Hotspex Media

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the social partnerships and PR manager for a medical aesthetics company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotspex Media?

We needed their team’s paid digital marketing expertise.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hotspex Media provides paid social media and search engine campaign support. The engagement is on pause right now, but we plan to work with them again next quarter.

They’ve implemented different quarterly campaigns to help drive awareness of our medical aesthetic technology. They work on paid content for Facebook and Instagram, providing insights on how to optimize our campaigns to perform better. 

Hotspex Media also provides SEO services; we’ve worked closely with them to conduct keyword research. They don’t make direct changes to our website, but they’ve provided us with advice.

What is the team composition?

We work with three or four Hotspex Media teammates.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since the beginning of 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Hotspex Media has increased our site traffic and driven impressions quarter-over-quarter. We’ve also seen increased search engine rankings for key terms, and our brand visibility has increased. Hotspex Media has met our expectations.

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?

Hotspex Media does exceedingly well with project management. They use phone calls, email, and Coda.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

I’m very appreciative of both Samantha's (Digital Media - Account Director) and Alexander’s (SVP, Ad Operations) help throughout the life cycle of the partnership.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Hotspex Media’s industry knowledge is impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at this time.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

No, I don’t have any recommendations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Marketing for a fiberoptic internet company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotspex Media?

We needed Hotspex Media to provide digital marketing services. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hotspex Media has been our digital media strategist. Our digital media business is in 15 states, and Hotspex Media has taken on all of it. They have provided services around digital media buys, social media ads, search, display, and connected TV. We provide them with the creative assets and they’re in charge of placing them. 

We had a brainstorming session and went over a couple of strategies we had in mind. The team took that information and looked at some other data points and came back with really good strategy recommendations. We’re constantly evolving the strategy. 

What is the team composition? 

We work with six people including an account director and an analytics resource.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

We deal a lot with the president of the company who is great to work with. He’s very interactive with all of the clients and has been a big part of our account. 

How did you come to work with Hotspex Media?

We found Hotspex Media on Clutch while looking for someone who specialized in digital media. They had great reviews. We contacted them along with a couple of other agencies. We connected really well with Hotspex Media’s amazing team who had a lot of good ideas and were large enough to take on what we needed them to. We started with several back-and-forth calls to make sure they were a good fit. We gave them a very small project of placing connected TV ads to ensure we got good results before turning all of our business over to them. Within one month, we knew we were getting better results with them than we did with our other agency. We then turned all of our digital media business over to them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2022, and the collaboration is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Hotspex Media has delivered top-quality work. We’ve continually seen a month-over-month increase in our lead generation volume. They’re a very intelligent team who specialize in digital advertising. Hotspex Media really knows what they’re doing and is wonderful to work with. We usually switch agencies yearly but we have no plans of switching. Hotspex Media has been the perfect fit for our company

How did Hotspex Media perform from a project management standpoint?

The team is incredibly responsive. We set a monthly budget that they always make it work. We communicate via Coda and have weekly calls to touch base and share our pain points. We’ve learned so much through these calls. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed by Hotspex Media’s analytics team. We really like the dynamic dashboard they have that displays real-time data analytics for us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve done very well for us. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have weekly phone calls with your core team. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Director of PFU America

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Ricoh is a leading provider of integrated digital services and print and imaging solutions designed to support digital transformation of workplaces and optimize business performance.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Hotspex Media to accomplish?

• Run B2B + Consumer Paid Media

SOLUTION

How did you find Hotspex Media?

Referral

Why did you select Hotspex Media over others?

• High ratings
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Hotspex Media were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

HSM is responsible for the day-to-day management of paid digital marketing campaigns including paid search, display and social advertising strategies across both our B2B and B2C business.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Increase in ROAs, leads, and valuable insights.

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

HSM is incredibly responsive and supportive. I found the tools they employ help streamline our processes and ultimately help us achieve a higher ROI on our media spend across the board.

What was your primary form of communication with Hotspex Media?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their team clearly has a handle on all components of their business, allowing for the time and dedication to learn about our business. They understand our unique needs in our market and make insightful recommendations.

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

Any feedback has been swiftly addressed, so I have no areas for improvement at this time.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of client services at a full-service creative agency specializing in branding and design. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotspex Media?

We needed help in various digital projects. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hotspex is supporting our team on our various projects. After our client briefs us with their objectives, Hotspex puts together a media plan based on the desired target audience. They study digital channels, make recommendations, and analyze the client’s budgetary constraints. 

What is the team composition?

Depending on the project, we work with 2–3 resources. Jonah (VP of Strategy and Product) is our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Hotspex Media?

A business partner introduced Hotspex to us, and we worked with them on a project. We enjoyed collaborating with their team, so we sought opportunities to continue our relationship. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve started working together in July 2019, and our partnership is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Hotspex’s support has been helpful in growing our business. Generally, our clients are impressed with their knowledge, thought leadership, and campaign results.   

How did Hotspex Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Hotspex follows their commitments and delivers based on their timeline. They’re excellent project managers — they communicate what they require and follow up when they don’t receive what they need. They’re also very professional. We communicate through emails, Zoom calls, and text messages. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Hotspex’s way of working makes us feel like they’re a natural extension of our agency. I trust them to always deliver no matter the project’s size. They’re dependable and brilliant. 

Our process is very collaborative — Hotspex is an expert in their field, but they remain open and engaging with our clients and us. This allows us to come up with solutions tailored to our clients’ needs. Like us, they’re also committed to finding success for our clients. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open, straightforward, and share as much information as possible. They’re wonderful to collaborate with, and it’ll be better to give them more information. You can trust them — treat them as if they’re a part of your team. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am an account director at a PR company. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotspex Media?

We hired Hotspex Media to help us with our marketing and advertising. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hotspex Media was tasked with developing a digital and out-of-home marketing campaign for a charity we work for. We provided them with a limited budget, but Hotspex Media had to target a large audience across several provinces. So, Hotspex Media reached out to our local transport service to negotiate good rates for the project. 

Hotspex Media contributed to the creative process, working with another team to develop creatives. They then set about posting and managing the campaign on Facebook and Instagram. Hotspex Media also managed the campaign with the transport system and physical postings in various provinces. Throughout the process, Hotspex Media advised our team on our ad spending and how to best use digital and out-of-home ads to reach our target audiences. 

What is the team composition?

We work with two teammates from Hotspex Media, including Josh (President). 

How did you come to work with Hotspex Media?

Our agency had a relationship with Josh before his company became Hotspex Media. We also knew that Hotspex Media was an award-winner on Clutch.co, so there was a high level of trust because they have such a good reputation. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership with Hotspex Media began in September 2021, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have a lot of experience working with companies in a similar space, and I have to say Hotspex Media really exceeds my expectations. Hotspex Media has done a fantastic job navigating the sensitive information we have to explain; I was impressed and happy with the amount of senior-level service we’ve received. They’ve adapted the project several times to meet project challenges and changes, but they’ve done a fantastic job splitting the budget across digital channels to meet our needs. 

How did Hotspex Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Hotspex Media does a stellar job meeting budgets and deadlines. Generally, we communicate with their team via phone calls and email. Hotspex Media’s team is available and quick to respond to our messages. I always have access to their team if I need them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Hotspex Media’s consultative services and understanding of the problems we are facing are exceptional. There are a lot of hoops to jump through to ensure our client’s message is presented sensitively and appropriately, and they’ve been able to do that appropriately on various platforms. I feel very comfortable rolling out Hotspex Media’s work because I trust them to understand the gravity and sensitivity of this project. I would 100% work with Hotspex Media on other projects going forward. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have anything for Hotspex Media to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Early into the engagement, customers need to communicate clearly with Hotspex Media about their project. It should be clear from the first conversation that Hotspex Media provides good consultative services and are reliable. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a programmatic analyst for The Home Depot’s Canadian office.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotspex Media?

We were looking to reach an audience that we’d targeted.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, we had multiple meetings with Hotspex. We discussed the tactic we could use, and they did an audience analysis. We sent them our creative materials, which they took and used to see what they could do for us. They produced a video campaign.

What is the team composition?

Josh (President) and Jonah (VP & Strategy & Product) helped us a lot, but they involved other people. We had a manager who took us through the reports and dashboards they built.

How did you come to work with Hotspex Media?

Before I started working at Home Depot, Hotspex was speaking to the senior programmatic director. She’d known about them and what they did, so we restarted the conversation with them when I joined. Then, we decided it was a good time to start.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $100,000–$200,000 CAD (approximately $79,000–$158,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in August 2020, and we finished in August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We saw some positive video completion rates. In terms of emotional content, they highlighted areas that we hadn’t thought of before for our targeting.

How did Hotspex Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They didn’t really work on the project management side. However, they were great with the turnaround. They also knew which questions to ask and what they needed from us so we didn’t beat around the bush.

We mostly communicated over Zoom calls, and we exchanged emails to confirm what we had spoken about.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It was the collaborative nature between Josh and Jonah. They listened to what we wanted and pushed us to build a quality platform together. They were great partners.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think so. We couldn’t highlight any limitations because they were on our side.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep an open mind and allow them to do what they’re good at.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director and co-founder of an e-commerce vegan handbag and accessories brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotspex Media?

We needed help getting our product out into the market. We used to rely on popup shops. When the pandemic hit, we had to rely on e-commerce. It used to be very hard for people to find us. We needed a way to retarget visitors to our site from social media.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hotspex Media works on our SEO and Google Ads. The team helps us retarget visitors from Instagram and Facebook. They also help us with keyword research and brand assets.

What is the team composition?

We work with an account manager, a billing specialist, and three ads specialist.

How did you come to work with Hotspex Media?

I had a close friend that was doing our SEO. She was very limited in helping us with ROI. I was helping another friend interview options for her company and I came across Hotspex. She saw results after hiring them, so I decided to give them an interview, too.

I spoke to a lot of other options in my own search; an anecdote that stuck out to me about Hotspex was “Anyone can drive a car but Hamilton does it better”. From there, I was sold. They didn’t use confusing jargon like the other companies.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2021, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re great to work with, and we’re seeing exceptional results. We’re very happy. We’ve had a higher ROI in the last two months than in the past three years; the results are phenomenal. Whatever they’re doing is working.

How did Hotspex Media perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re so good. Their team provides a link that shows real-time results of what’s going on. It’s all very transparent. We can see which keywords are working and on which platforms.

Even though our written agreement says the turnaround time is 48 hours, I always hear back within three hours or less. They’re very responsive, and the correct person always gets back to us. The team is attentive, and they do a great job of answering our questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their work ethic is exceptional. All the different people I interact with offer the same excellent level of service. That’s what really assures me that their leadership and the environment they create for their employees are so good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t say one bad thing. I refer them to all my entrepreneur friends.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be willing to trust them. Investing money into a service like this and hoping for results can be scary; if you trust them, things will work out well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner and the VP of the media department for Twenty6two International.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotspex Media?

We’ve utilized Hotspex Media as our digital agency partner for about 5–6 years. They handle most of our digital advertising needs for our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Hotspex Media has done pretty much everything — search, digital, social, paid social, paid video, and paid static. They do provide some strategy on the keyword research side, but we have the most success with them in their execution for our client’s digital media.

What is the team composition? 

Over the years, I’ve probably worked with about 5–6 people.

How did you come to work with Hotspex Media?

Josh (President) pitched me consistently to give Hotspex Media a chance, going so far as to say that he could do the job better than all of the other partners we worked with. I finally decided to try them out. That chance led to another chance, and they ended up overdelivering on what they promised.

How much have you invested with them?

Each campaign is different, but we’ve probably spent about $500,000–$1 million over all the years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them since 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In general, Hotspex Media over-delivers on our campaigns based on benchmarks for the industry. They’re just on top of things, making sure everything starts smoothly and letting us know if there are any issues. The reports are pretty thorough, too, and they’ve certainly improved their formatting and presentation.  

How did Hotspex Media perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve had 1–2 blips, but they mostly stay on track. They follow up with us, make sure that all of the creative is running properly, and use a platform to produce campaign reports.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to serve us sets them apart. If things go wrong, they’re transparent about it and are good at compensating. 

The team is also very hands-on. One of the early tests that convinced me to give them all of our business was when we were running a social campaign for a client. The client put everything on their credit card but maxed it out while they were away. Hotspex Media flagged it the Saturday night that it happened, which showed me how much they were on top of things.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We’re feeling some of their growing pains. There have been some new people on our accounts, and they’re also adjusting to remote work. So, it might take a little longer than we’re used to for an email response.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you give Hotspex Media a chance to build a good relationship, then you’ll be pleased to see that they can execute flawlessly. Of course, don’t be afraid to challenge them on strategy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital marketing manager at a manufacturing company. We specialize in creating stone wool insulation for residential and commercial markets. It’s a unique product that’s sound-absorbing, moisture-resistant, and compliant with industry standards.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Hotspex Media?

We hired Hotspex Media to help us reach new markets in the US, looking at demographics and buyer personas.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Hotspex Media writes our media plans to target specific audiences. We give them a geography to explore along with the background information for certain buyer types, and their team builds the strategy around our focus. 

There’s a huge analytical component, too. They’re figuring out how we can best engage our users, looking at different digital channels and planning the ad buy for that. From there, they manage our PPC campaigns, give us new insights to get better interaction, and suggest how to update or change our creative.

What is the team composition? 

We primarily work with our account manager and a PPC specialist who adjusts our ad spend. Occasionally, we meet with their analytics and display specialist.

How did you come to work with Hotspex Media?

I’d worked with their team before they became Hotspex Media. It was already a strong relationship, so it made sense to move over to the new group. They continued to build out more solutions and offer more services, so I stuck with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $600,000, including ad spend.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve worked with Hotspex Media since May 2018 but was introduced to their team in 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Hotspex Media is very hands-on for a limited resource team. I need to have specific information at certain times, and they’ve been a valuable asset in attaining that data. They’re always monitoring our campaigns in the background, so I don’t have to continually do a deep dive into the reports.

How did Hotspex Media perform from a project management standpoint?

Every month, we go through their analytics report to see how our campaigns are doing. That’s looking at if we’re meeting our goals, if our performance is increasing over time, and more. Hotspex Media uses that opportunity to suggest where we could improve our performance.

The team also excels at managing our campaign schedule. We use a different company to handle our creative assets, so Hotspex Media has to coordinate with them to keep on schedule. If we can’t deliver something on time, they’re good about letting us know what the impact is and adjusting the schedule accordingly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate that they take the time and energy to understand our products so that they can navigate our markets. They’re an innovative company with an amazing strategy around positioning and repositioning their clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been extremely happy with the service that they provide. I wouldn’t change a thing about their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Educate them on what you’re looking for, and they’ll take the lead from there. The more you let them organize their strategy, the better your campaign will turn out.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the VP Digital at a Toronto based marketing firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Hotspex Media?

Hotspex Media was our preferred, trusted programmatic media partner. We worked hand-in-hand with the Hotspex Media team for all client projects from strategy development through to campaign analytics.

Projects ranged from paid social media, programmatic display, video and paid search. We worked with Hotspex Media on a variety of client projects - automotive, CPG, retail, B2B.

What were your goals for this project?

Our focus for all projects, including this automotive project, was driving conversion online. Wherever possible, we aimed to define conversion as a sale, however often we would have to define it as an appointment booking, seeking a dealer location or calling a dealer.

SOLUTION

How did you select Hotspex Media?

Hotspex Media became our preferred partner through our initial RFP process. We had worked with a number of media partners depending on the project, however after many successful projects, they became our lead.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We were able to work in true partnership with Hotspex Media and they became an extension of our digital team. For this project we engaged their team with the initial client brief and walked through the brief on a call with the Hotspex team.

We answered any questions, shared our initial thinking and brainstormed some media options. From there the Hotspex team had internal meetings and put together a proposal based on the brief.

This proposal focused on recommended media channels (including strategic rationale), breakdown of spend by channel and estimated outcomes. Once the plan was approved by client, Hotspex media executed all media, provided weekly check-ins on results and provided a final report on results.

The Hotspex Media team also checked in throughout the campaign to make adjustments to the media to improve performance.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with three members of the team for this campaign - VP, Strategist and Analyst. The team remained consistent throughout the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The results of this campaign exceeded expectations - specifically when looking at engagement and conversion through digital media.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Program management on this campaign was well above average. The Hotspex Media team was always met timelines and was proactive in flagging any concerns or issues with the campaign.

After initial kick-off calls, most communication took place over email and Slack and was very streamlined and purpose driven. The Hotspex Media team was always accessible and eager to connect to discuss the campaign whenever necessary. They were very focused on customer service.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Two areas that I found most impressive: 1. They went above and beyond from a customer service standpoint. The level of service never changed - from initial meetings through to delivery of report.

They were a true partner through the highs and lows! 2. Knowledge and approach - the Hotspex Media team always went above and beyond our expectations especially when it came to pushing our thinking about innovative ways to use programmatic media.

They always came to meetings with new ideas or options. They were incredible easy to work with and to collaborate with. Often our meetings would turn into amazing brainstorm sessions - this always made us bring forth the best ideas for our client.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The lines of communication were always open with Hotspex, so there were never any issues that weren't resolved right away.