Takt

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a business analyst and project manager at a lumber treating and building materials distribution company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Massive Media?

We were looking to build a completely new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Massive Media designed and developed a new website from scratch. We put together and internal project team, identifying various stakeholders in different areas of the business. Executives in these departments helped us compile a list of requirements for the website. 

The Massive Media team took these requirements to build an initial design draft. The internal committee approved items, design elements, and functionality they had created. Then their team developed the website based on that feedback through several iterations. After that site was approved, they populated the site with content for various pages.

Massive Media helped us create a branding guide based on our internal standards. The guide for the updated design language for the new website. Their team also provided social media and marketing strategies, creating a plan for the frequency and content of posts. These campaigns adhered to the brand guidelines.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 6–7 members of the Massive Media team.

How did you come to work with Massive Media?

I did some internal research on marketing and web design firms in Canada. Massive Media came up so I checked out their past work and decided to send them an RFP that outlined the requirements and scope of the project. From there, we discussed how they would approach the project. We evaluated them against multiple other firms and, after bringing them in for various presentations on their strategy, we decided to work with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Massive Media ran from September 2018–October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have been evaluating the website on Google Analytics and have seen a noticeable increase in the number of pages users go to. We have also seen an increase in engagement across our various social media platforms.

How did Massive Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Massive Media was adaptable to our changing timelines and schedules. We ran into some challenges in terms of internal scheduling, but they handled them well. Overall, they were great to work with and always delivered results on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was fantastic to work with Massive Media. Everyone on their team is knowledgeable and experienced and it really shows. We were satisfied with both the final product and the relationship we had. They actually care about the products they were releasing. It felt like they were as invested in our success as we were.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were very strong in all of the areas we needed them to be.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be upfront and open about what you want. Treat it as a partnership, not just a transactional relationship. Be open to changes and flexible in requirements because they have great advice. If they tell you something is or is not possible, trust in their expertise.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the e-commerce and marketing manager at Global Shoe Connection. We are a shoe distributor and e-commerce company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Massive Media?

We were looking to build a new brand and website. They provided branding and identity services. The website will be replaced as a second phase with Massive Media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team worked on our visual identity and branding. Naming, key messaging, brand story, and logo were developed.

What is the team composition?

We work with a team of five people thus far.

How did you come to work with Massive Media?

We came across them a few years ago but the project we had did not go forward. Their team made a good impression, so I reached out to them again to see if they wanted to work with us on this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $30,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

It began in May 2019 and is ongoing for the second part of the project, the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product has received positive feedback from the industry. Others have been interested in using Massive Media for their own branding work. Internal stakeholders also gave strong feedback.

How did Massive Media perform from a project management standpoint?

It was great; their communication was amazing. They were easy to work with and always delivered everything on time. It’s been fun to work with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very genuine and authentic. Everything is honest and up front.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be ready to laugh and have a good time while getting a great product at the same time.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Executive Director of a non-profit organization. We have a permanent staff of 4, and a rotating group of contractors that are hired on a per project basis. Our work focuses on public policy research and program evaluation.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Massive Media?

Our website and company branding was out of date and poorly thought out. It did not showcase our achievements well and it did not communicate the right kind of message to our potential funders.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a new website that: 

• Showcased our past achievements
• Communicated our services, value and level of expertise
• Looked modern and appealing

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I did on-line research for web development and marketing companies in Canada and took recommendations from friends. I asked for bids from 4 different companies. I evaluated all of the proposals and took the two top proposals to my team for their input. The team selected Massive based on the proposal that they submitted and the examples of their work that they submitted.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected Massive, we had a meeting with their team at our office (their team included their creative director, our project manager, and Lindsay the Massive CEO). At the initial meeting Massive was focused on understanding the culture and approach of our organization, and the explicit things that we wanted out of the project.

After the initial meeting Massive sent a project plan that outlined the steps that would take place, and the proposed deadlines. Massive asked for the names of people whom they could interview to get an outsiders perspective on the strengths of our organization.

Within 2 weeks Massive had concluded the interviews and developed a detailed calendar of milestones for my approval. The third week after the initial meeting I met with Massive for their Style Presentation. They had developed two possible looks for the new website that I provided feedback on. Both looks were very well done.

At 5 weeks into the project Massive sent a prototype of the website design and layout along with a content plan. Samples of the key page were ready for review by week 7.

Over the next few weeks our team worked on updating and creating new content, with helpful advice from Massive on readability etc. The website was available for my review by week 12.

There were a couple of feedback points and a few small items that needed changing. The content development took longer than anticipated on our side (not Massive's fault at all) and so the project deadline was pushed slightly. The website went live at week 18.

What was the team composition?

Initially I met with 3 team members, the Company CEO, the creative director and our project manager. At the key page meeting the lead code developer was also there (I was given to understand that he had a team of 2-3 people working with him). At one point our project manager went on vacation, and so we had a stand-in project manager for that week.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Massive did a fantastic job. We love our site. It had all of the elements that we wanted. (www.icclr.org)

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. The communication was great. Our project manager always answered emails quickly and checked in regularly. At one point we needed to have a supplemental meeting (about feedback from my board of directors responding to the key page) and the Massive team was happy to schedule that meeting on pretty short notice.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They seemed to genuinely care about helping us succeed. They were enthusiastic about the project and they met all of their deadlines. They were easy to work with, great at communication and took feedback well. The final product turned out great.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't think of anything that caused me any concern. I would work with them again without hesitation.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Teach & Kids Learn (TKL) is a national leading provider of online professional development for educators seeking to meet state re-certification requirements, salary advancement and graduate credits. My position in TKL is CEO & Founder

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Massive Media?

Our initial challenge was focused on rebranding our company's overall design elements and outward-facing messaging. This national campaign will look to leverage various marketing methods which Massive Media will be designing and leading. The national marketing campaign is scheduled to take place during September and October of 2019.

What were your goals for this project?

To date, Teach & Kids Learn (TKL) has been known as more of a very successful regional provider of online professional development. Our rebranding and new product & services launch will mark a new and pivotal change in the growth that our company has been able to achieve over the last few years. Our new product & services which we will be launching will expand our overall reach to new district partnerships throughout the country.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our company researched several marketing firms to determine which ones had the capacity, experience and reputation as a rebranding. Once we narrowed down the list to five companies we contacted them and provided a proposal bidding process. Our team met with each of the companies through a formal vetting process.

We reviewed the proposal and determined what each marketing firm could bring to this project. The vetting process took about 3-4 weeks. After careful review, our team determined that Massive Media had exactly the experience and design capabilities that we were looking for to help us in taking the company to the next level.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process started with a comprehensive review of our company’s mission, services, products, and our people. We needed to not only come up with a new fresh look but also design elements that would allow us to grow in new directions as a company. This new design and messaging would lead us into our next phase of growth as a national company and a deeper set of services and product offerings.

Once the rebranding phase was completed, the next phase that we entered with Massive Media was to design and develop a new TKL public website which is scheduled to launch in September 2019. The new website design needed to combine both an easy flowing UI design element along with providing a simpler overall company product & services message.

Lastly, Massive Media was contracted to creating a national marketing campaign to showcase our new rebranded website site and new product launch.

What was the team composition?

Massive Project Team ○ Lindsay Smith - CEO ○ René Thomas - Strategy + Creative Direction ○ Christina Cooke - Project Manager ○ Megan Schrader - Brand Strategist + Copywriter ○ Jessica Young - Copywriter ○ Ryan Gutierrez - Sr. Designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Currently, our rebranding, website, and marketing campaign is due to launch in the coming month. So it is too soon for us to provide outcome data and/or information. we believe everything will be well-received due to the great work that has been accomplished to date.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. There were meetings scheduled with each of the key players in our company where an interview and discovery process was used. Once completed the next step was for Massive Media to present to us their findings and a general understanding of what we do, how we do it, and more importantly why we do it.

This allowed us to provide a check for understanding which would later play a very key role in all facets of the work that needed to be completed. I must say that I feel that this is truly the strength that Massive Media has as a marketing firm. They really take the time to understand your business and mission. So much so that you will begin to view them more as an extension of your overall team versus a hired external consulting team.

Their depth of understanding was impressive. Next, came the work of planning and doing. Their attention to detail and timelines is unparalleled. They provided us with regular meetings that were scheduled around specific deliverables toward the project completion.

If needed, additional impromptu calls and/or email messages would help to fill any gaps that might need attention were provided. Their project management team made sure that all goals were met and project delivery was completed on time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to ask the right questions which would lead to a deeper understanding of our company dynamics, as well as our products and services. They were able to really to get to the heart of what we were looking to accomplish with our rebranding and company refresh.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't think of anything at the moment. We would definitely recommend them to other companies that are looking to rebrand and/or redefine themselves for their markets.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the principal at Inn Ventures Hospitality Corp., a hotel and resort consulting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Massive Media?

We engaged Massive Media to help us create a brand for one of our resort developments in progress.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a name already picked out, and Massive Media validated it and created a logo and icon. They've also helped us create the brand story and we plan on working with them to develop additional collateral that will include digital, print, and video.

What is the team composition?

We work directly with three members on their team.

How did you come to work with Massive Media?

I knew the principal of their firm before he started working at Massive Media. After we interviewed their team, we felt comfortable working with them based on the questions they asked us to help us develop our strategy and brand statement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since June 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Massive Media effectively articulated what we wanted to say into a compelling brand statement. They took the time to understand our market and needs through an extremely helpful analytical process.

How did Massive Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They've been great about staying in constant communication with us and delivering ahead of schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their initial strategy of taking the time to understand our company and goals sets them apart.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They have a great team and handle projects well beyond our expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be brutally honest with them when providing ongoing feedback and assessments of their work.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the financial controller at an industrial auctioneer company. Our headquarter is in Vancouver, B.C. with multiple offices in Canada, the US, Germany, and China.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Massive Media?

We needed Massive Media to create a new website for us. Our existing site was outdated, and a majority of our users visit the site on mobile devices, which our site does not accommodate.

What were your goals for this project?

We want to have a user-friendly site that functions across multiple platforms. The site has to be capable of displaying all necessary information during our hundreds of annual auctions.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

One of our partner companies had their site redesigned by Massive Media, and we were impressed by their work. After hearing their proposal, we committed to them for the project.

Describe the project in detail.

We began the project with several discovery meetings to discuss main objectives. From there, they spoke to all of our stakeholders and staff to better understand our business model. They incorporated all of this information into their design drafts and content flow. We had a round of feedback on aesthetic changes and finalized the site’s look. Now, the focus of the project is on tweaking the site to accommodate our proprietary auctioneer software.

What was the team composition?

Massive Media provided their entire team for this project. They also supplied a project manager.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received a mock-up that we’re thrilled with. We don’t need to change anything about it, so we can proceed with the integration process on our backend and launch the new look of our company.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Under Massive Media’s advice, we have a primary manager on both teams, which makes communication smooth. All questions go through the project manager, and if they can’t answer it, they’ll internally forward it to the right person. Additionally, their entire team is present during every meeting, which gives each side a mutual understanding of the project. There is no back and forth on the small things, and our sessions are condensed and fruitful because of their management style.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their participation on a daily basis and high level of knowledge in our industry are valuable to us. There are some instances where they educate us on our customer base, rather than the other way around.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a client services coordinator for a commercial real estate company, specifically for the high technology facilities group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Massive Media?

Our team profile on the corporate website wasn't terribly enticing or exciting. We were looking to brand ourselves outside of that corporate box in order to reach our tech clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Massive Media held a few meetings to get to know us and understand our needs. They drilled down on some possibilities, and then came back to us with a proposal. The majority of our clients are in the tech world and they speak a very specific language. It’s a small and tight knit tech community here in Vancouver. They helped us brand ourselves by creating a new website, which also gives us a bigger reach.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with the CEO and the CXO. We worked 1–2 other people on occasion.

How did you come to work with Massive Media?

They were a previous client of ours. They knew our language and who we were trying to target, as well as were able to interpret our needs.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000 CAD (approximately $7,600 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed the agreement in June 2017 and launched the new website in February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They absolutely listened to what we wanted, and delivered exactly what we needed. We’ve had a lot of good feedback from our clients. They nailed the look and feel of the website. It speaks the right language at a level that other people can understand. They went above and beyond by recommending photographers and organizing a photo shoot as well.

How did Massive Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication was excellent. They never canceled or postponed a meeting. We told them from the beginning that the website would never be a priority for us. We asked them to push us to deliver what they needed. They did a great job of keeping on top of us in a very warm way. Even if we were late, we were able to deliver the materials because of their effective communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They listened to us, which was key. We had a sense of what we wanted to do but found it hard to paint that picture. They delivered on our vision even though we weren’t able to specify what it was we wanted.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they did a great job. We made their life difficult, but they made ours quite easy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a digital project manager, formerly with Force Four Entertainment, a production company based in Vancouver, Canada, where I was involved on two CBC documentary series.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Massive Media?

We were looking for a vendor to facilitate and execute our digital campaign strategy and report on metrics and performance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team developed our social media strategy for the first series, and our digital ad campaign strategy for both shows, running an ad campaign for each. They provided insight on our target audience, stakeholders, and messaging. Taking into account the sensitivity of the issues we were covering in the two series, Massive Media helped us navigate conversation around the topics on social media. Their team also designed and created all digital assets, including social media ads for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google.

What is the team composition?

Lindsay Smith (CEO and Founder, Massive Media) and René Thomas (Partner, Massive Media) were very involved in the overall strategy. We were assigned a Project Manager and worked with a few other resources at different levels of the project as the task required.

How did you come to work with Massive Media?

Our series producer had worked with them before and loved their work, so we reengaged them for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested under $100,000 CAD (under $80,000 USD) for both campaigns combined.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them on the first show from July to December 2015, and the second from January to May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Massive Media conducted an incredibly successful social media and digital ad campaign, resulting in a lot of public engagement. Our broadcaster and everyone involved was very happy with it.

How did Massive Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team remained professional, insightful, and responsive throughout the engagement. They were quick to send back drafts and iterations on creative and their agility made the whole process seamless.

Since our shows involved sensitive subjects, Massive Media had to help us react quickly to online social media engagement and issues as they arose—they were 100% available throughout.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I'm most impressed by their personal touch and insight. Being responsive and available to us throughout each campaign was incredibly important.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. It was such a joy to work with them and I felt comfortable knowing they were always there for us as we needed them. I wouldn't change a thing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as honest and open about what you want as possible, regardless of your experience with digital ad campaigns. Their highly knowledgeable team can help you navigate the work regardless of your level of knowledge in this space.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a partner at a real estate agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Massive Media?

We have a corporate parent brand and a collection of niche brands that we use for marketing different styles and products. Our sub-brands had become fairly disconnected from a parent brand, but we wanted them to talk to each other rather than exist in their own space. We were looking for a company to tie those brands together and create a new brand identity that would exist along with multiple web presences.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a global website to house our corporate brand and act as a portal to all the sub-brands. After that, we didn't need seven different websites because everything was linked to one location. They created logos and branded entities for the sub-brands and for the parent brand. They also did all the print collateral: magazine style brochures, client guides, and marketing materials for specific properties. We have someone in-house who handles social media, but Massive Media provided guidance on social media strategy.

What is the team composition? 

We worked with 5–6 team members directly.

How did you come to work with them?

Our marketing manager interviewed 4–5 different companies and Massive Media stood out to us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $150,000 CAD ($119,440 USD).

What is the status of this engagement? 

We started working with them in February 2017 and the project was completed in November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of print materials and advertising was very high. The traffic to our website has increased and the quality of user experience has improved dramatically. The separate websites that used to operate in their own space now complement each other, driving traffic to one another.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They're great communicators: they outlined, scheduled, and budgeted everything at the beginning and made sure we stayed on track. We discussed our goals in detail, so we didn't have any issues after the project started. We communicated via phone and email, but they also gave us print materials.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have an outstanding grasp of storytelling: they took their time to understand our story and expanded it exactly like we wanted them to. I talked to other agencies, who were capable and passionate, but the storytelling piece wasn't there. Also, Massive Media is the right size for us – they have enough resources to implement big project, but at the same time they're agile and responsive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As we were growing, we kept throwing more work at them and changing the scope on the fly, so the communication sometimes was challenging. But everything was resolved with no major issues.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on what you're trying to accomplish with your project and communicate your story to them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m Director of Marketing and Communications at a performing arts venue.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Massive Media?

Our website’s design was antiquated. We were also having issues with the backend, like not being able to process ticketing in an efficient way.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They managed a branding and design effort as well as setting everything up for us technically.

On the design side, they did our website as well as other marketing materials. They designed the website around the creative work they did for the season. They developed the creative for the season with one set of creative for each show and one conglomeration of all four of our performances. They used black and white photos and chose to use orange, which is our main brand color, as the unique identifier to pull in all four shows. They were able to showcase some of our photography highlighting visual and musical arts. They did some additional photography for us with props and such that we could reuse.

For the website, we came to them with a list of non-negotiables – like creating an API for ticketing and making the frontend of ticketing beautiful. Another requirement was a functional calendar so that shows and performances would be displayed properly in a way that’s easy for people to understand and purchase tickets.

What is the team composition?

I believe there were anywhere from four to six people—including project managers, designers, and developers—depending on what we had going on.

How did you come to work with Massive Media?

I had used them while at a previous employer. In that experience, we had done an extensive search for a partner to run paid search and they did a really great job. They were budget conscious, had really understood what we were trying to do, and provided really great work. It seemed like a natural fit for the performing arts venue.

How much have you invested with them?

The website overhaul was about $20,000 CAD ($16,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in February 2017 and the vast majority of the work was completed in June and July. They still step in whenever we have an issue.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We see a much faster path to ticket sales. Instead of the four clicks that it would take for ticket sales, it now only takes one or two, depending on where you land. Therefore, we're having a lot more people navigate into our ticket processing system, which is the goal. The more eyes on the ticket processing systems, the better. We saw a 15%–20% increase in that.

We had a lot of feedback on the creative and everybody really loved it. That’s not just website users but also the people who sell our printed brochures, because that creative was ultimately done by Massive as well. We’ve also had a lot of feedback on the ease of use of the website and the calendar functionality, which we didn't have previously. People like being able to see what days of the week events are on instead of having to look it up.

How did Massive Meda perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated via a project manager and, from time to time, we would liaise directly with the developer or designer. We had a direct line to the creative director who did the photos, for example.

They kept up on task. We would typically be the ones dragging behind on things like content and approvals. They were also really good at letting us know when we were out of scope. When we had additional requests that we hadn’t thought about before, they would let us know that it wasn’t in scope but that we could add it later. They were really efficient in that way.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The awareness of digital combined with the awareness of branding combined with cost efficiencies. It seems like everyone says that they can do digital and branding, but I don't think there are a lot of agencies that truly can. They often have to outsource one or the other so you have to split the work between agencies. The great thing about Massive is that they can do all of it. They understand that your brand is seen more online than anywhere else. To be able to combine those two things is something that not many agencies can do, particularly with knowledge of the technical backend, API, things like that. It’s not something you’re going to find with a regular branding agency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. Not that I can think of off the top of my head.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Really think about your scope of work. This is with any agency, not necessarily just with Massive. You really need to think about your scope of work and the things that might pop up mid-project that you hadn't considered. Really consider what needs done because sometimes things cost more to add later.