C ( G R O U P

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.