VeracityColab

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a British creative organization working primarily with charities in the U.K. We run a creative leaders trip, taking people from the U.K. to California to meet other agencies and learn from one another.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

We wanted to grow our California trip and give our community an idea of what they could expect and what the vision was, in order to encourage more people to come.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a discovery call, where we talked through the project. They were good at getting to grips with what we were about, what our vision for the project was, and what our brand was.

They put together a script, then we went out to California a couple of months later. We met and they filmed us all day at various locations. They put it all together and we had a few rounds of back-and-forth feedback, which were helpful, positive, and full of energy. We then signed off on the work.

What is the team composition?

From the beginning of the project, we worked with a video success manager from their team. We also worked with another person, possibly a creative director. They were the ones who came up with the idea for the shoot, and who worked on the script. There were 3–4 people present during the discovery call, all with different key insights into how it would work. There were three camera operators and a sound person during the shoot, all responsible for different things.

How did you come to work with VeracityColab?

I met Charlie (CEO, VeracityColab) at a conference. We got talking and hit it off. I explained our vision for California and the trip we wanted to organize for our community. We got connected from there.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from July–December 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It was clear that they understood what we wanted to do, especially during the discovery call. They got to the core of what we were about and what we wanted to see, then put together a script that captured our vision and essence. We didn’t have to change it, which demonstrates the real understanding from Veracity.

Ever since we released the video, we’ve maxed our capacity on the trip. We’ve had to make a waiting list every year since, given how many people wanted to come. It’s been an extremely successful project. Most people we’ve come into contact with know about us through the trip, in large part due to that video. We're followed by 20,000 people on Facebook, a large number of whom have engaged with the video and then applied.

How did VeracityColab perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed flawlessly. Throughout, we felt that we were in good hands and that they knew what we were doing. They understood us and what we were trying to do. They were helpful in the feedback phase, deadlines were clear. and communication was frequent. I couldn’t have asked for more.

We used email and phone for communication. They were keen to listen to us when we were working across different locations. It was a collaborative, fun project and we were delighted with what they came up with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We've worked with a couple of U.K.-based companies on various projects for our end-clients, but Veracity stood out for the quality of what they produced. The way in which their team handled us was beyond anything we’d experienced before. They were open, kind, generous, and insightful. They honored us and the project. We were given a video success manager, whose sole job was to make sure we were happy and looked after. She did a fantastic job all the way through, from the discovery call to the delivery and then the final feedback.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. This is the best experience we’ve ever had of working with another agency. They’ve set the bar for what we expect.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients should trust them. They know what they’re doing and they can get to a place of deep understanding.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a digital marketing agency and software development company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

We hired them to do a general brand video for our agency that would help people understand who we are, what we do, and how we differ from similar agencies.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted a partner to help us with client videos. We went through a process with our own video that would be similar to the experience for our clients. We wanted to explore their capabilities, so we asked them to bring clarity to our message and find language that explained our unique qualities. We worked together closely and they observed our process. They did a fantastic job with an animated video that we still have on our site. Three years later, we still get compliments on it.

We also redesigned our site as they were working, so the video helped new customers understand what we do. It gave us instant credibility and represented our quality of work. It did exactly what we hoped it would.

How did you come to work with VeracityColab?

We did a web search and spoke to several agencies.

How much have you invested with them?

The project cost around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They started the video for us in April 2015 and completed it that July.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They mean a lot to us and I am now friends with many of the people who worked on our project. They know what they’re doing and now we work with them on our clients’ projects. I never had to push or direct them in any way and they did a great job understanding the overall plan and working through the process. The animators are a sound team, and everyone else made the output even better than I anticipated.

How did VeracityColab perform from a project management standpoint?

We didn’t need to meet much during our process. Our needs were fairly obvious and they had a great process for workflow. Everything was done correctly at each stage and they kept the process moving. They considered all of my feedback and kept my experience simple. We talked frequently on the phone and they used a project management tool.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They care about everyone they encounter and it shows in their work. They care about their customers and the quality of their output. They also care about the relationships they form and take extra steps to ensure good bonds. They truly feel like a family internally and are a model for how an agency should operate.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I recommend they work to understand clients’ budgets and priorities early in the sales process so they don’t price out great customers. If they opened up their lower price options and catered to companies that needed to start small, they might bring in more clientele.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come into your engagement with clear objectives and goals. Know what you hope to accomplish but let Veracity follow their own path to get to those objectives. You will get better outputs if you allow them to shine.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at an audio/visual equipment rental company. We have 10 locations across the U.S.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

Our inventory is ever evolving according to the latest technologies. We needed to keep our clients, employees, and prospects updated around everything that we offer. One method of achieving this goal included an informative video that aimed to introduce new products and enhance our existing line. We were looking to work with a group that could guide us through the video production process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

VeracityColab has led us through the production of about six animated videos thus far. They walked us through the entire production process, from planning and storyboards to editing and post-production. We’re looking to do a few live-action videos onsite in the near future.

What is the team composition?

We work with one project manager and between three and five other people depending on the scope of the video. We were always in direct contact with their team.

How did you come to work with VeracityColab?

We received a promotional email from them when we were considering the initial video. I had been receiving them for a while, but this one happened to reach us right when we needed their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2016, and the engagement is ongoing. We finished our most recent project with them about two weeks ago, and there’s currently another video in the pipeline.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since posting the videos on our website and across social media channels, we’ve received a great deal of positive feedback from customers. They’re also now aware of new products that we’ve recently added to our inventory.

How did VeracityColab perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s been a seamless process, and they’ve always managed to stay on schedule. Their team has been flexible and easy to work with during each project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility makes them stand out from their competitors. We also really like their energy. They’ve been fun to work with, and we appreciate the ideas that they’ve presented.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’ve had no complaints during the engagement.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Start working with them and appreciate their expertise firsthand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the video creative manager at a computer software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

We launched a new deployment model for a new product package, which replaced bespoke solutions for each customer. This package incorporated best practices across a segment for new clients, such as B2B or retail. We needed three marketing videos to sell the solution and its implementation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The videos were all animated. We gave them a baseline script; they then modified the talk track to make the language accessible. The team created a new visual style for animation, which they executed, and completed all the post-production work. Additionally, they did the voiceovers and musical compositions. VeracityColab delivered the videos in six weeks.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with the producer.

How did you come to work with VeracityColab?

The relationship started before I joined the company. VeracityColab was already one of our vendors when this need arose in short order. No other third party could’ve onboarded and scaled as quickly.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in July 2017 and ended in April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality was exceptional. Our marketing enjoyed having a new industry-specific tool to leverage.

How did VeracityColab perform from a project management standpoint?

They kept the project’s several moving parts aligned throughout the engagement. The team had strong opinions that they readily shared, but they were also open to feedback. Overall, they were great partners for both creative processes and implementation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They found solutions or implemented changes in incredibly tight timelines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their internal reviews helped communicate feedback, but it occasionally slowed the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a creative director at a gaming start-up. We're helping gamers across mobile devices, platform games, and console games to save money based on the length of the game or the goals they accomplish within the game.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

We realized that our brand required visualization. Gaming companies typically do their marketing through video teasers, so we wanted to jump into the same space. We started looking for a company to produce some brand videos for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We have two brand-oriented videos they're currently working on and they've already produced some custom videos for us. They handle everything from 3D and 2D animation to developing a message and a script.

What is the team composition?

I worked with their CEO, their chief creative officer, some of their designers, and a creative director.

How did you come to work with them?

We talked to a few different companies. I met Veracity at my previous job and I liked their approach. They're very straightforward and natural when it comes to negotiation and pitches. Unlike other agencies, they don't give me a feeling that time is money, but rather make themselves a part of my team.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $75,000 so far and it'll be close to $100,000 when we're done with the two videos they're producing.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in October 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos are very high quality. We've been moving things around and changing our strategy based on our landscape and the development of the product, but they've been very flexible. They've stayed positive throughout the process and have always been able to translate our ideas and our vision into reality. We're still building our backlog of assets. Since we haven't released any of our work yet, we haven't released their work either.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They've met all of their deadlines. We have a project manager that I can contact when I have any questions, so there hasn’t been any ambiguity.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When it comes to video, they're very strong in everything, from lighting and technology to storytelling. We can tell that they're invested in our success. Although they're contractors, I have a sense they're an extension of my team. I fully trust them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They don't always step into a completely uncharted territory. They fulfill their brief extremely well, but it'd give them an extra notch if they moved us forward, a little bit outside of our own vision.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a boutique consulting firm that helps companies navigate large transitions. This involves assistance with the creation and execution of mission strategies, as well as employee engagement.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

One of our clients was preparing to host their annual leadership conference, gathering 200 of their top leaders. We hired Veracity to create an opening video for the event to help convey the conference’s themes, as well as a closing video to reinforce the key messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our client had given us an overall sense of the key messages and visual aspects to include. It needed to feature their brand colors and images from the various subsidiaries, but it also needed to include a human element. There were a number of challenges. We had a short timeline, which meant we didn’t have time to shoot original footage. Veracity had to comb through existing footage of varying quality to create a cohesive whole.

They helped with scripting, the curation of visuals, and introduced their own visual concepts. They also sourced a voiceover actor and presented music options.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with two primary contacts, though I’m sure others were involved.

How did you come to work with VeracityColab?

They were recommended by colleagues who had a good experience working with Veracity on projects for other clients.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $33,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between December 2017–February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They created professional quality videos that were thoughtful, clean, and worked within our client’s brand guidelines. I attended the conference and saw the audience applaud following the presentations, which I take as a good sign.

How did VeracityColab perform from a project management standpoint?

Our initial project manager left the company in the middle of our engagement, but Veracity’s CEO scheduled time with us to ensure the transition was handled smoothly. We communicated through email and they informed us if they needed anything from our end to ensure we met deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with companies in the past who get too attached to an idea. Veracity is very creative, but also flexible enough to give a range of options based on our feedback. If we thought their idea was wrong for the client, they adjusted quickly based on our feedback.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Having our project manager leave mid-project was the only trouble spot we encountered, but this was a unique situation and Veracity did their best to make it as smooth as possible. We’ve worked with them on other projects and encountered zero problems.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a marketing manager at a scientific research company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

I worked with them a few times prior to coming into this role. They were easy to work with and understood how to get a message across to customers and to an internal sales team. We were looking to create a video that would appeal to both audience groups, so we reached out to them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted to create a commercial-type video. We explained the purpose of the video to them and they used our concept to create scripts, a storyboard, and 3D modeling. After producing the video, they edited it and gave us the final product. They're a full service video agency with expertise in animation, live action, music, and virtual reality. We hope to work with them on other projects soon.

What is the team composition? 

We met with six people for our initial meeting. Then, we worked with our dedicated project manager directly.

How did you come to work with them?

Since I worked with them in the past, I knew they would do quality work for us. I had the option to work with other agencies, but I was set on VeracityColab.

What is the status of this engagement? 

The project started in October 2016 and it was completed in January 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The product just launched, and the internal team is very excited about the video. The people who saw the video, say it looks commercial and should be on TV, which was our goal from the get-go.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very responsive and good communicators. Everything went smoothly from our perspective (it might have been more chaotic on their end).

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very friendly and easy to work with. Caring about the result, they took time to understand our product and make it their own. We have a great relationship that is more like friendship than a business partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don't think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them as much information upfront as you can and meet their timelines. Depending on how tight your timeline is, you need to abide by their schedule to finish the project on time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a sales executive for an energy consulting firm. We provide services to both global energy consumers and generators of electricity, natural gas, and renewable energy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

We’re launching new software and needed help branding it for our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To aid our branding effort, Veracity produced a short animated video. First, we went through a creative briefing with them to understand the video’s concept and design. Its purpose is to provide the viewer with information about our new software and entice them to request a demo. It was imperative the video present our complex software in a simplified and accessible manner. Once all that was communicated, they began working on the script and finding appropriate voice actors. After that, they started the actual video production. We checked in at different intervals during the length of the project.

What is the team composition?

We had one assigned account manager, which we primarily interacted with. Throughout the process though, we had other members of VeracityColab that would join our collaboration/review calls that were also integral to the project.

How did you come to work with VeracityColab?

We searched online for reputable firms and found several options. We liked Veracity’s video portfolio and appreciated the variety of content on display.

How much have you invested with them?

It cost a little less than $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project took August 2017–December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video is part of a marketing campaign we're getting ready to launch so we haven’t received external feedback yet. However, we’ve shown the video to several team members and received very positive feedback.

How did VeracityColab perform from a project management standpoint?

Our account manager was great to work with, performed well, and had a fantastic personality. She was easy going in her approach but also kept us up to date on project progress. If we had a problem, she was always responsive and communicative.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re not just an animation shop. They can do live footage, animated footage, or all sorts of in-between content as well. Because of that, they had an array of creativity to pull from.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve on communicating deadline expectations. For example, we thought the project would be finished much sooner than December. If they better communicated a realistic deadline than we wouldn’t be left feeling like there were delays.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Senior Creative Director at BlackLine, a cloud-based financial automation SaaS Company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab?

Our in-house creative team lacked resources for video production and storytelling. We needed an outside agency to build short stories for our products using single video and motion graphics. The content would then be shown to prospects and customers.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Each project starts with a kick-off call. We provide background context that explains how our solution resolve customer pain points. They’ll come back with a script, which our product team edits for accuracy. Storyboarding follows script completion. We then move to filming on set for live videos and in the studio for motion graphics. Our senior video producer works on set and gives feedback during filming. To date, we’ve produced 6 – 8 motion graphics and three live action videos with them. There are four more in the planning stages, including two live action.

Generally, the motion graphics are explainer videos that give a high-level overview. Live action videos follow the commercial format, but do include some explainer elements. We plan to upload our latest videos on a new beta social media propriety video platform.

What is the team composition?

The project manager is our main point of contact. We are also in touch with the founder.

How did you come to work with VeracityColab?

Our former CMO knew someone at the company. We had them produce quick video for a new product concept. Their excellent performance dissuaded me from searching for other agencies.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $300,000 – $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started January 2016 and the latest project ended January 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don’t have hard evidence yet, but the social media platform should provide us with metrics, including impressions and clicks. Internally, we’re working to upload on more platforms. This effort is part of our management team initiative because we need to know the ROI to justify investment in video production.

Qualitatively, everyone thinks the videos are great. They’ve definitely elevated the brand.

How did VeracityColab perform from a project management standpoint?

The project manager and her team are very good. There haven’t had any issues with them; we have good synergy.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a unique group of people with highly-honed writing, directing, and editing skills. The team is dynamic and can handle a diverse range of projects.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Everything has been great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them as much creative freedom as possible. Micromanaging will hinder their ability to produce great content.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing coordinator for HJC America; we are the marketing office for HJC helmets, an international company that manufactures motorcycle helmets. We market to the motorcycle industry in North America primarily, but also across the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with VeracityColab.

Our primary objective was to create a new brand image. We market to the same audience quite often, and had recently managed a licensing project with Star Wars and other Disney properties. As we had access to new media and marketing, we wanted to make sure we reach a new audience too.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a new helmet that was launching and wanted to use the theatrical aspect from Star Wars because it was a Kylo Ren-themed motorcycle helmet. We brought in Veracity to create a theatrical video that would connect the motorcycle and Star Wars backgrounds. We worked together on multiple storyboards and they presented the project to Disney for approval, and were also involved in the production.

The first video was for the Kylo Ren helmet, and more recently we worked together on a second video for a Lightning McQueen and Jackson Storm helmet with Pixar. In this case, they created an animated video as opposed to live production; it was a good experience to see them work on 2 different aspects of video.

What is the team dynamic?

On the first video, over 15 people were assigned to us for production. However, in the planning stages there were about 3–4 involved in the product coordination and everything else from the start. On the second video, we were assigned about 5 people.

How did you come to work with VeracityColab?

I was on leave when our company first reached out, so I wasn’t involved in the first meeting with them; however, I know our marketing or brand manager was contacting several local production companies. We aren’t based too far from VeracityColab and their reviews are amazing, so it makes sense. After several meetings, they found them as the fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $50,000–200,000 for a contract that includes 3 videos, all wrapped up into 1 payment contract.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2016, and the engagement is still ongoing. The most recent video was completed in October 2017 and launched in November.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re shared the videos on social media and had our industry partners share it as well. The Pixar video especially, has hundreds of thousands of views which is significantly higher than any video we’ve launched before. Overall, the views and reactions that we’re getting are much more than our average video.

We’ve received feedback from people who viewed the videos, and they were particularly impressed with the first because Veracity was able to integrate a number of different clips from the Star Wars film well. We got a lot of good feedback from critics and Star Wars fans, not to mention the Disney team themselves are probably the most difficult critic; their feedback has been great throughout both videos. The second video as well, because it’s animated was a lot of fun. It’s been generally positive from both our internal management and within the industry.

How did VeracityColab perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. Any time that we had delays, it was on part trying to get them what they needed to move forward. We used Google Drive and Google Calendar for the projects, and they also had their own video service for conference calls and videos.

They were also involved in brainstorming, and we definitely use a lot of their creativity. It was really helpful how they could connect the dots between the product itself and the message we were trying to get across. The coordination of everything between our team with our project manager and Disney was done really well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re really unique, and their organization as a whole runs particularly well and it’s evident their employees really enjoying being there. Everyone’s working hard and wants to produce a final product which is the best that it can be.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing we ran into was trouble spreading our budget across the 3 videos. We feel like the first video used up a lot of the budget, and that we weren’t able to do as much with the remaining 2 videos when our expectations were set high.