Our team of dedicated, experienced and talented individuals create strategic pathways to level up our clients’ products, brands, and messages through impactful coverage, executive leadership, data and insights, SEO, digital ads and strategic social media campaigns. Big ideas, strategy, and the right approach is what get our clients noticed. It’s what we do best and we have the data to prove it!
Bastion is a human-centered marketing agency that helps brands outperform larger rivals.
What is human-centered marketing? Quite simply, being human-centered means standing in your customer’s shoes to see your category through their eyes; understanding their attitudes and values to help your brand be relevant; walking the customer journey from awareness to purchase to find ways for your brand to better serve their needs.
Bastion is one of the top Insights, Marketing, PR, programmatic media, digital, web development and social media agencies in Southern California, New York and Australia/NZ
The company has won several awards and is ranked among the Top 10 PR and Advertising agencies in Orange County by the Orange County Business Journal in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023
Bastion offers a comprehensive full-set of integrated marketing services, including: Insights & Data, brand tracking, PR, Social Media Management, Social Listening, Digital and Programmatic Advertising, SEO, Web development, and corporate communications and messaging, media outreach, thought leadership, product reviews, product launches, press releases, crisis communications, branding, social platform strategy, social media content creation and posting, social influencer marketing/campaigns, event activations and more
At Bastion we are a group who believes DOING is better than saying! And that what a brand says is important. But what is more important? What others say about that brand -- and that human-centered ideas have the power to transform a business.
$5,000+
$150 - $199 / hr
50 - 249
Costa Mesa, CA
Founded 2008
3 Languages that we service
English
Spanish
Mandarin
1 Timezone that we service
PST
Pacific Standard Time (PST)
3 Locations
Costa Mesa , CA
Los Angeles , CA
New York , NY
Focus
No data have been added yet...
Pricing Snapshot
Min. project size
$5,000+
Avg. hourly rate
$150 - $199
/hr
Rating for cost
4.6
/5
What Clients Have Said
Bastion Agency offers competitive pricing, with project costs ranging from $2,500 to $1,000,000 depending on client needs. Many clients express high satisfaction with the value for cost, emphasizing effective communication, responsiveness, and impactful results.
The professionalism and expertise of the Bastion Agency team were frequently praised. Clients found the team to be knowledgeable, helpful, and dedicated to achieving project goals.
Strong Client Relationships
Bastion Agency was praised for building strong, long-term relationships with their clients. Their commitment to mutual growth and success was a key factor in client satisfaction.
Innovative Ideas
Clients appreciated Bastion Agency's innovative ideas and proactive approach to marketing and PR. Their ability to think creatively and suggest new strategies was highly valued.
Data-Driven Approach
The agency's data-driven approach was highlighted as a key strength. Clients appreciated their use of analytics and metrics to inform strategies and demonstrate the impact of their efforts.
Flexibility and Adaptability
Bastion Agency was noted for their flexibility and adaptability. Clients appreciated their willingness to adjust strategies and accommodate changing needs and schedules.
Qualitative & Quantitative Research for Automotive Client
Market Research
Confidential
Jan. 2020 - Ongoing
4.5
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.5
Willing to Refer
5.0
"The results I’ve gotten each time I’ve worked with them have been great."
Jul 24, 2020
VP Digital Strategy, Advertising Agency
Anonymous
Advertising & marketing
Los Angeles, California
201-500 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Bastion Agency (formerly Bastion db5) is working with a full-service advertising agency to do market research for an automotive client. They’re doing both quantitative and qualitative research on certified pre-owned vehicles.
So far, the advertising agency is happy with the work that Bastion Agency (formerly Bastion db5) has provided. Their team of experts provides strong ideas that help propel the brand forward. They address problems that arise promptly and are excellent communicators.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We’re a full-service advertising agency that focuses on automotive clients. I’m the VP of digital strategy and communications planning.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenges were you trying to address with Bastion db5?
I hired them to do quantitative and qualitative research for one of my clients on certified pre-owned vehicles. We wanted to get a better understanding of the marketplace in order to develop effective messaging.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
They did a full audit of the business to understand where the brand stood. They also did a fairly large quantitative study interviewing current and potential customers. Their team then provided a report overviewing the general state of the industry.
We’re still working together on the qualitative research aspect of the project.
What is the team composition?
I’ve interfaced with about seven different people on their team.
How did you come to work with Bastion db5?
I’ve worked with the principle of Bastion db5 on several occasions at my previous agency.
What is the status of this engagement?
I think we started working together in January 2020. The first phase of the project is complete, but we’re waiting to begin the second phase of the project once COVID-19 restrictions are loosened.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
I hired them again because of the success I saw on other projects. On a previous project, their work provided us with insights that drove the transformation of our brand. The results I’ve gotten each time I’ve worked with them have been great.
How did Bastion db5 perform from a project management standpoint?
They’re highly communicative, and they’re very responsive. Even when issues come up, they resolve them quickly.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They have a strong opinion, and they stand by it. That’s something that I highly value because of their deep expertise. They’re also very accessible, even in the higher levels of leadership.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There isn’t anything that I would have them change, at least right now. They’re responsive and work hard to deliver high-quality solutions.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Don’t be afraid to come into the conversation with a strong opinion. They’re not afraid to put their opinion forward as well and have a fruitful back-and-forth with you.
RATINGS
4.5
"They’ve been nimble, flexible, and proactive despite the less than ideal circumstances."
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.5
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Content Support for Alcohol & Drug Recovery App
AdvertisingContent Marketing
$10,000 to $49,999
Feb. 2020 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
“They’ve been really thorough in making sure that we stay informed and they stay accountable to producing results.”
Jul 1, 2020
CEO, SoberBuddy
Tara Schiller
Information technology
Irvine, California
1-10 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Bastion Elevate delivered media coverage and content writing services to a virtual alcohol recovery application, helping them to earn digital media and news broadcast coverage and write blogs.
The efforts of the Bastion Elevate team have resulted in an incredible level of exposure for the client company, earning over 50 media pieces, 40 broadcasts, and 30 million impressions as a result. Their team is collaborative and flexible, responding well to all feedback and implementing changes.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CEO of SoberBuddy, and we are a virtual alcohol recovery coaching app and online service.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Elevate?
They worked with us to help get us out into the media and to establish ourselves as thought leaders in drug and alcohol recovery.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
We’ve been working with them for about 6 months, and their main focus has been to get our articles into different online publications. They have also targeted news broadcasts, and written content for our own site on our weekly blog.
What was the team composition?
There have been three members of their team working with us on the project.
How much have you invested with them?
The collaboration costs us about $6,000 a month, so in total, we’re at about $36,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in February 2020.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Thanks to their team’s efforts, we’ve had over 50 pieces of earned media coverage in multiple different publications and reached an audience of nearly 30 million readers through those pieces of earned coverage. We’ve been featured in 40 news broadcasts, and received over 5000 social media shares across all of that content.
Everyone on their team has been incredible to work with. They take criticism and feedback really well and are always professional, no matter what. They’ve been particularly innovative in their ideas for how to position ourselves in the media so that we can get messages out quickly enough to be relevant to what’s going on around us.
How did Bastion Elevate perform from a project management standpoint?
The team is also extremely responsive, so I never have to wait before I hear back from them about anything. We have direct communication with all of their team members through Slack so that we have immediate feedback on most issues, and then they follow up with monthly reports on all of our media placements.
We use those as an opportunity to re-center the teams on our plans going forward, and they’ve been really thorough in making sure that we stay informed and they stay accountable to producing results.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Beyond just the number of media placements that they have been able to secure, which has been a huge success for us, I’ve been most impressed with their professionalism. They take feedback and hear about any issues that might come up and just get on it immediately.
I have never seen them take offense or push back on anything that I’ve asked them to do, which has made the collaboration incredibly easy for us to manage.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I honestly don’t have any suggestions for things they could improve. They’re one of the most impressive companies I’ve ever worked with.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Don’t be afraid to be totally open with your thoughts. They can handle anything you have to say and will work with you to find the best way forward, so just go for it.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Facebook Ads for Powerlifting Gear Company
Social Media Marketing
$10,000 to $49,999
Oct. 2019 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"We are very satisfied with the projects that we have done and will continue with."
Jun 8, 2020
Chief Sales Marketing Officer, Iron Rebel Power Gear
Luke Carroll
Retail
Irvine, California
11-50 Employees
Online Review
Verified
A powerlifting gear company hired Bastion Elevate to help design and implement its social media marketing. Using Facebook and Instagram to target their audience, Bastion Elevate continuously adjusts campaigns.
They have met or exceeded every monthly sales goal and have noticed an increase in new customers. The team at Bastion Elevate is communicative, accessible, and skilled with their expertise setting them apart.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and your position there.
My company designs and sells Powerlifting and Bodybuilding apparel and safety gear. I am the Chief Sales and Marketing officer. I help in designing all our products and make all the marketing content that we distribute on social media.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
For what projects/services did your company hire Bastion Elevate?
Bastion Elevate helps us design and implement our social media targeted advertising. They also consult with us about marketing strategies.
What were your goals for this project?
We want to increase sales and reach a more broad market through social media advertisements. With a large customer base in our specific community, we are looking to reach a more diverse market.
SOLUTION
How did you select this vendor?
We made contact with Bastion Elevate through another company that we are familiar with. We have worked with several other companies to distribute our social media advertisements. We like Bastion Elevates great communication, quick turnaround and rapid results. My other partners and I chose Bastion Elevate.
Describe the scope of their work in detail.
After finding Bastion Elevate we had meetings to discuss our direction and possible methods for marketing. We work exclusively through social media advertising and use Facebook and Instagram to target our audience. We consult with Bastion Elevate and use their knowledge to create media content with our in-house athletes. Once we have created the content we give it to Bastion Elevate and they distribute it accordingly through social media channels. Bastion Elevate is continuously amending our social media advertisements to reach a more diverse audience and get us increasingly better returns on our investment.
What was the team composition?
I work mostly directly with my contact, but I receive weekly updates on projects or reports from other members of their team.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Bastion Elevate created a monthly sales goal with us at the beginning of our cooperation and we have met and exceeded that throughout our partnership. We have also noticed continuous growth in new customers.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
This project was one on one using simple email to communicate. Bastion Elevate adapted the advertising on the fly to meet and exceeded required sales metrics.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
My favorite part about working with Bastion Elevate is that I have a direct phone number with my project manager. We sometimes communicate at all different hours of the day, many times outside of the normal working hours or even on weekends. Also his expertise and guidance helped me choose the right advertising channels to increase and the right ones to abandon. This experience may be tough to find with other companies.
Are there any areas for improvement?
We are very satisfied with the projects that we have done and will continue with. Work has always been done on time and for the price that was agreed upon.
RATINGS
5.0
"Superb"
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"Fantastic expertise with our projects"
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
"simple and swift"
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
"You get what you pay for."
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
"We refer Bastion to fellow companies all the time.
Survey Reports for Clean Energy Program
Market Research
$200,000 to $999,999
Sep. 2017 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.5
Willing to Refer
5.0
"It’s important for us to have a partner we can trust. Bastion Agency (formerly Bastion db5) has never let us down."
May 20, 2020
Head of Strategy, Marketing Company
Anonymous
Advertising & marketing
San Francisco, California
10,001+ Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Bastion Agency (formerly Bastion db5) built a brand survey tracker for a global advertising company to survey a state’s population about the impact of a clean energy program. They collected data and made reports and analyses.
The survey reports and projections supplied by Bastion Agency (formerly Bastion db5) provided the company and their client metrics for the program’s success, satisfying all stakeholders. Bastion Agency (formerly Bastion db5)’s reliability, expertise, and responsiveness make them an ideal partner and have led to a lasting relationship.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the head of strategy at a global advertising company.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion db5?
We were working for a state’s clean energy program whose goal was to change perceptions and awareness around energy behaviors. We needed a way to pull and track a massive audience’s attitudes to understand the movement’s impact.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Bastion db5 developed a brand tracker survey on our behalf. It allows for many demographic and geolocation views along with a robust data set that we can slice, dice, and study to see how the target audience was reacting to our campaigns.
Bastion db5 did all the surveying, reporting, and even analysis of data. After the surveys were complete, we had many rounds of discussions around various ways to cut up the data and study different groups of people.
What is the team composition?
We work with 3–4 different people. It started with their lead and then some other analysts and folks joined. Now, those folks on the team have grown and been promoted. They’ve been a fantastic team; they’ve been responsive and helpful throughout the engagement.
How did you come to work with Bastion db5?
When this opportunity came about, we reached out to companies we worked with in the past. Bastion db5 made the shortlist. We asked people to do proposals, and we liked Bastion db5’s the most. We really liked the people there and the way they talked about the research methodologies. We also challenged them to propose their own solutions and were impressed with their level of thinking and the scope of their idea. The prices were competitive as well for our client.
How much have you invested with them?
I’m not sure, but I’d guess about $300,000–$400,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We do two tracking waves in January and June or July. We started working together in 2018, and it must have been a few months before to get approval from our client through their bureaucratic processes, so I believe the partnership started in September or October 2017. We’re still working with them.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Bastion db5’s survey data has been essential for all our work. We rely on it for our creative communications to know how to talk to different groups.
We had to build scorecards for the clients that are part of our tracking systems and our metrics. everything we’re paid for is tracking to those metrics. We used Bastion db5 to come up with which questions should go into the critical KPI scorecard and to help us model and project out the hoped-for list we want to see. They use advanced data science analytics to combine survey data and info from our media plans and to create these calculations, and they turned out to be accurate.
It’s been helpful for our client to have a third party hold our work accountable. It proved the success of our work, showing the movement and our success in making that happen.
How did Bastion db5 perform from a project management standpoint?
Bastion db5 is really proactive. We regularly check in with them. They’re also very responsive when we had extra needs. When the client needed some data points or need a new data cut, Bastion db5 would be on the phone almost immediately and get back to us quickly.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re just really great partners. They take on our problems as their own. Their processes are thoughtful and fast. In an industry that moves fast, it’s important for us to have a partner we can trust. Bastion db5 has never let us down.
They also present their own work very well, which is helpful for meetings when we have run through multiple stakeholders. Bastion db5 is able to quickly join us and present over the phone, electronically, or even in-person to walk through their findings.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, we’ve been really pleased. The nature of our relationship evolved recently where we no longer needed a brand tracker, but we kept them on and evolved the work we asked them to do. We really appreciated their help and wanted to find a pipeline for them that didn’t affect their bottom line. That’s a testament to how much we value them and how we wanted to make good on the partnership.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.5
Value / within estimates
"Other partners are less expensive, but for what we get, we’re willing to pay a little more."
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Market Research for Major Media Company
Market Research
Confidential
Apr. 2019 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
4.5
Schedule
4.5
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Their team builds customizable tools that are appreciated."
Feb 7, 2020
SVP of Insights and Innovation, Media Company
Anonymous
Media
Los Angeles, California
501-1,000 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Bastion Agency (formerly Bastion db5) executes market research into the effectiveness of advertising for a media company. The team provides information to develop a system for scaling branded content engagement.
Bastion Agency (formerly Bastion db5) delivers valuable tools and insights into content to encourage improvements and support a critical business process. The team is engaged and accommodates the collaboration’s changeable needs, adapting the products accordingly. They are communicative to establish a lasting partnership.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I run insights and innovations for a publishing company. We have a robust offering for consumers to hang out with us.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion db5?
We work with Bastion db5 for different services including primary research into ad effectiveness to help scale our branded content engagement. They’re a full-service agency when it comes to specific insights and research.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
We gave Bastion db5 a big problem: how to gauge the effectiveness of branded content. They built an entire system that allows us to view our branded content cost-efficiently and at scale. We’ve worked with them from that perspective for quite some time.
What is the team composition?
We work with Chris (CEO, Bastion db5), Neva (President, Bastion db5), and her entire team. We’ve interacted with a large number of folks across the organization.
How did you come to work with Bastion db5?
I’ve known Chris as an industry leader for decades. I worked with Bastion db5 during my days with other organizations. We go back to them because their team looks for flexible methods to build new solutions that scale well for a company of our size.
What is the status of this engagement?
I’ve worked with Chris for almost two decades but my relationship with Bastion db5 at this company started around April 2019. Our partnership's ongoing.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’re big fans of Bastion db5. The quality of their work informs the quality of the content that we put in front of advertisers. In many cases, it’s a tool that we use to validate the effectiveness of our branded content. It’s an important part of our business.
How did Bastion db5 perform from a project management standpoint?
The process is collaborative. We speak to them by phone, email, and in-person often. Their team makes changes constantly to the tools they created, ensuring that they're scaled and optimized to business changes. They’re essentially an extension of our team.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their flexibility’s important. Their team builds customizable tools that are appreciated
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, research is ever-changing. The information that we need always changes and Bastion db5 is willing to change. It’s appreciated.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
A strategic partnership requires time on the side of the client to make sure that you’re getting the most and best out of any company. I appreciate that Bastion db5 is willing to give us the same time and dedication.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
4.5
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
4.5
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
PR for Computer Software Company
Public Relations
$200,000 to $999,999
Jan. 2013 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"They would never suggest we do something they didn’t think would benefit us."
Jan 27, 2020
Corp. Engagement Comms Manager, Swiftpage
Mallory Bowers
Software
Denver, Colorado
201-500 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Bastion Elevate acts as an ongoing PR and corporate communications partner. Among a variety of services, they handle thought leadership, crisis communications, and social media influencer campaigns.
Reach and coverage increase yearly, and internal stakeholders are pleased with Bastion Elevate’s commitment to a long-term relationship. Rather than prioritizing their own profit, Bastion’s top priority is long-term, mutual growth. Their timeliness and clear explanations of PR strategy are notable.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I work at Swiftpage, a software company, and I've been there for seven and a half years. I am the corporate engagement and communications manager. I do internal and executive communications and act as our company’s main liaison with our PR agency. I also work with nonprofits and organizations on community work here in Denver. Finally, I manage our blog with the marketing team and contribute to our media presence and digital reputation.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Elevate?
We hired them to handle all our PR services.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
They handle media outreach, product launches, organizational news, press releases, and core thought leadership. They also provide support on applying for awards, crisis communications support, analyst outreach, and general corporate communications and PR strategy. They also managed our CEO’s social media presence for a while before he resigned last year. Hopefully, they’ll do the same for our new CEO. Finally, they’re in the middle of helping us kick off a social media influencer campaign.
What is the team composition?
Our core people are Dave (Senior Managing Account Director, Bastion Elevate) and Shana (CEO, Bastion Elevate). We also work with Fred, Lynn, and Jordan (Social Media Director, Bastion Elevate). We’ve also worked with a few other people over our eight years together.
How did you come to work with Bastion Elevate?
We acquired a company that worked with Bastion Elevate. We were happy with them so we kept them on.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent close to $1,000,000 with them including $10,000 per month on PR and thought leadership.
What is the status of this engagement?
We’ve been working together since 2013.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Every year is our best year ever in terms of PR coverage. We always seem to beat what we did the year prior. We can’t be mad at that. I’m always doubtful we’ll beat last year’s numbers, since we don’t spend more and more money, but they always hit that mark. It’s awesome, I think.
Throughout the engagement, they’ve gotten us 1,100 pieces of unique coverage (including product launches, thought leadership, and other news), which resulted in 750,000,000 in total circulation and over 100,000 social shares.
How did Bastion Elevate perform from a project management standpoint?
They come in and meet in-person once a year to plan the entire year. That planning includes corporate communications and PR strategy, as well as our marketing strategy. I’m in contact with Dave every day, though, and consider him an internal team member.
I’ve asked them for more ways to increase our reach and leads and they brought this social media influencer campaign to me. They’ve stepped up to help us at every step by curating a list of influencers and assets that we’ll use in the campaign. They’re great at laying out different tactics and holding us accountable to give them what they need to be successful. They’re a great partner.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Compared to other vendors I’ve worked with, Bastion Elevate isn’t about selling us something or getting something out of us. They care about our relationship and want us to do well. If we do well, then they believe they’ll do well. They would never suggest we do something they didn’t think would benefit us. I thought that at the beginning and it’s only become truer as the years have gone by.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don’t have any complaints. They’re already doing this, but they should keep coming up with new ways for us to increase our reach and grow our brand.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be open and honest with them about what your goals are and rely on their expertise to reach those goals. I put a lot of trust in them, and you have to be willing to do that.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"I’m always happy with what they provide. They’re open to feedback if something needs work too, though. We’re very collaborative."
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
"We talk every day. They’re very accommodating of our schedule. It’s easy to get meetings scheduled."
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
"PR can cost a lot more, but Bastion has never raised our price. They’re always willing to work with us on budget. The value is there."
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Public Relations Initiatives for Clinical Laboratory
Public Relations
$50,000 to $199,999
Apr. 2015 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"They meet deadlines and always manage to be flexible with us..."
Jan 16, 2020
Employee, Healthcare Company
Maegan Cheatham
Healthcare
Santa Ana, California
51-200 Employees
Online Review
Verified
Bastion Elevate provides public relations services, including media outreach, press release drafting, speaking engagements, and crisis communication.
The vendor has successfully arranged over 3 dozen radio and podcast interviews. They have also facilitated the output of over 100 thought leadership pieces. The team members are skillful, attentive and personable workers.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and your position there.
Cyrex Labs is a high-complexity clinical laboratory offering innovative tests designed to detect and monitor autoimmune reactivities and their possible triggers. Cyrex is focused on the fast growing health issues of autoimmune disorders now affecting tens of millions of people in the United States. Cyrex test panels are designed to evaluate your immune reactions using our proprietary, advanced technology. I have worked in several different areas of Cyrex including, Customer Support, New Account Specialist, Patient Services, Marketing (social and otherwise), Emails, website content management Liaison for all PR related initiatives.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
For what projects/services did your company hire Bastion Elevate?
Bastion Elevate primarily provides PR services for Cyrex, including media outreach, product launches and organizational news, press release drafting and distribution, thought leadership, speaking engagements, crisis communications, spokesperson positioning as leaders.
What were your goals for this project?
We hired Bastion Elevate on a continual basis for all items pertaining to raising public awareness of Cyrex Testing. We wanted to expand our visibility to consumer base, as well as take our place as a leader in the testing field among healthcare professionals. We wanted to increase interest and obviously sales.
SOLUTION
How did you select this vendor?
My manager had secured them for an interview. I was one of the people involved in making the decision of what PR firm would best fit our needs/tone.
Describe the scope of their work in detail.
After an initial meeting to interview Bastion Elevate in 2015, we quickly made the decision to hire them. From there we scheduled a meeting to discuss the first steps, decide on the first press releases, timelines and who our industry leaders would be to use for bylines and interview opportunities. In my roll I was responsible for getting them any necessary collateral that we had including all marketing flyers, images etc and keeping them apprised of the new website additions I was designing for patients.
What was the team composition?
While I don't know the exact number of team members they use, I work very closely with Dave Fiestel on a daily basis. He is WONDERFUL! I worked With the owner as well mainly during our monthly in-person meetings and also worked with two other members of her PR team. Everyone is very responsive and helpful and a complete joy to work with.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Bastion Elevate has secured more than 3 dozens radio and podcast interviews and more than 100 pieces of thought leadership coverage for Cyrex. They have secured more than 500 pieces of total coverage for Cyrex for an estimated total audience of more than 300M and a total advertising equivalency of nearly $3M.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
I've always been a huge fan of their work ethic. They meet deadlines and always manage to be flexible with us when it comes to the review process and timelines. Dave, who I work with the most is extremely knowledgeable, helpful and overall a great person to work with.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
I was impressed by the types of high profile media organizations that Bastion Elevate was able to gain interest in our product/services. They secured leading media outlets for byline pickups and speaking engagements..
Are there any areas for improvement?
The only time we hit some bumps was in the beginning while working on the tone of Press Releases/ bylines. This was mainly because there was a disconnect on format and who the audience would be for each type of press piece. Healthcare providers or patients. In the end Bastion Elevate was able to communicate to my superiors what the best tone would be, why, and carry out a successful piece.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Public Relations for Clinical Solutions Company
Public Relations
$200,000 to $999,999
Jan. 2010 - Jan. 2019
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Bastion Elevate secured our firm’s position as a thought leader in our industry."
Jan 15, 2020
COO & CFO, Medical Software Solutions Firm
Anonymous
Information technology
Rhode Island, United States
11-50 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Bastion Elevate was brought on to support a medical software firm’s PR efforts in the early stages of the industry’s development. They handled speaking engagements, social media outreach, and other services.
Internal stakeholders feel Bastion Elevate created something great out of nothing. The team quickly developed contacts in the industry and worked diligently and proactively to promote the brand. Customers can expect great content and outstanding media outreach efforts.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the COO and CFO of a software company that specializes in clinical documentation solutions for hospitals.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Elevate?
When our company first started, we were operating in a fairly new industry. We needed a lot of PR work to increase awareness of our firm and the services we provide.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Early on, Bastion Elevate worked to secure interviews and unpaid media placements for our company.
The team handled all of our press releases around product launches and upgrades, as well as any organizational news. They also managed our social media and SEO efforts.
What is the team composition?
We worked with a team of about five PR specialists.
How did you come to work with Bastion Elevate?
We were introduced to Bastion Elevate by some marketing consultants we had partnered with when our company was first established.
At that point, they were involved with another group of marketing specialists. Over time, they split into two groups, and we began our formal engagement with Bastion Elevate as a PR firm.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent about $800,000-$900,000 with Bastion Elevate.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our partnership spanned from 2010-2019. At that point, we ceased our PR efforts as a company.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Bastion Elevate secured our firm’s position as the undisputed thought leader in our industry.
We were sought after for speaking engagements with increasing regularity after having partnered with their team for only a short while. We found this especially impressive given how new our industry was and how little they had to work with.
How did Bastion Elevate perform from a project management standpoint?
Their performance was outstanding. The team was wonderful to work with and they were always proactive in their efforts to reach out to outlets and secure media engagements. We can’t give them enough praise.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We were amazed by what Bastion Elevate was able to accomplish in the time they worked with us. At the beginning of our partnership, the team had very few healthcare contacts, but within only a few months it was as if they knew everyone everywhere.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I honestly can’t think of anything.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Hand them the reins and let them do their thing. Throughout our entire engagement, we never needed to prod or nag them. Bastion Elevate always did independent, outstanding work.
RATINGS
5.0
"They were great fun to work with."
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"They're outstanding. They made us thought leaders in the industry."
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
"There was nothing they missed or needed to be reminded of."
Cost
4.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
PR for Tax SaaS Company
Public Relations
$50,000 to $199,999
Jan. 2015 - Ongoing
5.0
Quality
4.5
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
“I’ve been completely satisfied with all of the work that I’ve seen from them since we started working together.”
Jan 14, 2020
Senior Marketing Manager, Avalara
Caitlin Foster
Software
Seattle, Washington
5,001-10,000 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Bastion Elevate provides full-stack PR services to a vacation rental sales tax automation provider. Their team plans and executes media outreach, content creation, and thought leadership opportunities.
All of the work delivered by Bastion Elevate over the course of the engagement has successfully satisfied requirements and helped produce direct benefit to the company’s market presence and bottom line. The team is organized and creative, prioritizing a deep understanding of their client’s industry.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I work with Avalara, which a sales tax automation SaaS company. I am a senior marketing manager, and my role is in providing lodging tax automation services to vacation rental owners and property owners such as commercial hotels and online travel agencies.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Elevate?
We originally contracted with Bastion Elevate to provide PR services for our company.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
They handle our media outreach, promoting product and technology launches, drafting and distributing press releases and thought leadership, and any crisis communication that may arise.
All of their work focuses on positioning our company as a thought leader within the vacation rental industry. That includes securing earned media with local press outlets or podcasts and other feature opportunities, as well as managing social media accounts for our company and one of our executives.
What is the team composition?
We work with up to five members of their team at any given time. They provided us with a social strategist to draft and execute thought leadership content for our channels, an account director to manage the deliverables of the project, and one of their founders who was in charge of the overarching strategy for the engagement.
How did you come to work with Bastion Elevate?
I inherited the relationship from the previous marketing manager, but they were selected for their reputation as a service provider in the industry.
How much have you invested with them?
Over the course of our work with Bastion elevate, we have spent around $200,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project began in 2015 and is still ongoing.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
One of the things I’m especially happy with about their performance is the detailed reporting that they provide to us on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. Those reports make it really easy for us to keep track of the impacts that their work provides, despite some of those metrics being particularly hard to evaluate. We continue to be satisfied with the results that they deliver in those regards.
How did Bastion Elevate perform from a project management standpoint?
Their team is fantastic at project management. They lay out really clear project plans, and their project manager checks in regularly when we are working on larger initiatives. Not only that, but deliverables are on time or early every single time, so we’ve been really happy with their performance.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We operate in a very niche space when it comes to the intersection of the vacation rental industry and the sales and transactional tax industry. Bastion Elevate has really dug in to understand not only the needs of the vacation industry but also how those relate to sales tax on a broader level.
That allows them to do a really good job of identifying opportunities or current events that have the potential to benefit our business or generate earned media opportunities, which we really appreciate.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Nothing immediately comes to mind. I’ve been completely satisfied with all of the work that I’ve seen from them since we started working together.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Assemble as many educational resources as possible, because the better the agency understands what you’re looking for and the needs of your space, the more they are going to be able to do for you.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
4.5
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
PR for Management Consulting Firm
Public Relations
$50,000 to $199,999
Mar. - Dec. 2018
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"Bastion Elevate was really good at listening, probing, and understanding."
Jan 9, 2020
President, John Larson & Company
John Larson
Consulting
Los Angeles, California
1-10 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
Bastion Elevate provided PR services to promote a book a management consulting company. They set up speaking engagements, reached out to magazines to publish articles, and created other opportunities.
Bastion Elevate helped get the client 10–15 materials to use to deepen relationships with new and existing clients. The team led a proactive workflow in managing media interactions and creating opportunities. Their accessibility, flexibility, and willingness to give and receive feedback stood out.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
John Larson & Company is a five-person outfit specializing in helping clients understand the key needs of their customers and build strong relationships with them. I’m the president.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with Bastion Elevate?
In 2017, a colleague and I published a book called Capturing Loyalty. We wanted to use it to educate the business world on the importance of loyalty and how to go about creating it. I needed help with generating PR and speaking engagements for the book.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
Bastion Elevate worked to get my ideas out in the larger business community. Some of those were contained in Capturing Loyalty, but I had a whole series of ideas that I couldn’t put into a book. about firing customers, the importance of the salesforce, the importance of initial training. That’s where Bastion Elevate was really good.
I sat down and talked to them about what I wanted to accomplish. They really did a good job of understanding what I wanted to accomplish. They made some suggestions that I felt led to a better set of goals and objectives, and worked with me to get that done. Within the first two weeks of working with them, we had a pretty good game plan of what it was we wanted to do.
Within a month, I felt I’d known the entire team for four years. Bastion Elevate found homes for my thoughts and ideas in social media, magazines, and periodicals dedicated to healthcare and salesforce management. I ended up with 10–15 pieces by the end of the year, including a review from Forbes. I made copies of these resources and distributed them to clients and business prospects.
We had a mechanism in place for maintaining contact regularly to measure how effective our implementation efforts were and modify the strategy as needed.
What is the team composition?
Shana (CEO, Bastion Elevate) was the relationship manager. My day-to-day contact was Dave (Senior Managing Account Director, Bastion Elevate). He had sources that might be interested in the material, or, if not, he could find them. He worked with me to craft my thoughts and ideas into articles and pieces that these various organizations would be willing to publish.
How did you come to work with Bastion Elevate?
After publishing Capturing Loyalty, I hired two firms: one to generate some interest in PR, and the other to help me get some speaking engagements. Those firms began working for me around September 2017. By December or so, I got the sense that things weren’t clicking. I wasn’t getting the help I thought I would.
I started talking to a few people to find other firms, and one of them mentioned a firm he’d worked with, called LFPR, which I believe eventually merged with Bastion Elevate. He introduced me to Shana, and I believe we had some phone calls in January or February. I ended up terminating my relationships with the two firms I had been working with and started working with Shana and her group.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in March 2018. We continued working on a monthly basis through December of the same year.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
To me, the success of their work was in getting me materials that I could show to clients and start meaningful discussions. Where it worked most effectively was in rekindling or strengthening relationships with existing clients. It also gives me something to leave off with prospective clients and make those encounters more impactful. I didn’t get approached by people who’d read my articles, but I got enough from existing clients and my own door-knocking.
How did Bastion Elevate perform from a project management standpoint?
It was really quite helpful. We had a phone call every two weeks plus plenty of calls in-between as needed. We were a one-hour drive away so we were able to meet in person sometimes, which was helpful for me. We stayed in touch, and they were great at giving me feedback on what I’d written and suggesting changes.
When we ended our relationship with Bastion Elevate, we tried to maintain the relationship with one of the magazines. It was such a hassle dealing with the magazines even for 1–2 pieces at a time that we decided it wasn’t worth it. That was all stuff that we never got to see because the people at Bastion Elevate handling PR took care of it for us.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Compared to past vendors, Bastion Elevate was a lot more proactive. They generated many more opportunities, and they felt comfortable with a process where we stayed in touch regularly to make sure we were meeting our goals and objectives. With other agencies I’ve worked with before, trying to get any kind of meeting was like pulling teeth. It’s really hard to have an effective relationship if we can’t speak to each other. We prefer to have at least have a weekly or biweekly check-in on how things are going. Bastion Elevate made that happen.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They were really good at listing and modifying my ideas. I never asked them to come up with their own ideas, but I would’ve appreciated a few more suggestions from their side. Other than that, I’ve used Bastion Elevate as an example of good client relations to the people I work with. They did a good job.
Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?
I believe it’ll work best if the client follows their process. Take the time to help them understand what your needs and capabilities are. Bastion Elevate was really good at listening, probing, and understanding. If the client spends time with them on that, they’ll exceed their expectations.
RATINGS
5.0
"I wish I could mention something that went poorly, but Bastion Elevate was honestly excellent to work with."
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
"They worked with the client to make very good deliverables, and they were happy to iterate on work to make it perfect."
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
"We had routine biweekly meetings, and nothing fell through the cracks. They were easy to get a hold of."
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
"They were probably on the high side price-wise, but what we got definitely made it a good deal.
Clutch verification provides an additional layer of data to help you make the right purchasing decision of business services.
If you’re not seeing exactly what you need here, send this company a custom message.
You can talk about your project needs, price, and timeline to get started on your project.