CIRCA

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I'm an executive at Jobtrees.com

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a jobseeker-focused career site with resources covering the full career search journey.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire CIRCA to accomplish?

• Uplevel the look, feel and function of our site and the custom tools within it.

SOLUTION

How did you find CIRCA?

Online Search

Why did you select CIRCA over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit

How many teammates from CIRCA were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

This is and continues to be an ongoing open ended engagement where Circa provides design updates that have touched every function and page on our site. This was segmented into individual sub-projects including adapting our web and mobile design to an app.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Increased web traffic, improved measurables on customer site interaction, and consistently positive user anecdotes on the quality of design.

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

They were able to deliver all deliverables in a timeline that met our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with CIRCA?

Virtual Meeting

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

They approach each design from the perspective of how to solve the problem we had which meant they consistently were pushing us to look beyond our initial concept ideas. In all cases this lead to a better output than had they simply executed the design request we gave them.

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

CIRCA’s strength is their ability to create novel designs from simple beginnings. This creative focus at times meant that not all the i's were dotted and t's crossed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Marketing Officer of DexCare

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

DexCare helps health systems find time for the best care by meeting patients where they search for care, quickly and accurately matching them to the right clinician, and optimizing available capacity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire CIRCA to accomplish?

• Expand and evolve our visual brand language and voice, extending into a full design system.
• Provide creative direction and design for imagery, web, collateral, social.

SOLUTION

How did you find CIRCA?

Referral

Why did you select CIRCA over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned
• Quality Work

How many teammates from CIRCA were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The following work was included in our brand evolution engagement. Design a graphic look which will be represented in marketing materials, including: 

• Imagery: exploration and options for imagery style including photography and illustration. 
• Web graphics and page template design • Collateral: includes design options for a one-sheet and case study 
• Social Media Ads/Posts: design options for incorporating imagery, text, tone for LinkedIn 
• Iconography: design a library of icons for key terms 
• Brand Guidelines: Starting with the existing brand guidelines, improve and expand based on evolved creative and visual language

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Range of creative options for each project deliverable to show the possibilities of flexing our brand language. High quality creative that made it easy to get consensus on design direction for each deliverable. Exceptional project management in order to keep the project on track, on time and on budget. 

An updated brand visual language that excited our team.

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

Circa has managed each project with the utmost concern for being on time, on schedule and on budget. They were transparent about costs, and realistic about deadlines. They communicate frequently and promptly, never leaving me guessing.

What was your primary form of communication with CIRCA?

Virtual Meeting

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

Understanding our business and brand, as well the project goals, and offering creative options that made decision making easy.

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

Everything went smoothly.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Aviation Marketing Manager (CMO) of Oakland International Airport

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Oakland International Airport is the third busiest airport in California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

How did you find CIRCA?

Competitive procurement process

Why did you select CIRCA over others?

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

How many teammates from CIRCA were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Circa Now provided comprehensive creative development, graphic design, branding, marketing, and advertising services for the Oakland International Airport.

SOLUTION

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

During the contract period, including two extensions, with Circa Now, the airport saw rising traffic numbers with multiple sustained new air service route outcomes. The airport's parking enterprise also experienced market share gains and increased revenues. 

Improved brand equity is reflected in an overall favorable rating of 83% for the airport among the local Bay Area population, the highest of any area institution. Circa Now's work was internationally recognized, winning numerous awards during their tenure.

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

Yes, no execution delays were experienced at any time. They professionally and promptly dealt with project scope shifts and last-minute changes with kindness and efficiency, often within the original budget.

What was your primary form of communication with CIRCA?

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

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

The team Circa Now, including the extended team, is "avant-garde." They keep it real, keep it fresh, and keep it moving. They have a great understanding of trends in the field and are able to interpolate that with client goals and objectives. The ability of the Circa Now team to work with even our most unusual goals and go from ideation to production to execution is outstanding.

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

No.

UPDATED REVIEW

Brian Kidd

Aviation Marketing Supervisor, Airport

Transportation

501-1,000 Employees

San Francisco, California, United States

$200,000 to $999,999

Feb 2015 - Ongoing

Project summary

For an ongoing partnership, Circa designs and executes an airport’s digital and print advertising deliverables. Projects include targeted mailings, magazine and Facebook ads, billboards, and tension fabrics.

Feedback summary

Since working with Circa, the airport has seen a 31 percent increase in passenger activity over the course of two years. The team works in tandem with airlines’ complementary efforts to maximize impact and reach. Designers consistently offer excellent customer relations and creative new ideas.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for the aviation division of an international airport. We have a staff of 250 employees and an annual budget of $150 million.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Circa?

Lacking relevant in-house expertise, we try to contract out most of our advertising. We've occasionally worked with other vendors, but wanted to have an actual agency in our tool kit. We've used Circa on a variety of applications, from minor projects to major campaign redesigns. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Circa designed and produced ads for two of our major campaigns. Each one had about 18 months of shelf life and aimed to promote our business locally, nationally, and internationally. One of our most important clients is a major college's athletic department. They created all the in-venue advertising deliverables to fulfil that contract. Onsite displays of all shapes and sizes included backlit signs, backdrops, tension fabrics, and even billboards. Recently, we featured ads on train exteriors and interiors within our local rapid transit system.

Our strategy incorporates both traditional and digital marketing tactics. We place print magazine ads primarily in local and airline industry publications. Postcard mailings help us promote our free parking to targeted demographic groups. To reinforce our message, we also used online avenues like Facebook ads and email blasts. Circa has proposed some radical ideas that encourage us to think outside our comfort zone. Although we haven't executed as much on those, we appreciate their creative approach.

What is the team composition?

We typically work with 1-2 team members from Circa on any given project.

How did you come to work with Circa?

Circa responded to our RFP. As a public agency, we have a laborious process to get to the finish line. They committed, prevailed, and ultimately won that competition.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $200,000 for design. That figure does not include production costs.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2015. As part of our ongoing relationship, they’re preparing to wrap a train car for the first time ever. Circa is currently executing the concept we sketched out.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

This might be correlation rather than causation, but our airport is up 31 percent in passenger activity since Circa came on board. They've helped us operationalize many creative concepts and briefs. Their ads are always featured front and center and work in tandem with the airlines’ complimentary advertising efforts. We try to use different channels and approaches to avoid duplication. Whenever our airport gets a new nonstop flight, we have a robust marketing program in place to kick it off. We're still building awareness of our airport as an alternative to our main competitor.

How did Circa perform from a project management standpoint?

Although Circa is a smaller shop, they always make us feel front and center. Their work for other clients can sometimes delay response times and we're not very patient. Given our short fuse timelines, they've done a good job of juggling commitments and meeting our deadlines. We’re a fairly challenging customer with sometimes unrealistic expectations and they've done their best they can.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Circa takes a genuine interest in your business. They really want to work as partners, which is always appreciated. Dave [Founder and Creative Lead, Circa] regularly sends us pertinent articles. This level of engagement lets us know that he's thinking about our business and ongoing challenges. It's nice to know they're invested in our success rather than just trying to sell us individual ads.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As is common for design agencies, they often want to offer a better strategy than what we request. That's part of their role. Unlike many of their clients, we have a clearly defined objective and need execution, not reinvention. We’d rather have one excellent version than three potential options. It's not the most creative process, but it's the nature of our business. They've tried to push us outside the envelope and we haven't always been receptive to that. That’s probably been a bit frustrating for them. While this is not necessarily Circa’s fault, it can occasionally cause some friction.

RATINGS

Overall rating: 4

They’re responsive and easy to work with. They always listen to the customer and try their best to get efficiently get work done at a fair price.

Quality: 3.5

Certain projects can be mundane and don't allow much opportunity for them to show off. We didn't really stretch them much.

Cost: 3.5

They can be a bit expensive for short, simple projects. They offer competitive rates and a great value for larger campaign designs.

Schedule: 4

They always complete our challenging tasks within short timeframes, even if that requires working over the weekend. We really appreciate that.

Willing to refer: 4

They fall between a sole proprietor outfit and huge ad firm. If you want a smaller, avant-garde firm, they’d be a good match.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice President, Corporate Marketing of WP Engine

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

WordPress Technology company enabling businesses of all sizes to build, power and manage highly performant WordPress sites with less effort.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire CIRCA to accomplish?

• Achieve differentiating, disruptive creative in noisy web hosting market
• Improve our video and display paid media digital KPIs

SOLUTION

How did you find CIRCA?

Online Search

Why did you select CIRCA over others?

• Great culture fit
• Highly Creative

How many teammates from CIRCA were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Scope of work included upfront campaign message testing to inform creative concept and messaging for the social media ad campaign promoting two core product lines (Managed WordPress Hosting and WooCommerce Hosting). Ads were designed and produced to run on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Google Display Network, both in video and static form. Circa also produced an anthem video video for the campaign.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With A/B testing, the Smarter Way to WordPress campaign dramatically outperformed the previous campaign's top of funnel impression and engagement metrics. The campaign theme and tagline "A Smarter Way to WordPress" has evolved and elevated from campaign to brand positioning felt and seen on the .Com and beyond.

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

Circa runs a tight ship for Project Management which we needed and appreciated greatly. Always on point with their schedules and setting expectations to help us progress.

What was your primary form of communication with CIRCA?

Virtual Meeting

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

What impressed me most about Circa was the long-term, close relationships between their senior staff -- all of whom were fully engaged on our project. Their camaraderie and personal and creative compatibility was very energizing-- something we all felt with their initial pitch and every meeting we had with them thereafter.

I personally really appreciated their data driven approach to developing Creative and the way in which they developed truly breakthrough creative with every agency's favorite constraints (ha ha): short window of time + minimal budget.

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

Nothing - they were fantastic partners!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CMO at an insure tech company that provides subscription care for homeowners so that they don't have to stress about the maintenance and repair of their single largest asset, their home.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire CIRCA?

• Brand rework
• brand research
• website relaunch
• big ad campaign idea
• digital and email ad creative
• radio
• print ads

SOLUTION

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

We ran an RFP process. Circa's proposal gave the most comprehensive approach to what we needed, without nickel and diming every element. We were compelled by their prior visual designs and very happy with the quality of their copywriting.

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

1. Research
2. discovery
3. wireframe creation
4. target audience calls
5. quantitative Blue Ocean research and results
6. brand strategy creation
7. brand book creation
8. full website refresh and rewrite

collaboration with in-house developers for development

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

• Head of Design/agency
• strategist
• web project manager
• outside research consultant
• outside media consultant
• web designer
• copywriter
• art director and copywriter (ads)
• outside video production team (2)

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

www.hellosuper.com - entire site and videos

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was easy when via video. We all used different types of project and work management systems:

• Slack
• Basecamp
• Microsoft Teams
• Zoom

and that made it a little more challenging at time.

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

They did a great job creating beautiful work without a lot of design help from our internal teams. I loved the web copy. The ad campaign ideas were (plentiful and) clever.

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

As a collaborative, they help clients to maximize the expertise they get - everyone was a skilled professional with a ton of experience. But this means that there are no junior project managers just to track the projects and keep the wheels on the bus. I think that timelines and deliverables would be more streamlined if they had some junior staff to serve as project managers.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work as a contractor for a maritime company and I do marketing for their onsite parking. My company is a parking management service provider. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CIRCA?

CIRCA is the primary vendor of the maritime company I work for. I’ve also been using them in my marketing efforts for the airport onsite parking. In our recent project, we were trying to get some evergreen materials and create one brand, update some branding guidelines, and put our best foot forward while increasing our sales growth.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’ve worked with CIRCA on several projects over the last year and a half including an evergreen campaign, website update, and special promotional coupon offers. They’ve also worked on customer research and surveys, printed materials, email marketing, and social media marketing. 

What is the team composition?

We work with three people from their team.

How did you come to work with CIRCA?

Our parent company decided that they were a good fit and that we needed to use them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $35,847.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in June 2019, and our collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure their success through the click-through rate (CTR), email open rates, coupon distribution rates, and then we can tie it back to sales. Overall, we’ve been satisfied with our success by working with them. 

How did CIRCA perform from a project management standpoint?

I think their greatest strength is their project management skills. They’re quick and great with follow-ups.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They quickly follow up and execute a project. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything that they can improve. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the senior vice president and director of integrated marketing for Mechanics Bank. We are a community bank in California and Oregon that serves consumers, small and large businesses, and wealth management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CIRCA?

I was actually an employee of another bank that was merged with Mechanics bank, so our challenge was to define a new brand proposition for the newly merged bank.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Fortunately, our branches didn’t have much overlap, so we didn’t have to get into closing branches or layoffs or anything like that. Circa started by walking us through the process of identifying the core value propositions for each bank and then finding the alignment between them.

From there, they delivered a creative brand campaign that allowed us to emphasize the alignments so that former Rabobank customers weren’t put off by the new name and brand. That included four print ads and four social media posts with headlines, sub-headlines, and body copy, as well as two radio scripts.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three members of their team.

How did you come to work with CIRCA?

They had an established relationship with Mechanics bank, and our new head of marketing had worked with them in the past, so he decided to bring them on based on the quality of work they had previously delivered.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, the project cost us around $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from January–March 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We established specific milestones for the project, and they were diligent about following up with us and hitting all of the deadlines that we provided for them. The scale of the work was huge given the sizes of the two banks, so we had a lot going on and rescheduled quite often, but they were incredibly patient with us and always kept us on track. We haven’t deployed the marketing assets yet, but we have been very pleased with the work they delivered at each stage.

How did CIRCA perform from a project management standpoint?

They were really great to work with on the whole. I found them to be pleasant, professional, creative, and diligent throughout all of their work. Their persistence struck the perfect balance between being proactive and not being too much for us to handle, which we really appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their reliability is one of the best aspects of working with them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would need to work with them more to truly understand their weaknesses, but so far there hasn’t been anything that stood out to me that could be improved.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Dive deep with the discovery session, because the more you uncover there, the better you will set yourself up for getting the right deliverables in the end.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior planner at a transportation agency. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CIRCA?

We wanted assistance with branding after we launched a pilot program to provide on-demand public transit on Sundays when we don’t have regular service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us create a unified brand. This included selecting a color scheme and typography design that was used for logos, community outreach flyers, and vehicle wraps. Their team also assisted with social media strategy and content creation for our social channels. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a team of five people regularly, but there were an additional three teammates that rotating in and out based on what we were working on. 

How did you come to work with CIRCA?

As a public agency, we have a specific process that we go through when selecting a vendor. They submitted a proposal after we put our request out to the public. Their portfolio was strong, and they had experience working within the transportation industry. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $100,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed a three-year contract with them in May 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received positive feedback from our board and the public. Their work increased community awareness of our services. 

How did CIRCA perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very communicative. We have regular phone calls and emails. They’re good at keeping track of everything and letting us know if there are any potential issues. CIRCA has been open and transparent with us. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re capable of taking something that is high-level and turning it into something concrete. They understood the messaging that we were looking for. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of off the top of my head. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to stay communicative and be clear about your expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of events at Jack London Park, a nonprofit that operates the park on behalf of the state of California. I’m in charge of both private and fundraising events.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CIRCA?

We needed a polished brand and graphics for a fundraising event to entice people to buy tickets.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I came up with a concept for our gala, and CIRCA created graphics and branding to match the theme. The gala centered around a bar that Jack London used to frequent, so CIRCA made a vintage-looking brand concept for the invitations and event signage.

They assisted me with the copy, even when some changes came at the last minute. The program needed an extra page, and CIRCA came up with a low-cost solution and found an inexpensive printer.

What is the team composition?

We worked mainly with three people.

How did you come to work with CIRCA?

I worked with the founder when I was at a different job.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from September 2016–September 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The final products looked great, and the event itself was incredibly successful. We sold all 350 tickets and had a high sponsorship success that year. People were impressed by the theme, which was represented attractively in all the printed materials.

How did CIRCA perform from a project management standpoint?

His team is one of the best I’ve ever worked with. They stayed up late with us to make last minute changes two weeks before the gala and were extremely dedicated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Not only is their work high quality, but they did it pro bono; we only paid for printing costs. They’re incredibly generous and responsive, treating us like a full-paying client. They catch things before they become problems and adapt well to change. Our industry can be fast-paced, but they’re incredibly calm and laidback.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

They’re a full-service agency, so they’ll take care of everything. Rest assured that, if you work with them, nothing’s going to go wrong, and you’ll have a successful project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the account-based marketing manager for Autodesk, a company that develops design and production software for industries such as architecture, engineering, construction, and media and entertainment. I oversee the North American product design and manufacturing marketing practice.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with CIRCA?

We needed a quick and nimble partner who could help run campaigns on a short timeline. Our goal was to increase leads through sales and trials.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

CIRCA provides both creative and strategic assistance. They audited some of our nurture programs and conducted competitor research to develop recommendations and strategies for our campaigns. They also provide copywriting, design, layout, and production assets.

In some cases, CIRCA would take one of our global campaigns and adapt it to achieve our regional goals. They worked on email campaigns, display ads, landing pages, social media ads, and direct mail.

What is the team composition?

We had a team of three people with two others that came on as needed.

How did you come to work with CIRCA?

I’d worked with the founder at a previous role and knew they'd be a great fit for this project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $100,000 a year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2014–December 2017. We only stopped working with them because we reorganized our account-based marketing model.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work impacted our business goals and helped us achieve what we set out to do.

How did CIRCA perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a dedicated project manager who was responsive and kept us on track. They were organized and incredibly efficient about tracking our progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They pushed back when appropriate and responded to our comments and feedback. Unlike other agencies we’ve worked with before, CIRCA addressed our concerns and was consistently professional. I always had confidence in their ability to deliver exactly what we needed on time. I’d definitely work with them again.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Leverage their thinking power and have a senior creative closely involved in your business. They’ll give you great ideas.