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Building strong brands to drive growth

4.9
20 reviews

We are a B2B Strategy and Design Firm relentlessly focused on delivering rapid business growth.

We're working hard helping our clients grow their business, build stronger brands, and ensure thriving cultures.

We spend our time inside the offices of high-growth tech companies, global professional services firms and purpose-led organziations that are creating truly meaningful stuff.

Clients include: Citrix, Slack, Western DIgital, Facebook, AppAnnie, Facebook, PubMatic, AWS, Unum, Pandora, Harness, Kleiner Perkins, Informatica, Drawbridge, PubMatic, VMware and many more.

When you work with us, you can expect:

- Positioning strategies that differentiate and accelerate growth

- Categories that stand out

- Brand Strategies aligned to business strategy

- Narratives that deliver impact

- Branding that is emotive and strategically aligned

- Marketing that works harder

- Tools that sales teams use and deliver results

- Internal activation of new strategies that actually make an impact

- Unexpected brand experiences 

 

 

 

 

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$25,000+
 
Undisclosed
 
10 - 49
 Founded
2009
Show all +
Oakland, CA
headquarters
  • 580 2nd Street, Suite 245
    Oakland, CA 94607
    United States
    510.496.8888

Portfolio

Key clients: 

We work in the c-suite with ledership teams of high growth tech companies, global professional services firms, and purpose-led businesses. Key clients: Slack, Citrix, Facebook, Poynt, Rocket Fuel, AWS, Slack, Cadence, VMware, Moveworks, AppAnnie, Drawbridge, Western Digital, Cadence, BAL, Unum, Kleiner Perkins, Gibson Dunn, Pubmatic, UPS, Unum, Zynga, Chartboost, Coho Data, Informatica, and many more.

Launching a Different Kind of AI Company Out of Stealth 

To Moveworks, gone were the days of inefficient, frustrating IT—where even the simplest IT problems (changing a password, adding an admin) sat unsolved for days, gathering dust. After three years in stealth mode, Moveworks was ready to introduce the world to the future of Enterprise IT. However, the brand faced a challenge: carve out a differentiated position in a crowded space, break through the AI-hype, challenge conventions,

…
and prove real results. The brand needed to speak directly to CIOs and bring them into the future: collapsed time, instantaneous resolution, magical experiences—assuming the dynamism, acceleration, and elegance of the remarkable AI technology itself that could solve IT issues in mere seconds. This project was about bringing a different kind of AI company to life in a way that did its distinct difference justice. 
 
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Creating Product Love for SMBs

Born out of another company, Coast did not have a name or identity of its own. Though customers used Coast on a daily basis to run their business communications, research showed they were somewhat ambivalent about it. Our goal was to change this perception by creating an irresistible design experience that spoke to two distinct audiences: the small business owners who need to keep their teams on track, and the

…
part-time, deskless workers who need the freedom and self-expression to do their best work.
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Turning a Brand Into a Beacon

Alluma had suffered several years of benign neglect and was on the verge of losing its biggest client. A new CEO and his team needed clarity and direction for driving the company forward. They needed a new name and brand story to rally the existing workforce, attract good people, and win new clients in a marketplace dominated by huge tech consultants. And they needed a concrete activation strategy to take their new

…
brand from theory to success.
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A talent brand to propel recruiting efforts and boost employee pride.

Western Digital was in the middle of a massive transformation. Several large acquisitions had expanded their product line, given them unparalleled breadth of digital storage technologies and capabilities, and introduced thousands of new employees.

To make this transition successful, they needed the right employees with the right skillset to fuel them forward.

Western Digital came to Emotive Brand to

…
develop a Talent Brand that would attract both experienced engineering hires and newly minted PhDs. They also wanted to tout the opportunities for innovation and problem solving and make their current employees feel excited and proud to work at Western Digital.
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Reviews

4.9
20 reviews
Sort by

Branding for Application Development Startup

“They’re a small firm that has individuals with large agency experience.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
June - Aug. 2020
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand worked with an emerging technology development company that was hoping to distinguish itself in a crowded market. They delivered a narrative and concise brand positioning statements.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
San Francisco, California
COO & CFO, Private Application Developer
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team delivered high-quality work and conducted themselves professionally throughout the entire process. They became experts on their partner’s value add, managing the project effectively through a centralized project manager and several open communication channels.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a startup that’s been in business for about 10 months. I’m the COO and CFO of the company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

We engaged them for branding about six months into starting the company. Our business is a technology development company that builds tools for software and app developers. We wanted to find a way to position ourselves in the market and speak to our uniqueness as a service provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us define our brand, including our messaging, narrative, and language. We had different ideas for the general look and feel of the company, but our in-house team didn’t have branding or marketing experience. We thought that our internal team may be too close and familiar with our technology to reach companies outside of our perceived target market. They helped us think about our services more broadly while bringing an outsider’s perspective to the table. 

The project was split into two phases. During the first, we discussed our narrative and brand positioning statements. We left visual identity and specific copywriting to a later stage. They gave us a brand platform framework that worked through our services, how we deliver them, and our mission. That yielded statements that would position us in the market and communicate our brand in a single, concise idea.  

What is the team composition?

We worked with about four people, including two primary contributors, a project manager, and a partner at the firm. 

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

My co-founder was referred to them by someone he knows. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $125,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from June–August 2020.  

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We still haven’t launched their work, so there isn’t anything measurable yet. However, we were impressed with their work and process. We continue to get feedback from our customers and have been happy with their contributions. 

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a dedicated project manager and provided us with a clear timeline with milestones attached. It’s difficult to manage a creative project like this because determining conclusion points is a challenge. They understood that we were a young business and did a great job of marshaling the project along. For communication, we had a shared Slack channel and Google Drive folder as well as routine conference calls.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a small firm that has individuals with large agency experience.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing jumps out at me. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Put in the time and energy necessary to go through the brand journey with them. They went on a significant journey to learn about our company and determine what would be best for our messaging and stakeholders. We could have been more involved with them through that process because we didn’t have the benefit of learning with them through their process.  

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Brand Identity & Marketing Strategy for Software Company

"Their insights and level of experience were quite outstanding, especially for a startup technology company."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
4.5
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
May - Sept. 2020
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand worked with a software company to develop a brand framework. They gathered information on their values, conducted an audit, and defined the brand positioning and personas. 

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
New York, New York
Marketing Director, Collaborative Software Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The work from Emotive Brand, though only recently being implemented, has already satisfied the client and met their expectations for the final branding. Their team had a strong attention to detail and shared their expertise to help the collaboration grow.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing director of a software company. We offer three different products.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

We wanted to define our brand and differentiate ourselves from the market. We’d been around for a while, but we didn’t have a clear brand framework to work with.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a kickoff meeting in the beginning, with everyone involved. Emotive Brand talked to our co-founders and asked them questions about the values and mission of the company. They got a lot of important information that was used in the deliverables. 

Emotive Brand ran a competitive audit and helped us define our personas, brand mission, positioning, and pillars. They looked at emotional impact and some implications around opportunities. Also, our messaging was worked on, but there was no design involved.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three strategists from Emotive Brand, including their chief strategist, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

I found them through Clutch. We considered a few other agencies, but Emotive Brand stood out through the work they’d done for other technology companies, and their proposal looked a lot more comprehensive.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Emotive Brand between May–September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re still implementing their work, so I can’t talk about its impact. We’ll be looking at conversion rates and brand awareness in the long term, but overall I was satisfied with their work.

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

Their chief strategist was heavily involved in the beginning strategy phases and gave us a lot of useful branding insights. We had a dedicated project manager and we were always in communication with her. 

They gave us a statement of work, in the beginning, laying out what was to be delivered and at what time. Everything was clear and they followed through. Emotive Brand also gave us some business strategy recommendations outside of the scope, which we found useful as well.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their insights and level of experience were quite outstanding, especially for a startup technology company.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We would’ve appreciated their chief strategist’s input toward the end as well.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

The kickoff meeting is a very important meeting to have, and clients should come prepared.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Web Design & Branding for Software Company

"Their ability to put words together in an engaging way is very strong."

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5.0

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Dec. 2019 - June 2020
Project summary: 

Assisting with a public launch, Emotive Brand provided a new name and developed a brand framework. The team then built wireframes for a public-facing website, designed it, and developed the visual identity.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 employees
 
Mountain View, California
Head of Marketing, Software Company
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Emotive Brand’s work received extremely positive internal and external feedback, particularly on the quality of design and brand messaging. In addition to their effective project management, the team’s adaptability was a valuable asset. They understood the vision and implemented it as expected.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing at a software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

We were looking to launch to the public in a way that would get attention from the audience we were targeting.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emotive Brand brought in a naming expert to come up with a new name for our company. They also created a brand framework, which involved understanding our target audience, competitors, and what is unique about our company. 

It was a collaborative effort, and we came up with a framework that identified what we stand for, how we deliver it, and why we do it. The team also designed a public-facing website from scratch. 

We went through an iteration session to figure out the goals of the website and what was necessary to accomplish them. They then developed a framework, wrote copy, and provided ideas for headlines.

They presented us with a few options for the visual designs but none of them were what we were looking for. We ended up taking a step back and exploring a lot of different concepts at a high level before identifying a few directions we liked as candidates. 

One emerged as having a tremendous amount of potential. We worked through multiple iterations to get to what we have on the website today. 

What is the team composition?

The team composition varied at different stages. We worked with both of their co-founders, a project manager, a brand strategist, and a few designers.

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

A company we knew had worked with Emotive Brand and we were big fans of the work they had done. Additionally, an individual I worked with who had also worked with Emotive Brand had positive feedback about the engagement. We looked at other companies, but it was clear they were the right choice.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from December 2019–June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just launched the website and the feedback on the quality of the design has been overwhelmingly positive. Customers, people in my network, and everyone at the company has been very impressed. 

We’ve also received positive feedback on the messaging. We did most of it but the team contributed to some of the high-level work. 

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

The critical aspects of project management were done really well. Emotive Brand was able to adjust to circumstances. For example, we had to adjust the timeline when we changed the design. The team was able to work with us to make sure we were on track.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Once we figured out the direction in which we wanted to go in terms of a visual identity that uniquely captured our voice, the team was able to execute on it very well. Emotive Brand met and exceeded expectations. 

We’re also very pleased with the brand framework. Their ability to put words together in an engaging way is very strong. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

It took some time for them to work well in a remote environment, but they figured it out. Also, some of the initial ideas they presented for the visual identity were so off, and it felt like they missed the mark of what we wanted to do. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very engaged and participate in the creative process. That’s not how it works all the time, but if you want your brand to be brought to life in a unique way, you can’t outsource.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Brand Identity & Awareness for Global E-Commerce Platform

"They went the extra mile to figure us out, getting to the core of our company."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Sept. 2019 - Apr. 2020
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand crafted an employment brand presence for an e-commerce platform. The team completed research and interviewed internal team members and clients before creating a portfolio of brand assets. 

The Reviewer
 
1,001-10,000 Employees
 
San Diego, California
Genoa Martell
Former Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Wish
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The team at Emotive Brand delivered high-quality proposals that led to well-executed deliverables. They exceeded expectations. Their seamless project management style complemented their skilled experience. Clients can expect a dedicated team of brand experts. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former global head of talent acquisition for Wish.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

Our company had no employment brand presence. Candidates had never even heard of us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I engaged Emotive Brand to do a complete 360 assessment of our brand. We introduced them to internal team members and customers before stepping away. They also looked at what our competition was like, and then they were engaged in building many campaign proposals based on interviews and research they completed.

When the team presented the range of campaigns and proposals, we then selected one, and they zoned in on that. In the end, the team built us a complete portfolio of employment brand assets, which included everything from billboard advertisements, letter copy, recruitment booths, and digital marketing assets. They also created the artwork for our digital marketing.

What is the team composition?

In total, we worked with ten people at any time. In the beginning, we worked with the two founders, and then we worked with their research team and project management. We also worked with the creative and design team.

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

Emotive Brand was willing to be adventuresome in taking on a brand that was really unheard of. Compared to other individuals I spoke to, they made the most effort to understand us and our business.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The team began working with us in September 2019, and the project concluded in April 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The team at Emotive Brand gave us a specific map of expectations for each stage and deliverable. Everything was thorough. Their team was wonderful at taking so many inputs and synergizing them into four or five high-quality campaign proposals, and then when we zoomed in on the final decision, they elevated their game and delivered an incredible set of assets.

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

It was impeccable project management. They never dropped the ball, and I didn’t have to worry about it at all. We had emails, a lot of text exchanges, and Slack. We also had meetings. They used all available channels of communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team really understood us. They went the extra mile to figure us out, getting to the core of our company. We had essentially no corporate brand. It was a brave effort to create an employee brand when there’s no corporate one. They did it anyway, which I think speaks volumes.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There were a few meetings that they could’ve been more prepared for. They weren’t unprepared, but I think they could’ve been more aware of who was in the meeting by looking at the email invites. This is minor because I can’t recommend them enough. I also didn’t feel like I needed to manage them in a specific way when I should’ve checked on them. We got through a small instance, and everything was fine. They’re busy, but if there was anything, it was only that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Emotive Brand matched up so well to the other agencies I spoke with. They will be very thorough for their clients.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Branding for AI Company

“They wanted us to be successful and were deeply involved. It made a big difference that we could trust them.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Dec. 2018 - April 2019
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand created brand guidelines that helped an AI company launch. Supporting web design, they incorporated a video, graphic designs, and messaging to help the new company stand out in the market.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
Mountain View, California
Alex Henson
Head of Marketing, MoveWorks
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

By conducting market research, Emotive Brand developed an effective strategy that gained media attention, increased traffic to the website, and led to a successful event. They were flexible and adjusted their management strategy to meet project needs. They were passionate and dedicated partners.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing for an AI company. We built a platform, that takes all of the IP support tickets submitted by employees in large enterprises and uses natural language to understand them and autonomously resolve them. This is useful for things like password reset, trying to get access to applications, and troubleshooting issues that normally take days to fix. Instead, we can do all that using AI.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

We were beginning to come out of stealth mode, so we wanted to build a brand experience that would do our tool justice. We have a strong CIO fan base, but AI and machine learning are hot topics. So, we needed to find a way to stand out from all the noise. We turned to brand experience and wanted to hire an agency that would help us think about our messaging and visual aesthetics.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emotive Brand started by conducting a lot of research by spending a lot of time with our customers. They were trying to learn more about the company and the people using our products and the market. From there, we spent a lot of time thinking about the message, how we tell our story, and how to articulate our values. Again, we wanted to stand out from the noise. We moved from that to building out a proper set of brand guidelines, which included brand voice and a visual design graphical element.

They worked with us on the architecture and design elements of the website. This included a 90-second video that we’ve used for promotional activities. Finally, we hosted a big event for CIOs, and Emotive Brand helped take our brand and apply it to this experience.

What is the team composition?

We had three key people on our team, but they had an extended team of 6–7 people who were involved in the project in total.

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

We were talking to a bunch of different agencies, but we really wanted to stand out from other B2B companies. Emotive Brand was a little different and had an edge that we really liked. They focused on startups, so they understood the challenges we face. They really got our product and our team, and just had a passion for problem-solving. From our first call, I could tell that they wanted to work with us, and that made a big difference. We knew we could share our journey with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first call was in December 2018 and we launched in April 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We monitored the media coverage we received, and the Wall Street Journal featured a full-length story on our company. It was really important that we got the attention of mainstream publications in order to build our brand. The event we hosted also was huge. Our goal was to attain 50 CIOs, but 75 attended the event, so that was great.

Coming out of stealth mode, our website traffic was through the roof. We also wanted to make sure people were engaging with our site, so we’ve been monitoring time spent on it. We’ve seen some great metrics and people spend between 90 seconds and two minutes on average. We had some pretty aggressive revenue targets, but we’re on track to hit 300% year-over-year growth.

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. Most agencies want to use the waterfall method— they want to sit down and figure out the requirements and then go back to base and build your brand guidelines and then drop it. That just wasn't going to work for us because we needed to build content on a Web site and plan an event all in parallel. We couldn’t wait until we'd gone through the entire design process before doing that because we would run out of time.

Emotive was fantastic because they were willing to build everything in parallel, which is exactly what we needed. We were able to wireframe the website before finishing brand guidelines. As soon as we had design elements, we were testing it out and iterating on it on the fly. Overall, they were fantastic and very amenable to working in an agile way with us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their passion for the project was impressive. There are many agencies out there that will take on a project and create some great deliverables and you may never see them again and that's fine because your project is done. Emotive Brands goes beyond that though, because they cared a lot about our company and about us as people. They wanted us to be successful and were deeply involved. It made a big difference that we could trust them. It's just really powerful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Anything about the project that I wanted to improve, wasn’t on them. I just wish I engaged them sooner.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Visual Rebrand Initiative for a Messaging App

"They pushed us beyond our comfort zone to think beyond the limited ideas we had before we worked with them."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Feb. - June 2019
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand helped develop a visual identity to unify a messaging app's mobile, desktop, and web products. The key deliverables included a logo, a visual language, and homepage/app screen prototypes.

The Reviewer
 
1-10 Employees
 
San Francisco, California
Miwa Ikemiya
Co-Founder & Chief Design Officer, Coast App
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Emotive Brand successfully translated the app into a brand image. Initial user feedback has been positive, inspiring genuine love for the product, and users have even started referring to the brand as a verb. Beyond their creative skills, the team demonstrated proven strategic branding capabilities.

The client submitted this review online.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am co-founder and Chief Design Officer of Coast App, a messaging app with tools for SMB managers and staff on the go. Our product is used by thousands of businesses across United States and Canada to run their daily operations. I oversee all brand, product UI/UX, marketing, and social media.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Emotive Brand?

We needed Emotive Brand to help us create a logo and visual identity to go with our new name Coast, that would be applied to our mobile app, desktop app, and website.

Our team has a good understanding of the customer and had developed a strong Brand strategy but needed the expertise and creative strength of a team like Emotive Brand to translate this strategy into a visual language.

What were your goals for this project?

We used this as an opportunity to come out of stealth mode (where we'd been developing the product for a year with beta-users) and do a soft-launch announcing our new name and brand to the public. We anticipate a positive effect not only on our current users but to help with attracting new candidates to the team and develop partnerships to help grow our customer base in the future.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I got some recommendations from fellow designers who are brand and marketing experts. We are a small company so we needed to find the right sized creative agency to work with.

Our team considered around 11 different companies, browsing their websites, looking at their portfolios and trying to understand their approach. I reached out to 8 and talked 6 different companies. We needed an agency that would be able to work directly with us to develop a beautiful clean identity that could appeal to demographics of many ages.

Emotive Brand has a focus on B2B, had worked with other technology companies coming out of stealth mode, had the experience to guide us through the process, but wasn't so large that we felt we would be sidelined for other bigger clients. With timeline and budge aligned, we knew that we would be working with their A-team, and that strategically this would be a longer term partnership for us to continue to develop as we grow.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with a kick off meeting at their office with us going over our brand strategy with them, the internal work and user research we had conducted, landscape research, and the vision we had for the brand. Our CEO also did a demo of the product to help the team understand our product and how it functions.

We worked together to iterate through a creative brief to concisely articulate the goals, timeline and budget for the project. Emotive Brand's deliverables were Logo Assets, a visual identity (logo, typography, color palette, visual language, and motion), a digital marketing experience (website homepage prototype), digital product experience (app screen prototype).

I compiled and presented our Brand Strategy, handed-off existing app screen files, gave a general homepage outline with copy, attended all EB presentations, gathered feedback from our team and compiled it into feedback documents for the Emotive Team.

What was the team composition?

I had direct conversations withe Tracy and Bella, the founding partners of the company. The Creative Director, Thomas was leading this project and we worked with him on many things. He was supported by 1 design director, 2 senior designers, 2 strategists, 1 designer, and 1 project manager.

So approximately 8 people were working on the project at different stages. Additionally, high-level conversations happened with the two partners. There may have been more that were involved but I didn't meet them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The overarching goal of the redesign was to foster "product love" in our existing users. It is still early days since the roll out was only a couple weeks ago but initial feedback is positive.

Our new logo and visual identity have been received high praise from our existing users, with positive comments pouring in through support channels and in person/phone conversations. These are customers that used the product but did not love the product. Now their teams are excited to use the app and are proud to show and recommend the product to others, and they are using "Coast" as a verb ("Coast me").

The secondary goals of the website launch and new logo were to help with hiring, partnerships and investors. We have seen a direct increase in inbound interest in join the team (no small feat when it comes hiring engineers in a very competitive market), and inbound investor interest (not to mention our current investors a very happy).

The real test will be when we start charging for the product, and start focusing on growth, but initial readings are positive.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We used our own messaging product "Coast" to communicate about the project which was helpful in that they got to see the product in action, and we just think it's a better way to communicate. We were pleased that they were so ready to jump into a new workflow with us.

Scheduling was very well organized, Shannon, the project manager was really good managing expectations, getting the right people in the room, and making everyone's busy schedules work together. We used google calendar and google docs for scheduling and feedback.

There was a really positive response to how we gave feedback. I took extreme care in making sure our feedback was constructive and direct, gathering together thoughts from many members of our team and other design experts. We had a clear vision and as a designer myself I know that unclear, indirect feedback can delay the process, cause confusion and create unnecessary work.

The EB team was then able to take that feedback and run with it, clearly processing it themselves and then coming back with work that got closer and closer to our vision with every iteration.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was most impressed by the quality of work that came out of this team. They guided us through a creative process that allowed us to have reactions to a variety of directions, which spurred conversation and real strategic thinking.

They pushed us beyond our comfort zone to think beyond the limited ideas we had before we worked with them. They painted a vision that spanned many years into the future, that showed how our brand could continue to grow and evolve while maintaining an elegant simplicity indicative of world class design.

They were not afraid to work through the nitty gritty details of what we actually needed right now, all the way through the grandiose architecting of what we could be 10 years from now. They executed this on a tight timeline and I was very impressed with what they were able to produce within that timespan.

Every single member of this talented team was open, articulate and warm. I could not have asked for a better experience.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of. There was a point where we had to get realigned on deliverables (easily resolved through a single conversation) and in the end we were very happy with the results. Our team had such a positive experience working with Emotive Brand and we look forward to working together on projects in the future.

5.0
Overall Score Outstanding
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Shannon is so on top of things!
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    Worth it.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    World class
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    Very likely

Brand Strategy for Online Education Marketplace

"They have a great sense of intuition, which makes them stand out from other companies."

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
4.5
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
June 2018 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand helped a business develop several parts of their branding identity, including a mission, vision, promise, and pillars that represent the organization. 

The Reviewer
 
1,001-5,000 Employees
 
San Francisco, California
Senior Director, Online Education Marketplace
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The work delivered by Emotive Brand, though still undergoing its last round of testing, has been very well-received by internal teammates. While more communication could be useful during testing stages, the team has been insightful, reliable, and capable throughout the project. 

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of a marketplace for online education.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

We had gone through a lot of strategic business changes and so we hired Emotive Brand to help us think through our brand strategy.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To start, Emotive Brand dug into our business and spoke with our internal and external stakeholders to get a better sense of our challenges and our position. Then, they looked at the different opportunities our brand could pursue. They’re in the process of helping us build out the new vision, mission, promise, and pillars of our business. 

What is the team composition?

Typically a group of three people work with us on the project. There is almost always three strategy teammates and a creative member supporting us. 

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

I’d heard of Emotive Brand through word of mouth. We put out an RFP and did a rigorous vetting process. Their team fit what we were looking for on many different levels. We wanted a smaller agency that could give us a lot of their time, energy, and focus rather than just being a cog in a wheel.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent close to $150,000 on their services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since June 2019 and we’re working on wrapping up the engagement. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Right now we’re looking at the qualitative research to make sure the promise resonates with our audience, so we’ll be able to determine that once we officially launch the brand. However, our internal team is on board with the new materials. We’re all happy with the results and we intuitively feel that the direction is spot on. 

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

For the most part, they’ve handled the workload well. Toward the end, the communication could have been better when things weren’t going according to plan. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have a great sense of intuition, which makes them stand out from other companies. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only area would be what I mentioned previously about strengthening communication as the project wraps up. Ideally, I’d like to know if things were or weren’t getting done, so more flags or communication about that could have been useful. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re a pleasure to work with. They are easy to collaborate with, responsive, and I’d love to work with them again in the future. 

4.5
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 4.5 NPS
    Willing to refer

Branding for Healthcare Clinic

“They were very creative and tenacious, and would come up with different ways to keep our team engaged.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Apr. - Aug. 2018
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand created a mission-driven brand strategy for a specialty health clinic. Engaging their partners in the creative process, they designed a visionary logo, color scheme, and brand name.

The Reviewer
 
11 - 50 Employees
 
Redwood City, California
Co-Founder, Specialty Healthcare Clinic
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Though certain aspects of the strategy have been difficult to implement, their partners are very pleased with the designs. Through in-person meetings, Emotive Brand created a collaborative environment. Creative and dedicated to the project, they prepared the new brand for success.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a co-founder of a network of specialty health clinics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

We’re a mission-based company. Although we had vision and a lot of passion, we didn’t have the discipline to create a basic brand strategy or even come up with a name for our company. We hired Emotive Brand to create the basic tenants we could build our marketing strategy around.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They created our brand name, logo, and different creative assets like color scheme. We had several brainstorming sessions and we went through a lot of iterations of their creative process. At one point, they brought us into their office for a creative session. They had us rank about 50 different logo ideas that they came up with so we could hone down what we needed and select our favorites.

What is the team composition?

There were about six people involved in our project at all times, though we had a few staffing changes and the size of the team wavered depending on what stage we were in.

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

It was really important that the team we worked with grasped the importance of our mission. We talked three or four different companies and were looking for an agency with strong strategic and creative skills. Once it was clear that Emotive Brand connected with our mission, we knew we were all on the same page, and decided to move forward with them. We had an easy rapport and instantly felt like we had a shared vision.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $85,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from April–August 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They set us up for success and delivered what we asked for. I am definitely happy with the logo and brand guidelines they gave us. Since the end of our engagement, we have faced a few challenges while implementing the strategy. For example, they designed a bag with our logo that we really liked, but we haven’t found someone who can produce it. As a result, we’ve needed to pivot how we plan to implement our strategy and grow our guidelines.

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

We were probably a difficult team to work with because we had a lot of opinions, but they held our hand through the entire process. They were very creative and tenacious, and would come up with different ways to keep our team engaged. We found our in-person meeting the most valuable, though we also communicated via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

 Their experience was most impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes they were a little overconfident and were sure they were suggesting the right path.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand what you need before coming to Emotive Brand, so they can meet or exceed your expectations.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    It took a little longer than we anticipated. Though it wasn’t always their fault, they could have communicated how delays on our side would impact the project.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    The price was middle of the road. It was a big chunk of change for a startup like us, but it was an investment we needed to make . So, I value their work.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They delivered a tremendous amount of material that has been very valuable as a starting point for our company.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Rebranding for Mental Healthcare Benefits Platform

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Jun. 2017 - May 2018
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand rebranded a technology startup, creating a brand book, a logo, and a color scheme to develop an aesthetic identity. They developed content and designed a website, providing wireframes and mockups.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
California
Kelly Morgan
Head of Marketing, Lyra Health
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Emotive Brand delivered a successful brand identity that conveys a professional image, satisfying stakeholders. The team managed the project effectively and guided internal communication to demonstrate the project’s value. They have diverse skillsets, which ensured a valuable partnership.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing at Lyra Health, which is a technology startup focused on improving access to mental healthcare. We work with large employers and sell mental health benefits that come in the form of coaching, therapy, and other types of care options to help employees with their emotional and mental health.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

As our business started to take off, we wanted to refresh our visual identity. At the time, our image wasn’t well-defined. We didn’t have guidelines or tools that our designers needed to communicate our brand. We also wanted to redesign our website from the ground up and migrate it to a new platform.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting with brand strategy, Emotive Brand interviewed numerous internal stakeholders and performed a competitive analysis of similar companies in the market. They performed a full audit of our messaging and visual identity. With that, their team helped tighten-up our external strategy. They created an internal brand book that tells the Lyra Health story, defining our voice, tone, and messaging guidelines.

Emotive Brand also revamped our visual identity. Their team created a logo, a color palette, and design guidelines. The new brand identity guided their website designs. Their team drafted content for the site, developing wireframes and mockups. Ultimately, they designed four pages, which acted as templates across the rest of the site to inform our development team. Since the brand launched, Emotive Brand has worked on a few other marketing campaigns.

What is the team composition?

I worked closely with one of Emotive Brand’s owners.

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

We were a really small team. It was just me and one other person at the time. It was important to find a partner that could manage the full scope of the project. It was hard to find an agency with strong skills across different competencies that was also a flexible partner. Emotive Brand stood out as their team could handle most of our scope. Their team showed relevant examples of work they had done for companies, which is when I noticed they did really great work. They understood what we were trying to accomplish and were able to accommodate our budget and timeline.

How much have you invested with them?

We worked with them between the summer of 2017–May 2018 when we launched the new brand.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project cost roughly $250,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After we rolled out the new brand, there was a positive reaction toward how it made us look more professional and mature. This image is important for a growing startup. Internally, everyone has been happy. We’ve received positive feedback from our customers and our board, which was difficult to convince about pursuing a brand refresher. While we’ve seen increased traffic, it can’t necessarily be attributed to the rebrand because we’re doing a lot more marketing activities. 

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

Emotive Brand met deadlines and followed project guidelines. We communicated by e-mail, calendar invites, and spreadsheets. Across all three phases, the project ran smoothly. While we ran into project management hiccups, they were all expected of a project that involves numerous people.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They offered a strong level of partnership. Their team provided advice to help me sell-through and coordinate across all the different stakeholders. They’ve worked with a lot of companies to do this type of work. I felt confident in their ability to navigate stakeholders and any other challenges that came up. Emotive Brand helped the project be successful. Their team was competent across different types of brand work, which is difficult given the high specialization of these areas.

 Are there any areas they could improve?

Emotive Brand was strong in the brand strategy and visual design phases of the project. I appreciated their breadth of competencies, but there were also challenges inherent to working with one agency for everything. Creeping into the web design and build phases, it was further afield from their greatest strengths. They were open about their skillsets and recommended a preferred vendor who could support the build.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Branding & Mission Statement for Jewelry Company

“Since implementing their work, we’ve seen an increase in engagement and follower growth across our social media.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
Oct. 2017 - Jan. 2019
Project summary: 

Emotive Brand conducted a brand foundation study, identifying ways to improve communication and customer engagement. They worked on the mission statement, brand emotions and values, and founder letter.

The Reviewer
 
11 - 50 Employees
 
San Francisco, California
Meaghan Rose
CEO, Rocksbox
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Emotive Brand was highly collaborative, listening to feedback and creating a positive work environment. They were accommodating and adjusted to changing project goals, which optimized the partnership. They could’ve been clearer about the application of their work, but the partnership was great.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and CEO of Rocksbox, a membership-based shopping service focused on the jewelry category.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Emotive Brand?

We wanted to do a brand foundation study that would help us codify our brand mission, values, and emotions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Emotive Brand didn’t work on any visual components; it was more about taking what we already had and building more powerful communication around those concepts. We didn’t have a clear way of articulating our mission statement, founder story, etc., so they helped bring those together in a way that empowered our team to make better decisions in regard to our visualizations, such as photography and design.

For the brand emotions, they identified four specific emotions we want our brand experience to emote. So, whenever our customers interact with us, we want to make sure they feel a certain way about the brand and the interaction. Emotive Brand also worked on our founder story and company values.

What is the team composition?

We had three primary contacts and two other people that were involved at different points. We met with the senior manager in person and selected a team based on the people we had the best dynamics with.

How did you come to work with Emotive Brand?

We put out an RFP and met with a few different agencies. We wanted a partner in the Bay area who could collaborate in person, and Emotive Brand seemed like a great fit, so we hired them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership lasted from October 2017–January 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since implementing their work, we’ve seen an increase in engagement and follower growth across our social media.

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

They held in-person workshops and meeting, collaborating closely with our internal team to optimize the partnership. They also held lots of calls and video chats, creating a balanced communication structure. Unlike many other firms, they always met milestones and were flexible with our project goals. We initially had a few problems with them reporting milestones over email, but they listened to our feedback and began holding in-person meetings, which we appreciated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They allow us the time to process their findings and come to a better understanding of their suggestions and recommendations. We were able to voice our opinions, and they listened to what we had to say, which made the partnership much more productive.  They’re great at what they do, especially copywriting; they were able to express things that we had a hard time constructing in the past. The engagement felt like a true partnership, with them supporting our team and business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could provide more discussion of the application of their work so that we could know how to bring things to life at the beginning of our partnership.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Foster a transparent management style and be clear about your expectations.

5.0
Overall Score One of the highlights of the project was being able to collaborate across our teams.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Everything went as planned, and they supported any modifications we suggested.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They came in on budget and were reasonably priced.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They did an excellent job finding the heart of our brand and bringing it to life in the copy.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I've already recommended them.