ThompsonStenning

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Insight Global Education is Canada-based international student travel organization that works with students in High School and University. We help University students spend a semester abroad in a variety of different destinations where they can earn credits, intern, and explore a new culture.

For High Schools we run short term group excursions internationally and domestically. I am the Sales and Marketing director of Insight Global Education

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire ThompsonStenning?

ThompsonStenning was hired to do a brand analysis of our organization. They were then hired to perform a full rebrand of Insight. In addition they performed extensive graphic design work on much of our marketing assets and collateral, as well as web design and UI/UX design for our new website.

What were your goals for this project?

Initially, the goals were to have an outside assessment of our brand. However after our initial work with ThompsonStenning we felt they were also the best team to re-imagine our brand and take it in an exciting new direction. Goals were Branding, Graphic Design, Website Design, UI/UX design. We expect this to really modernize our company and take it in a strong new direction.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked previously with 2-3 other companies but none were a right fit. We came across ThompsonStenning through a networking event. Based on the strength of their portfolio and the similarity of work they have done for other brands, we felt they were a good fit.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

ThompsonStenning took our brand first through a classic Discovery period where goals and expectations were set. From there they performed a brand audit on all of our assets, and and met with us to further discuss our market audience and our messaging.

From there they began planning out our brand, and we through three periods of revision on the brand creation. After the brand had been determined, they then developed the subsequent collateral.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with one of the cofounders, and the team size did not change over time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Not at this time. the brand is pre-launch.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was great. It was mostly conducted through email. They were very responsive to all feedback.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The quality of work that ThompsonStenning produces is the most impressive aspect. They also are incredibly efficient with their time and produce their work in a short timeframe. Their team is very honest and straightforward.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Can't say at this time. Overall we are very happy with their company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a program associate at one of the largest impact first investors based in Canada, investing in innovations across a wide range of health and development priorities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ThompsonStenning?

The initiative launched about a year and a half ago. We have our first cohort of innovators active around the world and we are currently reviewing our second. We didn’t have any basic or strong collateral materials that could be used both to engage potential partners, potential funders, stakeholders, or anyone else interested in learning more about the initiative.

We decided that rather than doing many smaller pieces like postcards, stickers, and that type of thing, to invest in a bigger product that would be more of a look book or portfolio prospectus overall

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We essentially provided them with just the information that they would need, the data we wanted to include, the innovators we wanted to highlight, the content that we needed to provide on our end, and very, very limited insight on our end in terms of what we wanted it to look like.

We really wanted to let them flex their creative muscles and see what they could come up seeing as though that is their area of expertise and certainly not ours. We gave them a bare-bones PowerPoint deck that had nothing in it but text and the information we wanted to include.

We had a great initial conversation with them and they asked how we wanted the brand to look. We expressed that we wanted it to be very visually appealing and not too text-heavy although we had given them all this data and text. Taking that conversation, they translated it into reality and produced various decks and drafts.

We gave them a lot of creative range and they initially sent us a couple of different paths. They sent over a mock-up of the initial few pages of the look book with a couple of different options.

From there, we worked to refine it down to one final template that we liked. Once we got to the point where we finalized the first couple of pages and the look of those, that was when they then built out the template for the rest of the book. 

What is the team composition?

I have been working with Sarah (Co-Founder) and Sheldon (Co-Founder). I communicate primarily with Sarah, but Sheldon has been on all the calls we have had, and he is usually copied on all of our communication. They have been so lovely, responsive, and very professional.

How did you come to work with ThompsonStenning?

We launched our RFP for graphic designers, and I received six or seven bids. We reviewed the technical bids and financial bids from all of them, and there were a few things that made ThompsonStenning stand out. First of all, the bid they submitted was very visual which is always a good sign when you are looking for graphic designers, and the organizations they had previously worked with were well aligned. They had the aligned substantive experience that we were looking for. They understood the audiences we were going to be reaching out to and their portfolio was super impressive. We took a look at the work they had produced and really liked the look of them.

How much have you invested in them?

All together their quote was around $7,000. We have been invoiced for significantly less than that so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began with them in April 2020, and it is still ongoing. We are still finalizing the look book but that has been entirely on our end.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were extremely helpful from really us giving them very minimal inputs to creating something that we are extremely happy with.

We have shared the nearly final draft with our senior leadership, including our co-CEOs as well as our funders of this initiative and we have received really positive feedback across the board. Everybody loves it and feels that it really has set a new standard for the collateral material that we produce across the organization. Everyone has been very happy with it and we are excited to finalize it and to be able to make it public.

They did a really excellent job of capturing our vision. I was really amazed when I saw their work.

How did ThompsonStenning perform from a project management standpoint?

In their original proposal, they said it was something they could have completed in 6–10 weeks and they definitely would have been able to because they got back to us on every timeline and they exceeded every deadline that we had set. They are very responsive. We have had delays on our end with being able to get back to them with feedback, additional content and a few other things that changed which is why we are still putting the finishing touches on it.

I was really amazed by how well they were able to incorporate my feedback when I was so all over the place, but they were able to produce something that was exactly what I was looking for.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I haven’t worked with many graphic designers in the past so I don’t have much to compare to, but I will say that they are very lovely to work with, very responsive, and they are always happy to jump on a call to discuss anything. I think what really amazed me about their ability was to have such limited direction from us and to produce something. I felt like they were reading my mind and put together what I was visualizing but I didn’t know how to actually produce or communicate very clearly. They really did an excellent job of translating that vision into reality.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing that comes to mind is that we use a number of stock images for the book, and overall, we are really happy with how they are looking. We have worked with them to make sure that the people represented in the images are capturing our full target audience.

Part of that is the direction from our end, making sure that we let them know from the get-go about the types of images we would want to have in that. One thing that would be helpful for them to maybe think about going forward is the audience of the materials when purchasing from stock sites.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would definitely encourage someone else that is going to work with them to have an initial brainstorming call with the team for at least an hour.

I remember when I had this call, I thought it would be quick because I didn’t have too much direction to give them and it ended up being over an hour and it was very useful. They asked a lot of probing questions and just having that discussion really set the stage for us to have a successful partnership.

I recommend that you definitely brainstorm before going into that call about what you hope to achieve. Make the most of that orientation and context-setting conversations to get off on a strong foot.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a senior communications specialist at the International Center for Research on Women.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Weight Creative Communications Agency?

We engaged Weight Creative Communications Agency to design our print publications and some website content.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We rely on Weight Creative Communications Agency to produce infographics and other visual elements for our multiple print products. They have helped design certain parts of our website, as well, and they have supported our copy efforts at times. Weight Creative Communications Agency has also created business development and MailChimp templates.

What is the team composition?

We work with two primary members of their team—a print layout designer and website designer.

How did you come to work with Weight Creative Communications Agency?

Our organization selected Weight Creative Communications Agency before I assumed my role, so I am unsure of the hiring process.

How much have you invested with them?

We pay about $1,500–$2,000 each month.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in October 2016 and remains ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our team appreciates that our style and brand are now more consistent. Before working with Weight Creative Communications Agency, we worked with another firm to coordinate a rebrand for our company. Weight Creative Communications Agency took that rebrand to another level and ensured that we had a consistent tone across our publications and mediums.

How did Weight Creative Communications Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Our teams work well together. We keep tabs on each other to make sure each side is meeting its deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They offer a reasonable price without sacrificing quality, and I’m not sure if we could work with nicer people. They are very amiable even when the project reaches its most stressful points.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We sometimes operate within compressed timeframes, and there have been times when they have not made all of the correct revisions we’ve asked of them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Weight Creative Communications Agency is even more talented than what we’ve asked them to be. They have creative abilities beyond what we’ve required. I’d advise future clients to capitalize on that skill set.