Toronto's Food Creative and Social Media Agency
Label 428 is a food creative and social media agency based in Toronto, ON. We help our clients by managing their social media channels and produce all the content for them. We specialize in restaurant franchises and consumer packaged goods.
Focus
Portfolio
Mary Brown's Domino's Canada Grace Foods Canada
Reviews
the project
Video & Creative Asset Production for Food & Bev Company
"They are always willing to go the extra mile in order to address our concerns."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I work for a food and beverage company that owns a portfolio of franchises and locally developed brands. I head up the branding and marketing across our portfolio.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label 428?
We were about to launch a new menu and needed some creative assets that could help us visually communicate our message to our customers.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Label 428 does video production for us. They create assets that reflect our new menu changes, including digital video assets for our menu boards. Those assets are displayed across our chain stores in Ontario and British Columbia in Canada. All films are then adapted for social media and digital advertising on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
What is the team composition?
We’re directly working with six people, including an account manager, art director, videographer, and people responsible for post-production. Label 428 also works with freelancers and brings them on board depending on the scope of the project and the project budget.
How did you come to work with Label 428?
We did our research around other similar video production companies that were out there. We wanted a smaller, agile team that could work to fit our needs as opposed to working with an agency that’s large and too bureaucratic.
Additionally, we were looking for a team that could offer us flexibility. Label 428 gave us their previous portfolio with companies in the chain restaurant industry. In the end, we liked the creativity that they exemplified in those projects. We thought that our brand could benefit from their experience.
How much have you invested with them?
So far, we already invested $15,000–$20,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in August 2020, and we’re still collaborating.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
As a team, we’re quite pleased and satisfied with Label 428's work. They always do what they need to in order to get the job done. More than that, they are able to deliver under tight timelines. They can turn things around quickly.
How did Label 428 perform from a project management standpoint?
We have a dedicated account manager on this project. He is basically responsible for communicating everything to us and relaying everything to his production artist and other people involved.
I would say that their project management is on point. They meet deadlines and even deliver earlier than we anticipate. Above all, Label 428 implements revisions quickly.
What did you find most impressive about them?
In terms of production quality, it is on par with other companies that we have tried before. They’re flexible even when there are certain changes on set, which impresses us. Additionally, they are creative problem solvers and they never say no to our requests.
They are always willing to go the extra mile in order to address our concerns. Moreover, Label 428 isn't stuck in their ways, and that is important for us.
Are there any areas they could improve?
For constructive feedback, I would say that they should have a director or a graphic designer for the post-production process. Our internal team had to be a little more involved in that process than we would have liked. However, it all worked out in the end. Going forward in our engagement, that change can help us get the full value of their service.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
If you want your video to have a particular style or art treatment, make sure you have resources on your side. If you don't have it, you can request that they ask someone with that expertise to work on your project.
the project
Social Media Marketing for Italian Restaurant Franchise
"They have great customer service."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the director of operations at a franchise of restaurants. We specialize in Italian cuisine.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label 428?
We didn’t have a strong social media presence. I thought it would be beneficial for us to have a bigger presence online since more people are now staying at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They consolidated all of our pages. They do regular postings and maintain a calendar schedule for posts. They also do regular photoshoots once or twice a month. They keep everything topical and timely. They also answer all of the comments and DMs we get.
What is the team composition?
My main point of contact is Brian (Owner). We also work with one of his other employees.
How did you come to work with Label 428?
We had a mutual friend that helped us find them.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent around $20,000–$25,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in May 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They take amazing photos, and their captions are hilarious. They always stay on top of the comments and DMs. They’re great at managing engagement with customers online. Our following online has increased.
How did Label 428 perform from a project management standpoint?
They’re excellent.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They always keep an open line of communication with us. I can call them at any time. They have great customer service which isn’t something I’ve seen from other social media marketing companies.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I wish they did website management too, but they only do social media management.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Trust their process.
the project
Social Media Management for Pizza Chain
"The level of personal attention and flexibility they provide is great."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the VP of marketing and product development at a major pizza chain.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label 428?
At the time, we were looking to put more resources into our social media platforms. After a phone call with Label 428 and realizing the media we were posting wasn’t performing well, we hired them to oversee our social media platforms.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Their services started out with photography and product imagery to feature on our profiles. Then, they moved into producing short videos to post online. Most recently, we’ve developed some full-length advertisements with them that we post on Twitch, YouTube, and other streaming platforms.
What is the team composition?
I typically work directly with Brian (CEO, Label 428), but he also provides other great teammates for the shoots.
How did you come to work with Label 428?
I received a cold call from Brian and we had a great conversation in which he let me know that our social media content could be much better. From there, I put him in contact with the person who was overseeing those accounts, and they took it from there.
How much have you invested with them?
It’s tough to say exactly how much we’ve spent since there’s a lot of different elements involved. I’d estimate we’ve spent around $60,000 on video production and then between $50,000–$60,000 on the photography elements.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our engagement has been ongoing since 2016.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Based on the Google Analytics reports that we receive regularly, we’ve definitely seen some telling results. It’s difficult to measure the performance of some of the creative, but I’ve seen strong results from the videos we’ve been streaming on YouTube and Twitch.
How did Label 428 perform from a project management standpoint?
The communication between our teams has been through phone and email, which is great. Sometimes, we’ll meet in person when I’m on location during the process. I’ve had only positive experiences with the people on Brian’s team.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The level of personal attention and flexibility they provide is great. Like during any creative project, there are last-minute changes that need to take place and they’re always able to accommodate our requests. I’ve really enjoyed working with their team and they’ve done some great work for us.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There have been times that Brian’s estimates haven’t been completely accurate. Granted, things change and prices need to go up, but there have been some occasions where I’m surprised by the final cost being a bit higher than expected. Brian informs me whenever these price changes are happening, but I think tightening up the estimation process would be beneficial.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
When working with creative agencies, it’s important to communicate and be clear to avoid any surprises. Unfortunately, surprises will always happen in this industry, but regular, open communication can help alleviate those situations and lead to a better experience.
the project
Social Media Management for Bagel Franchise
“With their help, we now have over 10,000 followers on our social media accounts.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We are a restaurant and bakery franchising company. We have six corporate locations and six front operating franchises.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label428?
Label428 was hired to do our social media. They run our Instagram, Facebook, contests and moderate all of the community comments.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We weren’t managing our social media well and had no engagement at all. When Label428 came in they took care of everything from A-Z. They set up influencer events with various groups to increase the number of followers on our profiles. Overall, they just bring a great, positive spirit to our social media. We don’t have to worry about anything.
What is the team composition?
We work with two account managers and engage with the higher-ups in the company sometimes, too.
How did you come to work with Label428?
They reached out to me. After we met, everything just worked out. They seemed like young, energetic professionals that understood what they were doing.
How much have you invested with them?
We pay an all-inclusive monthly fee that runs around $2,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working together in 2016, and our engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
With their help, we now have over 10,000 followers on our social media accounts. We target different things, but now we just have a platform where we can engage with customers, push new products, and run catering promos. It’s also great for store openings. We do an annual free bagel day and they definitely increased notoriety about that event too.
How did Label428 perform from a project management standpoint?
We have a major call once every three months. They’re very responsive and make sure our campaigns run smoothly.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We’re happy with their work and they’re always on the pulse. They seem to be preemptive with all their ideas and they just make a lot of sense.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They’re working to expand their services. We just opened a restaurant and it’s not doing so well and we’re having issues with getting people to come there Monday through Thursday. They’re going to get back to me with a proposal on how to build the restaurant business for this one specific location. They’ve got to be sort of a marketing and social media partner for us.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
My advice is just to let them be and let them do their work. They’re good at what they do and we don’t need to micromanage them every step of the way.
the project
Video Production & Social Media Marketing for Food Co.
“Their involvement is a major contributor to our success.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We are Jonathan Leung and Oscar Chan, the marketing manager and marketing coordinator of NuPasta, Inc. We are a pasta manufacturer for individuals with dietary restrictions.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label 428?
We wanted to communicate to a lot of consumers and found the most effective way was through video. We shopped around for a media productions company, but the prices we found were outside our budget. Then, we discovered Label 428.
What was the scope of their involvement?
This was a two-part project. We started with a video that explained our company, origins, and attributes of the product to our B2B clients to spark interest in our company. We also did a 15-second advertisement for our consumers. Both videos went onto our website and our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook. They currently create content and adverts for our accounts and respond to comments.
What is the team composition?
We had a project manager who coordinated a team of at least seven or eight.
How did you come to work with Label 428?
A contact of ours knew them and referred them. They also appeared in recommended media company lists we looked through. There were few companies that fit our vision, scope, and budget, so Label was a top contender.
How much have you invested with them?
We've spent around $25,000–$30,000 on all our interaction with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
The video projects started in May or June 2018. After those were complete, they reached out to us to manage our social media accounts. That part of our partnership started around January or February 2019 and is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
KPIs we track include engagement with our social media. The metrics are constantly changing, but we are satisfied with those results so far. Their aesthetic and content are much better than anything we could have created in house. As social media platforms evolve, we're adapting to them. Their involvement is a major contributor to our success.
How did Label 428 perform from a project management standpoint?
They're very good project managers. They follow through with us and are open to our feedback. They always check in with us before posting anything, and they feel like an extension of our internal team.
What did you find most impressive about them?
This is the first company we've worked with for social media or video content. Our closest comparison is with other content creators for photos. Label's turnover rate is very quick. We can give them something to process, and we often get results within a week. Communication is open and equal, and everything is thoroughly planned out. They execute projects perfectly, which was a major reason we decided to work with them.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Most of our relationship is very good. There were some hiccups in the transition phase as they familiarized themselves with our products and our voice. We gave them feedback, and they fixed everything within a week.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Make sure you have a good plan, and be clear about what you want. They will fill in the gaps as best as they can, but they won't necessarily include everything in their planning if you aren’t thorough.
the project
Social Media Management for a Caribbean Food Brand
“We've seen some incredible results from partnering with Label 428.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
Grace Foods Canada is a company that distributes Caribbean and multicultural food and beverages nationwide. We've been in business in Canada for over 30 years, but the roots of our company date back to 1922 in Kingston, Jamaica. As the marketing manager, I am responsible for all our national marketing initiatives.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label 428?
The social media campaigns we'd executed previously weren't getting the results that we were hoping or paying for. When we came across Label 428, we brought them in for an initial meeting to assess the cohesion between our two groups. Based on our rapport, we decided to give them a try.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Label 428 manages all of our social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. They initiate and execute campaigns and provide us with a monthly calendar. They're very proactive in measuring which elements work and which ones don't as well. Based on their assessments, they'll come back with different ideas about how to address any shortfalls we may be experiencing.
They're fully responsible for our content, so they take and post pictures, videos, and other core materials. They don't use any stock photos; everything is original. Frequently, they even handle the recipe development themselves. They understand the products we want to focus on in a particular month or week.
What is the team composition?
Our main point of contact from Label 428 is the CEO. Brian (CEO, Label 428) works with the team that works on our project on a daily basis. He handles strategy development and his very capable team handle the day-to-day activities.
How did you come to work with Label 428?
I believe they initially reached out to us as a cold call.
How much have you invested with them?
We've spent slightly over $50,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in November of 2017, and our engagement is still ongoing. We've been very happy with Label 428.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
All of our platforms have experienced a huge increase in engagement since we started working with Label 428. We've seen more users share and like our content. They've helped us with a lot of ad boosting, as well, which has certainly helped. We've seen some incredible results from partnering with Label 428.
How did Label 428 perform from a project management standpoint?
Label 428 has demonstrated excellent project management abilities. They're very proactive and stay on top of us as a client to ensure we execute everything on time. Rather than waiting for us to ask a question or raise a concern, they take initiative and let us know right away if anything doesn't seem to be working well.
By noting which types of posts are more effective, they help us figure out which efforts to pursue more of. They've both been quite receptive to our input and generated their own ideas to suggest. Our main form of communication is a combination of phone and email. Once in a while, they have a face to face meeting to make sure everything is on track.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Many social media companies we've worked with in the past used stock photos and regurgitated content over and over. Everything Label 428 does is original, creative, and unique. They've created some fabulous videos for us that we've been able to air on three TV stations. The quality of their work is phenomenal.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I really don't have any complaints about Label 428 all. I enjoy working with them and think they do a fabulous job for us.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be clear on your strategy and describe the results you're looking for. Give Label 428 as much background information as you can and let them perform. They'll do a great job.
the project
Social Media Management for a National Canadian Restaurant
“Our Facebook followers have grown rapidly with their help, surpassing 100,000 followers.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the creative director for Mary Brown's Chicken & Taters, a national restaurant franchise in Canada with about 145 stores.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label 428?
We had been working with another ad agency but weren't happy with their results, so we started looking for another vendor to take over our social media management.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Label 428 started managing our Instagram account, eventually taking over our Facebook and Twitter as well. They create the majority of our social media content, including text and images. They respond to comments but escalate them to our attention when appropriate. They've also been working with our team to produce some content for YouTube.
What is the team composition?
We worked mostly with Brian (Co-founder and CEO, Label 428) in the beginning, but Said (Account Manager, Label 428) is now our main point of contact.
How did you come to work with Label 428?
We heard of Label 428 through email marketing and decided to reach out to them since we were so disappointed with our previous vendor. After giving them some initial work, we were very happy with their results and decided to keep expanding the relationship.
How much have you invested with them?
We've invested over $200,000 in total.
What is the status of this engagement?
We've been working together for about two and a half years.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Label 428's social media efforts have been a huge asset to the company. Not only have they relieved our team of a significant amount of work, but they're doing a great job at it. Compared to our previous vendor, we've seen an uptick in online engagement, so they've done a great job in helping to build our brand's reputation and awareness. Our Facebook followers have grown rapidly with their help, surpassing 100,000 followers.
How did Label 428 perform from a project management standpoint?
Sai is very responsive, organized, and proactive. We mostly communicate through email, talk on the phone, and schedule face-to-face meetings every couple of months.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They genuinely care about our business and have helped us grow. I trust them a lot more than other agencies I've worked with and feel that they're loyal to the brands they work with.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I'm very happy with them overall, but I think they could work on acquiring more digital skills beyond social media.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Stay connected to them and make sure they understand how the business is changing as if they were an extension of the team, providing them all the tools they need in order to do their job well.
the project
Social Media Management for Burger Restaurant
“The Label 428 team is easy to work with. They’ll listen to your input and manage the project effectively.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the head of marketing at South St. Burger.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label 428?
We needed an outside agency to curate our social media and expand our reach.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Label 428 manages our Facebook and Instagram pages and uses influencers to increase our following. They post a variety of content including photos from monthly photoshoots that they plan at our restaurant and interactive posts meant to increase engagement. They also provide some customer service in responding to comments and escalating complaints when necessary. Over the course of the project, they’ve increased our following significantly across platforms.
What is the team composition?
The team is growing so it’s been in flux recently, but I primarily communicate with a project manager.
How did you come to work with Label 428?
They reached out to us via email and it happened to be when we were looking for a social media provider.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in June 2017, and the engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Since we started working together, our following on Instagram has more than doubled. They’ve been very open to our ideas, which has been very helpful. For instance, there was a Comic-Con event in Calgary recently, and at our request, they attended the convention and got a few photos that led to a busy weekend for us.
How did Label 428 perform from a project management standpoint?
They’ve performed very well. They take their own photos, which has saved us time and money in hiring another group or trying to do it ourselves. Taking monthly photos also yields consistently fresh and unique content. They set their own schedule for social media, and it’s seemed to work very well. We primarily communicate via phone and email.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We’ve been very impressed with the content that they produce, especially the photos that they take at our restaurants.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We’ve appreciated their engagement-driven approach to social media strategy, but they could engage a bit more with outside content to further increase our visibility.
Any advice for potential customers?
Have fun. The Label 428 team is easy to work with. They’ll listen to your input and manage the project effectively.
the project
Content Marketing for a Local Food Company
"Once we saw how great their work was, we started having them do all of our product shots."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the CEO of a food company. We sell locally-raised meat products directly from our website, saving customers a trip to the store.
What challenge were you trying to address with Label 428?
We started out by taking photos of our products on our phones, but we needed better quality photography in order to make the shots look good.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They do all of our product shots, including individual product shots as well as flagship headline shots of cooked meat. They also do some video for us. Their work is used on everything from our website, social media, newsletter, ads, and our video library.
What is the team composition?
I work with Brian, one of the two co-founders of Label 428.
How did you come to work with Label 428?
We met them at a trade show in Toronto. It was our first trade show and we met a lot of vendors. A couple of weeks later, I came across their email and decided to check out their Instagram page. The quality of their photos was fantastic, so I reached out to them and started a conversation.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent between $15,000–$20,000 CAD ($11,559–$15,412 USD).
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in June 2017 and the engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We started out only doing some small work with them because I was nervous about making a big commitment. Once we saw how great their work was, we started having them do all of our product shots. Their work is amazing. Having such high-quality product photos significantly helps our marketing. We’ve had a lot of customers comment positively on the photos. Label 428 is the best at what they do.
How did Label 428 perform from a project management standpoint?
They're great. Brian responds a lot quicker than I do; he’s usually waiting on me. He’s super responsive whether it's via phone, text, or email. As a whole, Label 428 is organized and delivers on time. They're always willing to do a little extra for us.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The quality of their work makes them stand out. I've never seen any pictures as good as theirs. They continue to raise the bar every single time they work for us.
Any advice for potential customers?
Working with them is worth the investment. Take a look at their work and compare it to what other firms are doing. You're not going to find someone that's producing better photos or videos.