Branding & Buzzing

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of programming for the consumer-facing branch of a larger organization of canola growers and suppliers. Our goal is to bridge the gap between our consumers and our farmers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Branding & Buzzing?

The majority of canola farmers are in Western Canada, and one of our biggest marketplaces is in Ontario, in Eastern Canada. We want to connect the two regions so that we could increase the overall consumption of canola oil in the nation.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we started working with Branding & Buzzing, we focused on event-based marketing. The team also helped us identify ambassadors for our brand. Throughout the years, our partnership has evolved, but those are still our two main focuses. 

We work in parallel with them — they give us the pulse of our eastern marketplace with consistent market research, and we move strategically based on their observations and consultation.

Branding & Buzzing has also been able to identify and act on changes in online marketplaces. 

What is the team composition?

We work primarily with three people: Sean (Principal, Branding & Buzzing), Marian (Principal & Vice President), and Aimee (Account Director), who is our main point person.

How did you come to work with Branding & Buzzing?

During one of our events in Ontario, we realized we were underprepared and underinformed within the marketplace. We ended up meeting Branding & Buzzing, and launched a test interview with the team afterward. Their level of collaboration and ability to achieve KPIs helped us make the decision to partner with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $200,000–$1,000,000 on the engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in 2015, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Branding & Buzzing is fantastic at building bridges and engaging in strategic conversions. They’re extremely aware of our goals, and always provide relevant information to help us get there.

Over the course of our engagement, the team has connected us with over 400 ambassadors, around 80% of whom we still have longstanding relationships with.

At one point, Canadian farmers lost one of their biggest exporters as a result of geopolitical and trading issues. With Branding & Buzzing, we came up with a solution to quickly support farmers and provide Canadian consumers with positive information about our product. We saw that as a really big win for our organization and market.

We’ve seen a lot of growth over the last few years, which is a success we can attribute to Branding & Buzzing. 

How did Branding & Buzzing perform from a project management standpoint?

Branding & Buzzing are strong in both meeting deadlines and communication. We have a great workflow between our teams and a regular reporting schedule of monthly calls. On top of the calls, we exchange emails and track progress on Google Docs.

During events, the team is able to quickly build trust, and they always execute and deliver on what we’re looking for.

It’s wonderful to work with Sean, Marian, and Aimee. Each member brings different strengths to the table, and we really enjoy seeing that knowledge transfer and willingness to share perspectives.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Branding & Buzzing is a small, mighty team with a lot of passion. They truly believe in building relationships and collaboration. The team is always prepared with a plan, and they deliver on what they say they will. We’re really appreciative of their willingness and ability to strategically align with our organization to accomplish our goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If anything, we wish we could have more time with them to strategize. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open with them so they can really understand your values, vision, and what you hope to accomplish. Branding & Buzzing is always up for the challenge, no matter how complex the account, market, or goals.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Company: Soft Drinks Manufacturer and Marketer. Position: Marketing and Sales Manager for the Canadian Market

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Branding & Buzzing?

For social media management, festivals activations, creative projects, artwork, digital advertisement, website management.

What were your goals for this project?

Grow our audience and brand awareness with an impact on actual sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Branding & Buzzing was working with the company before I started working here, and I never have had a reason to look around for another company. They are great at what they do.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They develop all the creative pieces around our activities, and make sure that they are aligned with the brand values and our target audience. They always focus on making it fun and attractive, to stand out from other brands in the market.

What was the team composition?

I have worked directly with the principles of the office, and they are always suggesting new things to keep innovation as a fundamental piece of our work together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have increased our Instagram followers base from 3K to 13K mostly based on 3 consumer-oriented contests with an impressive artwork that was very aligned to our brand.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It has always been direct communication so it can't be more efficient than that. They are very responsive and great to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their creativity and attention to detail set them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They focus a lot on brand awareness and attention to detail. These are actual qualities, but it may sometimes compromise the ROI on projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing specialist at Gray Ridge Eggs, a company that sells many brands of eggs that consumers can find at their regular grocery store.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Branding & Buzzing?

We hired Branding & Buzzing to promote and build a social presence for one of our local specialty egg brands.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Branding & Buzzing essentially built our social media communities on Facebook and Instagram. Their team helped identify which platforms made the most sense for our business, considering the consumer we were trying to reach. Working together, they implemented our strategy for building and growing those communities.

As an aspect of that, their team also organized influencer events where we would invite influencers that were relevant to our target audience. We gave them the assets to create our social media content, which they created and posted after receiving our approval. Branding & Buzzing was responsible for amplifying our messages on social media and dealing with the customer support aspect.

What is the team composition?

We have one account manager that is supported by their team.

How did you come to work with Branding & Buzzing?

At the Restaurants Canada show, one of their owners was part of a panel discussion. I was introduced to him by a mutual associate. After interviewing them and other companies, we decided that Branding & Buzzing was the best fit for our brand.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Branding & Buzzing began in March 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re happy with what Branding & Buzzing built for us. It’s a new process, so we’re learning as we go. Overall, we used the first year as a test and are pleased with the results and lessons we received. As we move into the second year, we hope to continue that progress.

Our team monitored specific measures to see whether the programs were successful or not. Within building a social media community, we looked at community size, rate of community growth, engagement, and if the content matched our brand message. Those four pieces of criteria were important to us.

How did Branding & Buzzing perform from a project management standpoint?

We are satisfied with their project management services. Since the beginning, there’s been excellent communication. We made sure that both sides were aligned with the strategy, objectives, how we’re going to measure, and what we’re trying to achieve to determine success.

Branding & Buzzing comes to the table with fantastic ideas to achieve stellar results. In terms of execution, communication, and assessment, I have zero complaints. We have a great working relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The key thing is that we’re working in the food industry. The team at Branding & Buzzing specializes and works with a majority of clients within the food and foodservice industries. That level of expertise is crucial to us when it comes to finding suitable influencers for activities. That’s what sets them apart.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’re happy. Our teams stick and learn together. Fortunately, we haven’t had any mistakes. They had been lessons learned. I have nothing negative to say. Their team brings their expertise, and I provide our brand expertise. Throughout that, we work together to develop programs and achieve our goals.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Effective communication is key. It’s fortunate that Branding & Buzzing is full of clear and timely communicators. They listen to what we’re trying to achieve as a brand and bring the right solutions. We trust them to deliver solutions that meet our objectives.