Emotive Brand

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

Emotive Brand created a logo and branding elements that effectively tell our story. Our board of directors, partners, and internal staff are all extremely happy with the work they've done. Thanks to some of the recommendations they've made for our website, more people are able to find us online and we're able to fill more orders for job seekers and employers.

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very responsive throughout the engagement and delivered on time and within budget. Our project manager was proactive about scheduling check-in meetings and following up with me to ensure they were meeting our expectations. We recently reached out to them to make some minor changes to our website, and they were able to get it done at no cost to us.

We mostly communicated through email, video conferencing, text messaging, and occasional in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're extremely talented at learning about a client's targeted audience and perspective. They've developed a great staff of both creative and business-oriented individuals.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think so. Perhaps, they could expand their services to include web development, but I think they're more focused on doing one thing and doing it well.

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

We did a brand awareness survey that ran in Market Quarterly. With the repositioning, we went from being known for programmatic to being known for being a predictive platform. We were able to shift that much in about a 6-month period.

The results were incredible. An example of the measurable impact was an NPR message that was published. I cared about our story landing with reporters. We saw that happen, and we got an increased perspective.

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

They were on time and on budget. The team seemed to really get things done. I never worried about them missing a deadline and they never came back and asked for more money unless it was for a new scope. They treated me as if I was the executive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

At the end of 2016, as we were getting ready to sell the company, we were preparing to reduce our marketing spend. I called them and told them that we were going to stop the work. They responded that they weren’t done with the project and wouldn’t let go of it until it was done. They were with us from beginning to end.

I was impressed with the analysis and research, which was really helpful. That got us to a great space on design and then we really collaborated on the development. I've worked with a lot of branding agencies before and most of them listen to what you have to say for a little bit, and then they come up with the ideas. They feel like they're in the business of just generating ideas. I was impressed with Emotive's research ability and I appreciated the thoroughness. One of the guys actually flew out to New York to watch me on a panel and shadow me in meetings. That was pretty cool for a marketing firm.

I also liked that the first thing they did with the design was too bold. I appreciated that they were willing to go there.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only place I think is tricky for them is that they need to figure out how to describe value to non-marketing, non-brand people. My CEO knew them and still didn’t really understand what they were doing when he looked at statements of work. Articulating the business impact of their work is important and they can improve on that. Otherwise, the quality of work was great. The team was good.

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

We’ve gotten more people applying to Cadence jobs year over year. That could be attributed in part to having a stronger employer brand. We’ve gotten a lot of informal feedback. People want more of it all the time. They’re always asking me to put things in this style, even over our corporate brand style. Internal feedback has been very positive. Externally, we’ve seen a steady increase in the number of applicants per position.

How did Emotive Brand perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great; they’re really on top of it. They always provide us project plans to get started and then update it as needed. I really appreciate that they’re flexible. Often, they’ll put a very aggressive timeline in place, which is fantastic. Smaller companies can often move quickly, but right now, I’m at a very large company and sometimes things come up, and that project timeline has to be pushed. They’ve always worked with us really well on being flexible and being able to adapt to our needs at the moment. I’ve always really appreciated that. They’re very structured in terms of how they approach the project, so I know where we stand. If we need to adjust, we can go back to them and have that conversation.

What did you find most impressive about Emotive Brand?

They’re really good at building authentic brands and collateral that are very unique. I’ve worked with them at two very different companies, doing two very different products, and approaching two different audiences. Each time, they were able to come up with something that was very true to that company and also differentiated in that market. That’s why I go back to them. They’re able to make something beautiful out of whatever is already there and true without making things up. Their writing is fantastic and it’s differentiated in the market. I always feel like we come away with something that’s really unique, not sounding like every other company. They’re able to do that by finding the things that are true and special. They’re also great to work with and super fun.

Are there any areas Emotive Brand could improve?

I can’t think of anything.