Creative Brand Design

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the Chief Marketing Officer for eSmart Systems. We develop, design, and execute solutions that help utilities inspect their critical infrastructure and manage the information on their critical infrastructure using advanced analytics and big data.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Brand Design?

When I first started with eSmart Systems last year, I inherited their existing website and online profile. The website was not the best website based on messaging and look and feel. We wanted to implement a digital, mobile-first approach to our marketing strategy, so we went to Creative Brand Design to help us achieve that by first establishing our digital footprint with our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Following our rebrand, Creative Brand Design designed and developed a WordPress website for us from scratch. They used the files that our branding agency provided us as a starting point and delivered a product that made us stand out from our competitors. They integrated the site with our HubSpot instance as well as the other third-party tools that we’re using. 

We started the engagement by showing Creative Brand Design our competitors’ websites. After that, they conducted market research and analyzed our brand to understand what we do as a company. They then worked with us on the wireframes. We had quite a few iterations through the wireframing stage. Once the wireframes were signed off, we then went into the development phase.

Their creative director took control of the site going live and managed the transition because they're also going to be hosting our website. Additionally, they also did post-live testing to make sure that the site works in all formats.

Additionally, Creative Brand Design is also handling our SEO efforts to make sure that our site is optimized.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a creative director, a creative designer, and a project manager from Creative Brand Design.

How did you come to work with Creative Brand Design?

I found Creative Brand Design through my own research. I did my own due diligence and narrowed down our choices to eight providers, and Creative Brand Design stood out.

From our first interaction, we knew that they had a defined approach. We chose them because they customize the sites’ designs based on the client’s brand, which was something that we wanted for us as well.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent £10,000 (Approximately $12,400 USD) on the whole website.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2021, and we’re still working with them on the site’s hosting.
 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don’t have any metrics to date since we only launched the site last week. We're still doing post-live testing and are hoping to start promoting the site next week. However, I’m very impressed with Creative Brand Design’s process and the time they've taken to deliver something of really good quality. What they've done for our company is really amazing.

How did Creative Brand Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Creative Brand Design has performed well in terms of project management. They’re always transparent. They walked us through their entire process, provided us with an accurate timeline estimate, and met all of their deadlines.

We typically communicate via email. They do have a system set up for us now for help desk calls and other things, but we haven't started using that yet. They also use various collaborative tools where we can look at their designs and comment on them in real-time. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’m most impressed with Creative Brand Design’s cost-effectiveness and transparency. I really like how they provided us with unique designs that match our brand, unlike other companies that just provide cookie-cutter pages that everyone else is already using. We definitely feel like the value we get from Creative Brand Design is fivefold the amount of money we’ve spent on them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no complaints.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to ask a lot of questions upfront, and whenever you have more questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to them. It’s also a good idea to be honest about what you do and don’t understand.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are All Things Drinks - an online drinks company that delivers delicious drinks to your doorstep across the UK. I am the co-Founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Creative Brand Design, and what were your goals?

We discovered Creative Brand Design (CBD) while doing a google search to help us create our unique website. They also helped us create our brand logo and colours.

SOLUTION

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

After looking into a few other companies, we found CBD to be the best at understanding our needs and coming up with a realistic budget for the project and clear demonstration of their abilities to make our dream a reality.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Working closely with our account manager, I am so proud and truly love what they have created for our website - All Things Drinks. The staff are great at understanding what your needs are, turning them into achievable goals and completing them thoroughly. I also really enjoy working with CBD as they seem to love a creative challenge and never say never to any wild idea I may have! They simply help me create that idea into a realistic project and arrange a payment plan to achieve this timely.

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

I work very closely with my account manager - who I absolutely adore! I have also worked with the founder, wireframe specialist and SEO specialist.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

They firstly set up our e-commerce platform and worked with us to make sure all the settings were right. The latest project was creating bespoke landing pages which have increased our average time per page as customers can navigate the range in a more visual format.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They use their inhouse ticking system which allows for you to set the urgency of the issue and someone is always available to help. The team has also guided me on using various tools to give them comprehensive feedback which speeds up their ability to understand and execute a solution.

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

What I like most about them is their ability to understand if something isn't exactly how you want it and fix it in a skilled and empathetic way. There is no blaming or back and forth - simply what needs fixing and they get on with it! I would highly recommend them for anybody looking to develop a website and especially to those who have a vision.

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

From my experience, maybe they could look into growing their team.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the product designer at an innovative coffee brewing company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Brand Design?

We hired Creative Brand Design to develop a website for our product. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Creative Brand Design has designed and developed our WooCommerce website to sell our product. The site has a custom-built subscription package that allows users to choose which product they want to subscribe to. Users can also customize the product to fit their needs. 

Creative Brand Design’s team broke down each step of the project — we started with a meeting to discuss the project. Once that meeting concluded, Creative Brand Design provided us with a project scope statement highlighting the services they’d carry out. Creative Brand Design then led a discovery process and researched our market. After that, their team developed the wireframes and completed back- and frontend development. My team provided feedback during each stage of the development process. 

Although the first website is complete, we plan to extend the scope of work to include another website development project. We need Creative Brand Design to develop a website for our sister company.

What is the team composition?

We only had direct contact with the project manager. 

How did you come to work with Creative Brand Design?

We looked into several web developers but liked Creative Brand Design’s team— their services stood out from the competition.  

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested £6,000 (approximately $8,000 USD) with Creative Brand Design for the website project. However, we plan to invest another £6,000 (approximately $8,000 USD) on the second project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership with Creative Brand Design began in September 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We track site traffic via Google Analytics to see if the new site increases our traffic. 

How did Creative Brand Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Creative Brand Design uses a custom portal to manage the projects — my team has access to it and submit tickets and raise queries. Creative Brand Design generally sticks to budgets and communicates well via email, although communication declined a bit when the project manager was away. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with Creative Brand Design’s portfolio — they’d worked with other subscription-based coffee companies, which reinforced my confidence in Creative Brand Design’s abilities. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Creative Brand Design should speed up their response time and provide a more comprehensive breakdown at the beginning of each project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise customers to invest time in finding what kinds of websites they like and taking notes of the user flows and interactions — that information should be relayed to Creative Brand Design. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a short-term rental agency in London. We work with leisure and business travellers in providing them with short let solutions in London.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Creative Brand Design, and what were your goals?

I hired Creative Brand Design to fully design and develop my company website and logo.

SOLUTION

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

At first, I contacted around 10 companies in UK to design my company logo. I decided to chose Creative Brand Design because they were quick in answering, professional, and the price they offered was interesting. I also liked the work they have done with other companies. Once the logo was finished, I was very happy with the design and the way the work was handled. Therefore, I decided to trust them with my website design as well.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Below are the 6 phases of the website development: Phase 1 Discovery Phase 2 Wireframing Phase 3 Prototyping & Concept Delivery Phase 4 Development, Extended Operation & Functionality Phase 5 Content & Tweaks Phase 6 Testing & Launching

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

At first, I was in contact with the business development manager. During the whole duration of the project, I was in contact with the studio manager who advised and helped me during all the phases of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

I had very positive feedback on the website from partners and clients.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

I really liked the fact that Creative Brand Design asked me to which level I wanted to be involved in the progress of the project. I found that very professional. Communication was great, and I didn't have any surprises at any stage.

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

During the development of the website : their professionalism and the fact that they understood exactly what I was expecting. Creative Brand Design sent me a clear proposal for the project and before starting any work, I had to fill in a very precise questionnaire about the company (audience, target, competition...).

I also liked the fact that everything could be done through their portal. If I had any comment regarding the design or anything, I could just go online and pin a comment or ask for a change, to which they would respond to. I also think that the result is stunning, and correspond to what I was expecting.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the managing director of Cranleigh Magazine. We run two sections; print and online. We print 7,800 copies of our magazine, deliver them to the local area, and also publish online to establish our digital presence.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Brand Design?

When we started the magazine six years ago, I was aware that a lot of magazines were dying off, so I needed to design a new magazine that could also be published online.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Creative Brand Design has been with us since the magazine’s inception. I wanted to have a freshly printed magazine, and an equally fresh online presence so we would have dual facilities if ever our online presence would kick in at a higher rate in the future. We’ve done 71 issues so far, and it’s all archived on the website — which is one of the ideas that we put into the design requisite. Every single thing that we do is archived as a PDF that anyone can refer to.

We initially told them we wanted a website and a really good local online presence. We also asked them to establish our Facebook, and Twitter since we have a reasonable following on both platforms.

I’m not quite sure of all the technicalities of the development, but we also told them that we wanted a listing system, so that any business that comes to our magazine would be listed immediately on the website. These businesses could use the listing system to advertise their services and products, so we requested a listing system with a paid advertising feature.

The platform was built on WordPress so that we could upload content ourselves — we also asked them to build our logo and optimize our SEO. They set up our emails and have been hosting our website since its creation.

Moreover, Creative Brand Design helped us by doing paid ads on Google, so if someone wanted to find information about the local area, we would come up first.

What is the team composition?

We worked with designers, SEO specialists, and copywriters. They also had technical experts who worked on the backend of the website.

How did you come to work with Creative Brand Design?

They came quite highly recommended to us. I chatted with a couple of people who introduced me to a member of the company.

How much have you invested in them?

We spent around £5,000 GBP (approximately $6,800 USD). We had a certain amount of money to play with, and we wanted to keep the project within our budget. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked from September–November 2015. We still go back to them when we need to implement new features, and if we have any long-term projects, we will certainly be using their comprehensive service.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I found them to be very professional and the quality of their service was 100%. They delivered what I asked on schedule and they never went over our budget. At some stage, we may upgrade the whole site, so I would definitely go to them for a complete site review.

How did Creative Brand Design perform from a project management standpoint?

All my queries were answered through their ticketing system. Every time we sent a request for help, our ticket gets logged and we’ll get a response saying they will deal with it as soon as possible. Moreover, there was usually an opportunity to speak to a specialist, whether for SEO or coding — we found that that was a very good way of doing it rather than having a mass of phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the things that I liked about them was they were quite innovative. The internet is changing all the time, so it’s hard to keep up half the time — however, they always seemed to be on the pulse.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t really put a finger on something like that. They actually look after clients no matter how big or small. They’ve grown a lot over the years, and they’ve become more sophisticated as a company in what they can achieve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would highly recommend them. Go in with a completely open mind, and let them meet your brief to take you further forward.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there?

I’m the operations director at CitySpec Specialist Pest Management, a pest control company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Brand Design?

We needed their help in optimizing our online presence.

SOLUTION

SOLUTION 
What was the scope of their involvement?

Creative Brand Design supports our digital marketing pipeline by helping us acquire a higher Google ranking and reach out to a wider audience. We've kicked off our engagement with a brainstorming session, wherein we've relayed our targets and current statistics to help their team formulate tailored strategies for us.

Based on the information they've collated, Creative Brand Design has expanded our existing site sections and features and produced additional content to optimize our overall UX. They've also designed our landing pages, taking our specific target locations into consideration.

Creative Brand Design's ongoing work for us centers on SEO, PPC, and social media marketing. Additionally, they're in charge of our web hosting and site maintenance efforts to ensure that our platform is always at its ideal state.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is their project manager, who oversees a team of developers, designers, engineers, and digital marketing specialists. 

How did you come to work with Creative Brand Design?

Creative Brand Design recommended to us — upon learning about their team, we reached out to them for a trial. We were truly impressed with their performance, so we decided to officially onboard them as our creative partner.

How much have you invested with them?
 
We've spent about £80,000–£90,000 (approximately $111,000–$125,000 USD) so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement commenced in February 2012.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Creative Brand Design has elevated the quality of our website, making it more sophisticated and user-friendly. They've integrated concise yet unique sections, which have evidently improved our clients' navigation experience. 

As for their team's marketing efforts, we've seen a 70% increase in our inquiry rate, and we now have more marketing opportunities to explore through our robust metrics. Overall, Creative Brand Design continues to prove that our long-term investment in their team is worthwhile, and we can't thank them enough.

How did Creative Brand Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate via email and phone calls and conduct periodic in-person meetings. Creative Brand Design has top-notch project management skills — they always bring productive and innovative ideas to the table, so our expectations are exceeded every time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Our near-decade partnership is enough proof that we find Creative Brand Design as a goal-oriented and reliable team. They take the time to understand our needs and always make an effort to keep things moving forward —  this personalized and dedicated approach truly makes us feel like they're a part of our internal team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I struggle to think of anything — they've been a perfect partner to us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared with an outline of what you want to achieve for your business. Creative Brand Design will surely understand and even refine your ideas to deliver the best results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the product marketing manager for Genvid Technologies, a middleware company working in entertainment. I was the main liaison with CBD for the project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Creative Brand Design?

To design, develop and maintain a new website

SOLUTION

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

Through an RFP submission and direct conference calls. CB Design consistently impressed with their ambition, grasping of complex concepts and attention to detail

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

Once we'd conducted the initial discovery process, which was largely undertaken through CB Design's own initiative, they began their core design. We were presented with several alternatives and once we had made our choice, we began the wireframing process. After a series of revisions and updates design work began in earnest, then actual development and deployment.

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

I worked directly with four key members of CBD's staff - the UI/UX design lead, the head developer, the studio manager and the founder.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The process was a challenging one, because of our very specific needs, complex product and the fact that most of our stakeholders are in a different time zone. CB Design managed all of this in a responsive and diligent way, creating a beautiful and highly functional site which meets all of our needs. We've signed ongoing hosting and maintenance contracts and wouldn't hesitate to work with them again.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Despite the time differences for many staff, CB Design were efficient and effective communicators, managing a blend of formal video meetings and direct messaging through Slack.

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

The grasp of the concepts involved was excellent, and every stage of the process was professionally and creatively handled. Everyone I dealt with was consistently pleasant and thoroughly competent.

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

We went over timeframe, but this was largely in part to our own revisions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I own the business. We have three e-commerce businesses in the UK and in one of them, we sell audio vacuum tubes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Creative Brand Design?

We were trying to reach as many customers as possible with the budget and facilities we had.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Creative Brand designed our Magento website that’s integrated with PayPal, and they migrated all the product data to it. They also designed our branding and logo, and they’re currently handling SEO and website security.

We’re in a niche market so it’s very difficult to have an image. We have to describe our products in a way that people can understand, to make it easier for them to click and buy. This is one of the major areas where Creative Brand helps us.

They’ve offered us social media marketing services, but we don’t have the kind of business that would go well with that.

What is the team composition?

I have two points of contact, their director and a technician. I don’t know how many people are working behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Creative Brand Design?

I live in a small village in the southeast of the UK, and I’m a believer in supporting local businesses. Creative Brand Design is based in the locality, and that’s how I got involved with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’re spending $5,000–$10,000 per year with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Creative in May or June 2014. We had a major upgrade in 2019, and we’ve had two redesigns in-between. The collaboration is still ongoing, as we’re planning to do a Magento upgrade.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results are pretty good. We started with sales of £50–£60 per day, but now, we’re getting £400 per day just on the website alone.

How did Creative Brand Design perform from a project management standpoint?

It’s very easy to contact them if we have any issues and we get replies quickly to our emails. Either they fix the issue straight away, or they schedule it for us. They’re quite busy, so I wouldn’t expect them to fix an issue within five minutes, but they get things done.

They provide us a platform where we can check the progress of the work. Most of the communication is through email, because it provides a log of the conversations as opposed to phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re people that we can actually talk to. Interactions with certain providers can be quite robotic. Here, I get responses from people I can relate to.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They need to get even bigger. They have a huge volume of work, so they need to expand.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I’ve recommended them to a couple of people already.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director of Cranfold Developments a Property Development company based in Surrey & West Sussex

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Creative Brand Design?

To build a website in order to give us an online presence to showcase our developments to potential purchasers as well as advertise the contracting side of the business.

SOLUTION

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

Having reviewed web designers in our area we decided on Creative Brand Design due to the professionalism and knowledge.

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

After a number of meeting to discuss the brief and goals of the project, we received various design options for the main page. Once the theme was chosen, the design was finalised with feed back provided at various stages.

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

In total, we worked closely with two people, a project manager and a designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was completed on time and on budget. Site traffic has increased significantly and we continue to receive positive feedback on the website.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager was easy to communicate with and we received frequent updates both in person and via phone.

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

Their knowledge and understanding of the brief and their ability to take this through to the end.

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

Nothing. Very impressed throughout every stage of the process.