C ( G R O U P

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Manager, Marketing & Communications of Community Living GHamilton

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Community Living Hamilton supports 1,400 people with developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome and Autism. We are the largest service provider in Hamilton for these individuals and their families, and we are one of the largest not-for-profits and registered charities in our community.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire C ( G R O U P to accomplish?

• Raise awareness of CLH as an employer within the developmental services sector and the role of developmental services workers.
• Attract qualified professionals who are passionate about supporting individuals with developmental disabilities to apply.
• Improve the functionality of the Careers page and job posting system and streamline applicants for the HR team.

SOLUTION

How did you find C ( G R O U P?

Existing Relationship

Why did you select C ( G R O U P over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from C ( G R O U P were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

This campaign aimed to address the critical need for qualified candidates within the developmental services sector in Hamilton.

The strategy focused on leveraging digital marketing channels, such as social media and website, to increase awareness of the roles available, position CLH as a desirable employer and increase the number of qualified candidates.

The agency developped a series of videos and branded digital assets that were used to drive traffic to our Careers page where candidates were able to learn about and apply for open positions. They also revamped our carrers page, and application forms that helped filter out unqualified candidates and stramlined the HR review process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The campaign was successful in increasing awareness of CLH as an employer and the roles available. We can see this reflected in the increase in views of the Career page on the website. Socila ads delivered ahigh number of impressions and impressive engagement rates. Paid campaign posts were especially valuable for reach and visibility, which was specifically important for job postings, as reaching new audiences is the only pathway forward for growing CLH’s talent pool. The number of people downloading job postings and signing up for Career Alerts indicates that the campaign successfully brought qualified users interested in current and future job openings.

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

C Group delivered all campaign components on shedule and on budget and even pivoted to include additional items that were requested partway through the campaign. 

What was your primary form of communication with C ( G R O U P?

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

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

What we found most impressive is that they really know their stuff, so they can counsel us on strategies that will be effective in meeting our needs and delivering results. As an agency that works exclusively within the non-profit sector they understand the lanscape we work in and the challenges we face.

Are there any areas for improvement or something C ( G R O U P could have done differently?

N/A

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was published on October 30, 2023.

Laura Berljawsky
Marketing & Comms Manager, Community Living Hamilto
Nonprofit

Toronto, Ontario

201-500 Employees

Mar 2023 - Dec 2023

$10,000 to $49,999

Verified

Project summary
C ( G R O U P developed a social media strategy across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for a nonprofit organization. They worked with the client to set targets and KPIs.

Feedback summary
C ( G R O U P's work boosted the client's impressions, reach, engagement rates, and website sessions. The reliable team consistently delivered on time and eagerly addressed questions and requests throughout. Their genuine interest in the client's success and extensive industry knowledge stood out.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Manager, Marketing and Communications of Community Living Hamilton

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We're a NFP that supports people with various abilities to live great lives

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire C ( G R O U P to accomplish?

• Grow community of followers
• Increase engagement
• Increase web traffic

SOLUTION

How did you find C ( G R O U P?

Referral

Why did you select C ( G R O U P over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from C ( G R O U P were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Delivered a social media strategy across the four platforms (Twitter, IG, Facebook, LI) to deliver on the previously mentioned goals. We worked together to set targets and KPI and every quarter they deliver results against target.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

1. Impressions and Reach
2. Engagement Rate 
3. Engagement Metrics - Reactions/Likes, Shares/Retweets, Comments, and Saves 
4. Website Sessions 
5. Visits to Specific Pages

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

Always delivered on time, friendly, down to earth. Never made you feel like your questions were stupid (even though I know some of them were!) They were a delight to work with. We genuinely felt like they cared about our community of people and were excited about the work and progress we were making. They felt like part of the team immediately. Our goals were their goals!

What was your primary form of communication with C ( G R O U P?

Virtual Meeting

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

I've worked with a lot of agencies big and small and CGroup operates with a small agency warmth kind of feel but with big agency knowledge and expertise.

Are there any areas for improvement or something C ( G R O U P could have done differently?

Can't think of any

STAR RATINGS:
Overall rating: 5
Quality: 5 
Cost: 4
Schedule: 5
Willing to refer: 5 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director, Communications of College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Regulatory body for dental hygienists in Ontario.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire C ( G R O U P to accomplish?

• Develop a modern, responsive, streamlined website.

SOLUTION

How did you find C ( G R O U P?

Referral

Why did you select C ( G R O U P over others?

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

How many teammates from C ( G R O U P were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

CDHO engaged C(Group to completely re-design its website. C(Group was tasked with creating a modern, clean and fresh design that was fully responsive and provided the latest accessibility features. The site had to be bilingual. CDHO was also looking to modernize its Knowledge Network by turning several PDFs into webpages that were fully searchable and more accessible.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

C(Group delivered a beautiful and bilingual on-time and on-budget. We had to adjust course on this project several times, and the C(Group team was nothing but understanding and accommodating.

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

C(Group exceeded my expectations in this area. Samantha was a pleasure to deal with - she was accommodating and always on top of the project. The deadline shifted because of CDHO, but C(Group never failed to meet its deadlines and targets. Any time we needed something, we were met with a can-do attitude and solutions.

What was your primary form of communication with C ( G R O U P?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I appreciated C ( G R O U P's flexibility and the entire team's knowledge of current practice and trends in this area. Everyone we dealt with was a pleasure to work with and accommodating of our requests.

Are there any areas for improvement or something C ( G R O U P could have done differently?

None!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Marketing and Communications of Food Banks Mississauga

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Food Banks Mississauga is the leading food security organization in Mississauga. They lead a network of 60+ agency members, including neighbourhood food banks, pantries, cupboards and meal and snack programs, working together to realize a food-secure Mississauga. Through their network, they provide healthy and appropriate food for almost 6 million meals each year to neighbours facing food insecurity across Mississauga.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire C ( G R O U P to accomplish?

• Rebrand our organization from The Mississauga Food Bank to Food Banks Mississauga

SOLUTION

How did you find C ( G R O U P?

Referral

Why did you select C ( G R O U P over others?

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

How many teammates from C ( G R O U P were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Strategic marketing support 
• Naming exercise 
• Brand development 
• Visit assets 
• Signage and print materials

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Successful brand launch 
• Qualitative

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

They are super responsive and great to work with.

What was your primary form of communication with C ( G R O U P?

Virtual Meeting

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

Super creative and flexible working style

Are there any areas for improvement or something C ( G R O U P could have done differently?

No, they were great to work with and super collaborative

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing and communications director for CSAE.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire C ( G R O U P, and what were your goals?

CSAE engaged C(Group to conduct a brand review for us. The first phase of the work involved a strategic brand assessment and recommendations.

The second phase aims to refresh the CSAE Brand and align it with current best practices and to support the organization's mid- and longer-term strategic goals.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

CSAE selected this vendor from a number of contenders based on their approach, communications style and reputation.

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

Phase 1 involved:

STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT Activities will include:

• Initial discovery and orientation
• Review of research
• Synthesis, discussions and preliminary development of next steps
• Creation of high-level presentation (PPT) including summary of findings, key recommendations, timelines and budgets for implementation
• Delivery of presentation(s) to steering committee, employee team and Board of Directors; subsequent discussion, refinement and finalization

Phase 2 involves:

DEVELOPMENT OF CREATIVE BRIEF

• Meetings with steering committee, employee team and Board of Directors
• Discuss and finalize key identity objectives
• Develop draft Creative Brief CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
• Exploration and generation of numerous design concepts
• Internal evaluation and initial critique
• Work up 5-10 superior concepts for first review meeting
• Preparation of review meeting presentation
• Working meeting to evaluate options and shortlist DETAILED DESIGN
• Summarize input and preferences from review meeting
• Refine 1-3 short-listed concepts based on client input
• Expand each option into sample graphic program Work will show static, preliminary example of website homepage, print piece and one other communication item for each chosen logo concept
• Develop sub-brand model for each design concept
• Preparation of second review meeting presentation
• Working meeting to evaluate and determine direction PREPARATION OF IDENTITY ASSETS

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

We worked directly with Geordie Allen, who is the Principal at C(Group

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Phase 1 of the project yielded solid insights and recommendations to move the project forward . Phase 2, thus far, has yielded a strong creative brief to guide the conceptual design work

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

We had regular meetings with C(Group, and ongoing email updates. C(Group also prepared presentation decks to guide discussions and share progress with constituents. In-person and zoom discussions took place.

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

Their collaborative, open style and their commitment to learning about our organization and understanding our goals. Thorough, proactive, excellent collaborators.

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

nothing comes to mind. We have enjoyed our experience with C(Group.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of communications at the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C ( G R O U P?

We hired them to help us with our annual report publication. This is the third year that we’re working with C ( G R O U P on the annual report. This year was a little bit different. In previous years, we publish a PDF version as well as a hardcopy publication of the report. 

Over the years, we've shifted everything electronically and this year we decided to add a microsite as part of the annual report. We still wanted the PDF version because people like to see it as a sort of cohesive publication, but we wanted C ( G R O U P to develop a microsite.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project started with a kick-off meeting in January to go through creative concepts and themes. We also talked about how we wanted to present our accomplishments. They went back and discussed concepts and then came back to us with the different theme options, as well as color options. 

They gave us a lot of options, walked us through their thought process, and helped us navigate the pros and cons of each option. C ( G R O U P also built a website to ensure that there was still a good flow with it and that it matched the overall theme of the report and our organization. 

As a provincial regulator, everything that we do is in both English and French, so C ( G R O U P developed an English and French side of the website as well as an English and French PDF. I’ve since enlisted them to assist with our member publication and to be our go-to service provider for our website.

How did you come to work with C ( G R O U P?

They were initially hired through an RFP process, but that was before my time.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent just under $30,000 CAD ($23,5000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

They worked on this particular PDF and microsite from January–May 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our members appreciated the website, and we also received anecdotal feedback from our members and other stakeholders about the efficiencies of the annual report and the overall layer of the microsite. I’m looking forward to working with them next year.

How did C ( G R O U P perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve always done a tremendous job of keeping us on track and meeting our deadlines. We typically have a hard deadline because we have to present our publication during our annual meeting. 

So, they always ensure that that's built into the timelines in terms of back and forth, edit control, and time for us to be able to review the report and provide feedback. Their project management skills are always on par with what we need them to be. 

It's really important to ensure that you're working with somebody who has attention to detail. C ( G R O U P goes through our edits to make sure that they're not missing anything, and then they do their own QA before they send anything over to us again, which is great. I don't want to be looking at something that has typos, so that’s definitely appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of C ( G R O U P’s strong points is that they have a very clear understanding of our organization and needs. Everything that we do is to ensure public protection when people are dealing with social workers and social service workers. 

In my experience, there have been times where we've worked with other agencies or have had discussions with other regulatory bodies who have said it’s hard to find a vendor who really understands the ins and outs of the organization. But C ( G R O U P gets it. They’re a pleasure to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing jumps to mind right away.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with C ( G R O U P. They really have made our lives easier in terms of project management. They keep us on track and keep everything moving forward. They always hit it out of the ballpark with their creative concepts. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a registrar and CEO of the College of Medical Radiation and Imaging Technologies of Ontario.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C ( G R O U  P?

We needed a team that would handle our communications, art designs, and make visuals for our organization. We also needed experts to develop a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For over 25 years, the team has provided various services for us. C ( G R O U P developed the website for us. Now, they handle our communication and art design needs. Their team creates visuals for our publications, newsletters, annual reports, and for our standard of practice.

Just recently, we had a name change — we were a regulator for medical radiation technologies and diagnostic medical sonographers. We needed a name change to include a new specialty area in medical radiation and imaging technology. C ( G R O U P was able to help us through the entire process and they developed a fresh logo for us.

What is the team composition?

We work with designers but we can’t recall how many there are on the team.

How did you come to work with C ( G R O U  P?

I wasn't working for the organization when the collaboration started. But our registrar and CEO at that time contacted C ( G R O U  P. The team was also still getting started.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $30,000–$100,000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in January 1995 and it’s still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

C ( G R O U  P is doing an excellent job. We like the professional-looking communication materials they produce. It’s important for us to have eye-catching, clear, and understandable materials as a college.

When the team created our new logo, we gave them two options to work with — the first is to create one with full creative freedom and the second was with our side’s supervision. That project went well and we love the new logo. 

How did C ( G R O U  P perform from a project management standpoint?

We don’t have any problems with them. Our sides usually communicate through emails and sometimes through phone calls. They’re able to communicate with our stakeholders and come up with fresh ideas. Since we’ve been working with them for a long time, they already know what to say or do whenever we have something on hand. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of the designs — both the elements and content — they create is impressive. They handle design works for a number of colleges here in Ontario and their designs are evidently clean and eye-catching. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Right now, we can’t think of any criticisms. We’ve seen how much the company has adjusted and improved over the years. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You will be able to see the quality of their work if you put your trust in them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of corporate services at a university.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C ( G R O U P?

We hired them for communications services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They focused on our internal and external communications. They also redesigned our website, developed a social media strategy, and support our branding efforts. For social media, they helped us with Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter. 

How did you come to work with C ( G R O U P?

We put out an RFP, and they responded to it. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in late-2018, but we didn’t start to get going until early-2019. Our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were really pleased with the quality of work. We’ve gotten really good reviews and feedback on our website. We’ve received compliments on its usability and visual appeal. 

How did C ( G R O U P perform from a project management standpoint?

They had great project management skills. They stuck to timelines, and even if there was a delay, communication was good. The expectations were laid out clearly beforehand, and they followed through. We mostly communicated via email, phone, and video conferencing, though we occasionally met in-person as well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They went the extra mile in terms of making sure that the product they were giving us was what we wanted. They were helpful and provided us with great advice. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. Anytime a problem did come up, it was immediately addressed. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Communication is key. It’s easy to assume the other person knows what you’re talking about, but just make sure you’re on the same page.  

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Project Officer at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce working on the Discover Ability Network Project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire C ( G R O U P?

We sought out an agency to assist with our Social Media marketing (and some branding work) to create a strategy that would help build our brand awareness while expanding our reach.

SOLUTION

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

We searched online and through our own networks to find an agency. Creating a request for proposal, we sent out to over 5 different agencies, and awarded C(Group the project after a process of choosing which agency we thought best fit our needs.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After a kick-off meeting, they helped us identify potential target audiences, our current strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that we missed. Additionally, they provided thorough research about our 'cause (Disability Workforce Inclusion/Development) by providing us many resources, commemorative days, and the best times to post. Furthermore, they developed a two-month social calendar for us to use, and templates to easily create content.

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

We worked with a team of four:

• Team Lead
• Project Manager
• Social Strategist
• Designer

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

For our Social Media, their strategy and calendar has improved our audience growth. We've gained 210.7% increase in our Engagement Rate, followed by an audience growth of 9.1% and net audience growth of 78.6%. We consider this a success as we've been getting a lot of written feedback on how helpful our posts have been. Additionally, C(Group helped us setup many logistics such as Google SEO integration on our website, best practices for social media and so much more!

As for their feedback on our branding has helped our organization take a serious look Ontario Chamber of Commerce's branding and how their program's branding will look. It is currently under construction; however, the momentum they provided regarding it will help our graphic communications become more consistent.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was effective. We met according to their outlined schedule while adjusting for our own schedules. It was effective and we were very impressed by their presentations, thoughtfulness, research, and feedback.

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

Their communication skills and thoroughness with their suggestions, followed by research that they conducted.

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

None that we can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We work with the aging population to help them stay in their homes by providing services on an as needed basis.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire C ( G R O U P?

Social media, website creation

SOLUTION

How did you select C ( G R O U P and what were the deciding factors?

By searching the internet for most successful marketing companies and choosing a not for profit specialty

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After a kick off meeting, the helped us identify what our requirements were and put them into place. Selecting images, colours and the general feel for our services being offered. Keeping in mind that we deal with mainly seniors and/or their children/caregivers, therefore making it easy to use.

How many resources from the C ( G R O U P team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We used about 4 of their specialty team members.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was launched and is doing well

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent, the provided what they promised and regularly had meetings to keep us and them in the loop. Great team!

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

Their ideas and patience have been impressive.

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

Sometimes asking what the final outcome is that we were looking for.