SullivanPerkins

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Matrix Warranty Solutions as a co-owner, COO, and membership catalyst. We do administration for extended auto service contracts, appliances, and electronics. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SullivanPerkins?

We needed design services from them. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve done a few projects with them. Most recently, we did two-sided laminated desk mats for our marketers, both in English and Spanish. One side was in English, and the other was in Spanish. They detailed various programs that we market on the auto and home warranty side. We shipped them to all of our marketers, who use them as guides when they’re selling over the phone. 

We’ve also had SullivanPerkins do presentations for pitches to new businesses. They’ve done smaller marketing pieces for us, such as promotional materials, business cards, and posters that we also sent to our marketers. 

Our company also has different marketers that sell different plans, so SullivanPerkins has to adjust some of the existing pieces that we’ve done and make them applicable for the marketers. They’re doing that as we speak. 

What is the team composition?

There were 4–5 people that worked on the most recent project. 

How did you come to work with SullivanPerkins?

We came across them because they were on the same floor as our office space just across the hall from us. We obviously saw their name often; every day we go to work, we see them. 

We were originally partnering with another party, not local to us. Our team figured we wanted to go somewhere local and someone that we could interact with fairly easily. We looked SullivanPerkins up and reached out. They proved to be a good fit. Not only were they just across the hall, but they also turned projects around in a pretty timely manner.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $5,000–$10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The most recent project started in August 2020, and our engagement is ongoing. We have follow-up projects that they’re currently working on.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Most of the metrics are anecdotal. The call center owners call us up and ask us for these marketing pieces, and they love the posters that SullivanPerkins has done. We got a lot of positive feedback. They call us and say they want more. The team also designed promotional t-shirts that we shipped to the marketers in the call centers, and they love those shirts as well. 

We haven’t received anything that we’ve looked at and said it doesn’t work for us. It’s not to say that there haven’t been back-and-forth comments about what we need, but their quality of work has been great. 

The partnership’s hard to gauge sales- or revenue-wise, but sales have been increasing. Obviously, whatever we’re sending to them is working. We’re very pleased, and it’s been a positive experience for us. 

How did SullivanPerkins perform from a project management standpoint?

We can always get a hold of them since they’re right across the hallway from us. If I need to get a hold of anybody working on our project, I’m able to do so. 

They’re on top of their job and turn projects around quickly. If we have deadlines, they hit them. For instance, we had some contracts that needed to be reformatted, and they could knock those out in a day or so.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

The most impressive thing is that they haven’t shied away from any projects that we’ve given. There’s really nothing they couldn’t do, and we’ve had different projects across the board. That’s always a positive thing. 

I don’t have to go searching for different companies in the area. I know that they can handle whatever projects we end up giving them, and their timing is great. From the ownership down, it’s been pleasant to deal with all of them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re very effective if you give them direction. My company can be scattered. If you have a clear directive and vision, it cuts down the back and forth. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of a high-end luxury destination spa resort and lead all the marketing efforts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SullivanPerkins?

Their original assignment was to rebrand our entire property years ago.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve been tasked with a number of rebranding and marketing initiatives over the many years of our relationship. Everything from logo design to naming, they’ve played a significant role in. For instance, they handling all my email copy and design. They’ve also taken on direct mail pieces and print advertising.  

What is the team composition?

I work primarily with one contact, either their owner or account manager. However, designers and other resources join some of our phone calls.

How did you come to work with SullivanPerkins?

I’d always heard of their reputation. When we needed a designer and other marketing help, I had a conversation with them and decided they would be a good fit.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in 1995, and we’ve been collaborating ever since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their service was outstanding, able to provide the highest quality on any case level. The owner of our company is very satisfied with their work, which has been a huge factor in our continued partnership.   

How did SullivanPerkins perform from a project management standpoint?

Their responsiveness is very impressive. If I email them a brief or any questions, they immediately hop on a call with me. Working with them has been easy because they’re not bogged down with process.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design skills and deliverables are the most important. They’ve bee extraordinary in collaborating with us. They understand how our business functions and truly listen to our needs. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything for them at this point.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Sit down in person and have them experience your product. After that, they’ll be responsive and quick to overcome any learning curves.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of marketing and communications for a new Dallas-based law school that was recently approved by the American Bar Association. We have graduated two classes of lawyers and are about to enter our fifth year of operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SullivanPerkins?

The Dallas area already has several well established, traditional law schools. On top of orchestrating the dynamics of a brand new school with a limited budget, we have also been facing challenges as the first public law school in this environment. We needed a complete identity system and branding platform—including narrative and graphic elements—to effectively convey a sense of professionalism consistent with the legal community.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Sullivan Perkins started with a blank sheet of paper and, over the past few years, has done everything we have been needing. Their identity development, branding platform, and content are continually executed into our website. They  also continue to provide print collateral, marketing communications, and print advertising services.

What is the team composition?

For this project, I specifically work with an account service representative who serves as the primary contact between me and their team. However, I personally know many of the senior designers, senior writers, and even Mark Perkins (Co-founder, SullivanPerkins), whom I have known and often worked with for the last 20 years.

How did you come to work with SullivanPerkins?

When I took this role in 2014, the law school and SullivanPerkins had already been maintaining a working relationship for about one year. In addition, I had prior experience working on a project with the firm 20 years ago when I served as the marketing director of a very large utility company. That project was similar in scope to this current one; we had needed an identity program, branding platform and content, all created from scratch. Their consistent record of high quality made it feel natural to continue working with them up to this point.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement began in April 2013 and is still very actively ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Neither our parent organization, nor our school, measures impact; however, we consistently receive positive feedback—regarding the project—from faculty, staff, and even the Dean of the law school himself. My own background in branding gives me the critical eye to notice the their high level of professionalism and quality. SullivanPerkins has really hit the nail on the head with establishing a strong narrative for the mission of our law school while maintaining content and tone that are consistent with that narrative.

How did SullivanPerkins perform from a project management standpoint?

They have the flexibility to properly address and fulfill many unexpected developments—on our side—that arise last minute. They help plan and schedule our larger projects in advance so that we can align both teams’ schedules properly. Overall, they handle project management extremely well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think what makes them unique is the quality of their design staff. Their group of designers are remarkably talented and brilliant; I am never disappointed. The difference between SullivanPerkins and competitors is that their sets of concepts are appropriate and consistent with project goals and their design work top quality. The solid design principles and team experience underlying their work means that product execution is incredibly professional and detailed. I find myself rarely having to edit any text in their delivered content.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I think communication about the technical aspects of the website could be improved.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to articulate, to the best of your ability, what impact you want the creative work to have. Don’t tell them how to achieve the impact you want. Give them freedom in their work and then keep an open mind to the many creative and unique approaches they will bring forward.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of communications at Kosmos Energy. We're a small oil and gas company that does international exploration for oil and gas in different parts of the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sullivan Perkins?

They were the agency of record before I joined the company. We needed more help with digital and print design, so I decided to bring Sullivan Perkins back.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prior to my arrival, they had helped with articulation of the vision and values, worked on the initial brand development and the logo, and created a whole suite of materials in support of our brand. When I joined the company, they were still responsible for helping us maintain our corporate website and took on occasional design jobs: they designed our first annual report wrap, a few brochures, and some one-pagers.

Now, they're my trusted partner for everything that requires polished and professional design. They design our annual Corporate Responsibility Report, which is about 75 pages long. In addition, they design ads for us and regularly update our website. They're currently working on several large projects, one of which is a big industry trade show. They’ve designed a booth and a video to be displayed in that booth.

In terms of the digital design, they create cards that we use on LinkedIn and do infographics. Our CEO used the infographic they designed during a private meeting with the president of Ghana.

What is the team composition?

I have two primary points of contact, but they bring in more resources as needed.

How did you come to work with them?

We tried working with multiple companies that designed materials for different departments within our company. Sullivan Perkins was always one of those companies. Because there were so many vendors, there was no consistency across the communications materials that were being generated. I looked at everything each company had produced and decided that Sullivan Perkins was the best option.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent between $200,000 and $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in 2011 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They've consistently produced high-quality work, so over the course of our relationship we've given them more work and responsibility. Our business has grown with them. Besides, they have a can-do attitude. I can rely on them anytime and they never let me down.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They're exceptionally responsive and I can talk to them on the phone any time I need them. They deliver everything on time, even when it's a last-minute request.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're great listeners. They hear what we're saying in terms of the creative direction and respond well to feedback.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. They're doing a great job.