Jacobs & Clevenger

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the Director of Direct to Consumer & E-Commerce at Serta, which is a mattress manufacturer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Jacobs & Clevenger?

We contracted with J&C for marketing and advertising services as we developed our loyalty program.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We generally like to develop materials and ideas for the next quarter. This process starts with a brainstorming session to develop the strategy and a marketing calendar for the loyalty program. We crafted an informational newsletter that would appeal to customers and prospective customers alike. J&C helped develop content for the newsletter—ideas that include interactive content, like quizzes or videos, as well as relevant articles. Per the terms of the loyalty program, once somebody makes a purchase and becomes a customer, they receive a partner offer with some sort of coupon. J&C was instrumental in helping us find like-minded partners to offer free shipping or a certain percent off an order from their own site as a reward for making a purchase with Serta.

What is the team composition?

I communicate primarily with our account director day-to-day, but we hold quarterly meetings with the entire team of copywriters and leadership.

How did you come to work with Jacobs & Clevenger?

I have known their leadership team for about 25 years, a product of working at different agencies and meeting them at industry events. We interviewed a few other firms for this project, but the quality of the work J&C did for the pitch, along with the strategy they presented, made them stand out.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $60,000–$70,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in July 2016, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are well above the average email open rate. Some months, we achieve as high as 34% open rate, which is quite successful. And our opt-out rate is incredibly low. We’ve been very pleased with that engagement. We’re seeing a pass-along rate that we didn’t expect, so we’re learning that our topics are resonating with our target audience. J&C understands our audience and finds relevant information to keep them coming back. We have grown our base by about 300% in the last two years.

How did Jacobs & Clevenger perform from a project management standpoint?

They are easy to work with, and they seem to love what we do. They’re very organized and respectful. We text a lot because it’s convenient for me with my travel schedule. We email so that we all have that correspondence, but if we need to discuss something in-depth, we’ll have a conference call or meet in person. I try to meet them in person once a quarter, which I think helps the relationship.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a smaller agency, and because of that, their culture makes a big difference. Their people are incredibly passionate, and their leadership will sit in on meetings to strategize with us. That kind of access to senior management is rare.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. On one occasion, we had to relaunch a project because of some miscommunication with a junior team member. Senior leadership handled the issue quickly and our project was completed on time.   

Any advice for potential customers?

Today, most companies are always trying to do things faster and moving at the speed of light.  Quicker isn’t always better. Quality takes time. Better work always comes from having time to digest the brief. No matter your project, give them your brief and you won’t be disappointed.