GreyBox Creative

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a partner at Catchword, a leading naming and branding agency.

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

Catchword has partnered with GreyBox Creative on several company branding projects in the last few years. This review will be mostly focused on the naming and visual identity creation for a cancer detection platform. Catchword developed the name and GreyBox provided the creative work establishing the visual identity system. We worked collaboratively throughout the process for this particular project as well other projects that are similar in scope. To this day, as we continue to collaborate with GreyBox Creative and consider them a trusted partner.

How did you select this vendor?

A few years ago, I reached out to GreyBox to discuss possible collaborations as we recognized that having a trusted design partner would be an asset to us and our clients. Their creative design expertise and process has fit like a glove for us since there is a mutual respect for what we both do. To this day, we continue to wow each other and strive to do deliver the best solutions for our clients. We are always looking to improve our combined process and the way we work together.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Their scope was to design a visual identity system that included logo concepts to final execution and delivery of stationery system, brand guidelines and a presentation template for use by the client’s internal sales and marketing teams. The GreyBox team was in sync with our process offering their design perspective during the tail-end of the naming process while we kept in sync throughout the creative execution process.

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

Like Catchword, GreyBox is an extremely experienced team. There were three or four people involved from the GreyBox side. Vincent Fatato, Founder/President and Remo Strada Creative Director, served as our main points of contact throughout the process presenting all key deliverables and coordinating the work on their end.

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

After completing a number of projects with GreyBox, and being involved in the creative process, we have been extremely impressed with their their team and the work they do, and we can understand why they’re one of the most sought after agencies in the design space. To see the creative process in the works, including the literally dozens of logo ideas developed during the early stages of the conceptual process, has really impressed us. Ultimately, and in every client engagement, there were more than a handful of truly compelling design concepts, the hardest part perhaps being how to choose just a few to focus on and recommend! Without question, our combined skillsets have resulted in wonderful brand solutions (naming + design) and extremely happy clients.

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

GreyBox is an extremely responsive group, all seasoned business and design professionals. They know how to engage our shared clients, guide them through the design process, and ensure everyone’s on the same page about next steps. We and our clients are always perfectly in the loop and aligned on things related to the design work.

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

The GreyBox team seems to be very much like ourselves; strategic thinkers, creative, highly responsive, client-centric, really true experts in their field. We really respect them and enjoy working together. However, perhaps most importantly, what always impresses us the most is the incredibly thoughtful, “purposeful,” and BEAUTIFUL design ideas they develop. They’re a world-class creative services agency with an incredible amount of passion and talent for what they do.

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

Nah. Hire them. They’re awesome.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of Teleful. We help new homeowners see and choose from available options for cable, internet, and home security. They call my call center or put in their address online, and we give them the options in their area. Then, they can choose freely from packages pricing and providers, and we handle setup.

What challenge were you trying to address with GreyBox

I went to them for help with our web development and design, as well as digital marketing and branding.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve been with me since the beginning, walking me through the development and design of my website and branding. I was given different views of the website as they were designing it, and they let me choose from a number of logo options.

The site launched three months ago, and GreyBox is now doing digital marketing including PPC and social media marketing.

What is the team composition?

Vincent (Director of Business Development) is one of our key people, as are Remo (Creative Director), Gaelen (Head of Strategic Online Sales), and Jordan (Digital Marketing Strategist). At the height of the project, there were about 5–6 people on the calls, each dedicated to a specific part of the project.

How did you come to work with GreyBox Creative?

I heard that they were reputable through a friend who’d worked with them before. After performing due diligence on Google, I reached out to Vincent with my ideas to see where he would go. He gave me a strong vision of the site, design, logo, and marketing.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $50,000–$60,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2021.

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

I give them a lot of credit for helping build my brand. We went live on the site three months ago — and sometimes marketing takes time to get going, but we’ve done well with Google Ads from the jump. My business needs around 3–4 sales per day to break even, and I’ve been receiving 15–20 calls per day with a good conversion rate. We’re targeting all the right people and population segments.

How did GreyBox Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

We have biweekly calls with the marketing team to adjust campaigns if needed, and there were weekly calls while we were developing the website. GreyBox’s team is on top of everything we need. Their web development team hasn’t even stayed in touch with me since the launch.

They hit the budget right on target and have stayed with us throughout the whole process, which has put my mind at ease. Communication happens of phone calls, texts, emails, and Zoom meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re attention to detail and attention to the person stand out. GreyBox feels out what I’d like them to do and then expands upon those ideas. If you go to them with seed, then they’ll make it into a flower, bringing to life what’s in your head.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at this time. They’ve been great thus far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They know what they’re doing and will make your idea into the goal, even if you can’t articulate it. You want them in your corner.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Chief Marketing Officer at IBS Intelligence. UK-headquartered IBS Intelligence is the world’s only pure-play Financial Technology (traditional and new-age) research, advisory, and media firm, with global coverage, and a 360° portfolio of intelligence offerings.

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

We hired GreyBox to do a complete brand overhaul of IBS Intelligence to refresh the brand's messaging and visuals. More importantly, to bring in synergy with the core pillars of our business to the constantly growing global customer base.

How did you select this vendor?

We did an online search of branding agencies, where we shortlisted GreyBox, after few rounds of discussions.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

The scope of work was to detail out the new branding strategy that included the new tagline, logo, branding colors, new visual identity to reflect across all collateral and touchpoints.

It started with understanding our brand, target personas, offerings, etc., to come up with a new visual identity along with the tagline (value proposition statement) that resonates well with our brand

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

The team comprised of Vincent (Founder) and Remo (Creative Director) who led the project to completion

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

The new brand identity has been received quite well by clients and others. The new visual design is contemporary and has given a new lease of life to our brand. The new logo design is quite relatable with the 5 pillars of our business and is helping us communicate very effectively.

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

The GreyBox team would regularly update vis emails and calls. They worked as per the mutually agreed timelines and that helped a lot in closing the project on time. Their ability to understand our feedback and deliver on time was quite impressive.

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

Their diligent efforts to understand the business and pain points at the initial stage that is in sync with what we wanted, was quite impressive. They were also flexible in terms of sharing more if we wanted an extra deliverable, which helped in making our lives easier.

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

No improvement areas as such, as they met all our expectations.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Ovation is a speciality finance investment firm. I am a partner and head of business development.

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

Brand strategy, visual identity system, and pitch deck.

How did you select this vendor?

Referral from a private firm that had worked with GreyBox and was very pleased with the output.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Began with a brand strategy workshop to hone the messaging. This led to business card and stationary design and brand guideline. We then spent time refining how we talk about our firm with considerable input from GreyBox. This process resulted in a complete redesign of the pitch deck with innovative infographics tailored to our specific strategy.

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

Three.

• Strategy and Writing - Diane
• Creative Direction - Remo
• Coordination of Deliverables - Vincent

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

The new branding and content immediately led to a higher new-prospect meeting rate than the prior “internally generated” materials.

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

The meetings were held as frequently as needed via Zoom. We did not feel there was any loss of quality vs in person. GreyBox was available in a timely manner through the engagement.

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

GreyBox has many clients in our industry and understands the unique messaging and jargon that correctly positions our firm amongst the competitive set.

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

At this point we don not have any thoughts on improvement.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a nonprofit. Our mission is to advance community-based supports. The program we’re in is a consumer-directed personal assistance program. It’s a Medicaid program for consumers who are seniors or people with disabilities who have need for personal care.

They’re able to self-hire their own workers to perform those tasks for them. It creates independence, autonomy, and ultimately leads to a better quality of care and cost-effectiveness.

What challenge were you trying to address with GreyBox Creative?

Our organization had never done marketing before. I took over as CEO and wanted to get our name out through rebranding, brochures, and logo design. The objective was to market the program because we found out not many people knew about it.

What was the scope of their involvement?

GreyBox Creative first handled a complete rebranding initiative. They created our logo and new brochure in a couple of forms; one is a pamphlet-style and another is a booklet. Their team revamped the content and visuals.

GreyBox Creative has also created some one-pagers. We get calls from potential clients and like to give them something as a takeaway. The one-pager serves as a factsheet that those potential clients can receive electronically or through the mail. It presents key facts about our organizations and what sets us apart.

How did you come to work with GreyBox Creative?

I was seeking a company that wouldn’t need a lot of back-and-forths. The less time I spend re-explaining myself through the back and forth, the better. I was looking for a company that’d ask questions at the point in time when I say something or give direction.

Then, I’d receive a draft and all the details would be pretty much there, with the exception of a couple of changes here and there. That’s what GreyBox Creative offered me. They expressed that when they give me a product, they listen and bring it to 95% of what I’d expect of a first draft.

After some searching on Google, I narrowed down five companies. I selected them because after visiting their website and seeing their testimonials and branding, they really struck me. I called each company, assessed, and made a determination of what I felt was best for our needs — and that was GreyBox Creative.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between $12,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing engagement started around November 2020.

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

GreyBox Creative has shown great attentiveness and listening skills. Their ability to listen and then apply those requirements by producing a deliverable at first glance is above par. Additionally, the quality of their products is excellent. GreyBox Creative produces high-quality products that communicate our message to the recipient.

We’re seeing a good ROI on the marketing dollars we’ve spent. We’ve seen an uptick in clients as well as more sales. We’ve received great feedback about our branding, brochures, and logo. People are seeing us and our brand presence has definitely grown. There are more eyes on us, and we’re more noticeable now.

How did GreyBox Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management has been excellent. We communicate through email, Zoom, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their listening, application, and quality are what separates them from others. The reason we switched to GreyBox Creative is why we’re still there today.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Take the risk. Marketing is a big leap of faith because you don’t know what you’re going to get until you do. Take the leap with GreyBox Creative, and they’ll make you successful.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a sales associate with the Coleman Group.

What challenge were you trying to address with GreyBox Creative?

We needed help creating a brand, building a website, and managing SEO campaigns.

What was the scope of their involvement?

GreyBox presented three different options for our brand identity and explained their rationale behind each one. We then chose the direction in which we wanted to go, and they built out our brand identity, including logo and tagline.

Their team also created business cards, folders, note cards, listing presentation sheets, and other print collateral.

They also built our website using WordPress. Their team managed design and development. They linked the website to MLS and Google Maps API to show properties’ locations. Now, they’re in charge of our SEO campaigns and are assisting us with design for additional web and print collateral (i.e. newsletters, sign riders, email signature, etc).

What is the team composition?

Our project manager’s Vincent (Founder & President) who oversees the rest of the team that includes developers, designers, and branding consultants.

How did you come to work with GreyBox Creative?

I used Clutch, another resource, and Google to search for a partner. I liked that GreyBox was smaller and experienced in the real estate industry. They also had positive reviews.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $10,000–$50,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around September 2019, and it’s ongoing.

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

GreyBox listened to our ideas, learned about our team, and then created vision boards for our team and each team member. Using the vision boards, they created designs and aesthetics for the brand that highlighted our shared values and approach to our work, while letting our individual personalities also shine through. Their team was able to capture who we are and how we serve our clients. We love the look and feel of the website and all of our new print collateral.

How did GreyBox Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re extremely responsive, answering our emails within the hour. We never wait a day for a response. The project took longer than planned, which was partially due to COVID. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Greybox is an extremely talented team of experts in creative design, branding and website development that are passionate about the results they deliver to clients. We felt that we were getting the best in every area of the project because of their team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At times, it took extra effort for us to stay on top of communication because many different people became involved in the project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Opt for the in-person kickoff meeting with the Greybox team. Think about the right deliverables for your company. Make sure you have the time to help oversee and input into the process to maximize the value-add the Greybox team can bring to your business.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Executive Director of a nonprofit financial capabilities headquartered in the South Bronx, serving about 15,000 low- and moderate-income New Yorkers each year,.

For what projects/services did your company hire GreyBox Creative?

We hired Greybox Creative to upgrade our existing website to ensure ADA-compliance. We also at the same time did a refresh/redesign with Greybox working collaboraitvely with our designer, Van Gennep Design and our marketing consultant B-Storytelling.

What were your goals for this project?

To launch a new website aligned with our recent rebranding and to ensure a more interactive user experience. A primary goal was to ensure the site was AD A-compliant.

How did you select GreyBox Creative?

We had been working with Greybox to maintain our existing website and ensure website security.

Describe the project in detail.

The project was a website redesign after a rebranding to refresh the site and ensure website ADA compliance.

What was the team composition?

The Greybox team consisted of a creative director and the head of web development. They worked collaboratively with a marketing team form B-Storytelling and our graphic designer, Daniella Van Gennep

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

The website is up and running, fully compliant. Some of our colleagues have suffered nuisance suits for non-compliant websites. This enabled us to proactively respond. We have received a lot of positive feedback about the visual appeal of the site.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow. Greybox was able to work efficiently and constructively with multiple parties in competing this.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was very impressed that the company was out in front of the ADA-compliance issue, something we were not even aware of until it was brought to our attention and which we then learned was a real risk. Greybox addressed this very effectively.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, everything worked fine.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a managing principal for S Squared Advisors a specialized equity investment firm that believes in the confluence of volatility and value. The inclusion of volatility in our investment process is a significant distinction that sets us apart from other firms. Our strategies reflect the idea that investing in stocks exhibiting low realized volatility while backed by high-quality fundamentals can yield significant risk-adjusted returns.

This methodology attempts to allow our factors to work over the long run while reducing numerous measures of risk, including standard deviation and max drawdown. Our systematic approach results in a well-constructed portfolio composed of companies that embody solid balance sheets, are highly profitable, efficiently use capital, and have superior margin of safety. Simply put, S SQUARED ADVISORS is Value Investing Elevated.

For what projects/services did your company hire GreyBox Creative?

Entire firm branding, letterhead, business cards, website, marketing materials, and personal and company digital foot print.

What were your goals for this project?

Creating a well positioned brand that represents our unique approach to equity management and investment services.

How did you select GreyBox Creative?

Previously worked with Vincent at his prior company.

Describe the project in detail.

Collaborated Vincent and his team to create a unique brand that represents our distinct value proposition via letterhead, business cards, website, marketing materials, and personal and company digital foot print.

What was the team composition?

Vincent and entire team from writing, creative, and development

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

We have received numerous feedback from current and potential clients on how polished and thoughtful our marketing materials and digital presence is for a firm our size.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

highly effective

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The ability of the team to distill the unique nuances of our firm in a clear and concise manner impressed us.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a restauranteur who’s been in the business for 37 years. I currently own, either completely or in some other capacity, seven different restaurants.

What challenge were you trying to address with Greybox Creative?

We rely on Greybox Creative for branding our restaurants and implementing these brands across the channels we want to market to most.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They spearheaded the branding process from ideation to execution. I gave them my ideas, and they dissected the brand’s goals and value propositions. They took these foundational ideas and apply them to our logo, website, and collateral design. They’ve even conducted SEO for us.

What is the team composition?

I worked primarily with two teammates, Remo (Creative Director) and Vincent (Founder).

How did you come to work with Greybox Creative?

I've known Vincent since childhood. We ran into each other literally days after I began looking for an agency.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent somewhere between $50,000–$200,000 over the course of our engagement.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in March 2010, and it’s an ongoing partnership.

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

Greybox Creative did an excellent job of communicating that our dine-in customers would be seated outside, successfully allaying some major fears amidst the pandemic. The team effectively got our name out during a time where people were reluctant to eat out. Our restaurant has been full every day since it’s opened, and I can attribute some of our success to their efforts.

How did Greybox Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They communicated brilliantly. They’re detailed, deadline-oriented, and extremely specific.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I wish I could be on top of my own game as much as they’re on theirs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

An improvement would be difficult because every aspect of the project came out swimmingly. I can’t think of how they could’ve done a better job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a strong idea of what you want. Depending on the industry, it helps to have some clarity around your expectations. Be able to sit and passionately communicate your goals.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a Startup which will help lenders understand the financial health of the retail community

For what projects/services did your company hire GreyBox Creative?

We hired Greybox for both brand strategy and visual identity

What were your goals for this project?

Develop branding logo and marketing strategy.

How did you select this vendor?

I have had the pleasure of working and developing a great friendship with Vincent and his team at Greybox. We have known and wokred with each other since 2008. I wonder if any other firm can be as collaborative and partner with me as well as the team at Greybox Creative.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Brand Strategy workshop and then proceeded to logo design. Upon completion of these two critical phases we moved forward with stationery system and pitch deck.

What was the team composition?

Worked exclusively and collaboratively with both Vincent and Remo the creative director.

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

I have shared the results of their work with over 25 lenders and have received fantastic feedback. I could not be more satisfied with the work and ability to complete ahead of schedule. Congrats!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Seamless.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Every detail and scope of our project was given hands-on attention.

Are there any areas for improvement?

NONE