement? We started working with them in December 2015, and the relationship is ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? Actual data is broken out by campaign. Strategic Objectives provides us with weekly highlights reports, as well as a postmortem summary at the end of each campaign. We’ve definitely moved the needle on the consideration factor from when we first started partnering with them. We’re part of the conversation in magazine roundups, Instagram posts, and commentary on television and radio. Our qualitative and quantitative measurements have yielded positive results. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? We touch base daily and weekly via phone calls and emails. They present their ideas, and we treat them as a robust menu from which we select the programs we want to implement. They have a very hands-on and open communication style when it comes to project management that makes them a pleasure to work with. What did you find most impressive about them? What makes them stand out from other communication and PR companies is 24/7 access and availability. They also work to obtain the best results for your company, rather than completing a one-off project. They constantly keep long-term results in mind. They demand great results from their teams. I feel comfortable assigning them any project with any budget, knowing they’ll use resources in the most strategic way. They get us the results that we need. Are there any areas they could improve? We make modifications and improvements as we go along, so I don’t have any overall suggestions for improvement. --- #### Public Relations for Trampoline Company **The Project** - Services: Branding - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Mar. - Sep. 2017 **Project Summary**: Looking to widen their brand awareness and consumer reach in Canada, a trampoline company solicited Strategic Objectives to generate earned media impressions, blog posts, and overall social engagement. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 4.5 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of Marketing, Trampoline Company - Industry: Retail - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Sep 8, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Earning over 100 media stories and social interactions, Strategic Objectives met the business objective and exceeded expectations. Their talented team is unique from others in that they take the time to understand the market and will clarify questions before delivering solid PR strategies. ""They really understand how a brand can benefit from creating relationships with bloggers and influencers." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. I’m the director of marketing for a sports brand with branches in North America and Europe. We sell trampolines. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? We were looking to grow our brand awareness in Canada. We have pretty strong brand awareness and we always have new customers that come into the market. We wanted to capitalize on some things that were happening within Canada around the Canada 150 celebrations and we wanted to leverage our athlete ambassador. We asked Strategic Objectives to help us create a program that would reach our target demographic that was fun and a little outside the norm of what we would do. One of the big goals that we have in marketing is to have customers try all of our products. Integrating a trial program within the larger scope of our reach, Strategic Objectives was able to help us deliver a strong PR program that helped us reach our goals. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The process was pretty straightforward and easy to follow. We had a couple of discovery sessions where Strategic Objectives got to really know the brand, the players, and what our objectives were. They were really good at coming back and refining the objectives and making sure that we were all aligned. From there, they created a couple of options for us within our budget and our scope. They came up with three programs and told us we could mix and match and create a custom solution if there were areas within each program that we liked. We liked two big ideas that they had and we combined them into a final plan which we then executed. The deliverables were to reach impressions through earned media as well as have the opportunity to get our product in front of as many people as we could so they could try our products. We have three core markets in Canada and we needed to make sure that we focused in on those three. Strategic Objectives delivered on reach. They delivered on the trial opportunities and definitely did a really great job of weaving in our athlete ambassador into all of our key messaging and outreach. What is the team dynamic? Our primary contact was Taylor [Account Manager, Strategic Objectives]. We also worked with Michael [Vice President, Strategic Objectives]. Deb [Co-founder and Partner, Strategic Objectives] was involved a little bit behind the scenes. Then there was a young woman named Mia [Strategic Objectives] who was more of a coordinator on the backend for us. The entire team was fantastic. Taylor is very on top of details. He is engrained in the program and he knows everything that’s going on. He’s very proactive in giving updates along the way. Any time that we ran into any kind of bump in the road around our plan, he always came back with a solution or a different approach that we could take to make sure that we’re still delivering on the objective. He was a really great partner. Michael was really great from a strategic standpoint, making sure that we were delivering on the strategy and the brand deliverables. Mia was also great. She was involved in a lot of the execution details and even showed up at one of our trial events. She did a fantastic job of helping manage the employees and making sure that the event went off without a hitch. The whole team was fantastic. We had a really great time working with them. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? Last year, we worked with a small boutique agency in California for the spring and summer season. We were launching a new product in 2016 in the Canada and U.S. so we needed a new team that was across the border and that was a little bit bigger than the team was had in the U.S. prior. We needed to upgrade the resource side, so we contracted a larger, multi-national company. That relationship ended after the product was launched because it was very expensive and unsustainable. When 2017 rolled around, we thought there was a big opportunity with Canada 150. We also wanted to leverage the fact that our sponsored athlete was just coming off of winning a second gold medal in the Olympics. Strategic Objectives is a company that I've known for a while. We reached out to them and it ended up working really well for both parties. I met with Michael [Vice President, Strategic Objectives] in 2008 at a different company. He helped me with another retail brand that I was working on at the time and he did an amazing job for us. When it came to looking for a new provider in 2017, I reached out to him to see if he would be interested in pitching in. It was the ongoing relationship I've had with them over the last decade that really helped me make the decision. It was a great fit. They understood the needs. They could scale the project up and down for us based on budgetary requirements. It just made sense to work with them.  How much have you invested with them? We have spent $65,000. What is the status of this engagement? We started working together in March 2017 until September 2017. We are working with them to discuss 2018 plans going forward. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? From a statistical standpoint, Strategic Objectives generated about 117 earned media stories, about 18-20 blog posts through influencers, and a whole bunch of social media mentions for us. From a quantitative standpoint, they’ve done a phenomenal job and exceeded our expectations. From a qualitative standpoint, the stories and feedback we heard back from our target audience about the programs were all extremely positive. The engagement that we saw with the program on our social channels was a really great indicator that the program was being delivered successfully and that it was resonating with our target audience. Overall, I believe that the earned media Strategic Objectives generated for us had a huge effect on our results in terms of the sales numbers we’ve seen in this last quarter. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They were fantastic. Taylor [Account Manager, Strategic Objectives] was on top of every detail of our account and our program. There was never a point in time where I didn’t know what was going on or I was out of the loop of what they were working on. They had weekly meetings with us by phone to give us status updates. They used a lot of project management tools to send documents back and forth of what we've accomplished that week and what we would work on next week. Anytime there was a bump in a road, Taylor was the first one to pick up the phone and deliver some bad news and come up with the solution of how we could fix it. I have no complaints at all. We were very much kept in the loop with what they were doing. I was very impressed by the hours and the time that they committed and invested into our project. What did you find most impressive about them? They do a lot of due diligence to understand the partner they’re working with and to understand what their business objectives are. A lot of PR agencies are just about media pitching or getting a bunch of influencers together to get a story out. Strategic Objectives is really good at doing the research upfront and if they have any questions during that process, they're great at clarifying instead of just assuming, which I think sets them apart from a lot of other agencies. They have spent a lot of years working on and honing their influencer blogger relationships, which is another thing that sets them apart. They're not a very traditional PR agency in that they only do earned media. They really understand how a brand can benefit from creating relationships with bloggers and influencers. Are there any areas they could improve? The big thing I’m hoping for in 2018 is to come up with bigger ideas and really challenge our thinking to come up with things that might scare us a little bit but that we can still try. There are no major changes I would suggest for Strategic Objectives, but I would appreciate hearing from them some bigger, newer, more interesting ideas for us to build on in 2018. --- #### Public Relations for Tissue Product Manufacturer **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: Confidential - Project length: Jan. 2003 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: In collaboration with other agencies and suppliers, Strategic Objectives has served as the primary PR provider for a tissue company, aiding them in media outreach, impressions, and other metric-based objectives. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** VP of Marketing, Tissue Product Company - Industry: Manufacturing - Client size: 201-500 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Sep 7, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: When partnering with Strategic Objectives, the team members they dedicate to the project include their top executives and main leadership. Results-driven and committed to business objectives, the SO team works hard to ensure their projects' success can be measured on a quantitative scale. ""In terms of creativity and innovation, they go beyond what one could expect." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. We are a manufacturer and marketer of tissue products. We are Canada’s number one tissue company and we are number one in the consumer product spectrum. We are also a sizeable player in the United States. We market key trademark brands and provide private label consulting and products to specific retailers in North America. I’m the corporate vice president of marketing. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? Strategic Objectives was brought in on a pitch several years ago and the challenge was a brand name transition. Our organization bought another large paper company in 1997. We had a ten-year period to transition brand names, knowing that one of our competitors could possibly re-enter the marketplace in that period. As a specific example, we were marketing the leading brand in Canada at that time. I was brought in to not only decide on what names the brand would be, but to also come up with the strategy and the programs that we would implement within a five-year spectrum to defend our brand against this imminent threat and to maintain our market share at that time. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? The process began with having us present as detailed a brief as possible. We had a very exhaustive brief on the category, the business, our competitors, our vision, our plans, and a lot of consumer insights. Beginning with the insight that we had, we integrated Strategic Objectives into our mix of other partners and suppliers. We work collaboratively with ad agencies, public relations firms, and packaging suppliers, so some of our key partners at that time were brought in to make sure that our marketing elements were connecting seamlessly to our consumers. This is one of the key benefits of working with a team like Strategic Objectives. They embrace this concept and they work well with our other partners. Often times, we don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes, but in the end, it’s really a synergistic effect that is highly efficient for us as a client. What is the team dynamic? One of the benefits of working with Strategic Objectives is that we get to work with their top executives. Deb Weinstein [President, Strategic Objectives] has been a key element of continuity for us. She is a great mastermind behind the thought process, writing, creativity, and even the execution. She has a range of other people that have been working on our projects, and we feel very fortunate that we’ve had a key senior person involved. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? Strategic Objectives was one of several different groups that specialize in the area of expertise we needed. Strategic Objectives was brought in from a public relations mandate to help us understand how we could exploit the name we had decided on. Strategic Objectives came in through an RFP with several other contenders of leading firms in Canada and they were the best of the best. They were the most innovative and creative and they won the business without having done any work for a company before. They introduced a campaign that is still running 14 years later and they have delivered to our group exceptional programs, continuous innovative thinking, and seamless execution with tangible results. What is the status of this engagement? We began working with Strategic Objectives in 2002. Since then, they’ve grown as an organization and have evolved to become a best practice agency. Their business has grown with us. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? We are very metric-based. At the conclusion of one of our big events, we go through the specific KPIs. From the outset, we will articulate an objective, whether it be in terms of impressions, a measure of a public relations score, or a cost per thousand. We’ve augmented those scores each year as we get more ambitious. In many instances, those measures have been presented in different cases and awards shows. Obviously, there are some intangible measures that speak to the success we’ve had with Strategic Objectives, but the specific metrics are what we rely on the most. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? It’s seamless. Their team is highly organized and very well run. They’re an independent team and we trust them implicitly. They’re always hiring third parties to execute for us. To manage our projects, we have tight time tables and work schedules. Strategic Objectives has installed classic management systems that have worked well. They are also brilliant in execution. I have worked with other public relations agencies and advertising agencies that often time are flawed in their execution. Strategic Objectives is flawless at execution. What did you find most impressive about them? First, they are exceptional in terms of their passion for excellence. They deliver exactly what they say they are going to do. The passion they have trickles down to all levels within the organization and it’s contagious. Second, they are distinct for their commitment to measurable results. They are not a qualitative group. You can say that something looks and feels good but when you work on KPIs, that is how you truly measure your success. Strategic Objectives will come in with quantifiable, specific measurables. Finally, in terms of creativity and innovation, they go beyond what one could expect. They bring brilliance, a really smart sense of style, and an evolving knowledge and insight of the consumer with every project they take on. Are there any areas they could improve? I have no complaints. --- #### Social Media & PR for Cosmetics Company **The Project** - Services: Public Relations - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: June 2017 - Ongoing **Project Summary**: For the past few months, Strategic Objectives has been the PR lead for a cosmetics company, working to manage their social media campaigns and maintain relationships with influencers in their industry. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 3.5 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Director of External Communications, Cosmetics Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Phone Interview - Verified **The Review** — Aug 28, 2017 **Feedback Summary**: Awarded the best agency of the year for the last six years, Strategic Objectives is one of the strongest providers in the PR and social media fields. Their professional demeanor reflects directly on the quality of work they produce, confirming the trust their clients have in them. ""It’s been an absolute delight to be working with them again." " **BACKGROUND** Introduce your business and what you do there. Right now, I’m working at a cosmetics company that encompasses four separate sub-brands. I am the director of external communications, public relations, and social media. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives? I’ve worked with Strategic Objectives not only in my new role, but also at a past role with a separate cosmetics company based in the UK. In my current role, I wanted to work with Strategic Objectives to help us to better manage our social media platform within one of our sub-brands. **SOLUTION** What was the scope of their involvement? What I love about Strategic Objectives is that they’re a seasoned group of professionals. Everything that they present is always buttoned up to the tee. Before hiring them to work with my current company, they came down and gave us a presentation of their capabilities deck. They showed us what they were able to do for our sub-brand and they also highlighted what they as a company have been doing over the last 30 years. What was really refreshing was that they kept their presentation at a very high level and tailored it to results. At the end of the day, we are really interested in determining how we are going to address the success of these campaigns once we’re done with them. I like that they were able to hit every nail on the head beginning with coming in very well prepared, giving us a proposal that makes sense, and then tracking their results to ensure that we met or exceeded our expectations. The process was a lot of back and forth. We wanted to come up with an influencer social media campaign. Strategic Objectives came in to put together a list of influencers that we then had to approve with our team. We really appreciated that they are actually in the field day in and day out, talking with the different influencers. We were really leaning on them heavily to give us good recommendations when it came to influencers. The fact that they were managing those relationships made it that much more interesting for us as well. What is the team dynamic? What I love most about Strategic Objectives is that Judy Lewis [Founder, Strategic Objectives], who is one of the presidents there, is heavily involved in everything, including all of the projects that we’re working on. For me, that makes me feel much more secure because I know that she knows exactly what’s going on with all of our projects. We also work with Adriana Lurz [Vice President, Strategic Objectives] who’s the vice present and we’ve also been working with Vanessa Powell [Account Manager, Strategic Objectives]. How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives? I had worked with Strategic Objectives at a prior cosmetics company. With that company, their brand was really built on public relations and Strategic Objectives had been working with them for over 30 years which I think is quite exceptional in this day and age. I was able to work with them while doing PR for about four years. When I was moving into my current position, I was not considering any other PR firms besides Strategic Objectives. What I love about them is that not only do they specialize in PR, but they also do social media. They are just an extremely seasoned agency. How much have you invested with them? We've spent about $50,000. What is the status of this engagement? I just started working at this new cosmetics company about three months ago. I think it’s safe to say that it was roughly three months ago that we started talking with Strategic Objectives and we awarded them the business on two of our campaigns. Our partnership with them is still ongoing. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? At this point, we do not have any metrics just yet because our campaigns are still in motion. However, while I was working at my past firm, there were numerous campaigns that we worked on with Strategic Objectives. One of them was a campaign we did to stop sex trafficking of children and young people. We had a huge media event in Ottowa where our president at the time did a press conference. There were tons of media outlets there and we went to Parliament Hill to really work towards changing the law in the effort to stop sex trafficking of children and young people. Through our company's efforts and through the public relations we did with the help of Strategic Objectives, the government actually said that they were willing to invest $25 million over the four years to really put a plan in place to stop sex trafficking. We feel really proud of that event because we really helped to elevate the voice of that campaign and we also won an award for that campaign. It was a big moment for us as a brand and as collaborators. How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint? They’re extremely quick. They’re on it. With PR, we need be reactive and extremely fast in sending out an email and getting a reply, whether it be 7:00 PM Saturday night or first thing Monday morning at 9:00 AM. Strategic Objectives understands the way we have to work which is an extremely fast paced environment. They love it. We mainly correspond over the phone and through email. What did you find most impressive about them? What I really love about Strategic Objectives is that they are an award-winning agency. There are not too many agencies out there in PR and social media that could really say that they continuously win awards. If I’m not mistaken, I think they won agency of the year for the last five or six years which I think is pretty impressive. That alone I think speaks volumes for them as an agency. Are there any areas they could improve? Sometimes I feel that the way they go about managing their business might be a bit too corporate. I think they could relax a bit in terms of the way they handle themselves as an organization. With Strategic Objectives, you definitely get the sense that they are serious about their business, but sometimes it can be perceived as too corporate. --- #### PR & Marketing Strategy for Kitchen Appliances Co **The Project** - Services: Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Social Media Marketing - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: Oct. - Dec. 2023 **Project Summary**: A kitchen appliances company hired Strategic Objectives for PR and marketing strategy. The client was tasked with boosting brand awareness, engaging with the target audience via TikTok, and increasing sales. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Digital Marketing Manager, Cuisinart Canada - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 51-200 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — Feb 23, 2024 **Feedback Summary**: Strategic Objectives exceeded the client's goals, including 11.4 million impressions, collaborating with six ambassador partners, and producing 104 social media posts. The team was punctual, swift, and proactive. The client praised the team's ability to blend strategy with creative execution. ""Their expertise and execution were exemplary, fully meeting our project's needs."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Digital Marketing Manager of Cuisinart CanadaDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.Cuisinart specializes in innovative kitchen appliances, including food processors, blenders, coffee makers, and cookware, to enhance culinary creativity and efficiency at home. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Strategic Objectives to accomplish?Boosting Brand Awareness: Elevating the visibility of the Cuisinart brand and its Indoor Pizza Oven among potential customers.Engaging Target Audience: Creating meaningful interaction and engagement with the target demographic through relatable and appealing content.Increasing Sales: Driving direct sales of the Indoor Pizza Oven through promotional activities and influencer endorsements. **SOLUTION** How did you find Strategic Objectives?Online SearchWhy did you select Strategic Objectives over others?High ratingsHow many teammates from Strategic Objectives were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.In 2023, Cuisinart partnered with Strategic Objectives to launch our Indoor Pizza Oven in Canada, focusing on a national influencer campaign to boost awareness. Targeting food enthusiasts and families across major cities, we engaged audiences with unique promotions like the Ultimate NYC Pizza Experience TikTok Contest and exclusive giveaways. The campaign, aimed at enhancing at-home cooking, significantly outperformed KPIs, generating 104 content pieces, over 11.4 million impressions, and increasing our social media following by over 4,700.This effort solidly positioned our oven as a must-have kitchen appliance. **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?We're thrilled to share that our campaign not only met but exceeded our initial goals, showcasing the effectiveness of our strategy and the appeal of our Indoor Pizza Oven.Highlights include surpassing our target with over 11.4 million impressions against a goal of 4.9 million, collaborating with 6 ambassador partners to surpass our target range of 4-6, producing 104 social posts which doubled our goal of 56, and hosting 3 giveaways alongside a unique NYC Experience Contest. Our cost per click (CPC) was 0.0070, significantly outperforming the industry standard.Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?Strategic Objectives demonstrated excellent project management, delivering all campaign elements on time and adapting swiftly to our needs. Their proactive approach ensured seamless execution and prompt responses to any adjustments required, aligning perfectly with our objectives and timelines.What was your primary form of communication with Strategic Objectives?Virtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?Strategic Objectives impressed us with their ability to seamlessly blend strategic insight with creative execution. Their unique approach to engaging with audiences, particularly through the innovative use of contests and ambassador partnerships, was noteworthy. Their adaptability and commitment to exceeding KPIs, while fostering meaningful connections between our brand and our customers, truly set them apart.Are there any areas for improvement or something Strategic Objectives could have done differently?Strategic Objectives delivered outstanding service with no areas needing change. Their expertise and execution were exemplary, fully meeting our project's needs without any adjustments necessary. --- #### SMM Services for Nonprofit **The Project** - Services: Content Marketing, Digital Strategy, Social Media Marketing - Project size: $50,000 to $199,999 - Project length: July 2022 - Mar. 2023 **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives provided SMM services for a nonprofit that seeks to stop the spread of misinformation on COVID-19. The team helped launch a content creator campaign with four English and French creators. **Review Rating**: 4.5 - Quality: 4.5 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 4.0 - Willing to Refer: 4.5 **The Reviewer** Communications & Social Media Manager, Nonprofit - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Online Review - Verified **The Review** — May 11, 2023 **Feedback Summary**: To the client's delight, the campaign's total impressions surpassed the industry standard by 11x. The team delivered outputs on time and always stayed on top of tasks. Moreover, they impressed the client with their effective communication skills and creative ideas. ""We were satisfied with our experience in working with Strategic Objectives."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and position.I am the Communications and Social Media Manager of a non-profit companyDescribe what your company does in a single sentence.A national initiative that shares the best available science in creative ways to stop the spread of misinformation. **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** What specific goals or objectives did you hire Strategic Objectives to accomplish?Content Creator CampaignKnowledge TranslationBrand Recognition **SOLUTION** How did you find Strategic Objectives?Online SearchReferralWhy did you select Strategic Objectives over others?Great culture fitCompany values alignedHow many teammates from Strategic Objectives were assigned to this project?2-5 EmployeesDescribe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.Develop a content creator campaign with 4 English and 4 French creators.Share credible scientific knowledge in a creative way to capture the attention of social media usersInspire evidence-based decision-making through partnering with trusted voices with loyal audiencesTeach and empower Canadians to be misinformation fighters, with a focus on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?Influencer ambassador program generated strong, branded coverage and total impressions surpassed the industry standard by 11xDescribe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?S//O delivered deliverables on time and helped our team stay on task and targetWhat was your primary form of communication with Strategic Objectives?Virtual MeetingEmail or Messaging AppWhat did you find most impressive or unique about this company?Very prompt and effective communication. Lots of creativity in developing the ambassador program.Are there any areas for improvement or something Strategic Objectives could have done differently?We were satisfied with our experience in working with Strategic Objectives. --- #### Brand Strategy for IT Company **The Project** - Services: Branding - Project size: $10,000 to $49,999 - Project length: Jan. - Mar. 2021 **Project Summary**: Strategic Objectives created a brand strategy and image for an IT company. They gathered company information and studied their objective in the global market. **Review Rating**: 5.0 - Quality: 5.0 - Schedule: 5.0 - Cost: 5.0 - Willing to Refer: 5.0 **The Reviewer** Marketing Executive, IT Company - Industry: Other industries - Client size: 11-50 Employees - Review Type: Online Review **The Review** — May 8, 2022 **Feedback Summary**: The partnership with Strategic Objectives brought excellent responses from the sales team in acquiring global clients. They demonstrated professionalism in accomplishing tasks, attending meetings, and meeting deadlines. Their understanding of brand management was impressive. ""They had an excellent understanding of PR and brand management."" **BACKGROUND** Please describe your company and your position there. I was the marketing executive of ennovision which is an IT firm. I look after all the marketing activities of ennovision **OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE** For what projects/services did your company hire Strategic Objectives, and what were your goals? We wanted to create a good brand image for our foreign clients but did not understand how we should start **SOLUTION** How did you select this vendor? We searched on the internet and checked SO's website. We find them good to work Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables. They first gather all the information about our company and what was our objective in the global market then they created a strategy How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions? total 5 people worked with us including the project manager, PR specialist, and digital marketing executives **RESULTS & FEEDBACK** Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success? After working with them we got an amazing response from our sales team in acquiring global clients Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness. They are very professional in terms of accomplishing tasks, attending meetings, and maintaining deadlines. We used to communicate over zoom What did you find most impressive or unique about this company? They had an excellent understanding of PR and brand management. Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently? Did not find any --- ## Portfolio & Awards ### Project with Kruger Products ### Project with Loacker ### Project with Kia Canada ### Project with Thermacell ### Industry Recognitions - CPRS National 2021 Entrepreneurial Leadership - CPRS Toronto ACE Awards 4 x Agency of the Year - PR News Top 10 CSR Agency A-List - IABC/Toronto Best of the Best Campaign - IABC Gold Quill - Best of the Best Campaign - IABC/Toronto Agency of the Year - IPRA Golden World Awards - United Nations Grand Award ## Key Clients - The Guinness Party of Canada ## Packages ## Locations (1) ### Toronto, Canada (Headquarters) - 184 Front Street East Suite 400 - Toronto, ON M5A 4N3 - Canada - 31 - 40 employees - Phone: 4163667735 ## Contact Strategic Objectives [Send a message](https://clutch.co/profile/strategic-objectives) ### Connect on Social - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/strategic-objectives) - [X](https://twitter.com/SO_pr)