Amber Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder and CEO of WooDate, a web app that makes it easier to plan and make dates. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Amber Design?

We were trying to redesign some of our branding materials. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Amber Design redesigned our logos, color schemes, and fonts. They guided us through a four-step branding process. First, Amber Design led a discovery process where we provided them with information about our company, including our existing logo and business goals. Then, the Amber Design team researched our competitors and compiled all their gathered data. From there, Amber Design presented us with around 100 black and white logo sketches. My team picked out the four sketches we liked the most, providing feedback on which aspects of each logo were most important. 

The next two steps of the process were combined. Amber Design took the sketches and turned them into digital components. Then, they added color to the logo and presented us with a logo option in several colors. We picked out the logo and color palette we liked the most and provided some feedback. Finally, Amber Design put together the final deliverables for us to sign off on: a new logo and color palette. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with Amber (Owner and Creative Director) and two other design teammates. 

How did you come to work with Amber Design?

One of my teammates researched design companies in the market via Google and then reached out to about 15 of them. We ran a regular hiring process, looking at each company’s budget and processes. In the end, we hired Amber Design because they aligned the best with what we were looking for. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested a little more than $5,000 with Amber Design. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Amber Design on this project from September–October 2021. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve been getting a lot of compliments about the new logo and how professional it is. We did a website redesign the same time we redid the logo, and so we saw a ton of growth that can be attributed to both projects. However, we can’t precisely measure how much the logo contributed to our growth. 

How did Amber Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Amber Design’s project management was excellent. Communication was great — we always knew what to expect during the project and where we were in the process. They always provided project clarification when we requested it. Amber Design also accommodated our tight timeline; they expedited the entire process by bringing on additional teammates so the project only lasted a month. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Amber Design was a lot better than any other company we’ve worked with; their communication, originality, and creativity were phenomenal. We always knew what to expect from them and they delivered on time. I never had to push Amber Design to ensure they adhered to our timeline, which I’ve had to do with other companies before. 

Also, Amber Design’s design process is fine-tuned, and they know not to show logos in color first because it may bias a client. If we have any more design work, we will reach out to Amber Design. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I had a great experience, and I can’t think of anything for Amber Design to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise clients to take the time and effort to fill out the questionnaire and discovery from Amber Design. If those aren’t filled out well, Amber Design won’t have the guidance they need to deliver a high-quality final product. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Vice President of Marketing at Commercial Brokers Association. The Commercial Brokers Association (CBA) is a powerful association of commercial real estate brokers dedicated to developing the knowledge and skills of our members, increasing their success, and raising the standard of practice.

Our member-owned cooperative provides market research, listings services, legal contracts, networking and education opportunities, association management services, industry lobbying, and arbitration to brokers and professionals in CRE-associated industries in the Pacific Northwest.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Amber Design, and what were your goals?

We hired Amber Design to redesign our corporate logo in advance of a website redesign as well as design new corporate identity and collateral materials (letterhead, envelope, flyers, etc). Our goals were to create a more modern and fresh identity that better reflected our industry and members.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were connected with Amber Design through our Web Designer, for whom they are a subcontractor.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Typical logo process timeline is 6-8 weeks.

Phase 1 – Logo

Steps included:

• Kickoff Meeting: Client fills out a Questionnaire and Logo Activity documents. Amber Design reviews answers, set expectations, clarify questions and provide next steps
• Round 1 - Discovery, research, inspiration, and sketches: Conduct competitive analysis and discover inspiration based on client’s direction
• Round 2 – Digital phase 1: Receive and implement client feedback, focusing on font and symbol options (black and white) based on narrowed down sketches
• Round 3 – Digital phase 2: Round three presentation includes refinement of logo and color palette options based on selections from round two
• Round 4 - Final solution: Small logo adjustments and logo mockups provided for approval
• Deliverables: Logo files - stacked, horizontal and symbol, 1 page PDF style guide - including logo, fonts, and colors.

Phase 2: Brand Identity assets – Business Suite Package

Similar 4 round process approach with mood boards and collaboration. Deliverables included: Business cards, Envelopes, Letterhead, PPT template

Phase 2: Marketing Collateral – Business Suite Package

Similar 4 round process approach. Deliverables included: Gate-Fold Brochure and flyer. If additional rounds, meetings, and/or rushed deliverables are needed by client, company will estimate the cost, notify the client, and move forward with additional work if client approves. 

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Two -- Amber, the Creative Director, and a Designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The logo and collateral met our needs and expectations and helped inform the overall website redesign direction. Our new look is bold, modern, and conveys to both CBA members and non-members the strength, substance, and values of our organization.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Amber was very organized and efficient. All meetings and reviews were held via Zoon due to Covid 19. Delivered files via DropBox and communicated mostly through email. Work was delivered on time and all feedback was incorporated in a timely fashion.

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

Amber Design team is highly creative, organized, always on time with deliverables, and great listeners. They distilled our team’s feedback quickly and easily into refined designs that really nailed what we were hoping to achieve. Amber has amazing positive energy and always kept things upbeat and on track. We look forward to working with her on future projects.

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

None that I can think of -- everything went smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Vice President of Marketing for CreativeMind. We offer programs and Life Coach Training using a methodology based in Jungian Psychology, Eastern Spirituality and Social Neuroscience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Amber Design?

Our website's design was dated, and the content was not structured to most effectively share the work we do in a clear way. We have developers in house, but needed someone with a strong sense of our brand, design, and how to tell our story to provide guidance for the buildout.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Amber Design had previously completed a logo design for us, and we enjoyed working with her. Amber asked the right questions, got exactly what we were going for, and her exceptional design skills showcased that understanding.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After a series of discovery meetings to discuss our goals with the site and review the existing content, Amber and I partnered to identify the navigation structure. We completed worksheets to get clear on the purpose and content of each page.

Amber and her team went page by page and laid out the designs, which we reviewed and tweaked as we went. The final deliverable was jpeg mock-ups of each page for our developers to build, instruction on themes to purchase, and a clear content outline.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Amber was our primary contact. There was one additional project coordinator helping behind the scenes and I believe 1 designer as well. But Amber served as our singular contact, which was appreciated.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their documentation was thorough, and the mock-ups served as strong guides as we built out the site. The site's look, feel and content is far beyond our original site and the team is thrilled with the outcome.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Amber and her team customized their deliverables and workflow to our needs and budget. We worked very well and seamlessly together.

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

Amber Design has a very unique way of understanding brands and their goals through a design lens. She is an excellent thought partner and an exceptionally talented designer. It is always a treat to work with her.

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

We loved our experience with Amber Design.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of Club Elevate, a personal training facility in Jupiter, Florida. Club Elevate helps members achieve maximum health, fitness and wellness through our unique training style.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Amber Design, and what were your goals?

In launching our new business, we wanted to establish a solid brand identity and reached out to Amber Design to create a professional, high quality logo that aligned with our vision.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Before reaching out to Amber Design, we researched as best we could what to look for when hiring someone to create any type of branding. After contacting other professionals we decided to work with Amber Design based on the unique process they take while working with their clients. We also appreciated their noticeable professionalism and admired the work in their portfolio. We felt confident they could help us create a great logo.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

The process Amber Design takes with clients is very thorough. We started with a discovery session where Amber took the time to understand our business, industry, target demographic and goals.

From there, we completed a logo activity so Amber could understand what we liked and disliked when it came to our ideal logo. Upon meeting with Amber again, we reviewed our logo activity responses, reviewed our competitors' branding, and went over the research she had done with regards to branding in our industry, as well as inspirational factors we could draw on in the creation of the logo.

Amber presented us with a plethora of initial logo sketches that we then had time to review and reflect on before we picked a handful that we liked most. Amber took the sketches we preferred best and digitalized them all in black and white before we chose our favorite.

From there, she created multiple color palette options for our logo. We discussed what we liked and didn't like with the digitalized version of the logo and the color pallete, and amber made modifications based on our feedback until we had the logo we desired.

Once we had everything dialed in, Amber delivered all the electronic files for our logo including various file formats and multiple logo variations, as well as a style guide.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

From start to finish we worked directly with the owner and designer/graphics pro, Amber.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Working with Amber Design to create a logo is a great experience. We wanted a unique wearable combination logo mark that was modern, unexpected and luxurious. We are so pleased we had the opportunity to work with Amber Design.

Amber is an absolute professional, and her process is fantastic. Even though we did not have a solid idea of what we wanted for our logo, Amber educated and guided us in a way where we felt very engaged from start to finish and ultimately walked away with our ideal logo :) Highly recommend Amber, and look forward to collaborating again!

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Amber Design's project management is on point. We communicated via email when necessary. We met via Zoom to review results and discuss next steps. Amber Design made sure we stayed on track with the time line and deliverables while also allowing us the opportunity to make sure we understood everything we needed to make the best decisions and to discuss our thoughts and any concerns.

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

The most impressive thing about working with Amber Design was their thorough process when it came to completing the project. Amber Design truly understood what our goals were and did a great job of breaking the reasearch and creative process down into manageable steps so they can effectively capture your vision and create something that you not only love, but is also effective when it comes to branding.

Amber's creativity is vast and her understanding of branding, marketing, and the psychological principles at play is acutely present. We were so pleased to work with her!

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

The whole experience working with Amber Design, from start to finish, was very smooth. Couldn't be better!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner & CEO of a childcare placement and nanny staffing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Amber Design?

Our 15-year-old company’s logo is out of date, it doesn’t stand out against competitors. The website needs help and new content. When we acquired this company then, we wanted to give it a fresh look and breathe new life into our brand. Hence, we need more relevant and captivating content to attract more customers. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Amber Design initially created our logo, but their tasks go beyond that. The team is responsible for reconstructing and reformatting the brand identity of our company. They work on our models and print materials such as fliers.

Right now, since the engagement is ongoing, we’re discussing redoing our website next. We’re working closely with them on its development and the details. 

What is the team composition?

We directly work with Amber (Founder, Amber Design).

How did you come to work with Amber Design?

My spouse worked with Amber on a project before and he referred her company for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

Our company has already invested $8,000–$9,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We reached out to Amber Design around June 2019 and the engagement is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t rolled out the product yet, but we’re satisfied with the work so far. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic changed our original scale for metrics. Our team also prefers not to base their success on data alone, as long as we like their content. Overall, we’re fairly pleased with Amber Design’s efforts. 

How did Amber Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Communication is going great. We communicate through calls, texts, and emails then she sends the outputs on Dropbox. Their team is good at completing tasks before deadlines. We appreciate their initiative to remind us about the timelines. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their flexibility, patience, and creativity when coming up with concepts are impressive. They're also great at beating deadlines. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Amber Design took awhile to adjust to our tone but, to be fair, it was also hard for us to say what we wanted. While the project is still ongoing, we’ve already had a few hurdles and needed to go back to the drawing board. Perhaps this was likely a result of miscommunication on both ends before. We eventually talked things through to move forward and now, they’re coming up with ideas that we like.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice for other clients is to do their legwork — research, brainstorming initial ideas, and more — before working with Amber Design. This will be crucial to the collaboration’s success because you have an idea of what you want and your goal.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a media buying company that empowers business owners, marketers, and creative advertising agencies to make better advertising investments. It's called Thrive Advertising, and I am the President.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Amber Design, and what were your goals?

Amber and I collaborated on a project for an online bike part store. My team and I were blown away by her design capabilities! She created a new Shopify eCommerce website that was beautiful while also fantastic at generating sales and revenue. Amber's love for her work and enthusiasm for life generally shine through her communication, and we can't wait to work with her again.

SOLUTION

How did you select Amber Design and what were the deciding factors?

Amber reached out to us to collaborate on the project because we offer complimentary services. I can see how she attracts new business because she's not just talented and capable, but she's reliable, trustworthy, and takes great pride in her business. She is someone you enjoy working with and trust her professional recommendations.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We connected when the project had already started. Still, Amber led the client and our team through a great marketing needs analysis to guide us toward creating a media buying plan that would help increase traffic to the newly created Shopify website. Her team communicated with us regularly and helped us deliver a fantastic campaign for the client. It was a pleasure working with her!

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We predominantly worked directly with Amber. Amber is the owner of the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We saw the client's new website reach new and loft website traffic and sales goals with their new Shopify eCommerce website. Our role was to support the client and Amber with advertising targeting the client's demographic using AI and programmatic retargeting. The whole project was a great success, and we are excited to work with Amber again.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.

Amber's team is very buttoned up. They were on track with deadlines and excelled with communication throughout the project.

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

We loved that throughout the project, Amber's skills and work ethic were shown through. She clearly enjoys the work that she does, and she takes great pride in delivering a quality product for her customers.

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

No. We were very impressed.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a project manager at Jordan Crown Web Design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Amber Design?

We had a mutual client with Amber Design who needed a new logo.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team handled the entire process for the logo design. They started with a questionnaire and kickoff call to get to know the client’s demographics and needs. To supplement that, they did a few surveys with ten people in their target demographic. From there, they brought a few examples of brands that had similar goals and aesthetics and created a mood board to narrow down their vision. 

In addition to that, Amber Design produced hand-drawn sketches for the client to choose from before they moved into the prototyping phase. They created three different versions of that logo, which went through multiple rounds of revisions. The finalized version of the logo was presented on different tablets and mediums before they figured out the right color palette and typography. Finally, they then sent over all of the assets associated with the logo. 

What is the team composition?

Amber (Owner & Visual Designer, Amber Design) was the main logo designer working on the project. 

How did you come to work with Amber Design?

We brought Amber Design in for an interview and had a few phone calls to make sure we were a good cultural fit and ensured our processes aligned. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $6,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September–December 2019. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The board of directors and a number of nonprofits they’re associated with needed to be happy with the final product, and they were. The logo was received really well, even before it was finalized. It’s a very modern, youth-targeted design that matches the demographics and almost all of the feedback was very positive. 

How did Amber Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Amber was fantastic at managing the project. She has a very tight process since she’s done this type of work a lot. As far as understanding the next steps, she was great at establishing trust with our team from the get-go. All of their communication was clear, too, since we spoke weekly. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Amber’s passion and excitement behind the work helped her go above and beyond. She really went over the top, in a great way, on a few different aspects of the project, so that was definitely her biggest asset. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I had a pretty good experience, so there’s nothing I can really think of for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to new ideas and trust the process—Amber does a lot of research and puts a lot of thought into her work. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president and founder of J. Wilbur Foods. J. Wilbur Foods is a specialty foods company based in Kenmore, WA offering a line of BBQ sauces, BBQ spice rubs and a Bloody Mary mix. J. Wilbur products are found in retail and food service establishments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Amber Design?

J. Wilbur hired Amber Design to do a lot of different projects including label refresh for our current products and label creation for our new spice rubs. The label refresh was for our BBQ sauces and Bloody Mary mix to make those products stand out more on the retail shelves. Amber Design also has created Point of Sale materials and taken product photos to be used in our e-commerce business.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to make our products stand out on the shelves.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was referred to Amber Design

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Amber Design has done a wide variety of work for J. Wilbur Foods including photography, Point of Sale development, label refresh and label creation.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with Amber on these projects

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have been extremely happy with the results of my work with Amber Design. Amber was able to deliver on everything we spoke about and she always makes her deadlines.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Amber is very quick to respond to updates and/or requests. If anything, J. Wilbur Foods would have been the reason our projects didn't finish sooner.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They always meet deadlines and take a tremendous amount of pride in their work.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chief marketing officer at NetBlaze.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Amber Design?

We’re a startup and we were looking to develop a brand identity. We needed a logo, website, and some print material.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Amber Design created a full brand identity for us. Starting from scratch, they created a new logo and designs for the brand. They specialized in visual pieces, creating an identity with new color schemes, iconography, font, and overall look and feel.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Amber (Owner and Visual Designer, Amber Design).

How did you come to work with Amber Design?

I had previously worked with Amber on other projects and I trusted her based on those experiences.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The branding work ran from January 2019 to March 2019.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Amber Design knocked it out of the park. She brought tremendous value by steering us in the right direction and giving the company a great look and feel. We’re all thrilled with their work. When we present at trade shows, people love our branding and style.  

How did Amber Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. We communicated through face-to-face meetings. They kept things on task and we have no complaints.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Amber Design brings a level of marketing savvy and business understanding that helps fuel the design process. It’s not just about creating good stuff—she really understands the factors on how a brand translates on a business level. Having her think this way is helpful because it makes the design process more efficient and doesn’t require as much back and forth.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say trust the process and her experience. Don’t let your personal preferences in color and design get in the way of her expertise. Sometimes, people get in their own way because they don’t like a type of color or font, but you have to step outside your own preferences and understand the reasoning behind certain design elements. She does a great job of thinking of it from this perspective.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Certified Clinical Nutritionist of Well Balanced Nutrition LLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Provide nutrition & wellness services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Amber Design to accomplish?

• Design an updated logo
• Create a new website

SOLUTION

How did you find Amber Design?

Referral

Why did you select Amber Design over others?

• High ratings
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Amber Design were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Created a fresh logo and website that is easily navigable.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• A multi-phase approach with different rounds of presentation.

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

Very prompt.

What was your primary form of communication with Amber Design?

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

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

We were impressed with their prompt delivery and professionalism. They also adjusted designs based on my needs and feedback.

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

no