BEXBRANDS

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Brand Marketing for Sambazon. We’re a consumer packaged goods company that provides açai and organic açai products.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

We were no longer happy with our current packaging partner – a creative agency – so we wanted to find a new partner who specialized in packaging.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’re our packaging design agency of record so they’ve helped us launch a couple of product lines. They’re currently helping us as we undergo a logo optimization process. We start every new project by putting together a brief on our side and then having a collaborative kick-off call. Then they’ll go into ideation and creating a first draft, which leads to us deciding on a design together. They also walk everything through the printing process.

What is the team composition?

There are a couple of designers that they bring in, but one of their co-founders has been my main point of contact. They’ve also brought on a project manager as of late.

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

We first heard about them through word of mouth and liked the fact that they were local enough to visit in-person if we needed to. Someone who used to work here actually went on to work with them, and we’d seen the work that they’d done with other brands. They’d partnered with other natural foods companies so they knew the space well.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere in the range of $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them since 2016.

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

At the customer level—the retailers and grocery stores we work with—we’ve had comments about how our packaging has improved and how it helps them sell our products. We’ve also had end-customers say the same things.

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

I can pick up the phone at any point and called the co-founder, who is also the lead designer. They always make time for us and it never feels like it’s a burden on them. They’ve had to hire quickly as a small company growing rapidly, so they added a project manager. That really streamlined things since they were trying to do it all at one point.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve bent over backwards for us—in terms of design—so many times. We’re a notoriously complicated brand, but they deal with all of our opinions very well. They take feedback really well and will tell us if what we want to do isn’t actually in our best interest. They’re also accommodating and allow us to have the final say. They always give us a couple of versions and try to guide us in the right direction.

Their quality of work and creativity stand out to us. A lot of brands in the natural foods space look the same and everyone in the industry tends to follow the same design trends. BEX’s packaging is also different and customized. They always come out with something that feels really well-done, beautiful and true to our own identity.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Bringing on a project manager has really streamlined the process. Any downside I would have mentioned was addressed by bringing on the staff that they needed.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO and founder of Enlightened Brand Ventures, a venture capital firm that has invested in multiple start-ups.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

Initially, we wanted to rebrand a restaurant that we were getting ready to launch, because we weren't happy with our original branding.

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the first project BEXBRANDS worked with us on, their team rebranded one of our restaurants, which included designs for a logo, menu, and advertisements.

We've also worked with BEXBRANDS on other projects, including a complete branding package for Suja Juice, a multi-hundred-million-dollar company. They helped us develop Suja's identity, name, and various designs. They work on countless iterations as needed as the company evolves, which has included the designs of all of its beverage labels for over 150 SKUs.

What is the team composition?

I work directly with Becky and Jeremy (Partners, BEXBRANDS).

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

I knew of BEXBRANDS from my previous experience in the hospitality industry, so someone had introduced me to them initially. When we were getting ready to launch one of our restaurant concepts, I thought they'd be a good partner to work with on branding.

How much have you invested with them?

We've invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in their services over the years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since 2009.

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

We were able to buy 30% of our company at a $300 million valuation, which lends credibility to the work BEXBRANDS has done.

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

They're great at immersing themselves into the culture of the company and the direction we want to go, even when venturing into unchartered territories. They really embed themselves in our team and become and extension of our internal resources. Always on time and responsive in communications, we continue to work with them again and again.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a very involved, boutique-style agency. The level of personal, detail-oriented attention they offer us sets them apart from other vendors. I really love the fresh, creative ideas they're able to bring to the table that go beyond the normal branding protocol.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of marketing and GM for bioClarity, an indie beauty brand. Our skincare line includes a unique ingredient that’s based on chlorophyll. 

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

BEXBRANDS came onboard to help us with our branding. I initially hired BEXBRANDS to help us tighten up our brand story and messaging, both from a visual and copy perspective. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

BEXBRANDS produced a brand book for us. The assets they designed included an enhanced logo, brand voice, and copy manifesto. The team created a set of iconographies to mark us as distinct in our marketplace. BEXBRANDS helped us write and tell the story we wanted to convey to consumers. 

What is the team composition? 

I worked with both Becky (Partner, BEXBRANDS) and Jeremy (Graphic Designer and Partner, BEXBRANDS). 

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

I found BEXBRANDS by asking my network which teams do great brand and creative work. I chose them over others because my first phone call with Becky how passionate they are. Based on the examples they provided, they did incredible work. 

How much have you invested with them?

The brand work for our first project cost $45,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2017 and completed our initial project by that August. Our partnership is still ongoing.

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

I enjoy partnering with skilled people that love what they do. BEXBRANDS instilled a sense of energy and passion into our thought process. Their work provided the foundation for what our business needs. They helped cultivate our brand story and lifestyle we wanted to convey. 

Plenty of metrics show how much business has grown since we've deployed the foundational elements into the market. Creative efforts can be hard to measure, but I guarantee that companies who work with BEXBRANDS will find themselves in a better position after the engagement than before. 

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

They're excellent. They anticipate my questions before I even ask them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

BEXBRANDS is highly skilled at their line of work in the "better for you" brand space. They are truly unmatched. They see a lot of brands in the industry and are so talented that they can be selective about clients.

I appreciate the team’s transparency around their beliefs for what brands need to be successful. As a testament to that, if a brand isn't willing to make a necessary update or change, BEXBRANDS will have those conversations up front. This level of honesty keeps everyone on the same page. They never begin engagements that won't succeed. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

BEXBRANDS is my favorite partner to work with. I have very little to comment on in the improvement area.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CEO.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

We are introducing a new brand and product line and needed help with branding and packaging to showcase a unique product in the industry.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They joined us during our conceptual phase and were very detailed and thoughtful. They took time to understand our business plan, differentiation factors, demographics, target markets, and what we were trying to achieve. They had a well-structured brainstorming process and helped us assess a variety of brands in the space.

They developed an entire brand voice for us, assisted with all of our packaging and labels, and consulted on social media and other branding elements.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Becky (Partner, BEXBRANDS) and Jeremy (Partner, BEXBRANDS).

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

We found them through a colleague and through some research we did on branding agencies in the juice industry.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2016 and completed the project in April 2018.

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

We haven’t launched yet, so we don’t have metrics from the market. The branding was very important in our capital raising and response from new customers has been very positive. They provided a significant visual boost and we’ve received excellent feedback.

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was very structured. Deliverables occasionally took longer than we would have preferred but they always exceeded our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their availability and responsiveness and the commitment by the partners was excellent. They think outside the box and their deliverables were always well-received.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They were limited on internal resources when we worked together. The partners often had to do some of the lower-end branding efforts that could have been done by an entry- or mid-level team member. The partners’ higher hourly rate affected our billing but they’ve since taken steps to bring more people into their organization.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the brand manager for an organic coffee brand. I oversee our packaging design, shopper marketing programs, and day-to-day marketing activities.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

The category of cold brew coffee products began to get crowded with new competition emerging regularly. We needed to refresh our packing so that it not only stood out on the shelf but also communicated our key messaging points. Overall, we wanted to improve our brand positioning.

What was the scope of their involvement?

BEXBRANDS led us through an extensive self-discovery process to begin the rebranding and package design effort. They weren’t familiar with our brand initially, so we filled out a thorough survey to establish our brand’s essence. Then, they worked on our brand positioning, visual ID, brand statements, the tone of our brand voice, and our marketing copy. This project was meant to be a transformational process for our brand, so they used those insights to create a brand identity that could inform the packaging refresh.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked closely with both executive partners. Two graphic designers act as our primary points of contact.

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

One of our marketing consultants had worked with BEXBRANDS previously and recommended them. We considered quite a few agencies but felt that BEXBRANDS could provide a fresh perspective. They aren’t afraid to push boundaries and go out of what people traditionally do with packaging design.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2015 and the packaging officially launched in March 2016. We’ve worked with them consistently since then.

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

Since working with BEXBRANDS, we’ve experienced significant annual growth. Our packaging resonates with consumers as the logo is recognizable and relatable. They even won several awards for the innovative designs they delivered.

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re always on-time and frequently go the extra mile. We constantly have last-minute projects and we're always shifting the scope and pushing them to do more. They rise to the occasion and work incredibly hard finish things quickly, but still deliver high-standard products.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They look at each project holistically. While we engaged them solely for packaging design, they’re also able to work on POS development and really embrace the brand. They’re willing to try new things and create something special. We see them as part of our team and they act as an extension of our brand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We've had a great experience with them. They've grown significantly over the past two years and have managed to maintain that growth efficiently. As clients, we haven’t experienced any adverse effects from that and we’re excited to see them continue that trajectory.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a startup beverage company.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

We created a new brand in a crowded marketplace and wanted our packaging and logo label to stand out on store shelves.

What was the scope of their involvement?

BEXBRANDS helped define our brand identity and provided package design materials. We had quite a few in-person meetings with them to refine our key messaging and work on delivering something unique. They came up with multiple design approaches for us to choose from. With a direction in mind, we continued to collaborate with them and produced polished packaging. Specific deliverables include a customized barcode and a hand-drawn logo emblematic of our central product. They continue to provide packaging materials for us as needed.

They also have a programmer that built our website. We created most of the copy and they formatted everything and picked out the stock photos. Ultimately, they designed and developed the entire site.

What is the team composition?

Their company has grown tremendously as they continue to work with highly successful brands. As a result, they’ve brought in more people to our project as the relationship evolves. Initially, we only interacted with their two executive partners, Becky and Jeremey. At this point, however, we’ve worked with two other resources as well.

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

We looked for design vendors and found them online. They were readily accessible to us and we liked their work, so hiring them was an easy decision.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve likely spent just under $50,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2015 and the relationship is ongoing.

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

There’s always going to be people who don’t like our brand voice or the rustic designs of our products. For the most part, everyone loves our branding and packaging.

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re professional and frequently update us with relevant information. They’re a bigger team now than when we started working together, but they do an adequate job delegating work and communicating internally. They provide accurate timelines of materials so we can plan around significant deliveries. We primarily interact via phone or email but also text occasionally.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very professional but are also down to earth. It's great not having typical office meetings. A lot of times we can be outside and talk more casually than if we were each sitting behind a desk in a more formal setting. They’re more relaxed in their approach and that’s how we are too. We also appreciate their attention to detail.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They're not cheap, but good things aren't usually cheap. We're firm practitioners of paying a little extra to get the results we want.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep communication open. Their partners are great at facilitating that as it consistently leads to better experiences.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the cofounder of a ready-to-eat breakfast product. I lead sales and marketing for our business.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

I wanted a team to completely revamp our packaging, overall look and feel, and all our design components.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They have a comprehensive approach to the branding and design process. We started with brand strategy and framework. They did a brand audit to explore how we fared against our competitors and how we wanted to grow. They got a good idea of the messaging we wanted and started working on design elements. They came up with additional options that we adjusted until we agreed on the final packaging. They established brand guardrails and a style guide that would help us develop our look and feel across all our channels, our website, and all our paper materials.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Jeremy (Partner, BEXBRANDS) and Becky (Partner, BEXBRANDS).

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

I was the marketing director at another company they worked with. I knew they could deliver and felt confident they would give us what we wanted.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent approximately $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We kicked off the project in September 2017. We finished all the components by February 2018 and they delivered everything within the promised timeline.

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

The work we did is just now going to market. Their ability to deliver on their promises and quickly respond to one-off requests is strong. They’re very proactive and responsive to our needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a great understanding of the food and beverage space. They have a good eye for design and know our needs. They know what works in the industry and have a specialized level of expertise.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’ve had no issues with them at all.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a co-founder and co-CEO of Back to the Roots, a company that sells organic cereal and indoor gardening kits. Our products range from windowsill herb gardens to aquaponics units to mushroom growing kits. We sell in stores and online.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

We needed to unify the brands for our indoor gardening kits and our organic cereals. We were also scaling up to a nationwide launch, so we needed to revisit our branding and communication strategy to improve our messaging.

What was the scope of their involvement?

BEXBRANDS conducted interviews with our internal team and partners to understand our brand better. They turned that research into a guide that identified our brand voice and informed our logo design. We then used the guide and logo to update our packaging and make it more consistent across products.

What is the team composition?

We worked mainly with BEXBRANDS’ co-founders.

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

A friend who had worked with BEXBRANDS referred them. We liked their work, so we decided to meet. They had the ability to immerse themselves in our brand, and we knew we could trust them, so we became partners.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on this project from July–November 2016. We’ve worked with them on a variety of other projects since this one. They’ve been our design partner for over two years.

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

Our in-store sales have increased, and the buyer feedback has been positive—they love the new design and packaging. It speaks to millennial shoppers (our target audience), which our retail partners appreciate.

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is one of their greatest strengths. They’re incredibly organized and laid out a plan from the very beginning. They were also flexible and willing to adapt to changes.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have extremely talented designers and foster a relationship of trust and transparency. They were open, forthcoming, and honest, which goes a long way when you’re trusting someone with your brand and spending a lot of money on them. They truly felt like an extension of our team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a small firm, which means you need to be aware of expectations and timelines.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president of marketing at a vegetarian food manufacturer.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

We were looking to refresh our brand and overhaul our packaging design, which had remained stagnant for several years. The rebranding effort included all consumer touch points including the website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought the BEXBRANDS team on after conducting an overarching brand equity study that sought to articulate and redefine our desired brand identity. We used our findings as a briefing document for their team, and the team combined the results with additional market research, competitive analysis, retail visits, and category reviews to comprehensively and meticulously create our brand. This encompassed a redesign of our logo, marketing materials, packaging, and website. We’ve also engaged them on a variety of smaller projects since the rebrand.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with the principals at BEXBRANDS.

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

One of our consultants had previously worked with them on another food and beverage brand. Their team is fairly small, which allowed us to work with their leadership team. Their portfolio includes several similar rebranding efforts, and their experience made us confident in their ability to take on our project.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $60,000–$80,000 throughout our engagement with BEXBRANDS.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in the summer of 2016 and completed the first project within a few months. We’re continuing to work with them on smaller related projects.

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

Since the brand refresh, the reactions to our packaging have been overwhelmingly positive. The new designs feel more natural and appeal more effectively to younger demographics. We have strategic relationships with important retailers like Whole Foods, and upon previewing the new brand to those partners, we saw a universally enthusiastic response. Also, the company has nearly doubled its sales since the rebranding effort.

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

We didn’t have any problems with scheduling or time management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a very creative group with a great understanding of the latest design trends and brand strategies. They’ve been exceptionally easy to work with and enjoy the work that they do.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have a few smaller-scale brands in our portfolio that we would’ve loved to work with BEXBRANDS on, but they were unable to accept the projects due to a smaller available budget.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m co-founder and chief innovation officer of Once Upon a Farm, a fresh baby food company. We also offer toddler and kids products.

What challenge were you trying to address with BEXBRANDS?

We needed a branding agency that could bring our unique vision to life. We were the first company to be on the market with this new category of fresh baby food. We needed someone that could help us capture that uniqueness.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We told them the vision and mission of the brand, as well as our product lineup and our goals. They took all of that information and brought it to life. They came up with the name and all of the original packaging. They’ve done a lot of branding projects for us over the years. They've done work on our website, and produced point of sale material and other graphic design projects.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with the co-founders of the company. They wear many hats.

How did you come to work with BEXBRANDS?

We were familiar with them through the branding work they did for a juice brand. We also got a great recommendation from other people in our network to work with Bex. After meeting them and seeing the previous work, we thought it would be a great fit.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work began in April 2015 and we’re doing projects with them on an ongoing basis.

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

Our velocity on shelf was solid from the get-go and continues to rise. I attribute a lot of that success to the branding. From the beginning of the engagement with Bex, we’ve regularly heard from people that our brand is amazing. People love our packaging. We've never had a negative comment on anything Bex has produced for us.

How did BEXBRANDS perform from a project management standpoint?

They're organized and reliable. I can always count on them to get things done when they say they will if not before. They’re organized and methodical in their work.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a level of depth that’s reflected in the work that they do. I’ve rarely seen that quality in other agencies. It comes through in the branding, and the consumer appreciates that and connects to it emotionally.