Cardwell Creative

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the deputy director of orientation for Tillamook Estuaries Partnership. We are an environmental nonprofit that focuses on habitat restoration for salmon. We also do outreach and education for our community about the importance of estuaries and watersheds.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cardwell Creative?

Cardwell Creative helped us develop some brand components, marketing, and messaging. They also redesigned our logo.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We asked Cardwell Creative to review and refresh our existing logo as well as create our tagline. They delivered a new logo as well as a tagline and messaging that was focused on different audiences. They did research and discovery (R&D).

They also developed seven marketing messages and made an initial social media campaign for Instagram and Facebook to introduce those messages to our constituents. They took our staff and board through a process to focus thematically on what messages we wanted to get out to our audience. They helped us define the goals that we wanted for our messaging, and whether it was focused on getting more volunteers or money, increasing name recognition, or reaching out to funders.

They provided a brand guide and ways to use that messaging. They also gave us a series of budgets so that, in the future, we can figure out how much to budget for marketing if we want to achieve specific goals.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Duane (Owner). We worked with him exclusively, but I know he has a team; however, I'm not sure what components his team was responsible for.

How did you come to work with Cardwell Creative?

We put out an RFP for our marketing goals, and we had 12 respondents. We interviewed the top three, and Cardwell Creative was one of the selected contractors. They put together a well-thought-out response and met our expectations. 

They seemed very professional. I'd seen some of the work they'd done for our organization’s partners. I was very impressed with the work they did for them, and they came incredibly highly recommended by those partners.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $15,000 on the project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from December 2020–May 2021. They completed the work within the contract timeframe.

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

Since our contract just completed, we haven't utilized any of the things they’ve developed. Soon, we're going to start incorporating that messaging and branding into our existing networks. However, they gave us concrete ways to communicate with the different client and user groups that we have.

They helped us focus on what our core competencies are and how we can relate those core competencies to legislators, potential funders, partners, and volunteers. They gave us some really great tools to communicate and reach out to those parties in an understandable way. Our organization is very science-heavy and focused, and sometimes it's difficult to take those complicated ideas and be able to reach out to the public on the importance of the work that we're doing. Now, we can communicate the great things that we do to the greater public. 

How did Cardwell Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They were amazing to work with. Duane felt like he was part of our staff; he went above and beyond to help us with this process. This process was very new to us and very foreign to the work that we do. He made it effortless, so it was great.

We communicated through a mix of email, phone calls, and virtual meetings. Email was the primary form of contact. Duane was always amenable to picking up the phone and talking or doing a virtual meeting to go over any questions that we had.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They made the process feel effortless and made it a joy to work with them — they were really great. They were receptive to our concerns and needs and were able to respond promptly. They gave us confidence that we can be good advocates and reach our goals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I really can’t think of anything. They were great to work with.

Any advice for potential customers?

Trust them. They know what they're doing, and you will get a great product that you will be very happy with.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of global marketing and sales for the Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA). We are in charge of destination management and marketing for the entire Oregon coast.

We have 363 miles of coastline that are public and our company basically manages trail systems, creates an infrastructure for stable and long-term economic goals, which includes attracting new visitors through marketing. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Cardwell Creative?

We had a website when I came on board, our website was about eight years old. Being that some of our key pillars are inspirations and being an informative resource for travelers, we wanted a website that embodied those things.

We hired Cardwell Creative to create a site that was both inspirational and informative, so if someone travels here, they can find all the information they need. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had thousands of points of interest we wanted to integrate and a lot of pre-existing content. This included 8–9 years' worth of articles, blog posts, and photos. Caldwell Creative proposed multiple options for us, and we decided to go with creating a website from scratch, using WordPress. With them, we imported and reformatted a lot of our existing content, as well as adding new content, too. 

Cardwell Creative helped with everything, from writing the copy to finding imagery, to presenting style boards that embodied our brand. Once we chose the option that was best for our brand, they moved forward with us to create it. 

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Dwayne (Founder). Sometimes, with agencies, the person you sign the contract with isn’t always the person you end up working with throughout the process. However, with Cardwell Creative, I loved that I mainly only worked with Dwayne for the whole process. He had a whole team of designers who were looped in from time to time, but Dwayne was our main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with Cardwell Creative?

We were recommended to Cardwell Creative by one of our partners we work with here on the coast. Dwayne had created a website for them, so when we were sending out our RFP, I asked our partners for recommendations, and Dwayne was recommended on that list. 

We interviewed partners from all around the US, but I wanted to work with someone local. We narrowed it down to four teams after reviewing them with our board members. I felt like Dwayne stood out the most because I felt we’d get the most unique, bespoke product, which was important because our region and needs are unique. I felt like other agencies were presenting templates they’ve used before. I told my colleagues I wanted to create an award-winning site, and Dwayne struck a chord with me by mentioning that during the interview process. 

Cardwell Creative also seemed like the best partner because of their experience in the space, as well as their design expertise. I could tell they were passionate about the work, easy to work with, flexible, and within our budget range.

Proximity wasn’t even really a consideration when it came down to the final choice, but it was a perk. Also, their overall ability to digest that much information and make it into something inspirational was the main idea why we chose their team.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent approximately $70,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on the site from February–September 2020. 

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

The overall feedback we’ve received from key stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive. When we went to launch the new site, we didn’t have any specific metrics since we knew numbers would change due to it being new. We’ve definitely been encouraged by stakeholder feedback and we feel very proud of the product Cardwell Creative built that features so much information in such an inspiring way. 

How did Cardwell Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

When we kicked off the project, we set some deadlines and key check-in points — they hit all of those and were never late. We mainly communicated through email, but we could also call or text. There were a few change orders we had along the way when things like new content came up, so that dragged the process out a bit but it was all on my end, not on Cardwell Creative’s end. 

Dwayne hit all timeline goals, even if I pushed the goals a little further than he would have liked. Throughout the whole process, he was extremely flexible and willing to adapt, which was really great when changes came up. In no way did I feel like it would have been wrong to ask him to change a deadline due to any request that I had. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design skills were extremely impressive. Features like our advertising space on our site are something I’m proud of now. We used to have an outdated format with traditional banner ads, and I wanted them to look like just another piece of content on the site. 

Dwayne took the reins on that idea, rolled with it, and presented amazing options that integrated well into the site. He also worked directly with some of our advertising partners so I didn’t have to do a lot of the communication, and he onboarded them to the template so they could fulfill the content on their end. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve. I’d give them a 10/10 — as a company, I’m sure they can continue to grow and bring on more clients, but as far as our working relationship, I have no room for additional feedback on them. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of program development at Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency (MWVCAA). It’s a social services nonprofit doing a lot of things around supporting people living in poverty.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cardwell Creative?

They’re redesigning our website and supporting a rebranding initiative. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

The website was built with WordPress. For the rebranding, They created a several new logos for us and also a tag line. They also delivered a set of font colors to be used on our different platforms.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Duane (Art Director). He was the lead for the project.

How did you come to work with Cardwell Creative?

I searched local businesses for that type of service. I selected them because they provided everything we needed at a reasonable price. Duane was more personable and easier to communicate with than other vendors I reviewed.

How much have you invested with them?

It was about $42,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in January 2020 and we’re still working with them.  

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

Honestly, it's been such an enjoyable experience working with Duane. We love the website; we love the product. It has been very exciting and I feel very proud to be part of the work they produced.

How did Cardwell Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s been great working with them. It’s easy and communication has been perfect. Everything was submitted at the exact right time. Duane was responsive to all my emails and answered all my questions in a very timely manner. We were very connected throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Duane was able to learn about our agency and listened to our ideas while also making professional recommendations. He found a good balance between making sure we felt heard and keeping the project on the right track.

There were a lot of different personalities invested in this project, and he took on communicating with everyone and was able to maintain professionalism throughout the project. He was very respectful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If I had to pick anything, there were a few times when I think Duane forgot a few small pieces of our conversations. He’s human, though and I don’t expect perfection.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

People should feel comfortable asking questions, getting clarification, and expressing concern because Duane always comes back with answers that bring clarity. I knew very little coming into this project, and I felt very supported throughout the project.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a civil engineering, professional, and related services company. I'm the chief marketing officer with the firm.

What challenge were you trying to address with Cardwell Creative?

We had an outdated website and wanted to redo it. We recently completed a merger, and the website was a disaster.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed the backend of the site and did a lot of the design for the frontend. They took all our collateral pieces and set up a prescribed process to come up with the wireframes and design for the site. Once those were nailed down, they started development. They had a lot of experience that was very helpful in this build. It's a content managed site, and some of the technologies included Jumpchart, CSS, and WordPress.

What is the team composition?

We have one main point of contact and a lead developer that we interacted with directly. There were a few other designers and developers behind the scenes at different points of the project.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was probably around $40,000-$45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in earnest in January 2019, and the site just went live in August 2019. We'll put them on retainer and work with them on maintenance and SEO going forward. We have options to make changes and grow with every part of the site, and we may contract them for our third-party projects in the future.

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

The site has only been live for a few days, but we haven't seen any bugs after launch. We addressed all the issues before we went live, and we improved a lot of the user experience based on their suggestions. We have a ton of great feedback from users already, and the look and feel of the site is really pleasing.

How did Cardwell Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was excellent. They stayed within our budget and deadlines at all times, and their communication was wonderful. We emailed a lot, and we had a collaborative platform to meet with them. We only met in person once.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I've worked with at least four other developers, but Cardwell was the most reliable. Their expertise was critical in this project. They gave us best practices, and I really appreciated their insight. I loved how responsive, organized, and creative they were. They really helped bring our website to life.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. Everyone pulled their own weight, and they met their end of the commitment. There were no surprises, and they were open to changes in the scope. The whole project was well-organized, and I have no negative comments for them. I would be happy to work with them again.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

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

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.

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.

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.