Eastern Standard

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President & CEO of The Philly POPS

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The Philly POPS is a performing arts organization in its 44th year of presenting performances of popular music with a full symphony orchestra and beginning its tenth year with POPSinSchools, a supplemental education program partnered with the School District of Philadelphia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Eastern Standard to accomplish?

• Brand Overhaul and Maintenance
• New Website
• Season Designs for each year's program schedule

SOLUTION

How did you find Eastern Standard?

Networking

Why did you select Eastern Standard over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Eastern Standard were assigned to this project?

20 over time

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

Eastern Standard created the resonant Philly POPS branding when the new POPS was born in 2013-2014, giving the organization a colorful, pop culture connected, celebratory, fizz-y brand that stood out as unique in the marketplace. Ticket sales doubled. 

In addition, Eastern Standard built two websites that were flexible enough to carry immediate video content when performances were on hiatus during the pandemic. Our digital classroom content was particularly popular in 2020 and 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Ticket sales for our orchestra performances doubled. 
• Fundraising activity grew exponentially. 
• New products were introduced seamlessly.

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

Project Management was always responsive and timely. We had an unusual connection with the entire team. It was simply a joy to work with them.

What was your primary form of communication with Eastern Standard?

Email or Messaging App

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

There were two distinct areas of excellence. Their design's creativity and work's splashiness are always amazing. The responsiveness of the entire team, including top management, was equally impressive.

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

There were no areas which need improvement--if there was a small issue, it was resolved immediately.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I worked as the Communications Manager for a nonprofit public art organization that commissioned and installed outdoor sculpture.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Eastern Standard?

Our small organization had new and different types of public artworks that required print collateral to help clearly communicate the projects. The collateral needed to be branded for the organization but also meet the look and feel of each individual artwork.

SOLUTION

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

We were looking for a company that could work with our ever-changing needs since each project was so different from the other. We needed a classic but contemporary feel for the designs that utilized full-bleed, large images.

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

After a series of meetings, Eastern Standard provided us with a number of design options. Each time, we not only had to work within our own brand, but within the vision of the artist. We went through a number of rounds of designs that worked for the organization as well as the artist.

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

In total, we worked with 3-4 people including:

• the principal of the firm
• a project manager
• 1-2 graphic designers

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They provided design templates that matched the look and feel of our organization, providing flexibility to the project. We reached thousands of new-to-the-organization people who learned about the nonprofit and the project through the designed elements that they created for us.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The project manager was easy to communicate with. We used a project management tool called Basecamp to manage tasks and stay on time.

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

The challenges we had with both trying to brand the organization as a whole and create a unique look and feel for each project were clearly and easily met by Eastern Standard. That is no easy task!

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

They're a little bit more expensive, but you get quality work and dedicated people with a clear vision, so it's worth it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the CMO for a museum in Philadelphia.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Eastern Standard?

We had a rather outdated website, so we needed a partner who could help us create a new design for it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Eastern Standard helped us redesign and refresh our WordPress website using a new WordPress theme, and we also asked them to do other design work for us, such as designing a new logo. Initially, they looked at what we already had, and we did a discovery session in which they conducted very extensive stakeholder surveys to direct us in the proper direction for website design.

On the website, Eastern Standard implemented features so that we could better promote our events and exhibitions. They also helped us implement a calendar feature through which users could find events and programs easier. Additionally, they integrated a search option, which turned out to be very useful. As for their design services, Eastern Standard provided us with an entire style guide, which included our new logo and new colors.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Mark (Founding Partner), a project manager, the chief graphic designer, 2–3 website developers, and two other people; it was a fairly robust team.

How did you come to work with Eastern Standard?

I’ve worked at many museums and cultural organizations, and I’ve always worked with Eastern Standard on design projects because I enjoy working with them. I first worked with them back in 2008.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $70,000–$75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–November 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Eastern Standard delivered a more visually appealing website, and the logo they created had bright and bold new colors that fit with our vision and mission. Although I left the museum shortly before the project ended, I heard that the site had more visits than before. Additionally, some users mentioned that the site made it easier for them to search and go through it to find what they were looking for.

How did Eastern Standard perform from a project management standpoint?

Eastern Standard was great to work with from a project management perspective. Our project manager was excellent; he was always on top of things. He kept me abreast of any changes needed, and he was great at following up and reminding me of pending tasks. We used Basecamp to manage the project and email to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Eastern Standard’s strengths are their reputation in the marketplace and their ability to do a lot of different things. They have their pulse on the marketplace for cultural organizations in Philadelphia, and they’re more than a design firm. Working with them is a great way for small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations to get the graphic design work they need because they act as a one-stop shop. For us, it was great having a partner meet our graphic design needs and translate those graphic designs into a website.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Working with them was great, and it was a very easy process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a dedicated project manager on your side acting as a liaison between you and them to ensure the project stays on budget and within the timeline.