Bob's Your Uncle

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager/Branch Manager

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We were a UAE-based boutique investment firm, sourcing and structuring syndicate investment opportunities for non-institutional investors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bob's Your Uncle to accomplish?

• Overall brand strategy and communication plan
• Investment product branding
• Sponsorship brand management and implementation plsns

SOLUTION

How did you find Bob's Your Uncle?

Referral

Why did you select Bob's Your Uncle over others?

• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• very professional

How many teammates from Bob's Your Uncle were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Brand strategy and overall professionalisation of startup, boutique investment firm including strategic comms planning building brand equity and reputation.
• Creation and design of all marketing material for several commercial real estate investment products including advertising plan.
• Branding and logo implementation of a sail boat including spinnaker and hull branding, race team uniforms and race event sponsorship marketing material.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Through the increased professionalism and presentation of our investment products, we successfully raised >USD75m for several syndicates and increased our client base by 700% over 3 years.

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

Always responsive, creative and professional. Extremely tolerant of senior management indecisiveness and input from our side. Their experience was exactly what we needed at the time and they always delivered above expectation despite the challenges we threw at them. In addition, we had an 8 hour time difference and different work week which also posed challenging working conditions. As the Marketing Manager/GM at the time, I relied on their high work ethic and flexibility a great deal.

What was your primary form of communication with Bob's Your Uncle?

Email or Messaging App

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

Their positive approach and fresh creativity offered us a level of experience and enthusiasm that we could not find in our own backyard at the time. In addition, their flexibility and customer-focused approach were just so refreshing.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Bob's Your Uncle could have done differently?

Have an office in Dubai. Location and time zones were challenging and having more face to face interactions may have helped but this was something we knew up front.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director Field Marketing of Iron Mountain

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Business Services for Data and Records Management

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bob's Your Uncle to accomplish?

• Create a North America - wide campaign strategy, creative direction, process and execution

SOLUTION

How did you find Bob's Your Uncle?

• Referral

Why did you select Bob's Your Uncle over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Puts clients first

How many teammates from Bob's Your Uncle were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

The scope was to launch a monthly series of effective and very creative B2B lead generation campaigns across all North American territories at scale that allowed us to engage our audience with creative witt and clever messaging that opened doors and produced significant revenue contribution to our business over many years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Targets achieved on number of campaigns by month, # amount of leads engaged, $ value of opportunities created and value of $ bookings generated

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

BYU's business sense in understanding client requirements, business models, applicable marketing strategies and tactics is unparalleled and enables the agency and the team to immerse themselves in their client’s businesses and develop marketing solutions that really work, are relevant and matter to our audiences. BYU is highly accessible and always ready to recommend the next step, preempting customer's needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Bob's Your Uncle?

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

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

Working with BYU was always fun and their passion is very contagious, which made every single occasion I had to meet a very pleasurable, effortless and forward looking one.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Bob's Your Uncle could have done differently?

Bob's Your Uncle overachieved our expectations by so much, there was not even a reason to even think about what they could have done better.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Brand Manager of Platinum Naturals

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Natural health care products that provide better health through better absorption

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bob's Your Uncle to accomplish?

• Rebrand website
• Rebrand product line

SOLUTION

How did you find Bob's Your Uncle?

Had 3 agencies pitch

Why did you select Bob's Your Uncle over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Bob's Your Uncle were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Develop new branding to help natural health products stand out. With the proliferation of different brands on natural health store shelves, we needed to differentiate our product from the rest. Because the science behind our absorption rate and effectiveness set us apart. This mean delivering: 

• A new website (with future e-commerce capability) 
• New product brand label and packaging

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Customer research to confirm branding 
• Milestones and budget checks 
• Approval from ownership

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

• Very responsive and picked up the phone to chat 
• Stuck to timelines and shared the whys 
• Met casually to discuss progress and celebrate wins

What was your primary form of communication with Bob's Your Uncle?

In-Person Meeting

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

• The relationships they built based on trust and transparency 
• I was impressed with their expertise in the field.
• Sharing their culture with the client

Are there any areas for improvement or something Bob's Your Uncle could have done differently?

It's hard to stop a client from project scope creep, they managed it and the budget effectively to outline deliverables and expectations

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director Membership and Industry Relations of Food and Beverage Ontario

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a not-for-profit association that advocates on behalf of Ontario's food and beverage sector.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bob's Your Uncle to accomplish?

• Create a brand
• Develop marketing assets
• Create landing page

SOLUTION

How did you find Bob's Your Uncle?

• Referral
• Past work

Why did you select Bob's Your Uncle over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned
• Quality of past work

How many teammates from Bob's Your Uncle were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

The FCI platform needed to create a logo, brand identity, develop brand guidelines and a communications plan for a new supplier platform. The key deliverables included: 

• Brand Identity and Logo - A new logo and brand identity were required that had a common look and feel for a digital platform UX. 
• Brand Guidelines - Created branding guidelines for provincial associations to use, including: 
  • An overview of the brand’s vision, personality and key values. 
  • Brand mission statement, which reflected FCI’s broader, Vision and Mission. 
  • Guidance on logo usage – where and how to use the logo, including minimum sizes, spacing, and what not to do with it. 
  • Color palette – showing the primary and secondary color palettes with color breakdowns for print, screen, and web. 
  • Type style – showing the specific font that should be used and details of the font family and default fonts for web use. 
  • Image style/photography – examples of image style and photographs that work with the brand. 
  • Examples of how the logo and font are used for standard literature, including business cards, letterhead design, and MS PowerPoint presentations 
  • Social media profile page applications, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Linkedin 
  • E-template/newsletter/publication/letterhead/MS PowerPoint layout options 
• Marketing and communication materials - FCI needed to create, a range of marketing and communications materials, including: 
  • Direct/E-marketing: on-line advertising, associations newsletter, e-blasts 
  • Provincial association events, member events 
  • Industry and member news and events 
  • PowerPoint template 
  • Web/Social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram 
• Communications Plan - Along with a logo, brand identity, and communications material, we also needed a communications plan that will be used to help the Provincial associations, market to not only their members but the sector.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Brand design that worked for all provincial associations
• The goal was to ensure that a diverse group of stakeholders within our group, embraced the new brand and to help set the foundation for the program to grow, and ensure positive comments were received on the brand.

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

Bob's Your Uncle used a process that gave us complete visibility into the progress of the project and had a team that met with us regularly. The project involved eight different partners which can be difficult to manage however Bob's Your Uncle was able to manage the group and deliver the project on time. Any questions or concerns we had, were addressed right away.

What was your primary form of communication with Bob's Your Uncle?

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

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

The ability to be able to work with multiple voices from our side yet they were able to bring everything together in the end. They were adaptable, understood the project, and made sure all voices were heard.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Bob's Your Uncle could have done differently?

Not at all.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP of Marketing of Oakleaf Waste Management

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Waste and recycling management for large multi location customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bob's Your Uncle to accomplish?

• Rebrand our company with an image worthy of a fast growing $600 million enterprise.

SOLUTION

How did you find Bob's Your Uncle?

Referral

Why did you select Bob's Your Uncle over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bob's Your Uncle were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Bob and his team were hired to rebrand our company with an image to match our tremendous success. Founded in 1995 with just a few thousand in first year sales, Oakleaf Waste Management experienced meteoric growth, growing to over $600 million in revenue in just 15 years. 

However, despite our tremendous success Oakleaf suffered from an identity crisis. We were often confused with Waste Management Inc. the 800 lb gorilla and leader in our market segment. Once hired to rebrand, Bob and his team did extensive research into our positioning, competitive advantage, future goals and more. 

Once completed I set up an offsite meeting with our C-suite for them to pitch us on their findings and proposed solution. I have to admit, I was a little scared. As the VP of marketing I didn’t even get a sneak preview - how would they perform in front of my senior leadership team? Would they like their proposal? 

Bob told me not to worry about it and trust him. And I did. Well Bob and his team crushed it!!! They proposed the moniker of “Intelligent Waste Management” as a bit of a jab to our competition, but more so a reflection of our advanced systems, market positioning and competitive advantage. The C-suite loved it. Phewwww. 

Upon roll out the market loved it too. It was easily one of the most successful rebrands and career highlights of my 35+ years in marketing. Without hesitation, I would highly recommend Bob’sYour Uncle to lead any creative endeavor as a partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Increased profitable sales. 
• Increased valuation of the company.

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

Always available. Always on time. They made me feel like their only client.

What was your primary form of communication with Bob's Your Uncle?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They had fun while really taking the time to learn my business. They did a lot of research and came up with great ideas.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Bob's Your Uncle could have done differently?

Nothing could have been done better. And I don’t say that often.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO and Founder of Zero dB

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Zero dB's unique blend of five select botanicals naturally enhances focus, sharpening mental clarity to help improve performance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bob's Your Uncle to accomplish?

• Create the brand: name and image
• Create our website

SOLUTION

How did you find Bob's Your Uncle?

Referral

Why did you select Bob's Your Uncle over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bob's Your Uncle were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Bob's Your Uncle has been instrumental in shaping Zero dB's identity. From the get-go, they demonstrated unparalleled creativity and expertise, crafting a compelling brand name and image that resonates with our target audience. Their web development team exceeded expectations, delivering a user-friendly and visually stunning website that effectively showcases our functional beverages. 

But their support didn't end there; they continue to provide invaluable marketing strategies that have significantly boosted our online presence and customer engagement. Their holistic approach has been a game-changer for Zero dB, setting us on a trajectory for global success.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since the scope of work related to the development of the brand, the metric was having a beautiful, smart, and engaging brand image, which they delivered! The website was completed on time and within budget as well!

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

The project management from Bob's Your Uncle was truly outstanding. Every milestone was not just met, but often completed ahead of schedule, allowing us the luxury of extra time for refinements. Their responsiveness was remarkable; whether it was a minor query or a significant concern, we received prompt and detailed replies usually within the hour. This open line of communication made the entire process seamless and highly collaborative. 

What impressed us further was their adaptability. They're always willing to pivot or tweak elements based on our feedback, demonstrating a client-focused approach that is rare to find. Transparency was another strong suit; we were consistently updated with comprehensive reports, ensuring we were never in the dark about any aspect of the project. All in all, their project management was a masterclass in efficiency, communication, and client satisfaction.

What was your primary form of communication with Bob's Your Uncle?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

What stood out most impressively about Bob's Your Uncle was the hands-on approach from their senior leaders. It's not often that you find top executives so deeply involved in the nitty-gritty of a project, but their leadership team was an exception. They were present in key meetings, contributed valuable insights, and ensured that the project was aligned with our vision for Zero dB. This level of senior engagement instilled a sense of trust and confidence that we were in capable hands. 

Another remarkable trait was their ability to pivot seamlessly. Whether it was a change in market dynamics or feedback from our team, they adapted their strategies without missing a beat, showcasing their agility and deep understanding of the branding landscape. Above all, their client-focused approach was unparalleled. At no point did we ever feel like we were imposing, even when we had last-minute changes or additional requests. 

They welcomed our input as if it were a valuable asset to the project, making us feel like true partners rather than just clients. This unique blend of senior leadership involvement, adaptability, and client-centricity sets them apart as a truly exceptional agency.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Bob's Your Uncle could have done differently?

I honestly wouldn't change a thing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder & Creative Director of Pretty Denim

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Pretty Denim is a manufacturer of luxury denim clothing for women.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Bob's Your Uncle to accomplish?

• Create our brand

SOLUTION

How did you find Bob's Your Uncle?

Referral

Why did you select Bob's Your Uncle over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Bob's Your Uncle were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Bob's Your Uncle developed our brand from inception including naming, brand visual identity, brand positioning and key messaging. They delivered a complete brand package including extensive brand guidelines. In addition to the core brand identity they also developed our packaging, labels & hang tags, social media formats and other communication assets.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest measureable outcome was the high level of interest from media and retailers interested in our unique brand proposition.

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

The project was professionally managed, and everything was delivered on time and on budget and the team was very responsive to my needs. As a fashion designer I'm probably not the easiest client but they really impressed me with their creativity.

What was your primary form of communication with Bob's Your Uncle?

In-Person Meeting

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

They were so passionate about my business that I really felt they had my back and were deeply invested in creating success for my brand.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Bob's Your Uncle could have done differently?

Honestly they nailed everything - clearly they have deep experience and they expertly guided the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen is a quick-service restaurant chain with roughly 2,500 restaurants around the globe in about 27 countries. I’m the general manager for Canada, and I oversee all aspects of our operations in Canada, currently for 131 locations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bob’s Your Uncle?

At the time, they were called The Brainstorm Group, and they were our agency of record before I joined Popeye’s seven years ago. As our creative agency, they manage all aspects of marketing in Canada for us. They take everything from the financial side, managing our accounts and budgets. They do media investment, all our social and digital. We typically do a lot of the content, but they’re really accountable for the execution, growing the business, brand awareness, all that type of stuff.

Their number-one goal is to grow the size of our business. Same-store sales in the restaurants is really one of the key metrics on which we measure their success, so that’s always the underlying target for them to hit.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They are handling all media purchasing, including television, radio, print, and digital. They handle all relationships with key stakeholders, from purchasing to content. They do a lot of the creative work for us if it’s digital. We handle the creative for television, and they do some editing and minor tweaks. They also act as the marketing face of Popeye’s in Canada, so the franchisees will work with them directly on coupon needs or print jobs. They have really become a fairly integral part of our business.

Like a lot of brands, we don’t do as much print today as we used to, but they do purchase all of our newsprint ads, coupon drops, and things like that. The manage our Facebook page, our Twitter, and our Instagram. They come up with the vast majority of the content for those pages as well. So, they’re doing both creative and execution.  They’re very easy to work with, and they generally pick up the slack in a lot of small areas.

One of the more creative things they’ve done for us was two years ago, when we challenged Bob’s Your Uncle to increase the awareness of our brand and our stature in the community. We’d done an awful lot of TV and really couldn’t grow our TV presence much more. They reached out to several major sports franchises and ultimately presented us with an opportunity to become the official chicken restaurant of the Toronto Raptors. We’ve had a partnership for the last two years now with the Raptors, more of a sponsorship as opposed to traditional media. We have a lot of activation in the arena and with the Raptors’ fans, who tend to be very close to Popeye’s fans with age and demographics. I think that’s probably one of the more outside-the-box ideas that’s really been a significant success for us.

How did you come to work with Bob’s Your Uncle?

I’m not sure how they were initially chosen, but I think they were our first agency, to the best of my knowledge. When they first joined Popeye’s, we probably only had about 20-25 locations, so it was a significantly smaller account than they’re managing for us today. They’ve certainly grown with us and taken us from a small, local brand to where we’re now doing national advertising. We’re definitely better known than we were when they started.

We haven’t considered other agencies since then. We’ve come close a couple times; however, we’ve had roughly four consecutive years of significant and positive comp sales each quarter. The business is continuing to grow and it’s been very healthy. It hasn’t made sense for us to change the positive momentum we’ve achieved in marketing.

How much have you invested with Bob’s Your Uncle?

I’d like to pass on that question.

What is the status of this engagement?

The relationship began in 2007, and the work is ongoing. I don’t think a week goes by that I don’t talk to them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I think the growth of our brand in Canada has been incredibly successful. The Popeye’s system has been very strong, and Canada has been the leading international market for the last three years, from a same-store sales perspective. We’ve been continuing to build anywhere from 4.5% on the low end, to over 8%–9% on the high end for same-store sales, year over year. That’s with building another 10–20 restaurants in the same geographic footprint. So, they’ve certainly been driving a lot of traffic to our restaurants, and they’ve made us a lot more of a mainstream QSR. We were a bit of a niche brand back in the day.

The creative work from Bob’s Your Uncle is good. We use them in parallel with some of our US agencies, and we’ve got over 2,000 restaurants in the US. So, we’re typically dealing with larger agencies, but we use them somewhat interchangeably. Sometimes it’s easier to get the team at BYU to make edits and do creative work, and sometimes we use one of the US agencies. There isn’t a noticeable difference in the quality or efficiency of the work that gets done.

How did Bob’s Your Uncle perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very reliable. Our business is fairly cyclical, as we have a lot of limited-time offers and promotions. The execution, although different with each promotion, is somewhat familiar. They’re purchasing the media and executing, communicating with the restaurants about all the different materials and when they need to go up, the POP’s, and everything that goes along with each of the media promotions for those. Those are constantly ongoing. At times, we’ve challenged them with outside-the-box projects, and they’ve always performed at a high level. That includes communicating professionally, being transparent, and hitting deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about Bob’s Your Uncle?

One thing I definitely really appreciate is their flexibility. As a client, we are not always the easiest, as our business is ever-changing. We don’t give as much lead time on things as we would like, but they’re incredibly flexible when things are thrown at them with tight deadlines or when there are big asks of them. They always get the job done and do it with a smile on their faces. You never realize that you were probably putting them in a tough place. Their team is very understanding and flexible to meet the needs of our business.

Are there any areas Bob’s Your Uncle could improve?

For a time, I would have said their social and digital presence was lacking, but they’ve really strengthened that area over the last six months. I’ve been a lot happier with what I’ve seen with them digitally over that time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company is Catelli Foods Corporation, and I work on the Olivieri Fresh Pasta business. I’m a senior marketing manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bob’s Your Uncle?

We were launching a new product, called Skillet Gnocchi. This was the biggest launch for the company in this fiscal year, and we needed creative to introduce this new product into the Canadian market.

The new launch was challenging in that, although we already had a gnocchi product on the market, this was a new format and a new way of preparation. It’s made in a skillet and only takes five minutes. We had to cross the barrier of what people’s current perceptions were of gnocchi, to introduce this new product with a totally different method of cooking.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In terms of deliverables, we wanted creative concepts. We were looking at TV advertising, so Bob’s Your Uncle came up with several creative concepts which we then narrowed down, and then took the top four or five concepts into the field with consumers for pretesting. We got feedback from consumers, and it was pretty unanimous as to which concept we should take further into execution. We refined the concept and executed.

They helped produce the spot, and they got us approvals from our advertising standards council. They produced the spot in both English and French and sourced the talent. We work with a separate agency for media placement. Our budget was fairly tight, so we only did the TV. We produced eight spots. There were two 30-second spots, two 15-second spots, one English and one French for each length, and they were both created in new and non-new versions.  

How did you come to work with Bob’s Your Uncle?

Bob’s Your Uncle had worked with us the year before to develop creative for a launch that happened in 2015-2016. I’m new to Olivieri, so this was my first time working with them. We didn’t look at other agencies at the time of this new campaign, as we were already set with Bob’s Your Uncle.

How much have you invested with Bob’s Your Uncle?

We invested about $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I would say we began the work in October of 2016, and the work was completed in May of 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The campaign is currently on air, but it’s too early to have any metrics. We’ve done some in-store sampling. When people came to the booth for a sample, they said they saw the product on TV and they’re interested in trying it. It has definitely piqued the curiosity of the consumer. One consumer asked me if it really tastes as good as it looks, so obviously, there’s great taste appeal within the creative.

How did Bob’s Your Uncle perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re really good. They’re really on top of things. They’re very approachable. I’ve had no issues with them. They’re very good with feedback. I had a very good relationship with my account supervisor and with Bob [Froese, CEO] himself. He’s made himself available throughout the whole project, and he was always there. He’s very participative.

What did you find most impressive about Bob’s Your Uncle?

I feel like they’re very approachable. You have access to the senior people at all times, and they’re very responsive. They take feedback very well, and it’s very easy to work with them.

Are there any areas Bob’s Your Uncle could improve?

At this point, I don’t have anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are BSH Home Appliances. We’re the manufacturer of Bosch, Thermidor, and Gaggenau appliances in Canada. I’m the director of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Bob’s Your Uncle?

We were looking for a full-service ad agency. We’ve always had an agency, and according to our policy, we have to do a review every 2–3 years. It just happened that we were doing this process when I spoke to Bob.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

At the time, we were already connected with a media agency out of the US, which was partnered with our US head office. We piggy-backed on the relationship with them, and they do the media buying. Bob did everything else; the creative, production, social, digital, pretty much the gamut except for PR. They don’t offer PR in-house, so we had a separate agency.

They did a lot of good work. Even though we’re a manufacturer, we do a lot of consumer-facing promotions. The bulk of the work they did was all the material supporting those promos. We do some other advertising, but it’s much less than the promo stuff, and that’s just indicative of the market. It’s similar with most of our competitors. A lot of the work was tactical-type ads designed to drive traffic into our dealers, featuring whatever the current consumer promotion is, like instant rebate or gift with purchase.

We primarily work with newspaper ads, some magazine ads and a ton of digital. The digital stuff is your typical display advertising, whether it’s bought directly from the publisher or through a programmatic buy. So, it was kind of a mix. Then they also did our social.

How did you come to work with Bob’s Your Uncle?

I think Bob reached out to us first, and we happened to be doing an RFP at the time, so we invited them to pitch. The deciding factor in selecting Bob’s Your Uncle was their creativity.

How much have you invested with Bob’s Your Uncle?

We’ve spent about $1.5 million CAD. [$1,133,400 USD]

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November of 2013, and our partnership is ongoing. We had to do another RFP, as mandated by our corporate policy. At that time, we decided to split the work, and we kept the digital with Bob’s. The other work went to another agency as a result of the RFP.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The consistency of their work really stands out. Every quarter, we would run another promo, and they would put together all the material, whether it was online, print, broadcast, whatever. That’s something we could point to and show a direct result. Obviously, other influences were in play at the time, but certainly the campaigns helped to drive a lot of dealer traffic, which in turn results in sales. We did see an increase in sales quarter over quarter.

I can’t release actual numbers, but I can say that our sales increase was north of 10%. We saw a consistent growth pattern while we were doing these campaigns to push the promotions.

They’re a very creative shop. We liked that the work they did wasn’t just going with what we thought or what seemed to be working for others, which is tough in our business. A lot of our promotions are the same between us and our competitors. We try the same tactics time and again, but Bob’s group was very good at finding unique ways to express it so it didn’t come across as the usual stuff you see every day.

Their work is excellent. They’re very good at taking care of the details. The things that keeps me up at night are errors like leaving out a promo’s end date in a newspaper ad. We’re on the hook for whatever sales happen past that date until we make a correction. The team at Bob’s was very good about taking care of all those details, making sure everything was triple-proofed. When it went out, I knew I didn’t have to worry about it.

How did Bob’s Your Uncle perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very coordinated, and we’re very happy with the team. When we were with Bob’s, we never missed a deadline.

What did you find most impressive about Bob’s Your Uncle?

I have to go back to creativity again. They have a really good creative department. Their creative director is very hands-on, and you can see her work in everything they submit. We have a tone and manner for each of our brands, and they understand that very well.

Are there any areas Bob’s Your Uncle could improve?

Up until now, I would have said they could improve their in-house media capabilities, but they’ve got a new team on that. We still use them for digital, and we’ve used them recently for a TV buy, which was excellent. So, I think they’ve nailed that as well. Right now, I would say they’re a pretty sharp, full-service shop. I honestly can’t think of anything that’s lacking.