C42D

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder & CEO of Repli, a small startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C42D?

We had an idea for our business for a long time. When I reached out to David (Founder & CEO, C42D), we worked together to change our whole approach and giving him the ability to recreate the brand from scratch. The engagement involved branding and creating the website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

C42D interviewed me a few times to get an understanding of my goals and business plan. I wanted to give them a bit of information, but not a ton. Coming from the industry I’m in, I have a concrete understanding, but didn’t want to influence their team. I was looking for an outside point of view to guide the process.

Once their team had a good understanding of my business plan, they started creating the storyline of the brand, which included the actual branding and naming. We saw various name suggestions, logo ideas, and other options. Once we established those elements, their team started designing the actual website based on those.

What is the team composition?

David was my main point of contact, but throughout the process, I worked with three other team members. Towards the end of the project, others came on that were involved in the production side.

How did you come to work with C42D?

I worked with David on a project at my previous job.

How much have you invested with them?

We roughly spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with C42D lasted from January–June 2019. We’re wrapped until phase two begins.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re not in business yet and haven’t taken the concept into the public space, but I’m pretty confident that it will be a good result. David push me at times to make things happen, which I appreciated. We’re as happy as we can be with C42D’s work.

How did C42D perform from a project management standpoint?

I haven’t worked with too many vendors, but what I liked the most about C42D, besides the fact that they were creative and professional, was their communication. I’ve dealt with project managers where three weeks would pass, and I wouldn’t hear anything.

With C42D would email me twice a week with updates before I had the chance to reach out. They would preview what we’re going to talk about during the week. I never felt that their team put my project on the backburner to deal with their other clients. A lot of other vendors overlook that. When a company is starting up and paying money, there’s a lot of anxiety involved. C42D took care of everything, lessening any stress.

We mainly communicated through email. We did have calls for meetings. After each meeting, we would receive an email on what needs to be reviewed before finalizing the work through another phone call. In the beginning, we went to their office once or twice to meet the team, and for them to get to know us and our communication style.

What did you find most impressive about them?

C42D took the dream I had in mind, making the brand a reality. I did my homework prior to engaging with them and found that they had a strong understanding of the B2B market. Specifically, their team had experience bringing the B2C element that exists into their process of helping B2B services.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, it does pay to get the goods. Nothing is free. Overall, I’m happy with C42D.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I highly recommend going with them. I’m a happy customer that hopes to be their most successful unicorn.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m an EVP at Interpublic Group (a group of companies) at the Constituency Management Group. We’re a global communications agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire C42D?

I've worked with David's (CEO and Founder, C42D) company for over 10 years on numerous projects. One of the largest we collaborated on recently was the design of global learning management system, which is used by all of our agencies.

What were your goals for this project?

We were aiming to enhance our employees overall learning process and experience by making it accessible 24/7, on any device. Specifically, we were looking for a more customized learning experience that curated content and provided training suggestions. All the initiatives had to align with the learner’s development goals, job skills, and interests.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I’d worked with them on multiple projects and was confident they could deliver a design that would drive user engagement.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They took care of everything, from designing the platform’s overall look and feel to choosing images for 40+ learning objects. Additionally, they designed new logos for each of our agencies’ learning sites.

What was the team composition?

We worked with two key creative directors/designers throughout the process, as well as with a technology guru who wrote code and dove into the nitty-gritty tech side. We also worked closely with a project manager. They were exceptional at keeping us on track regarding deadlines.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Interviews and online surveys with people across global regions showed overwhelming support for the new system. People thought the platform was creative, engaging, and easy to use. C42D’s attention to small details built a powerful learning engagement engine.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our workflow was highly collaborative and respectful. Everyone on their team was aware of their different skill-sets, so ego never got in the way. Tasks were delegated to whoever was an expert in that area, and that person was trusted to deliver a positive outcome. Seeing how invested everyone was gave me powerful peace of mind.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

While their creative insights and design direction are unique and outstanding, their commitment is what truly sets them apart. They go above and beyond what is necessary to follow along with you every step of the way. I feel as if I’m a part of a large, collaborative group where everyone is equally passionate about the outcome. This level of buy-in isn’t always present in other creative shops.

Personally, David is great to work with. He’s hands-on and takes a leading role in setting design direction. That being said, he also has exceptionally creative and strategic people on his teams that can lead projects and make vital decisions at any given time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The project was such a success that it's hard to think of areas for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of an art gallery and software platform. We are a blockchain-based valuation platform that allows art collectors to understand the true value of the artwork they collect in real-time. They can also determine their pieces’ value on the secondary market without hiring a third-party appraiser.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire C42D?

We hired them to design our logo, brand identity, company culture, and message, pretty much everything an early-stage startup needs to present themselves to the world.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to understand our message and how we could best communicate that online to the public and the media. We also wanted an awesome brand logo.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I researched several reviews websites, and C42D was one of the top ones. We then connected with them over email and phone.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They started by researching our market to learn about our buyers demographically, geographically, and economically. Their process was thorough, and they walked us through how to establish trust with these markets. We were given a choice of two different brand logos that they presented to us. Even though the project is done, they’ll still answer clarifying questions over email.

What was the team composition?

I worked with a three-person team from their side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

People absolutely love our logo. They go crazy over it without even knowing what we do.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our initial meeting was face to face, and after that, we communicated via email. They were extremely quick in replying to our questions and feedback.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They understood our market intuitively and backed it up with extensive user demographic research.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not that saw.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're a software company that builds workforce analytics software. I’m the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C42D?

We started a rebranding effort. Our image was about four years old and a little stale. We also needed a new website to go with our new brand identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a few kickoff sessions to discuss our market, our dynamics, and our unique value proposition. We met in person and over the phone to discuss the messaging, look, and feel of the new site. We discussed the sections we had in mind, and the kind of users we attract. They provided storyboards, PDFs, and wireframes, with colors, logos, and alternative looks. We narrowed down what we wanted through an iterative process, then moved into the development phase.

The whole process was iterative and agile. They took all the content and created our site. They were good partners, especially as we changed our minds a few times throughout the process. When we were happy with a version one product, we went live.

What is the team composition?

I mostly worked with a team of three people on their side.

How did you come to work with C42D?

I've known their CEO for a long time, so there's an element of trust there. I'd worked with larger firms, but I found that the work didn’t align with the cost. I wanted to partner with a smaller, more agile firm, where I could work directly with the leadership. I didn’t want a cookie cutter approach, and I liked their fresh viewpoint.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started around January or February 2018. There were a lot of stages, but we launched the first version in September 2018 and an update in December.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We get significantly more web leads than we used to. Daily inquiries for product demos, newsletters, and other services are up from about two to over 20. The navigation, ease of use, understandable content, and site optimization all contribute to those increases.

How did C42D perform from a project management standpoint?

I was pleasantly surprised by how well they managed the project. We had weekly cadences, which became daily events as we got closer to launch. We used tools for bug tracking, and everything went really well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been through this process with a few other vendors, and C42D stands out for their flexibility and agility. It was easy to change direction or ideas, and they were always open to our modifications. They were quick to adapt, and there were no protracted deliverable cycles. They finished everything within a relatively short period of time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could make further investments in the technical side of the business. Their design, messaging, and branding are all very strong, and improvements to their technical team would take their business to the next level.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the marketing coordinator at FalconViz, an innovative data collection, processing, and visualization company from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. Working with clients around the world, we effectively address surveying and mapping needs using drone-based solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire C42D?

We have a global base of high-end clients and needed a new brand that reflected our expertise and cutting-edge technology. We turned to C42D to refresh our brand and expand our marketing opportunities.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to create a stronger, more professional brand to reach a more sophisticated audience. All we had before was a logo, so we also needed to build a brand guideline from scratch that would provide our employees with the meaning, direction, and culture our company embraces. 

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our general manager found them while searching for branding agencies that specialized in startups and unique businesses.  C42D had an impressive portfolio of taking startups to the next level with the look and feel of a big company. 

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After their CEO met with our general manager in New York City, the team sent us a detailed scope of work. Then, via Skype, they conducted an initial discovery session to gain a better understanding of our current business operations and shortfalls. The first three branding options they sent us were not unique enough for our needs, so they sent three more, going above and beyond the agreed upon scope to meet our needs. We finally saw the branding we all liked and fell in love with it. C42D then continued work on more elements of the design and the brand guidelines.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with the CEO and the project manager. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have more than just a logo now; we have a phenomenal new brand and a full identity capable of competing on the international stage. Our new image and tone are compelling and effective for both internal and external audiences. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective. Responsive to both calls and emails, their communication was very clear and easy despite the significant time difference. They follow a clear process for deadlines and we received most of the work on time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They espoused solid work ethics and promoted a truly collaborative environment. Not only did they appreciate and receive all of our ideas with enthusiasm, but they were committed to delivering a product we genuinely liked and approved of. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are none that come to mind.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a fertility platform with a network of clinics that offer egg freezing and in vitro fertilization services. We are taking a brand-forward approach to target millennials in an upbeat, positive way. I am the director of marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C42D?

We wanted to create a website that was splashy and exciting to capture our brand essence and represent us well.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They mostly did design work for a WordPress site. They customized the site and gave us options for templates to use for future pages. They finished the project quickly and we’re currently exploring the possibility of building an in-house product and tech team.

What is the team composition?

I worked with David (Founder/CEO, C42D) and Charley (Creative Director, C42D).

How did you come to work with C42D?

Our company used them to create the initial brand identity of the company. They did a great job with the design of our brand, so we stuck with them for the website.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March or April 2017 and they completed the project by June 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had a lot of success with the launch, which is partially thanks to their work. We’ve had about 15,000 visitors since the site went live. Everyone we speak to has very positive things to say about our branding and the look of our website.

How did C42D perform from a project management standpoint?

They managed the project well and finished everything quickly. We didn’t have a dedicated project manager, so a couple items were missed in the process, but they were very fast.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I really enjoyed working closely with Charley on the design side. He’s very collaborative and has a lot of good ideas. We led the process, but he was very good at offering suggestions for both the look and the wording and phrasing of the text we added. We enjoyed the whole process and they executed everything within very tight timelines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were times that they didn’t stick to the timeline. They were quick, but we noticed that some things were missed along the way and we needed to go back to finish them. More project management and project tracking throughout the process would have avoided that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of Daniel H. Cook & Associates. For over 40 years, we’ve served as third-party administrator to multiple labor unions. We provide record keeping as well as pension, welfare, and annuity funds.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C42D?

We needed help creating a new website. Our old site was old and worn, and we wanted something modern and sleek for our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They led the frontend redesign of the site, and the integration with our existing backend. The main feature is that we take in millions of dollars a week through the website for fringe benefits for our clients. It was very important that they create a seamless transition to the new site. C42D had to match what we had on the backend, and make it simple and secure for our clients. In addition to the website, they also redesigned our logo.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with their CEO. Other people on my team worked with their copywriter. We also worked with their design team on the new logo.

How did you come to work with C42D?

They were recommended to us by someone we're using for another project. We thought that they’d be a good fit because of their size and ability to provide personalized attention.

How much have you invested with them?

I think we spent around $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May 2017–May 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website went live on May 1, 2018. We don’t have a lot of metrics on its performance yet, but it has been well-received. Our clients think the new website looks good and really professional. The new logo really makes us stand out. We’re already using it on business cards, signage, and all our marketing materials. It really pops. The combination of the new logo and website has really helped people notice our changes.

How did C42D perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team performed well. They set timelines, which at first we didn’t meet because of internal issues. We hired a project manager on our side to help us meet all the tasks. We were a tough client at times, but they did a great job at pushing us when needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very easy to work with. They worked quickly whenever we wanted to make changes. If we were unhappy with the copywriter, they had someone else take a look at the text. They understood our needs. They never hesitated to help us out.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of global marketing solutions at Shazam Media. We’re a music recognition app that launched in 2000. I oversee partnership marketing, B2B marketing, creative services, and integrated marketing efforts. Integrated marketing refers to marketing for advertisers that purchase media within the app.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C42D?

In 2018, we were looking to revamp our core story. This includes how we present our company and our capabilities, the decks that we pitch to advertisers, and our overall messaging across marketing efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We drove the updates to messaging on our end while C42D revamped the design of our core story materials accordingly. They created new templates for marketing materials including case studies and PowerPoint presentations, which can now be easily populated by our sales team. They also provided a user guide that outlines how to most effectively leverage the templates in customizing them for specific goals or presentations. Lastly, they compiled an asset library with various imagery and icons that align with the updated look and feel.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Dave (Founder & CEO, C42D) and Charley (Creative Director, C42D).

How did you come to work with C42D?

Dave met our CRO at some point, who then passed on his information to me. I knew that our core story update was a priority going into 2018, so I had them come into our office. We interviewed several other large firms, but the C42D team seemed to understand our goals more quickly than others. We really appreciated C42D’s experience in creating accessible templates and user guidelines. After meeting them, we felt confident that they were capable of taking on this project.

How much have you invested with them?

The final price was about $60,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement started in October 2017, and we finished the project just a few weeks ago in April 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re currently in the process of walking our staff through the updated core story, and everyone seems to love it. The updated imagery that C42D created makes the service feel clean and refreshed.

How did C42D perform from a project management standpoint?

Charley was very attentive throughout the project. They originally set out a timeline that seemed aggressive, especially through the holidays. There were some delays on both sides, including a setback on our end due to changes on the business side. However, they leveraged the extra time and we’re very happy with the final deliverables.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Dave and Charley gave us very personalized attention throughout the project. Charley was very effective in focusing on the bigger picture and ensuring that all aspects of the project worked towards our overarching goals. Overall, it was delightful working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their timelines could have been slightly more efficient. There were several delays around review meetings.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and vice president of business development for CGS Health, a group health plan. We’re a middle market provider of medical and pharmacy benefits to employer-sponsored health plans. I’m in charge of strategy and sales and marketing activities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C42D?

Historically, we were a legacy administrator that provided and administered benefits for group health plans. The Affordable Care Act changed how to administer those plans in the healthcare marketplace, so we needed to recast ourselves as a consumer-directed health plan.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

C42D first did a discovery phase to better understand our business, core values, and mission. They interviewed various employees in our organization (from sales to senior management), clients, and the insurance carriers we work with. C42D wanted to know how we were viewed in the marketplace and what sort of ecosystem we worked in.

They used all that information to create digital and print messaging for our company. C42D worked on brand identification that encompassed our mission and values. The frontend was quite intensive, but it had great results.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with the founder and CEO of C42D.

How did you come to work with C42D?

C42D was referred to us. We interviewed a few of the agencies that were recommended to find one that fit our company culture. We chose C42D because we felt they could best help us achieve our goals.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We partnered in March 2017, and the site will launch next month.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

C42D has set the foundation for us to use both original and curated content on our site. We should have better statistics in the next six months, once the site has been up for a while.

How did C42D perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re highly organized and maintained contact with our team on a weekly basis. They used Basecamp for project management, which helped keep us on track. Whenever we needed an expert, they had them, whether it was copyediting, site design, wire framing, etc.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Everyone at C42D took the time to understand our business, resulting in accurate and impressive work. Their hard work showed in the products they ultimately created.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything; we're very pleased with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a brand development design agency. We build our teams based on the industry concerned and the budget. We don’t have a conventional staff. We bring in experts that are seasoned in that particular field, industry, or type of project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with C42D?

The client was an active lifestyle brand startup producing leather shoes, with links to Brazil and New York. The challenge was to tell that story and create the value proposition.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their scope of work was to develop a brand style guide, an investor deck, and brand elements for a website—brand guidelines, positioning, and key visuals. We had a discovery phase where we got a download of the client’s needs. We really looked at the industry as a whole, the competitors, the target audience, and what makes their footwear unique. From that discovery phase came the positioning statement, which guided our design decisions. They went on to develop the style guide and created the voice and tone of the imagery. They also did a photo shoot in Brazil.

What is the team composition?

I worked mostly with Charley [Creative Director, C42D]. I worked with David [Founder & CEO, C42D] and all of the project management was with Christa [Project Manager, C42D].

How did you come to work with C42D?

I’ve known the founder for many years so knew we would work well together. We both started our agencies around the same time. I know that I can count on them, and am able to give them minimal direction and let them run with the project. I know I’m always going to get really good results. They had a lot of experience in the footwear space because of the work they’d done with other large brands.

How much have you invested with them?

$30,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2016 until April 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was funded immediately after due to the brand development work.

How did C42D perform from a project management standpoint?

It went very well. There was great communication between us and the project manager, Christa. They often successfully met deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re easy to work with. They have a talented staff of seasoned creatives. They always come up with great solutions to design problems.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Everything went smoothly.