Blue Marble

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Sr. Director, Strategic Operations & Communications of Arthritis Foundation

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Arthritis Foundation is boldly pursuing a cure for America's #1 cause of disability while championing the fight to conquer arthritis with life-changing science, resources, advocacy and community connections.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blue Marble to accomplish?

• Produce a compelling series of videos that will inspire people newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and gout to engage with arthritis.org to find additional resources for managing their disease journey.
• We want viewers to feel they are the recipients of wisdom, help, empathy, hope, resources and knowledge.

SOLUTION

How did you find Blue Marble?

Referral

Why did you select Blue Marble over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from Blue Marble were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Video production of four 2 – 3 minute patient videos consisting of interview footage (recorded remotely with Riverside), text on screen, possible client-provided b-roll imagery, and client provided music soundtrack for intro and outro. Includes:

• Project Management / Creative Direction 
• Interview Transcriptions
• Scriptwriting up to 20 hours including revisions* (5hrs per script)
• Up to 4 hours of directed remote recording sessions
• Video Editor and Edit Suite up to 48 hours, including revisions* (12hrs per video) Additional revisions will be handled by Change Order.
• On-line posting for client reviews
• Digital Master: H.264 MP4 files (other formats available upon request and priced separately)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Adherence to schedule
• quality of finished product.

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

Blue Marble has a strong project management arm - they produce a schedule and stick to it. They were very responsive to questions and hurdles.

What was your primary form of communication with Blue Marble?

Virtual Meeting

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

Their ability to understand the audience, write a great script and produce a compelling story that resonates.

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

None that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director, Account Management of Georgia Dept of Economic Development

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are the sales and marketing arm for the state of Georgia, bringing jobs and investment to the state to benefit generations of Georgians.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blue Marble to accomplish?

• Create an brand video that clearly communicates the benefits the Georgia Center of Innovation provides Georgia businesses.

SOLUTION

How did you find Blue Marble?

RFP for agency of record search

Why did you select Blue Marble over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Blue Marble were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Project Management 
• Creative Direction Scriptwriting (includes cutdown scripts)
• One, 10-hour video shoot day, including:
  • all crew and equipment 
  • DP Camera Assistant 
  • Shoot Insurance 
  • Shoot Crew Meals 
  • Video Editor and Edit Suite up to 120 hours, including revisions
  • On-screen talent audition and direction 
  • Music Search and Licensing for up to 9 cuts of music in perpetuity 
  • Digital Master

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• An entertaining video that showcased a clear communication of the types of services provided to business. 
• Video was posted on our website and used in digital advertising and OTT placements. 
• Garnered high viewership and high video completion rates.

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

Blue Marble is very attentive to detail and client needs. They deliver on time and on budget. Work tirelessly to understand the nuances of our story and come up with creative ways to showcase our message.

What was your primary form of communication with Blue Marble?

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

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

I was most impressed with their ability to grasp a difficult concept but portray it in a fun and engaging way. Their copywriting and conceptual abilities are second to none.

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

There is always room for improvement in any endeavor, but after each project, we would do a debrief to talk through issues and discover any learnings needed, so that we could be better prepared for the next project. I found this proactivity to be refreshing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Content & Product Marketing of Alphacomm

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Alphacomm is a manufacturer and distributor of wireless accessories, partnering with most major wireless carrier brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blue Marble to accomplish?

• Increasing Alphacomm's brand awareness for prospective customers
• Changing the perception of Alphacomm amongst existing customers
• Increasing morale amongst internal team

SOLUTION

How did you find Blue Marble?

Online Search

Why did you select Blue Marble over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Blue Marble were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Blue Marble worked with us on the production of a 1 minute overview video that included b-roll that they shot at our office headquarters and offsite at one of our customer's retail stores. Video included stock footage, minimal graphics, voiceover and music soundtrack. Blue Marble also assisted in script editing for the video. 

Deliverables: 

• Project Management / Creative Direction 
• Art Direction 
• Stock Footage Search 
• Script Editing 
• Two 10-hour video shoot days, including all crew and equipment 
• Video Editor and Edit Suite along with revisions 
• One Voiceover Talent and Directed Recording Session 
• Music Search and Licensing for up to 2 cuts of music in perpetuity 
• On-line posting for our review

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video has been used at 10+ tradeshows and events, to audiences of anywhere from 200 - 10,000 since it released in 2022. In addition, we have released it on our company YouTube channel and garnered ~1000 impressions without any direct campaigns or digital marketing pushes.

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

Yes! They exceeded when it came to project management, from providing a thorough project tracker to regular check-ins and meetings - the team delivered everything on time for us.

What was your primary form of communication with Blue Marble?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their support and responsiveness was most impressive. Blue Marble's owners were present and available throughout the entire process, even coming to our office for several site visits before any production had taken place. The project managers that worked with us were exceptional, kind, and made the entire process a breeze (especially since this was the first video our company has ever created).

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

No - it was a joy and pleasure to work with them!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a less than truckload (LTL) and truckload data and solutions provider, optimizing freight transportation across the supply chain. I am one of two product marketers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blue Marble, and what were your goals?

We have an existing software product with new functionality and a new user interface. With a large number of current users that would be impacted by updates, we needed an informational video that would allow us to share the news of what users could expect at roll-out - explaining the new UI and new capabilities/functionality.

SOLUTION

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

We had live conversations with the Blue Marble team asking questions around process and team capabilities as well as work that would be considered in/out of scope. Price and ability to deliver within requested timing were both components of our selection, however so were approach to the managing the project and overall knowledge of our business and products.

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

The process was a typical process beginning with the discovery call/kick-off meeting to brief them on the need and define the objective for the final deliverable. Because we had worked with Blue Marble in the past - we chose not to do style frames and instead just mirror the visual approach from a previous project. From there we went into script development adding comments to the document and redlining necessary copy edits.

Upon final script approval we were provided with a full storyboard with description of on screen elements, transitions, etc. While the script and storyboard work was moving along, the Blue Marble team provided both music and talent selections to chose from. Our team narrowed down the options and Blue Marble laid the talent auditions over the selected music track for final decision.

Talent was secured and we recorded multiple reads of the approved script with multiple team members on the record to guide and give direction. We went through two rounds of video edits putting time-stamped feedback into Frame.io and were able to be given a final edit with audio mixed and ready to go 2-3 days before our final deadline.

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

Our team worked with Alaina who was our producer and she had a team of others who were involved in the development of our final video. Working with Alaina and the team was very easy. They were quick to respond and always had a back-up team member supporting when Alaina wasn't able to be available to us. Providing our feedback was simple and streamlined given the automated tools used including Frame.io and other electronic document tools.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final video was shared out to our existing customers via email receiving higher than industry norms for both open rates and video views. And our client success team has experienced an increase in positive feedback and excitement for the new functionality and coming enhancements.

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

The project management component was simple and smooth using email communication along with a few different digital tools to document real-time feedback. Frame.io was used for video feedback as well as music bed review and talent auditions, word docs with tracking changes and comments turned on was used for scripts and things like DocuSign and Panda Doc were used for formal agreements and paperwork.

Every step of the process from a project management perspective was simple and streamlined for easy communication.

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

The team was always willing to do whatever was needed and never gave push-back about any asks. They had wonderful positive attitudes and were always quick to respond - often going above and beyond based on our scope of work.

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

The team was easy to work with and quick to respond. Communication was clear and timelines were met or exceeded Everything about the project was frictionless. The one opportunity for improvement would be to help our team think proactively (up front) about the cut-downs we were going to do for Social and what impact they would have on our script and storyboard.

As it was we ended up getting 3 solid cut-downs, but we could have been more strategic and purposeful with things had we been forward thinking and planned for them at the beginning.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director of Manhattan Associates, a supply chain commerce platform. We primarily serve software services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Blue Marble?

We have a yearly user conference with a keynote speech and a 100-foot-wide screen to make a big impact, so we needed help producing a fully-animated movie that we could sync with the keynote speaker and what he said.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Blue Marble helped us with the production of an animated video and took care of the technical aspects of it to make it work according to our needs. I started by presenting them with a brief of our ideas and goals, my style preferences, and the look and feel we were aiming for.

Consequently, our CMO and CEO got involved so we could present the speech and its concept to Blue Marble’s team. From there, they took the information and came back with storyboards based on our script and other visual references that we sent to them, focusing on making smooth transitions from one storyboard to another.

After this, they started with the animation process and collaborated with a third-party production company running the AV material for our show to work out exactly how to structure files and how they were going to signal over to achieve the instinct animation we were looking for. Eventually, we had on- and offsite rehearsals, which they attended to watch how everything went and note what they could change and tweak to help us reach the final product.

The end product consisted of a single white line that ran across the entire 100-foot-screen, which was on scream all the time. The line reacted to what our speaker was saying by reshaping its form according to what our keynote speaker was talking about at the time.

They provided everything in terms of equipment and studios and took care of video editing and audio mixing.

What was the team composition? 

We worked with Ben (Owner), Josh (Animator), Alaina (Executive Producer), and 2–3 storyboard artists, animators, and audio editors.

How did you come to work with Blue Marble?

We’ve worked with them on multiple projects, so we reached out to them.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around $120,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–May 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video production was fantastic; many conference attendees told us it was the best material they had seen and were constantly talking about how we sync the content to what the keynote speaker was saying.

How did Blue Marble perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was excellent and above and beyond what we expected. They were organized, problem-solving, dedicated to the process, and responsive to our feedback. In terms of tools and communication, we used email, Zoom, phone calls, texts, and in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity and collaborative approach were what distinguished them from other providers. Blue Marble’s team took our idea, made it work, and improved it by bringing their expertise to the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t think there was anything they could improve on because we were extremely satisfied with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to throw crazy ideas to see what they can do. Moreover, let them go on their own and bring something back to you.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a senior director in product marketing at a leading enterprise software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blue Marble, and what were your goals?

My company was launching a new suite of solutions for the automotive and industrial machinery manufacturing industries. The processes supported by this suite of solutions is complex, and I was looking for two videos that would tell a story and simplify the value that our new solutions deliver.

SOLUTION

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

I have worked with this vendor in the past for more than 15 videos over six or seven years and have always been impressed with their work.

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

The process begins with a kickoff meeting where we share our objectives with the team and start to establish a project timeline. Following this, the Blue Marble team help to develop a storyboard and provide a detailed project plan. I use the storyboard to socialize the project and messages with internal stakeholders. Once we get agreement on the storyboard, the scriptwriting and gathering of product screenshots begins.

I typically provide the screens in a vector (Adobe Illustrator) format, because Blue Marble's production team provides some excellent screen shot animations that make our products come alive. Blue Marble also uses the storyboard to plan a custom video shooting, and we often do two videos in one shooting for economies of scale. Their video crew is top notch. I also work on animations that I socialize internally before handing off to Blue Marble for production.

Once Blue Marble has the rough script, the screen shots, and the animations, their creative team works on production. They have excellent writers who bring a snappy, conversational, and modern tone to the videos. Their production team delivers first rate videos on their first production cut. I typically review the first production cut with stakeholders, obtain a short list of additional asks, and Blue Marble finalizes them.

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

I work with a project manager, creative team, a writer, and a camera crew. Blue Marble's creative team is outstanding; the owners of the company are always heavily involved, even in small projects, and they bring such great ideas and best practices that make our videos a "cut above" other solution videos.

The project management is simply excellent. Our project manager is a great planner, is visionary, and has excellent attention to detail. She helps the Blue Marble team and my own team stay on schedule. Their writers are very creative and provide a modern and conversational tone. The camera team is very creative, efficient, and great to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I measure the success of these videos by stakeholder adoption, views, and longevity. My internal stakeholders are always delighted to receive the videos. Many of them tell me that they use the videos to kick off their discovery meetings and workshops. We also use the videos at trade shows, where they engage viewers at our booths. An additional strong proof point: videos that we created four or five years ago are still in demand and are widely used by my stakeholders.

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

Our project manager is a great communicator. She provides excellent project plans that our internal teams and the Blue Marble teams all use to stay aligned. The process moves smoothly, and if I am ever behind in my deliverables, I receive kind reminders well in advance. Most importantly, after six years and more than 15 projects, every single project has been delivered on time or early.

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

We were impressed with their creativity, organization, and real strive for perfection. The creative team, including the company owners, provide great ideas that make the videos a real delight to view. The production team does outstanding work making our screen shots really pop. Even when my product are not super graphical, the production team makes them engaging. The project management is really impressive, always delivering on time or early, and communicating well with our teams.

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

I can't identify any improvements needed; each year the Blue Marble team finds improvements on their own (e.g., newer or better production software that makes the videos more lively).

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the global director of account management for a state government entity. My job is to market our state around the world across multiple channels—including digital, print, events and trade shows, public relations, and international missions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blue Marble Media?

We’ve partnered with Blue Marble Media for several years now. We engage them when we need to tell a story through video. Oftentimes, that’s when we need 15- or 30-second commercials to run in paid advertising campaigns or when we need to showcase our state during targeted prospect meetings with large enterprise brands that we’re trying to attract to our state.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For each project, we start with a thorough discovery session to determine the narrative we want to convey. If we’re writing a script, Blue Marble Media’s team has an efficient process of crafting and reviewing that content. If the video includes interviews, they transcribe all of those quotes and assist us in selecting the most concise or powerful options. They are equipped with a talented crew of videographers, and they have a diverse post-production skill set in terms of animation, infographics, and transitions.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with Cara (President/Creative Director, Blue Marble Media) and Ben (Owner/Creative Director, Blue Marble Media). They are often supported by their director of production, several of their editors, and an array of videographers that they employ for different projects.

How did you come to work with Blue Marble Media?

They were contracted by one of our agencies of record to produce a piece about our state. That started the relationship many years ago. Whenever we receive bids from other companies, Blue Marble Media has always been our top choice based on their capabilities, cost, and ability to deliver a great product.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent more than $500,000 over the past six years or so, which is when I began working with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The relationship might predate me taking on my role, but I’ve worked with them since at least 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s tough to tell if the videos have much of an impact on whether or not a company chooses to bring their company to our state, but the videos themselves have been instrumental in our presentations to those prospects. On a grander scale, we tend to win awards at global competitions thanks to the videos we produce with Blue Marble Media. That’s telling in itself.

How did Blue Marble Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management process has always been highly efficient. Everything is systematic in order to achieve the best results. They’ve also been very deliberate and thoughtful in how they write a script, capture video, or edit content.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They pay attention to the video marketing environment and what is resonating with various audiences. They incorporate new technology and tactics into the process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We deal in a crowded marketplace, and competing for online views is more challenging than ever before. To rise above the fray takes a lot of creativity and strategic thinking. That’s an ongoing process. You’re only as good as your last video. That’s not only a challenge for us as a consumer but also for Blue Marble Media as our vendor.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d simply recommend that future clients weigh the online portfolios of other vendors against that of Blue Marble Media and see how they compare.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the AVP, Creative Services of Gentiva

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We offer in-home hospice, palliative and personal care.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Blue Marble to accomplish?

• Launch mission, vision and values
• Welcome new employees

SOLUTION

How did you find Blue Marble?

worked with partner in past

Why did you select Blue Marble over others?

i know the quality of their work and the caliber of their team

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

Create four separate videos: 

• Mission, Vision, Values launch -- manage scheduling and interview subjects, script writing, editing, music selection; 
• Other three videos -- half-day executive video shoot, three different edits, script writing, music selection, editing, animation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to reach our distributed teams with positive messaging. The welcome video continues to be important for onboarding new associates. And the Touchstone video is important as we continue to roll out the program across the company.

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

Alaina is the best. And yes, she responded to our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Blue Marble?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I just enjoy their partnership. It feels less like a vendor and client relationship and more like a partnership.

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

no

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The company is a transportation and energy company. I am the Founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Blue Marble, and what were your goals?

Our transportation system is unique and needed a video to make the story easier to be understood. A picture is worth a 1,000 words. A video worth can be unlimited.

SOLUTION

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

Blue Marble was selected through my research and because of its experience, history and knowledge of Georgia.

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

I have never done a commercial video. I needed a professional one to achieve my goal. Blue Marble took me through the conceptual, drafting, artistic and editing with skill and good equipment and processes.

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

Cara, Josh, Alaina and Chanel. I was always aware of what stage we were in and of my responsibility. They were very accommodating to my schedule and helped me with their artistic skills because I possess little to none.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The video was reviewed by very professional potential customers. It performed very well and accomplished its task of persuasion with the key targets.

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

The communication tools were excellent and precise for me. I was able to adapt quickly.

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

Friendliness, skill and performance.

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

Not really, I achieved my goals with their product.