Division of Labor

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of brand and strategy at Lively, a modern HSA firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Divison of Labor?

We launched in 2017, so we’re a newer company. It’s important for us to get our brand awareness up and out into the market. We partnered with Division of Labor to target our consumers and expose them to Lively and to what an HSA is. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Division of Labor’s work mostly involved out-of-home advertising on billboards and in train stations. In addition to providing strategic support, they created all of the creative assets and designs that we used for our media placements. 

They also built landing pages for the collateral and created visual ads to go along with them. All we did was resize the assets to make sure that they fit the required dimensions of the different placements. 

What is the team composition?

We mostly work with three teammates: Josh (Founder & Creative Director), Rebecca (Account Director), and another creative director. 

How did you come to work with Divison of Labor?

I was looking for agencies in the market, mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area. I looked at sites like AdWeek and the awards that these agencies had. Division of Labor popped up very quickly. 

After interviewing four finalists in the review process to understand their services and if they’d be a good fit, we wended up going with Division of Labor. We chose them because they were a small team so we knew we’d be working with the experts. 

Additionally, their prices were quite competitive, and they offered us a good rate because we were a new startup while allowing us to grow with them as our ad spending needs increased.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $50,000–$100,000 on agency fees. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in July 2019, and it’s ongoing. We’re about to finish up our contract, but that’s based on the economic climate, not on their services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re one of the few HSA providers that’s D2C. There wasn’t a roadmap or competitive example for Division of Labor to follow or imitate, so they had to do a lot of research to see what was used in similar spaces, whether it was health insurance or FinTech companies. They then had to pull from that and apply it to the HSA. It was a pretty big ask from a strategy standpoint to help us go to market in a way we had never done before.

As a newer brand, we needed to make an impact in the market. Their creative was big and bold but didn’t go too far because we are a FinTech and health care service company. Users keep their money with us. We needed to be thoughtful about that.

Division of Labor helped us strike a balance between being a bold company while making our users feel secure. From a deliverables standpoint, the team really helped us enter the major markets. We had media buys in some of the largest media markets including Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, and Houston.

The year-over-year (YoY) lift for these interval markets was phenomenal. While we were focused on this unusual market, it also made a good impact on our employer market. We’re seeing these ads driving business to us in those areas, which was completely unexpected but speaks to Division of Labor's ability to connect to our audience.

How did Divison of Labor perform from a project management standpoint?

Working with three teammates makes the project very intimate, which is exactly what we were looking for. We communicate over email, and Rebecca sets the cadence and follows it very precisely. For one of our campaigns, we started later than we should’ve. 

To be able to move at the speed that a startup requires is quite phenomenal for an agency. Rebecca was very proactive in terms of giving us all of the information and explicit feedback on the next steps. They hit every milestone. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were tasked with building a first-in-market experience for us, which is always a challenge. As a company, we didn’t know exactly what that looked like so our strategy notes weren’t as precise as those of a larger corporation. But the team did a really good job of dealing with less information, becoming experts in our field, and delivering a creative campaign that stood out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions. Everything has gone really well so far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Putting together a comprehensive creative brief is an important first step when dealing with an agency because it helps them understand your thought process. It should include style guides, brand assets, and the tone of voice you want to use. From there, Division of Labor can work from that.

That was one of the learnings from our process and the team helped coach us on that. We’ve now incorporated it into our process so that if this comes up again, we’re more prepared. It also helps the team move at the speed at which you want to move because they’re not stuck researching your business; they can spend more time developing beautiful creative.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder and executive director of a nonprofit called Cool the Earth. We have a mission to engage individuals in reducing their carbon footprint as a way to slow global warming.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Division of Labor?

We’re launching a new campaign called Drive Clean to motivate and inspire individuals to switch from driving a gas car to driving an electric car. We hired Division of Labor to help us reach the broader consumer market in the Bay Area.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, we needed to identify a target audience and wanted to reach people who were ready to make the switch to electric vehicles. Division of Labor helped us become more focused, define our goals, and determine what is achievable within our budget. Collaborating with our team, they helped us create a strategy.

They proposed three different concepts, and we selected our favorite. However, we had a setback and weren’t able to secure the funds for that campaign. They worked with us to determine another option that would fit our needs and our budget. We didn’t have funding for market research, but they

What is the team composition?

We had a team of about four people involved.

How did you come to work with Division of Labor?

There was another nonprofit who was running an electric vehicle ad that we really loved. We did a bit of research and found out that Division of Labor was behind that campaign. We reached out to them and they were flexible with our changing circumstances.  

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$50,000.  

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2019 and the project is ongoing. Although we’ve already received all of their deliverables, the campaign is set to launch soon.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In focus groups, the impact of their work was obvious. A few of their concepts would make people burst out laughing. I was astounded that they were able to make something as serious as climate change, humorous. They have an amazing ability to grab people’s attention and evoke emotion simply with pictures and words.

How did Division of Labor perform from a project management standpoint?

They were responsive and jumped on any issues immediately. Their creativity and preparation were absolutely key to our project’s success. I really appreciated that they were able to come up with another concept that would fit within our budget.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They intuitively knew what our target audience should be and were able to create an authentic and catchy campaign.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This was entirely new to us, and I think the sometimes assumed we would understand some of the technical aspects. Though we didn’t know what they meant and needed to ask questions, they were still responsive and willing to help.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to new ideas and testing new concepts. We went into the project thinking we knew our audience and how to appeal to them, but there’s a reason you hire a creative team. Sometimes your own ideas just don’t work, but they’re able to create a better and more effective concept.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the medical director of a non-hospital multi-specialty medical group.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Division of Labor?

Back in 2014, we launched a tattoo ablation business to augment additional revenue streams. This was our first experience with non-B2B advertising and so we tapped Division of Labor to provide market strategy, and creative that would appeal to a consumer market.

What were your goals for this project?

Bring in a steady revenue stream for the company that did not rely on insurance reimbursement.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I got a recommendation from a marketing consultant for three different agencies. Of my options, Division of Labor had the best creative ideas at a reasonable price point for a start up.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They developed a radio campaign with multiple executions as well as a website and all the components necessary for a social media campaign

What was the team composition?

I worked closely with Josh, the creative director and an account executive whose name I do not recall.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The campaign was a major success. Josh presented me with three different creative options, one conservative, one middle of the road, and the third super edgy. He recommended we run the super edgy one because it would appeal to our target market. But he also warned me that I would likely offend some people, but I shouldn't worry because they weren't our target market anyway. I decided to go for it. He was right, we did get a few complaints, but I can say with certainty that no one that called us was in the market to get a tattoo removed. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Entire process was seamless.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I really appreciated their transparency throughout the process. I got a ballpark of what I could expect to spend. And, in the end, it was all dead accurate.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of branding at Opendoor, a real estate startup. We buy homes directly from homeowners and resell them on the market. This process helps homeowners have a hassle-free sale so that they don't have to deal with listing the property and waiting for someone to buy it.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Division of Labor?

We engaged Division of Labor for marketing work that we hoped would generate brand awareness for this new and revolutionary service.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We agreed to a six-month project that started with assessing our brand positioning. They conducted research to help us craft a more explicit framework, which we then used to drive the development of an extensive multi-channeled advertising campaign. Division of Labor presented us with three different concepts for the initiative. Once we selected our preference, their team devised plans for television, digital, radio, and out-of-home advertisements. After they wrote the relevant scripts and planned all of the messaging, Division of Labor also served as the production company to create all of the assets.

What is the team composition?

Part of what made our engagement a success was that we dealt with a small team. It was very cut and dry in that we had a point person for everything. In addition to Josh (Partner/Creative Director, Division of Labor), we worked with an account manager, a designer, a production person, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Division of Labor?

Both my boss, the VP of marketing, and I have worked with Division of Labor at our previous companies. We conducted an RFP process with them and a few other agencies, but ultimately we were the most comfortable with Division of Labor given our experience with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The total project cost was approximately $350,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement spanned December 2017–June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We tested our campaign for three months in only one city—Raleigh, North Carolina—and in that market, we grew our brand awareness by about 40%, which we considered almost unheard of. Division of Labor delivered incredible results, and we’re already exploring the possibility of working together on another project in the future.

How did Division of Labor perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management methods were fantastic. If our project manager was ever unavailable, Division of Labor always made a consultant available to fill that role. They were proactive in their communication by offering regular updates, check-in meetings, and Asana notes. Division of Labor always made an effort to help us understand where we were in the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Josh was hands-on in all components of the project. He brainstormed concepts, wrote scripts, and helped to direct the production itself. I appreciated how collaborative Josh was as the creative director of the company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we worked very well together.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise future clients to have a strong sense of the tone or identity they’re trying to present as a brand. Division of Labor can work around ambiguity to a certain extent, but having an initial direction will help the creative process go as smoothly as possible.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As the VP of Brand Development and Innovation at Kelly Services, I'm responsible for revitalizing our brand. Kelly is an iconic company, a trailblazer in the workforce solutions space. We seek to advise our job seeker and client audience on what's next for the modern workforce/workplace.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Division of Labor?

Division of Labor has been instrumental in helping bring our brand strategy to life across digital media. Most recently we contracted with them to help us articulate and activate a strong message in Times Square on a seven-story digital tower.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to showcase an energetic career arc across the large tower graphic. The primary campaign driver has increased brand awareness.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Division of Labor has been part of our brand development journey since mid-2017. As one of our short-listed agency partners, they help us with creative activations on a project basis.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The Division of Labor team listened carefully to understand the precise challenge we were trying to solve for. Once strategy and goals were set, they came up with a project plan and timing elements. They developed the creative assets, giving us many checkpoints along the way. The idea was to show all the different career opportunities that we can provide to job seekers, such as connecting them with flexible employment opportunities across a variety of work styles. 

What was the team composition?

We worked with a lead strategist, a lead project manager, and a host of creative and digital experts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

As a result of the Times Square tower graphic, we developed a series of micro ad blocks to drive further awareness of our leadership position. Final metrics will be available from those campaigns in another 45-60 days.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was seamless. Julie (project manager, Division of Labor) went above and beyond to ensure that the end deliverable was aligned to our brand. Their whole team was excellent at communicating, and produced all assets in a timely fashion.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Division of Labor provided speed, creativity, and collaboration. Their team is a natural extension of our brand team at Kelly Services.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can think of. As we continue to work together, they will only become more adept at understanding the cultural preferences and nuances of our brand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m the manager of technology and programs for a nonprofit. We’re a public-private partnership with the mission of raising awareness of electric cars in California. My role in the last year has been to lead a large scale outreach campaign.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Division of Labor?

California has ambitious goals for air quality, climate change, and energy security. The state set targets for electric car sales with a goal of having five million electric cars on the road by 2030. Our nonprofit formed to raise awareness because many consumers aren’t aware of electric vehicles as an option or have misperceptions about the cars. We needed an external agency to help us with a campaign to raise awareness. Once people get interested and excited about electric cars, then hopefully they will explore them for their own driving needs.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Division of Labor to identify target audiences as well as develop creative ideas on how to reach those audiences. They did the planning work to come up with a paid and earned media plan, and then we continued to work with them to implement that plan. They ended up implementing a scaled-down version of the plan because our budget wasn't as robust as we hoped. 

Division of Labor developed the logo and tagline for the campaign named Electric For All. They also came up with the overarching creative used throughout the campaign. They implemented a social digital campaign that included ads on Facebook and Instagram. They put together a plan for us to do various posts to drive earned media and organic search. 

What is the team composition?

Our day-to-day project leads were the two principals of the agency. They would tap into their other experts as needed throughout the engagement. 

How did you come to work with Division of Labor? 

In 2017, our staff went to our board of directors with a budget request to hire a creative agency to help us plan the campaign. We put out an RFP and tried to reach as many agencies as possible. Someone who knew Division of Labor recommended that we make sure they got the RFP. Their proposal stood out as the top response.

How much have you invested with them?

In total, we probably spent $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We executed the first agreement in December 2017 and ended our formal relationship in March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Division of Labor was creative, and the campaign was well received. One metric we cared about is how many people saw the campaign between October–December 2018 and took further action. There were about 21,000 hits to the automaker website to learn more about specific vehicles. They definitely beat all benchmarks with the social digital campaign as far as the number of views and hits to our videos and ads. We were happy with those results. 

How did Division of Labor perform from a project management standpoint? 

We were quite pleased with Division of Labor. They were responsive and willing to adjust based on our input and feedback. They were always on time, on task, and within budget. They worked well with us to meet our needs and were flexible in dealing with our different personalities. We communicated through phone calls and email. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

Their creative ideas were exceptional. Their willingness to do what it took to get the job done was excellent. We appreciated working with them, and we highly recommend them to others. 

Are there any areas they could improve? 

No, not that I can think of. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Although they were flexible, it's always good to be clear on expectations upfront. Having the number of meetings and travel plans established will help get the budget nailed down without any surprises.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the COO of an online platform for legal content distribution. Our target audience is general counsels at major Fortune 500 companies and attorney generals within state and federal governments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Division of Labor?

We needed to raise our company profile and position our platform both within and outside the legal industry. My team wanted to complete a brand analysis to see where our brand might be underdeveloped within the legal industry and professional services.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Division of Labor analyzed our business and the legal industry. They added usability functionalities to our WordPress website and updated how the site was categorized and cataloged. The team also worked on our logo.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Josh (Co-Founder & Creative Director, Division of Labor) and Paul (Former Co-Founder & Creative Director, Division of Labor). My team also engaged with some strategists, a website developer, and an art director.

How did you come to work with Division of Labor?

Josh and Paul had previously done award-winning work for me when I was in the banking industry, and they were at another design agency.

How much have you invested with them?

Our costs were in the low $100,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in September 2016–February 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although we don’t have specific branding metrics, Division of Labor’s branding work attracted more users and increased inquiries. Their website work has streamlined how users navigate the site and how quickly they find information. Our business grew 22% in 2017, whereas we had grown 10 or 11% the year prior. Our subscription renewal rate also went up.  

How did Division of Labor perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. The team was communicative and responsive; we knew where we stood every day. We communicated via Slack.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Branding our niche platform posed many complex challenges, but Division of Labor met our requirements. They even went beyond the scope of the project to deliver the best possible results. They provided many different options for solving our problems.

We were amazed by their different thought process. I think they’re one of the most creative agencies in the US and one of the top creative agencies in San Francisco.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they blew us away with their creative thinking and designs. There was nothing more they could’ve done.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be open-minded and ask them to provide as many alternative designs and approaches as possible. If you push them, they will come up with extraordinary ideas.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the director of marketing at Roku. Users can stream Netflix and other platforms to their TV through the internet.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Division of Labor?

Division of Labor created Roku’s first brand campaigns.

What were your goals for this project?

We need a campaign that would build the brand and increase sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I chose them based on their pitch.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Division of Labor delivered two years’ worth of brand ad campaigns. There were outdoor, radio, and digital ads. Along with the ads, their team executed and produced the strategy and taglines.

What was the team composition?

I worked with the senior creative team, their account staff, and production team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Division of Labor exceeded goals. Sales went up dramatically in test markets. Awareness also spiked. Our team was excited to see our company name everywhere. It was a fantastic feeling.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had an exceptional collaboration and partnership. I enjoyed working with their team. I appreciated their commitment to the business.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I loved their passion for creativity. They cared about my personal success and the success of my company.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No areas for improvement. I thought they were excellent.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the CMO of the LA Marathon, responsible for all media, marketing, PR, and UX decisions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Division of Labor?

We needed a multi-channel content marketing campaign that encompassed television, YouTube, UX, point-of-purchase, and other channels.

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking to increase our exposure, relevance, and inspiration around the event throughout Southern California and more widely.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I had a pre-existing relationship with them, so I knew how great they were. I felt lucky to work with them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They created a great tagline for the marathon: A Landmark Every Mile, as well as fantastic over a dozen different videos, print posters, medals, and mylar blankets for finishers. There were also official apparel designs, and much more. They came up with excellent ideas and knew how to execute everything.

What was the team composition?

We worked with Josh (Founder & Creative Director, Division of Labor).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They established a hugely successful TV and video campaign, which received a lot of positive feedback from all over the region. All of the elements exceeded our expectations and were fantastic: the shirts, signage, videos, collateral, and posters.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was great.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They’re smart, and they get things done.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can't name anything. I love working with them and would hire them again the first chance I get.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder of Spa Space, a downtown Chicago-based day spa.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Division of Labor?

We purchased several “bus wraps” for a marketing campaign.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase local awareness of our physical location and enhance our brand.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I saw their work in other contexts. I loved the modern and edgy feel of it.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Division of Labor developed the concept before designing all of the production work.

What was the team composition?

Josh (Partner & Creative Director) was my main contact, but he utilized other team members to execute on the vision.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A lot of clients comment on the humor and visibility of the campaign. It drove new traffic to the spa.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between our teams was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Division of Labor creates original messaging. I appreciated their attention to detail and output speed.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, there are none that I can think of.