Bearded Fellows

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Enterprise Projects Coordinator of Manchester Metropolitan University

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Manchester Metropolitan University’s Student and Graduate Enterprise team provide support and skills training for students exploring a future being self-employed, a freelancer, or a founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bearded Fellows to accomplish?

• Engaged a high percentage of our students and staff.
• Develop a Manchester identity for the promotion.
• Work creatively within our current brand guidelines.

SOLUTION

How did you find Bearded Fellows?

Referral

Why did you select Bearded Fellows over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bearded Fellows were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Ideas Festival is a university wide pitching event for students and early graduates. 
• Short piece of animated visual content and sound 
• Create a sense of excitement and expectation. 
• Grab attention quickly, Energise with music.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Applicant sign up numbers for the launch year. 
• Central marketing team distributing the animation to wider channels.

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

My experience of working with Bearded Fellows is they are very good at creative collaboration. It is not an easy task to listen to the client’s vision and make it tangible under time pressure. Bearded Fellows are both highly skilled technically but have excellent listening skills with the necessary level of humility. From my point of view their client management was excellent.

What was your primary form of communication with Bearded Fellows?

Virtual Meeting

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

The final production was above and beyond our expectations and internally with different team’s it got the big thumbs up.

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

Not really. nailed it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Digital and Communications Lead of Goalball UK

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're the National Governing Body and proud charity for the Paralympic sport of goalball in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bearded Fellows to accomplish?

• Create an engaging explainer animation

SOLUTION

How did you find Bearded Fellows?

Online Search

Why did you select Bearded Fellows over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bearded Fellows were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

A short (less than 2 minutes) animated 2D explainer to explain the game of goalball and Goalball UK's role as an NGB for the sport. The animation needed to include calls to action for people to get involved with the sport at all levels.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Completion of an engaging explainer animation for the deadline

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

Yes absolutely - the process was clearly defined with key milestones and regular check ins. There were options for feedback at every stage and it was clear what next steps were all the way through. The team took on board the challenge of making the animation as accessible as possible for people with visual impairments.

What was your primary form of communication with Bearded Fellows?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

It was great to be able to share snippets of the work with my wider team for feedback and bring them along in the process.

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

I don't think so - they delivered exactly what was needed and were really easy to work with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Consultant at a marketing agency that develops customer centric strategies for pharmaceutical clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bearded Fellows, and what were your goals?

The client wanted to support the field team in preparation for the launch of several new products in the market, increasing the competitive environment. This required a mindset shift for the field team so that they felt confident and well equipped to have conversations in the field.

SOLUTION

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

Recommendation internally, and it was non-competitive. Once we had spoken to Samson and Matt from Bearded Fellows we knew we were in good hands! Having seen previous examples of their work we were really impressed at the quality of what they could deliver so had no doubt they could support us on this project.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

We used a separate filming crew in the US to capture the footage we needed for the series of videos (x6). Bearded Fellows were given the footage and did an incredible job of pulling together the series of videos, adding in effective transitions and giving it a completely different look and feel.

The end result was a super impactful and engaging series of videos that were sent out in succession (one built to the next). Samson and the team really understood the brief and also found the perfect music to accompany each video.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

Samson was amazing from start to finish. We felt super confident bringing him in front of the client, who also felt at ease and trusted what was going to be delivered. Samson understood the briefs to a T and captured the exact sentiment/ emotions that we wanted from the videos. We would absolutely work with Samson again.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Client continues to talk about the outputs throughout other projects, has received great feedback internally too.

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

Samson was honest with timelines, and always gave us the occasional nudge when needed. What we particularly appreciated was the fact that he pulled a lot of the timelines forward to align with what the client needed.

They were highly flexible and kind enough to accommodate more amends than originally planned. This meant the team and the client were super happy.

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

• Ways of working (e.g., project management, flexibility)
• personality of the team
• passion for the work
• amazing outputs (the whole team couldn't have been more impressed with the end result)!

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

There was just one occasion where Samson was on AL and the work was handed over to others at Bearded Fellows but the brief got lost in translation. This was the only time where the client felt like the brief wasn't understood. Would just suggest making sure that if different team members are working on the same output that the brief carries through!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Talent Acquisition Country Manager at a hygiene and health c company and focus on attracting and retaining the right talent now and for the future.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bearded Fellows, and what were your goals?

Talent focused projects x 2 - one for Clinical Consultants and one for our apprenticeship programme.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Word of mouth - they had previously worked on a DE&I campaign with us.

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

1. Project plan outline
2. Scope of works detailed
3. Regular meetings to develop storyboard before filming and then editing Worked very collaboraively and listened to what our aims and objectives were. Utilised their social media knowledge and expertise to devise the right tone and messaging for the campaigns dependent on the talent audience on each occasion.

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

Altogether approx 6-8 people but mainly Samson at BeardedFellows, who brought in colleagues at relevant points of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The two talent audience films had great success over our social media channels reaching over 1 million impressions.

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

BeardedFellows work very collaboratively with us. Have a good listening style and feed in their expertise to produce high quality and impactful content that resonates strongly with our branding and messaging.

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

They were able to understand our tone of messaging and support us yet lead us to challenge and push the boundaries but keep on message and within brand.

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

Not that I can think of

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a director at Electric Circus. We're a digital agency that works on end-to-end user journeys.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bearded Fellows?

Tesco commissioned us to do a 25-minute learning experience to capture the hearts and minds of all their staff about the work they're doing to prevent food waste. We decided to include animations and videos, so we needed someone to do that for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Bearded Fellows created five animations and five live-action videos, which we used in our presentation. They handled the entire process of production, from shooting to editing. We are currently working with them on another project.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four teammates. Matthew (Co-Founder & Creative Producer) oversaw the animation while Florin (Co-Founder) provided creative direction. For the live-action videos, Joe (Co-Founder) directed the process, and Samson (Video Production Manager) produced, shot, and edited them. 

How did you come to work with Bearded Fellows?

Their offices are close to ours, so we knew them. We were really impressed with their attitude, the way they approached projects, and the quality of their past work. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent £23,000–£24,000 (approximately $33,000–$34,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2020, and it’s ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos are pretty much perfect — the client was impressed by the production value. Bearded Fellows really knows what they're doing. They made my job a lot easier.

How did Bearded Fellows perform from a project management standpoint?

I find it very easy to work with them because they’re highly communicative.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re really impressed with what they’ve done, which is why we hired them again. It's been a great experience working with Bearded Fellows. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could do better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust the process. Give them the requirements and meticulously plan what you want them to produce for you, and they can handle it from there.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior content marketing executive of a company that provides accountancy training.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bearded Fellows?

We didn’t have any video marketing materials and needed a partner to provide those assets.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They've handled anything and everything that had to do with video marketing for our company. That involved idea creation, scripting, hiring actors, filming, and editing. They also provided us with advice on how to best use videos in our marketing work. It was truly an end-to-end service. They created about 50 videos for us in our engagement so far.

What is the team composition?

I’ve corresponded with about four people from their team. 

How did you come to work with Bearded Fellows?

They’re located near our offices and were recommended to us by someone in our networks. We interviewed them and other suppliers but decided to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about $50,000 each year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

My company feels that the quality of their work is miles ahead of marketing content we’ve produced before. It’s much more captivating and modern. Accountancy can be a dry subject, but they have helped us reach our audience more directly. Their work has been the driving force behind us redefining our brand within the marketplace. We now have a stronger social media presence, and our video performance has increased year-over-year.

How did Bearded Fellows perform from a project management standpoint?

They work efficiently and pull their weight when it comes to project management. While I generally manage the project, they speak directly to our stakeholders and others in the business. They’re proactive when it comes to project management and never miss deadlines. We communicate on video calls, on the phone, and over email. They’re also happy to come into our office as needed.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They provide very hands-on service and never let us down. We’re treated like their only client, as they deliver as much value as possible to every project. When we’re unpredictable, they’re always flexible and accommodating with deadlines. They’re a reliable team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Price could always be lower, but they provide a very strong service. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Arrange face-to-face meetings to make sure everyone is on the same page about once every quarter.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As Head of Learning Design for Emerald Works, I'm responsible for managing the production of digital learning content for our custom clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bearded Fellows?

Bearded Fellows support us with their animation expertise, their creative design and their ability to convey complex messaging with clear visuals.

What were your goals for this project?

To encourage colleagues to engage with the performance review process.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Bearded Fellows are one of our top 'go to' animation studios for projects like this. We know the quality they can produce, and their collaborative approach to development, so we check in regularly.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

The video made use of existing branding, combined with a 'colleague story', to demonstrate the performance review process and highlight the benefits. My team led on the scripting, in consultation with our client, while Bearded Fellows managed the illustrations, storyboarding and animation.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

I was provided with a clear schedule, with regular check-in points, and provided with opportunity to flex where necessary. Deliverables arrived on time, every time, and were to an incredibly high standard with very little feedback from us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Project results are TBC, but the quality of the animation was such that we've already engaged Bearded Fellows again on another, larger, project.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was incredibly effective. The team has joined our Slack workspace and has since become an extension of our internal team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their flexibility, creativity, and quality are impressive. The Bearded Fellows are a joy to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Can't fault them!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Managing Director at NBE Digital. NBE Digital is a search engine marketing agency based in the heart of Manchester. NBE Digital gathers a deep understanding of your core values to deliver a bespoke marketing campaign with maximum ROI.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Bearded Fellows?

Bearded Fellows have created a bank of videography assets for ourselves and our many clients. One of the key features of clients success is having good quality visual content for their business for us to be able to promote the quality of their product or service. It is imperative to our strategy that the visualisation is of the highest quality.

What were your goals for this project?

To ensure that the visual presentation of the products and services are professional and representative of the quality of the clients business.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I was introduced to Bearded Fellows from a colleague who had worked with them previously and highly recommended them.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

We provide a brief of the project a combination of the clients and our requirements. Beared Fellows

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Once we have provided our brief Bearded Fellows provide us with a proposed storyboard and project specification to deliver. They offer insightful recommendations to enhance the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The clients have seen significant increases in ROI

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great guys and very easy to work with

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I have full confidence when recommending Bearded Fellows that Joe and Matthew are people who I am more than happy to recommend to our own client base. They are professional, friendly, great to work with and the quality of their work is superb.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Senior Designer of People Activation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

With epic live experiences and creative communications, we make your strategic goals their personal business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bearded Fellows to accomplish?

• Create videos and animations for a variety of events

SOLUTION

How did you find Bearded Fellows?

• Referral

Why did you select Bearded Fellows over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bearded Fellows were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We hired Bearded Fellows to bring our event branding to life and create a variety of videos which were shown throughout. These included idents, event openers and closers, teaser films as well as animations for challenges in our breakout rooms.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The graphics looked great onscreen and we had a very happy client.

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

Great communication and project management - always on time.

What was your primary form of communication with Bearded Fellows?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

They are really great people to work with, with lovely outcomes.

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

Nope, great work

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Managing Director of Thrive Consulting Collaborative

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Working with senior leaders to solve their most critical problems

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bearded Fellows to accomplish?

• Engaging the leaders in the concept of video for promotion
• Creating and designing the video

SOLUTION

How did you find Bearded Fellows?

Used before

Why did you select Bearded Fellows over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bearded Fellows were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

To scope, create anddeliver the first video for a client. They hadnever uused video before and so needed to trust that theprovider "got" them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

That theclient was positive aboutthe wholeexperience aand that a highquality,impactful vvideo wasdelivered.

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

Yes. Their communication of deadlines was excellent. They always delivered on time. AAs well asflexing ffor theclient too. They wereresponsive bbut professionaland wwe always feltthey were aacting in our best interests

What was your primary form of communication with Bearded Fellows?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

• Values and culture. 
• objectives.
• Brilliant sense of humor. 
• Highly trustworthy

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

No