Xhilarate

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work in communications for a pharmaceutical company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xhilarate?

We were looking for a vendor to help us update the look and feel of our corporate slide presentations.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a photo shoot and provided some video assets to make our corporate presentations look more modern. In addition, they helped us develop marketing collateral and updated the overall look and feel of our brand.

What is the team composition?

Depending on the task, they assigned a different number of team members to our project.

How did you come to work with them?

They were recommended to us. At the time, we were working with another company, but Xhilarate perfectly understood our needs, so we gave them a chance.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We used the assets they provided at a conference and received positive feedback.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a challenging project, but they did a good job.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very adaptable, committed to their vision, and delivered an excellent product.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Constant communication is the key to success.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a creative director at Aon, a financial services company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xhilarate?

We're a growing company and we needed a vendor to provide photography and filming services for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They've worked on several projects with us: they meet with our clients to take photographs, give us professional advice, and deliver fantastic images. They also created a video for our national sales meeting. The video featured our corporate manager who was introducing the new websites we had developed to the international audience. Xhilarate came on site, set up all the equipment and lighting, and filmed our executive. Then, they gave the footage to a third-party vendor who did the editing and produced the final product. We've used many of their photographs for ads, brochures, and other marketing collateral.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with their owner.

How did you come to work with them?

I've known their owner on a personal level for many years.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in September 2016 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When Xhilarate met with our client in the state of Washington, they had to take photographs of 35 people. They were very accommodating and provided an online photo catalog, giving the client an opportunity to choose the best shots. The client was very satisfied.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They do an excellent job. They listen to us and are responsive to our feedback.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understand our needs and consistently deliver high-quality products.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.  I wish I had more opportunities to use them as a full-service company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the creative director and president of Michael Grecco Productions. We have five different companies, but the core business is Michael Grecco Photography.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xhilarate?

I didn't have a good website. I started working with another designer, but I wasn't happy with the layouts he produced. So I reached out to Xhilarate to design a website for me.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I wanted my website to have a portfolio section, a case study section, and some information about my business. They reviewed some of the best sites in my industry and developed ideas on how we can emulate them. Then, they made recommendations, which I loved, and designed a mobile responsive website. They also managed the development, while I controlled the editing and the video assets. The website is very dynamic: it has a blog section where the titles of blog posts light up when you hover over them and then the image is starting to move. I brought in a third-party QA person to do quality assurance, but there were no issues with the design.

In addition, they rebranded our social media platforms and we're about to do a printed piece that incorporates a video.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Michael (McDonald, Founding Partner, Xhilarate).

How did you come to work with them?

Michael was recommended to me by a photo consultant years ago. He designed some printed portfolios for me in the past, which I loved. He's always been a contemporary, innovative, and knowledgeable designer. We used 3-4 different designers, but his work always stood out, so we chose him for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent less than $10,000 on this project.

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?

We're thrilled with the website. The blog section is very effective and impressive. We just moved the website to a new platform and sent a couple of email announcements for it.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an excellent job. The website is hosted by the company called liveBooks. I have a contract with liveBooks (I'm a noted a photographer), so Michael worked with their team on the development side, handling the process very effectively.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design skills are superb.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. They do a great job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Automotive Videos Made Simple, LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We market and produce automotive dealer service videos.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Xhilarate to accomplish?

• Brand launch
• Logo design and brand guidelines

SOLUTION

How did you find Xhilarate?

Referral

Why did you select Xhilarate over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Xhilarate were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Xhilarate helped us take the company name Automotive Videos Made Simple (AVMS) and bring it to life by developing a brand look and feel and then applying to various properties including:

Brand guidelines

Business Cards

Website landing page

Merchandise

Trade Show design 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We set deadlines for each deliverable and reviewed each item on a weekly basis until complete.  It was a completely consultative process and we have been very happy with has been delivered.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

It was a consultative process and we agreed to set timelines and/or moved to new deadlines based on particular circumstances.  There were no surprises.

What was your primary form of communication with Xhilarate?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They had the ability to flex resources depending on the project need.  Regardless of whether they were Xhilarate FTE or contract employee, everyone worked as a cohesive team.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Xhilarate could have done differently?

Without getting into minutaie, nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a program manager for a talent pipeline at a national laboratory.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Xhilarate?
We needed a company that could help us design and lay out print collateral and website design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?
We’ve asked Xhilarate to develop a suite of business cards, lanyards, and other promotional products. We’ve given them guidance on what we wanted, and they’ve come back with at least a dozen design options. Following an internal approval process, we’ve selected the designs we liked the most and moved forward to discuss quantities and other variables.

After that, Xhilarate has implemented the designs and provided proof and samples of the final output. From there, we’ve finalized some details and made minor tweaks to ensure the final output matches exactly what we wanted. They’ve also helped us develop graphics and web designs for our internal sites.

What is the team composition?
We work with three people from Xhilarate: Russ (Partner, Client Relationships), who acts as the project lead, and two designers.

How did you come to work with Xhilarate?
We found them online, among other options. Their graphics were the best-looking and best represented the style we were going for.

How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent around $10,000–$15,000.

What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in January 2024, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We thought we were going to get two or three collateral design options, but Xhilarate has created at least a dozen really fantastic designs. It was difficult to choose the ones we liked the most because they were all so good.

Sharing measurable outcomes is also a little challenging because they’ve delivered art — it is subjective. Xhilarate has produced a suite of collateral and promotional materials that have met the look and feel we were going for. Our company has strict parameters around stylizing and branding, and they’ve been able to follow those to a T. However, they’ve still been able to be creative within those parameters and produce something we’re really happy with. Their site designs, which we've deployed on four or five sites, have been visited by thousands of people as well.

How did Xhilarate perform from a project management standpoint?
Xhilarate has performed well in terms of project management. They often deliver early to ensure that we have plenty of time to meet our goals. They’re attentive to that, which is awesome. They’re also able to work within our budget and deliver great value for what we pay.

We typically communicate via phone calls, video calls, and email. We go through an iteration of proofs. Their design approach is user-centric, and they keep us engaged every step of the way to ensure transparency. They guide us step by step, which I think has contributed to how good the quality of the outcome has been and how it has exceeded our expectations.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?
I would like to give a shout-out to Russ, who we engage with the most. He has been really awesome and has made this feel like a true partnership.

What did you find most impressive about them?
Xhilarate has been incredibly awesome. The quality of their work and the aesthetic that they offer have really stood out to us and are definitely why we chose them in the first place amongst our other options. The Xhilarate team has been wonderful, service-oriented, friendly, and easy to work with. They dig deep to understand our needs and work hard to exceed our expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?
I don’t have any constructive feedback for now. Everything they’ve done has been on point.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be prepared with exactly what you want. Don’t be afraid to get into the details, and be very specific with what you want because they’re willing and able to take on and exceed your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president and founder of a company that develops and markets innovative products for better living.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Xhilarate?

We hired them to create packaging designs for new brands.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking for eye-catching packaging that resonated with our target market.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have a long history with Xhilarate.

Describe the project in detail.

For this project, they created 3–5 design concepts for new brands.

What was the team composition?

Direct communication went through one of their client relationship partners, but I was made aware there was a team on the project and met with them regularly during concept pitches.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are ready to go to market with outstanding designs. I am very happy with the work they’ve provided over the years.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I was always pleased to see the variety of concepts in such a timely manner. They were great communicators, thorough, and easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their speed was impressive. They’re quick and flexible to changes, qualities that are very important to me.