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    Salem, OR
    +1.503.370.9911

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4.5
2 reviews

Strategic design studio offering branding, web and app development, SEO and video production services.

 
$10,000+
 
$100 - $149 / hr
 
2 - 9
 Founded
2002
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Salem, OR
headquarters

Reviews

4.5
2 reviews
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Website Re-design for Engineering Firm

“Cardwell Creative blew us away with their design aesthetic. They impressed us every step of the way.”

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4.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Feb. 2017 - Jun. 2018
Project summary: 

Cardwell Creative redesigned a hand-coded website that was five years outdated. They replaced the initial version with a mobile-first WordPress site. The user-friendly CMS is easy to update and modify in-house.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
Portland, Oregon
Matt Sevits
Webmaster/Graphic Designer, OBEC Consulting Engineers
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Along with the sleek new site they developed, Cardwell Creative gave insightful consultation and supported internal process improvements. They streamlined a disorganized workflow and offered end-to-end support and rapid responsiveness. The end product is both technically advanced and user-friendly.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the webmaster and a graphic designer at OBEC Consulting Engineers, an Oregon-based civil engineering company. We focus on transportation and provide a lot of design for roadways and bridges. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cardwell Creative?

Our website hadn't been updated in five or more years and needed a refresh. We needed a local firm we could collaborate closely with, rather than a larger out-of-state company that would be hard to contact. Cardwell Creative was a perfect fit, so we chose them to redesign our entire website. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Early on in the process, Cardwell Creative compiled user profiles to fine-tune our redesign strategy. They took the time to understand our company and who we were trying to attract with our new website. We'd been using an ineffective, haphazard method internally. Cardwell Creative planned a measured and organized approach that gears our content toward our ideal user base. As it turned out, job seekers are better to pursue than just anyone in the engineering industry. 

After creating designs for a new WordPress site, the team implemented them on the development side. I had hand-coded our old site from scratch and was excited to have a better platform with a CMS in place for easy maintenance moving forward. Most notably, they made was making our website mobile friendly. The previous version hadn’t been at all, and we lacked the resources to improve it in-house. As a mobile-first platform, it actually looks better on a phone than a desktop.

What is the team composition? 

I interacted with 3-4 people at Cardwell Creative, but the president was always my main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Cardwell Creative?

We found them through one of our employees who knew Duane (President, Cardwell Creative) from college. We were soliciting firms for proposals and put them into consideration. Cardwell Creative blew everyone out of the water in terms of likability and personability. Based on their approach, they really seemed to know what they were doing. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $60,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2017, and our collaboration just ended in June 2018. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Cardwell Creative blew us away with their design aesthetic. They impressed us every step of the way. We've seen a significant boost in both traffic and the length of time users spend on our site. These results have been excellent, and we're pleased with the way everything turned out. Cardwell Creative is a team of excellent collaborators

How did Cardwell Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They managed our project very well. Duane (President, Cardwell Creative) worked as our project manager. I could reach him whenever I needed to. The project was seamless and well-run from my perspective. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated that Cardwell Creative was technically knowledgeable, but never pretentious about it. They simplified concepts for our less tech-savvy users. There are many complex components of web design these days, and our goal was to make it as unintimidating as possible for all our in-house employees. They did a great job of keeping it technically accurate and also approachable. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

For a few minor design tweaks, we had to push them a bit to think outside the box. Some of their choices for plugins were slightly outdated, for example.

4.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Website Redesign for Hospitality Organization

"They’re always in your corner making sure you get what you need to help your website or project."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Dec. 2016 - Jan. 2018
Project summary: 

Cardwell Creative designed and developed a new website to better organize its content. They conducted data analysis and a focus group to find areas for improvement, and they suggested SEO strategies.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
Oregon
Nan Devlin
Director, Visit Tillamook Coast
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Click-through rates have tripled since the implementation of the WordPress-based site, and bounce rates had dropped. Cardwell Creative was communicative and approachable. They took a disciplined approach to the development, and they worked well within scheduling guidelines.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the tourism director of Visit Tillamook Coast in Oregon.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cardwell Creative?

Our website was overloaded with content and not well organized. We looked for a vendor that could organize our content and make the website more mobile-friendly.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We discussed every page on our website and talked about our marketing campaigns and focuses, and how we would like the new website to look and feel. Cardwell Creative conducted a focus group to gauge the user experience. They designed and developed the new site, which is built on WordPress and includes custom coding. They made suggestions for new SEO strategies to ensure that we were promoting the proper pages.

What is the team composition?

I worked mainly with the creative director.

How did you come to work with Cardwell Creative?

Two other Oregon-based companies had worked with Cardwell Creative, and they both recommended them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve worked on several other projects, as well, but altogether, we’ve spent close to $68,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in December 2016, and the site launched in January 2018, but we have other ongoing projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen our click-through rates triple since the implementation of the new site, and our bounce rates have decreased dramatically.

How did Cardwell Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very professional. They provide me with quarterly reports, so I’m always well-informed. They clarify any questions I have. They’ve exceeded my expectations. They’re always in your corner making sure you get what you need to help your website or project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their process utilized data to show us what we could do to improve. It wasn’t just a creative approach, but it was a research-based approach as well. They always delivered on what they promised, and their work is at the highest level of thoughtfulness and creativity.

Any advice for potential customers?

They operate like a small company, with a lot of one-on-one communication, but if you have multiple projects for them, they are willing and able to scale up to meet your needs. They also coordinate closely with any other vendors you may be using.

5.0
Overall Score They are one of the best agencies I have ever worked with.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer