ColorJar

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director for Stellium, a marketing and law firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

Our company does many different things that are hard to communicate, and we have many companies under one umbrella. We hired ColorJar to create one overarching brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ColorJar provided us with branding services. Initially, we had multi-hour phone calls where they gathered the nuts and bolts of what our company was trying to do. They interviewed 10 strategic leaders across the company to get a gut check on what they wanted for the brand. From there, the team researched what our customers would think of our existing brand. They gathered the information together and proposed how to make our branding better. 

The team broke the project into two phases: strategic foundation and brand expression. During the strategic foundation phase, we talked about our mission and values. We had a workshop where they honed in on those elements with our company’s leadership. The deliverable was a deck about our mission statement, purpose, and vision.

During the brand expression phase, ColorJar worked on the design and key touchpoints and made the visuals a reality. For this phase, they delivered the logo design, color scheme, brand book, and brand guidelines for us to activate the branding in our marketing.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with four teammates from ColorJar, including David (Founder & CEO) and a strategy lead who worked in tandem. We also worked with a designer and a project manager; the latter was our main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with ColorJar?

We found them through a recommendation from our CEO; he was good friends with David. When we realized we needed a broader branding than our logo, we reached out to ColorJar, and they created a proposal. Although we looked at other New York-based companies, we ultimately landed on ColorJar because they understood us much more quickly than our other options, so it felt like a natural fit. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $125,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from April–November 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ColorJar’s work has given our internal team more clarity about the direction of our company because we have a united cause that we didn’t have before. We’ve also been able to hire people specifically because we articulated our branding more clearly; teammates jumped from our competitors to us after an event to kick off the new branding. Currently, we’re amid a product launch and building brand awareness campaigns around that. 

The ColorJar team had a really comprehensive process that was fun for us. The workshop they held was one of the year’s highlights for us because we got so much out of those conversations. I loved that ColorJar brought specific metrics and goals to every conversation, keeping us focused and on track. 

Additionally, their designer was amazing because she was really open to collaborating with us in the later stages of the project to ensure the colors and the brand book were exactly what we needed. They even provided us with the stock images they’d purchased for us to use those elements. 

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was a really easy process, and we stayed on track. Our project manager from ColorJar clarified what needed to happen next, who needed to be involved, and the timeline each step would take, especially the interview schedules. I was the project manager from our end and made the process very fluid, which made communicating with ColorJar’s project manager easy. 

We communicated clearly on a weekly basis, and as a result, we hit our deadline. As for tools, we mostly used Zoom and emails. I could also text David or the project manager whenever I needed to, and they were really responsive. We used ClickUp for project management on our end, though I’m unsure which tool they used on their end. 

They extended the budget because we added things and changed things around. Initially, we thought we’d be at the lower end of their quote range, but we ended up in the middle, which was understandable. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Going through ColorJar’s process was really rewarding for us. Initially, they weren’t my first choice because I wanted to go with a more prominent company. However, seeing how they handled the interaction and relationships they built within the team, I knew I could trust them with our vision and brand. Now, they would be my first call. 

The team didn’t judge the haphazard articulation of our process. Instead, they tried to synthesize and understand us, which was a challenge because, as a unique company, it’s difficult to articulate the value add that we bring. They got us on a level I couldn’t have anticipated if I had asked for it. ColorJar’s understanding of us made the engagement easier because we didn’t have to try to make sense of the chaos. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could have done better articulating around timelines and expectations. As ColorJar moved around, it was difficult for me to pinpoint that aspect when stakeholders asked questions. Although that’s the nature of the creative process, they could have communicated more clearly around deadlines. However, they did a fine job, and we got what we needed. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go into the experience without a bias or preconceived notion of what you want. Instead, let ColorJar guide you through the process. For us, it was more rewarding to let go and trust the team to guide us in the right direction. 

They created work and thought about elements of our brand strategy in ways we didn’t, which triggered more conversations that helped us get closer to where we wanted to go. I suggest not formulating what you want before you contact ColorJar, and diving into their process instead. They have a lengthy rubric they go through that allows you to rate your preferences over time. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Swish House, a basketball fitness company. We do basketball workouts, high-quality pick-up games, and basketball-focused events and activations for adults. Our core product is basketball fitness classes, which are led by a certified coach and last 60 minutes, where members burn up to 1,000 calories.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

When we started our company, we had a different name, a website, an app, and a logo. We hired ColorJar to do a rebrand and come up with a new name. Our goal was to focus on the basketball fitness class and capture what we do as a company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ColorJar has done a complete rebrand for us. Initially, we had meetings with them to pick the project's direction, and they ran various creative approaches by us before starting. Our mission is to make people healthier and happier through basketball, and we wanted a brand we could build a community around. The brand needed to cater to the existing basketball community and be inclusive of everyone who loves the game. 

Based on those requirements, the team has created our new name, logo, color scheme, and brand book. They've designed a lot of our digital marketing ads and many of our Instagram posts. ColorJar has also designed and developed our website using Squarespace. Recently, they've refreshed the site's design. 

Our website's home page has a booking feature where members can book a class directly; ColorJar integrated Mindbody as a booking, scheduling, and staffing software. The site has a widget that enables users to see the schedule, which we update on the backend. The team has also built location, coaches, team, and story pages. 

What is the team composition?

We work directly with David (Founder) and Sripriya (Lead Designer). 

How did you come to work with ColorJar?

We found them through a referral. Initially, we met with a few agencies and chose ColorJar because we got a good feeling from David. He had a basketball background and got what we were trying to achieve and our business concept right away. Moreover, he had a creative spirit that we liked. 

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent more than $10,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in Q1 2017. We've worked with them continuously and on a project basis, and our latest project was the site refresh from September–November 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With the rebrand, our monthly active member count went up 10 times over the following six months, which was remarkable. Since that initial boost, we’ve continued positive momentum. Since we’ve just finished the latest site refresh, I don’t have any measurable outcomes yet. However, I’m confident we’ll also see a significant result from that project. 

ColorJar has been a really trusted partner since the beginning, and they’ve nailed our branding. Moreover, they’ve been great to work with. We’ll continue to use them and want to get them more involved as we grow. 

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re on time and budget, which is one of their calling cards. The team stays 100% on budget even when we change the scope slightly, so our change requests don’t result in upcharges. 

ColorJar is super responsive. Although we’re not an easy client, they’ve handled every request promptly, well, and with attention to detail. We primarily communicate through phone calls, email, and Zoom meetings. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m impressed with ColorJar’s quality of work and customer service. They’re hands-on; David is involved, Sripriya is great, and they both pay attention to detail and provide customized service. Moreover, the ColorJar team is attuned to our needs and digs into them. Overall, they provide exceptional service. 

Their creative spirit also stands out, which is what we pay for. They have the expertise and an eye for design and branding. ColorJar knows what looks good and how to design with the essence of our brand, which is what sets them apart. Other providers don’t accomplish that as well as ColorJar – they’re on another level. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I would point to as a negative aspect or something they need to improve. We’re totally satisfied with their service and thrilled with the outcome. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you lay out the project and give them creative liberty. Have an open mind because the real value that ColorJar delivers is their expertise, so give them what freedom you can, and you’ll be satisfied with the outcome.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Keeper Security is a cybersecurity platform provider that helps protect consumers and businesses from password-related data breaches and cyber threats. I am the chief marketing officer, and I’ve been in this position since October 2018.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

Keeper started as a consumer app about ten or twelve years ago, and the company’s brand—it’s visual identity, in particular—hadn't evolved over the past decade. Also, the brand hadn’t kept pace with the evolution of the business.

The company expanded from being a consumer password manager app to a more comprehensive cybersecurity platform for both consumers and businesses. We felt that the brand, specifically the visual identity, needed to be updated to become more reflective of the shift that we’d experienced and the value that we currently create and deliver. We also wanted our branding to fit more precisely with the segments and markets that we now serve.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Following a standard immersion process, we had a brand download and a briefing workshop. ColorJar undertook high-level competitive research and analysis before moving into the concept creation phase. The team provided a few creative territories and several executions of logos.

We narrowed down a list of logos that ColorJar developed until we had a few options, and we eventually picked a final logo. For the new logo, the team created new icons as well as typography for our wordmark. They also took a new tagline that we developed in-house and incorporated it into their work.

From there, we went into color exploration and ultimately decided that we wanted to keep our primary palette. We also chose to become more sophisticated with our new brand in terms of secondary and tertiary palettes. We selected those palettes, and ColorJar implemented them in their designs.

After we settled on the logo and the color palettes, ColorJar built out a brand architecture system to help us with product naming. The team also created a visual identity system for us.

They took the new logo that they developed and animated it to meet some of our specific iconography needs. In addition to the initial logo design, ColorJar designed browser extensions, product iconography, and app iconography.

What is the team composition?

We primarily interfaced with two people, David (Founder & CEO, ColorJar) and Michael (Account Manager, ColorJar). We were originally introduced to a graphic designer from ColorJar who was going to take the lead on a piece of the work, but she experienced some health issues during the project. I'm not sure whether she was still working on it when we finished.

How did you come to work with ColorJar?

I had a couple of agencies that were already top of mind, and ColorJar was one of them, so I included them in our initial outreach and dialogue process. I believe that I found them through Clutch, along with a couple of other firms. I enjoyed my initial conversation with ColorJar.

Eventually, the process became a competition between ColorJar and two other Chicago-based agencies. We brought them in for a capabilities presentation, and they were a perfect fit in terms of personality and culture.

I liked their approach and appreciated their sense of urgency. Also, their budget was acceptable, and I had seen other examples of their work, so we decided to move forward with them as our partner.

What is the status of this engagement?

There were two principal phases of the engagement. The logo design project began in March 2019 and ran through the first week of April 2019. We took a week or two off before the second phase of the project, which lasted for about 8–10 weeks. We officially wrapped up the project last week.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The logo itself—the new icon, the new typography around the wordmark, the new visual identity—has been very well received internally and externally by key stakeholders, including both business and consumer clients around the world. We've received favorable comments directly through social media.

Of course, with this kind of project, it’s normal to have some folks who don't like change. That being said, about 90%–95% of all feedback from external stakeholders has been positive. We're very happy with the work and very comfortable with the outcomes of the partnership.

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint?

The original timeline for the initial project was four weeks, and they were right within the four-to-five-week timeframe. They delivered the initial project on budget, and from there, we moved into a phase two project with them.

As I said before, the graphic designer who was initially attached to our project had some health issues. It's unfortunate when things like that happen, and I commend ColorJar for not letting that influence their performance. There were no excuses or delays, and whatever transfer occurred was seamless from my perspective. Whatever it was that they needed to do, they made it happen.

Michael, our primary account manager, was very responsive. I get the sense that ColorJar is a relatively small agency which enables them to provide a high level of personal touch in terms of communication and account management.

During the work-heavy parts of the project, it wasn’t uncommon for us to communicate via email multiple times a day. We contacted ColorJar via phone and email as issues and questions arose. We're less than one mile apart in Chicago, so we had in-person meetings at our office every couple of weeks and ad hoc meetings as needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They significantly expedited the discovery phase due to some constraints on our end. ColorJar was one of the few agencies that were willing to work with our timeline, and I appreciate how they were flexible and accommodating before even starting on the deliverables.

I was also impressed by their creativity, energy, and openness. It’s clear that their team is passionate about their work, and, by extension, the success of their clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a couple of times over the course of the engagement where it seemed as if ColorJar might have been under understaffed. The team seemed to be lacking a bit in terms of the resources that they had allocated to various projects.

Those were minor concerns, though. I can only think of a few situations when a task took a day or two longer than expected, and that never impacted the project in a significant way.

Even with these minor concerns, what you get from ColorJar in terms of the highly personalized attention and focus makes it worthwhile. For example, David, who’s the CEO of the company, was on-site for every single meeting with us. We really appreciated that.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief external affairs and strategy officer at Navy Pier, which has been an iconic part of Chicago since 1916. It served as a Red Cross volunteer training facility during World War I, a naval training facility during World War II, and the first home of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Navy Pier was established as a nonprofit in 2011 to maintain and redevelop one of the most important civic landmarks in the US. As part of our nonprofit work, we offer free arts and cultural programming to all nine million annual guests.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

The pier has undergone significant physical and programmatic changes over the last five years, and our identity and logo haven’t kept up with these changes. We hired ColorJar to develop a new graphic identity for Navy Pier. We knew it would be challenging to come up with a completely new identity that would be accepted by our board, business partners, and visitors.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Another firm had developed our new brand platform, and ColorJar digested their work and incorporated it into identities that they created. They did focus group testing and also presented a selection of identities to our board and around 80 key business partners on the pier.

ColorJar designed our logo and determined our brand colors. They took inspiration from colors they found on the pier, which became the color palette that is now on our website and in our print materials.

What is the team composition?

We work with four individuals, including a project manager.

How did you come to work with ColorJar?

We interviewed several firms. We ultimately chose to work with ColorJar because they were enthusiastic about the pier. They incorporated into their work a key phrase of our brand platform, which is “where fun lives large,” and accepted the challenge of a short turnaround. The Navy Piers team was impressed by how much they brought to our first meeting. Their presentation was thoughtful and robust and included research they’d done ahead of time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $60,000–$70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in November 2018, and it is very much ongoing as our brand evolves.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

ColorJar delivered a whole new graphic identity that all of our stakeholders like, which is quite remarkable. We constantly receive feedback from people that they love our logo and color scheme, which we’d never heard before.  

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been terrific. It’s rare for me to give such a high recommendation, but ColorJar has been incredibly thoughtful in their approach and the questions they’ve asked. Their processes are streamlined and sensible, and they meet all deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Of the many firms we’ve worked with, ColorJar has the most thoughtful, practical, and research-grounded approach. They’ve clearly done their homework at every phase of the project. The team is continually evolving and adapting. They’re passionate and enthusiastic, and they take great pride in their work. This wasn’t just another job in the pipeline, and that came through in everything they did. The various constituencies that ColorJar gave presentations to commented on their passion and dedication.

We’ve also been amazed by how quickly they’ve worked. The engagement began in mid-November, and by February, they had a process in place that we agreed on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I really don’t think there are.

Any advice for potential customers?

Trust their instincts and their process and engage in discussion. That will yield a great result.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m president of a vertically-integrated real estate development company. We identify sites across the country to develop industrial, multifamily, and office buildings. We typically sell them but occasionally we lease, operate and manage the properties.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar? 

Most of our projects are commercial, so we have a great B2B marketing platform. However, there was a lack of recognition of our brand when we started marketing multi-family developments to consumers. We needed to come up with a better way to message to potential residents and a better value proposition for renters.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

ColorJar first helped us take a fresh look at our brand architecture. We had to determine whether or not we should use our existing development company brand as the consumer-facing brand. They recommended we create a new brand to serve as a product line for our apartment buildings. I then had to convince my leadership that we needed a new brand that was separate from the one we've already worked so hard to create. ColorJar helped me get the internal support I needed by creating decks. 

Next we worked together to come up with the value proposition of the new brand. Since everything else we do is client-centric and usually about the kind of work that's going on inside of the buildings, we landed on the position that the new brand should be about the residents’ lives. ColorJar came up with the name "Chapter" to represent that they're living this chapter of their life in our building. The brand also conveys that we intend to design and orient our projects to help residents live that chapter with greater intention. 

We also had an immediate need to name a building. ColorJar led us through naming exercises on the location of that building. They came up with a new naming method for all of our projects that evokes the neighborhood that they're in and an attribute of the area. Each one of our residential projects will follow that new naming strategy for the building name, followed by Chapter. They helped us come up with fonts, colors, and iconography for Chapter, which is a circle with a straight line down the middle and a filled-in area that looks like a moon. The circle plays off the concept of phases of the moon. Each building will have a custom icon that has a variety of lines inside the circle that speaks to the name of the building. 

What is the team composition? 

Michael (brand strategist, ColorJar) was the project manager and main point of contact.  I also worked with David (founder & CEO, ColorJar) and a graphic designer. 

How did you come to work with ColorJar? 

We actually were working with another group and were so unsatisfied that we began thinking about who could replace them. I’d met David years ago. His name was already in the back of my head, so I gave him a call. I went over to his office and had a good introductory conversation. We had such a good rapport that I showed them the scope of work and the contract. They offered to take over the project and match the existing terms and the scope. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $60,000–$80,000. 

What is the status of this engagement? 

The project took place between June–December 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything they did for us was great. The graphic designer did an awesome job. They met all the deadlines and exceeded my expectations. The building won’t be finished until June, and we're not going to begin leasing until May. We just launched our temporary website that includes a section for people to sign up to get information about the building. It’s really nicely done so we’re getting early interest from potential renters.

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint? 

Their team is great. The length of the project was due to me because there were times when I had to handle other important business and real estate issues. They were always able to quickly jump back in the driver's seat and provide the next deliverable. Also, the process required significant upfront work in terms of having to convince the rest of my executive team that we needed a new brand. ColorJar could have done the whole project in a month or two if I’d been able to give as much direction as they needed in real time. I was happy with their communication, work ethic, and timing.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

ColorJar has a lean team that has genuine expertise in everything from branding and typologies to iconography. They definitely have sound fundamentals, but they've also got a unique philosophy about naming and branding. Instead of asking us to tell them what the value proposition was, they looked into our business and helped us create that message in an honest way. They acted like an extension of our in-house marketing team.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, we had a really great experience them. Another positive was their transparency with the scope. They were good about communicating when we ventured off of our scope, as well as coming up with fair proposals for any changes. ColorJar did a great job of managing our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-CEO and managing director of the food and agriculture fund for Sandbox Industries. We were initially an incubation company, but transitioned into the venture management space.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

We wanted to refresh our company’s brand to reflect our new direction and evolving service portfolio.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, ColorJar guided us through a painstaking discussion stage to help conceptualize the future of Sandbox and our desired vision. Once we agreed on a brand strategy, the team fully designed and developed our website, and created promotional materials, company guidelines, and a statement book to share with potential clients.

What is the team composition?

I worked mainly with one representative, but there were a few other people involved.

How did you come to work with ColorJar?

I was familiar with their past work and favorable reputation within Chicago’s tech community. They had previously partnered with many companies that I respected and we decided to reach out for an interview. We ultimately chose ColorJar because they were a smaller corporation and could provide more attention from senior-level employees.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $100,000­–$250,000 on the rebrand.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2013–June 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received several positive responses to the rebrand from members of the investment community. Additionally, our employees were very receptive to the new brand and company values.

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint?

I have no complaints in regards to ColorJar’s project management. The only hold-ups in the project resulted from our own inability to make decisions. Their team kept us on track as best they could. Their flexibility allowed for effective collaboration throughout the engagement.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are extremely knowledgeable in their field and fully embraced each task. I was very happy with the level attention we received from their senior employees. We felt that their team was invested in our company’s success.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Their service was great, given the fact that we were a challenging client.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of a company that manufactures aerospace and defense components, primarily for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and prime aircraft makers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

We had purchased the business from a family that had owned it for 47 years, and the look and feel of the brand needed to be overhauled. This included a new logo, website, color scheme, and positioning. We wanted our employees to feel like they were a part of something that’s new and fresh. We also wanted to make clear to our customers that we’re investing in the business to create a better experience for them.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially had several phone calls with the ColorJar team, and they joined us onsite for a couple of days. We walked them through everything from what our company does to what our strengths and weaknesses are in terms of our capabilities. They used all the information we provided to position the company effectively and create a new logo as well. Final deliverables included the logo, an updated website, key messaging and language, and a brand guidebook with various templates for presentations and marketing materials.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with the CEO and a few other executives, and occasionally other members of the team would be involved in conversations about specific aspects of the brand.

How did you come to work with ColorJar?

I was introduced to David several years ago but didn’t end up working with him then. For this project, we had interviewed a few local companies. ColorJar was extremely professional, and their portfolio showed a much higher standard of quality than their competitors. This combined with low pricing made them an easy choice for the project.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in April 2017, and they sent the final deliverables in August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve received a lot of positive internal feedback from employees that have been here for many years. They’ve really appreciated the work we’ve done with ColorJar.

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint?

I didn’t have any complaints. We used Basecamp to track progress and share documents, and the whole process was well coordinated by our project manager.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The CEO is very impressive. The way he communicates and processes information made him stand out during the interview process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Any delays were usually on our end. They were great to work with, and there isn’t anything we would’ve wanted done differently.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CEO for a food service company in Chicago. We provide specialty food services to various cultural institutions in the city, as well as private events such as weddings.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

While we’d previously handled our marketing in-house, we decided to outsource some of the marketing responsibilities.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ColorJar is putting together a comprehensive marketing program. We’ve reviewed all of our marketing materials with them. They’re in the process now of working on everything from brand strategy to brand guidelines.

What is the team composition?

We work with two members of their team.

How did you come to work with ColorJar?

We reached out to some of our contacts in the community for assistance. We researched 10 companies and we narrowed the list down to three finalists. We ended up choosing ColorJar because we felt they were the best fit. They have a similar philosophy and culture to ours so we’re comfortable with them. We also really liked their competencies and their approach to business. We felt we could work well together.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $100,000–$250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in August 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've gotten very robust, positive feedback from various parts of the business. Everyone is pleased with the work they are doing and the products that they’re producing for us.

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very organized, very detailed, and very effective. We have weekly meetings where we involve different members of our teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When we first thought about outsourcing our marketing, we were apprehensive about the level of ownership and engagement. ColorJar is very committed and engaged. They truly act like an extension of our business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I haven’t gotten any negative feedback about their work. It takes a while to develop synergies with any new relationship, but it didn't take long with them because they're so committed to us. I really don't have any criticism or concern.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a co-founder and CEO of Rentalutations. We offer a platform that improves rental experience for do-it-yourself landlords and their tenants.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

We wanted to improve our brand messaging and brand identity, so we were looking for a company to help us with that.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was a three-step process. The first phase was developing the brand foundation: we identified our business, our mission statement, user personas, and company values. That process helped us clarify why the brand exists.

During the second phase, we were developing the brand identity: we chose our name, colors, a logo, and other brand assets. The third phase was focused on putting all those assets together in a clear way and building brand expressions that resonated with the users we identified in phase one.

What is the team composition?

We had several people on our team, but we mostly worked with David (Gardner, Fonder and CEO, ColorJar).

How did you come to work with them?

They have a great reputation in the Chicago tech community. Besides, some of our investors and advisors recommended ColorJar to us. We met with several firms, but we felt most comfortable with ColorJar.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We received positive feedback from our internal team and our employee engagement has increased. The platform is not live yet, so we haven’t launched a brand either.

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an excellent job and performed a project pre-mortem, addressing all the potential issues that could derail or hinder the project. They're great communicators and included us in discussions when needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very experienced and thoughtful. We provided a lot of feedback at every stage and they were very responsive to it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the vice president of marketing for a restaurant chain. We own, manage, and operate over 100 restaurants throughout the US. We have locations in Arizona, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Washington, DC.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with ColorJar?

We worked with another firm when we first launched the site in 2008. Our old website was outdated and very large, so we wanted to build a new one. We needed a partner who could redesign, improve it technically, and launch it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

ColorJar is providing full-scope development for our WordPress site. Depending on the portion of our project, there are between five and ten people from ColorJar working on the site.

How did you come to work with ColorJar?

Someone on our team had a relationship with ColorJar’s founder, David Gardner. We were interested in working with a local company from Chicago that understood our restaurants and had possibly even dined in them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We had our initial talks with ColorJar at the end of 2015. The project started at the beginning of 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We plan to launch the first phase of the site in June 2017. The analytics behind it and the number of users accessing the site will be my main priorities for the project. The goal is to take the existing data from our current website and see some improved key performance indicators. We also need to make sure that the user experience is better. We will be focused on the backend data and will work with ColorJar on a continuous basis, making sure that the site is meeting everyone’s needs.

How did ColorJar perform from a project management standpoint?

Our current project manager is incredible. The start was a bit rocky because ColorJar’s manager didn’t push us as much as we’d have liked. ColorJar recognized this and changed our project manager. The person we’re working with now is excellent.

What did you find most impressive about ColorJar?

We appreciate how much ColorJar cares about us, our site, and our business. This has led to the positive relationship we have. They wanted to be an extension of our team and really be a part of the process. ColorJar dove in and immersed themselves in as much information as was possible. I found that to be impressive.

Are there any areas ColorJar could improve?

We are working with some very vocal partners on our side who are not necessarily technical people. ColorJar could have managed expectations a bit better with our partners, which came down to the project manager we were working with. We’ve learned a lesson and determined that we had to be strict with milestones and deadlines. There are many opinions in our organization, so I don’t completely fault ColorJar. It’s hard to please everyone. Once we regrouped and reset, the process became seamless.