LESS+MORE

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and co-founder of Kodable, a company that teaches kids about computer science. We focus on elementary schools with kids 4–10 years old.

What challenge were you trying to address with LESS+MORE?

We were looking to level up our branding; we had never rebranded our product and thought that it could help us. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

LESS+MORE has done a full brand refresh for us. First, they conducted several interviews with us, some of our stakeholders, and users to figure out who we were. The team worked with us to create an evolution of our existing brand and design. 

They’ve established our brand’s personality and design elements, including a new logo, website, and color schemes. They went through some iterations with the logo, and we gave them feedback on what we were looking for. The end design is based on our logo while being more tied to the new branding. They’ve also redesigned our website using Adobe software.

On the marketing side, LESS+MORE has developed talking points for us with messaging to resonate with parents and teachers. They’ve also provided references for physical merchandise in case we ever want to go down that road. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with three main points of contact at LESS+MORE. Mike (Partner & CSO) is the project lead, and we also work with Steve (Partner & CCO).

How did you come to work with LESS+MORE?

I found them on Google while searching for branding agencies in San Diego. Mike was in the area, and we scheduled a call. He had a very good understanding of what we were doing and how he could help, so we decided to go with LESS+MORE.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $40,000–$50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working around February 2022. Although they’ve finished the main rebranding project, we still have a relationship with them, and they’ve kept helping us.

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

Our signups have increased by about 20% since we started working with LESS+MORE. The marketing and messaging are resonating more, so our subscriber signups are growing. 

Moreover, we love the new branding. Whenever a company rebrands, they expect users not to like the change. With this project, no one is upset; our branding looks better, and every person who sees our website says it looks great. Although we went through a few iterations, the logo came out pretty well. Overall, everything about our brand looks more professional than before. 

How did LESS+MORE perform from a project management standpoint?

They're perfect at project management — we've never had issues there. We mostly use email for communication and Google Drive for file sharing, and they use a CRM on their side. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mike and Steve are incredible to work with and great people; they're always happy to help and responsive via email. Moreover, they're very thoughtful about how they approach our design and requirements since we had an established brand before working with them.

We're a mission-driven company, and LESS+MORE is very invested in that mission. The care they take and the value we get from what we spend have been pretty awesome. As a result, their design and branding are top-tier for a reasonable price. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Throughout the rebranding process, there were some times when we'd give them feedback, and then they went into a black box until they came out with the next iteration. While it would be nice to be more involved, I understand why they wouldn't want a client in the process of new designs. Moreover, we've arrived at a good solution. Overall, I can't think of anything I would change. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Meet with LESS+MORE, tell them what you want, and buy into their process — it works. Since they've been doing this for a while, their process is refined. I'd also suggest being vocal; I shared as much as possible with them, which helped us get what we wanted.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our organization manufactures, ships, and sells orthodontic floss sticks to the orthodontic community. I’m one of the owners as well as one of the operating managers of the company.

What challenge were you trying to address with LESS+MORE?

We needed a brand strategy as well as a unified messaging and positioning. We contacted LESS+MORE to help us identify those and apply them to our creative assets, specifically to our logos, package design, and other customer-facing materials.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with an initial discovery conversation. At the same time, I provided LESS+MORE with a statement of work outlining what we were hoping to accomplish on the project. The final deliverable would be a brand guideline, which would include our logo, color palette, font faces, packaging design concepts, and a brand strategy pyramid. 

With their team, we were able to work out the best positioning for our company. We also defined our brand essence as “embrace your best”, since we wanted our customers to be confident and proud of themselves. 

Once LESS+MORE completed that guideline, we took to introducing our new brand to our website and product packaging. They also helped us update our messaging, Amazon listings, and marketing materials. 

What is the team composition?

We mostly worked with Steve (Partner & Chief Creative Officer) and Mike (Partner & Chief Strategic Officer). There were also a couple of other people working behind the scenes that we didn’t personally interact with. 

How did you come to work with LESS+MORE?

A colleague of mine, who had worked with LESS+MORE on a different project, introduced me to them and had good things to say about their work. We reached out to the team and, from our initial conversations, determined that they would be a good partner for this project. 

How much have you invested with them?

The total project cost is $36,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in January 2022, and the project was completed just last April 2022.

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

We’ve yet to yield any quantitative results from the project since we’ve just received the final deliverable. Right now, we’re about to apply the brand strategy to our marketing resources and activities. However, with LESS+MORE’s help, we’ve been able to establish creative assets that our marketing teams can work with. As a company, we’re happy with the team’s output, and we’re hoping that this will increase our sales and drive customer engagement. 

How did LESS+MORE perform from a project management standpoint?

LESS+MORE has very strong project management skills. They stuck to the set schedule, from the project initiation date to the final delivery deadline. They were also very communicative and constantly on top of everything. We liked how they were always happy to answer our questions via email or by jumping into a quick call. Overall, they had very strong organizational skills and very good project managers. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creative capabilities and ability to rebuild brand strategies and foundations really set them apart from other agencies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m very satisfied with how the project turned out.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to new ideas. I would also encourage you to have customers, colleagues, and partners join the project, even if they’re not necessarily responsible for marketing. That way, you get to have lots of different voices at the table.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the VP of communications for Greg Norman Company when I worked with LESS+MORE.

What challenge were you trying to address with LESS+MORE?

One of our businesses was Greg Norman Golf Course Design (GNGCD). We built and designed golf courses all over the world, but our marketing materials were initially developed in the 90s and hadn’t been updated or refreshed. As a result, we employed LESS+MORE to help us evolve our brand.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They refreshed our brand positioning, and they helped us translate all of those into sales and marketing materials for the GNGCD.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 10 people.

How did you come to work with LESS+MORE?

I worked with LESS+MORE extensively on another project for another company within the Greg Norman Company. They developed that company’s brand identity, so when the project for GNGCD came up, I knew that they'd be the perfect fit. In the end, I reached out to them and checked if they’d be interested in working for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent in the ballpark of $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership ran from January 2021–April 2022.

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

It would be hard to quantify their work, but our key stakeholders were very impressed with what they did. The LESS+MORE team also gave us a really strong tool for sales and marketing through their designs. Above all, they took the time to understand us and our needs and seamlessly blend them with their design work. Their design aesthetic was fresh and modern.

How did LESS+MORE perform from a project management standpoint?

They were easy to work with; they were flexible and extremely good at hitting their deadlines. We communicated through phone calls, email, and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were a boutique agency, and they gave us personalized attention. We considered them as an extension of our team. We were extremely pleased that they flawlessly executed our projects every time.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Work with LESS+MORE.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am a creative designer at an investment group that has several projects in different industries.

What challenge were you trying to address with LESS+MORE?

We worked with LESS+MORE for a project in the cannabis industry, specifically to develop the name, brand identity, and brand strategy of a dispensary and lounge in Oakland, California. We needed a brand that was inclusive, welcoming, and would resonate with Oakland consumers and the general public.

What was the scope of their involvement?

LESS+MORE conducted a branding workshop with the decision-makers on our team to understand our vision, mission, brand ethos, and everything that would lead to the creation of the brand. After that exercise, they provided us with a consolidated recap of the workshop as well as some preliminary name options. We went through a couple of rounds of naming and determined that the final title of the business would be Root’d IN THE 510.

We then moved on to the next phase where their team presented mood boards for us to review. These mood boards would dictate the general aesthetic of the dispensary and lounge, and we ultimately arrived at a full brand guideline after going back and forth to tweak several visual design elements.

LESS+MORE also assisted the agency that we hired to create the website. They liaised between the agency and our team, communicated the vision to the developers, and made sure that the website hit all of the brand’s touchpoints by looking and feeling exactly as we intended. 

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with the two partners of the company. They had a small team behind them, but we didn’t interact with those members.

How did you come to work with LESS+MORE?

I found LESS+MORE on Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged LESS+MORE in July 2019. 

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

The brand developed by LESS+MORE, Root’d IN THE 510, was named by Architectural Digest as one of the most beautiful cannabis dispensaries in the US, so we received significant press attention as a result of their brand work. The overall aesthetic’s simplicity also resonates with different types of consumers and gives us the opportunity to take on different visual styles as we grow the brand. 

LESS+MORE was very pleasant and easy to work with. They did a really good job of digesting feedback, understanding where we were coming from, and capturing the vision of the different decision-makers on our team. They lent their expertise well, and we really appreciated their professionalism and approach.

How did LESS+MORE perform from a project management standpoint?

LESS+MORE performed very well on this front. They always kept us up to date with the timelines and provided progress updates throughout. Everything was in line with our budget, and the team did their best to help out as much as possible within its constraints. We made use of Google Slides and PDFs for documentation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What really set LESS+MORE apart was their level of professionalism and ability to handhold their client through the process. This was especially helpful when we didn’t know what we were looking for. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think there’s anything they could’ve done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very mindful of the time you spend with them. Don’t just answer off the fly; really think about your intention with your business and what you want to achieve before you hop into a workshop with LESS+MORE. It helps if you already have a clear idea of what direction you want to take the brand to because the platform that they’ll provide will really guide that. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP of marketing at Dexter, the largest manufacturer of professional cutlery in the US.

For what projects/services did your company hire LESS+MORE, and what were your goals?

Re-branding Dexter Outdoors, the B2C segment of the business.

How did you select this vendor?

We were looking for leaders in branding that understood the fishing community. We came across a blog on the Less & More site that offered fresh insights on our consumer. We interviewed Less & More in addition to several vendors we had worked with in the past. Less & More shared examples of their past work which impressed us and swung the decision.

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

We conducted a major market study including qualitative and quantitative consumer research. The insights from this study were used to drive our brand identity, style guide and packaging. We also worked together on a lifestyle shoot.

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

I worked with MIKE SAVACOOL, Partner / Chief Strategic Officer; and STEVE C. SECVIAR, Partner / Creative Director

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

The customer reaction to our rebrand reveal was extremely positive and drove sell-in. Our creative team has communicated the brand style guide and photography have made it much easier to develop compelling brand assets. We now have the asset library and direction we need to effectively communicate brand benefits across touchpoints in a cohesive manner.

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

They proactively communicated deadlines and kept us up to speed on status .

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

Their work is as high or higher quality than that of any major global agency I've worked with in the past, but they are more accessible and and nimble. They nicely balance creative, out of the box thinking with practicality. They truly felt like an extension of our team.

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

No they exceeded expectations

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the External Relations and Marketing Specialist for my company. My company is a project management and consulting firm. We specialize in utilities, transportation and telecommunications space.

For what projects/services did your company hire LESS+MORE, and what were your goals?

We hired them to re-brand our company. Our goal was to modernize and re-introduce ourselves to partners and clients with a fresh new look.

How did you select this vendor?

A lot of research, and interviews.

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

The scope of work included new company logo, website, company identity, inspired messaging, promo items design, marketing collateral, social media graphics and other items. We conducted multiple informational interviews with them for them to capture our vision, ideals and values to translate them into a brand for us.

Each time they presented a deliverable we had feedback sessions and either approved the deliverable or gave them additional feedback to further enhance the deliverable. We corresponded with email, calls and texts to get all deliverables completed. Our last and most complex deliverable was our website. This took the most coordination and correspondence.

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

We primarily worked with Mike, the project lead, but we also worked with Steve and Karl.

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

We have just completed our re-brand this month, but already the feedback from our partners and clients has been overwhelmingly positive. We had a launch event for our employees and they also all loved the brand. Our analytics on social media also indicate that since we re-branded our engagement level is much higher.

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

Their project management style is to set a series of informational exchange meetings where they capture info from us to use in the execution of the brand. They shared documents often on Google docs and via email. They called when something was urgent or time-sensitive.

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

They were very good listeners and they adapted to our vision easily. They also had very good attitudes and kept everything light and positive despite long, complex feedback sessions. They were professional, creative and very flexible. Overall very easy to work with,

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

We had a lot of people on our end with frequent edits to deliverables. At times we needed to review to ensure the edits were fully made, but to be fair we had A LOT of edits, so the need for quality control is understandable.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a digital marketing agency focused on SEO. I’m the co-founder and director of search.

What challenge were you trying to address with LESS+MORE?

The brand we had wasn’t accurately portraying who we were, so we needed help with a brand refresh.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us develop or voice and brand, along with the language on our site. They also helped us with our logo, business cards, and email signature.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Mike (Chief Strategic Officer) and Steve (Chief Strategy Officer).

How did you come to work with LESS+MORE?

I came across their website and thought they would be a good fit based on our shared values.

How much have you invested with them?

The total came out to $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019, and we wrapped up in February 2020.

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

Overall, we’re extremely excited. We’re confident that our branding accurately portrays our expertise. The feedback from clients and friends has been phenomenal. Everyone is very impressed, especially in presentations, since our point gets across much easier.

How did LESS+MORE perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a detailed timeline of all of the deliverables. There were no surprises and things were very collaborative.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were streamlined and efficient. They had great questions that forced us to look at our business in a way we hadn’t before. It was a key component in crafting a new brand image. Their branding concepts truly represented who we are and each one was well thought out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, it was a very easy process. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a chair of donor development and our external affairs committee. We're a small non-profit located in California, with operations in Eastern Congo.

What challenge were you trying to address with LESS+MORE?

We wanted help with a rebrand and a five-year strategic plan. That came with a vision brochure to market to our donors and explain our mission and vision.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built our website and the vision brochure I mentioned. I've worked with a lot of agencies, and this kind of branding process takes hours and hours to explain ourselves to the marketing company. They walked us through the process and came back to us with two or three options to discuss our brand identity. We refined those ideas into the final outcome. It's a completely different brand to what we had before.

What is the team composition?

I worked with three principals the entire time.

How did you come to work with LESS+MORE?

They were referred by another agency that we work with. We interviewed them and one other agency, and decided to hire LESS+MORE.

How much have you invested with them?

Our contract cost was $84,000 for the work we asked them to do.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started speaking with them in late summer 2018, and we signed a contract in November 2018. The process is ongoing, and we plan to renew the contract for 2020.

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

We're just now getting quantitative metrics and returns from our website. Donor feedback is awesome, and the messaging is well received. The branding explains our organization and mission, and LESS+MORE's work really clarifies the drive behind our initiatives. We send monthly email blasts about success stories, and we're starting to see donation responses.

How did LESS+MORE perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very easy to communicate with, and they always follow up within an hour. We have bi-weekly calls, and we interact on Basecamp. We also have quarterly on-site meetings. It's a hands-on collaboration, and things move fast. They always keep up.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity and their ability to articulate the message are really good. It's hard to find an agency at their level, but they craft appropriate copy with the right imagery. They listen well and are engaged, and they care about our organization.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Knowing this business, cycle time is a challenge. It's usually something on our side that slows us down, but that is something we could all look at. For the work they do, I don't think there is anything major they should improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We had a good process with them, so do what we did. Have clear goals and timelines, and be transparent with them.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a wholesale bakery. We operate more like a bread factory than a corner bakery with around 70 employees.

What challenge were you trying to address with LESS+MORE?

We’ve been in business for 40 years and have had four generations running the place. A lot of our visual and verbal identity was outdated.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We brought our key people in for a meeting. Their team spent time getting a feel for who we are as people and as a company. They put us through relevant exercises to see what makes us unique, what our challenges are, and what our strategy is.

LESS+MORE came up with two different approaches, bringing in slides and proof of concepts. They pushed us out of our comfort zone, allowing us to explore and see how far we wanted to go in different directions. We put together a report for them with our feedback, making tweaks to the palette, specific words and ideas.

After the feedback, they gave another presentation. It felt from a verbal and visual standpoint that we were almost there. We wanted to play with the colors a bit more, and their team explored different options. In the end, we found a final palette. All the other aspects came together wonderfully.

What is the team composition?

I worked with one of the principals in the company.

How did you come to work with LESS+MORE?

I received a recommendation from someone in the industry. Their website looked great, and their ethos made us believe that they’re someone we wanted to be allied with.  At the end of the day, we were really excited to work with them.

It got down to two companies, and our team felt that they could relate to LESS+MORE. The other company didn’t feel like the right fit and were going to do what they wanted. LESS+MORE was going to do what we wanted. They understood that we were paying for the work and were going to have to live with the results.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first meeting took place around April–May 2019. The project ended in late-July 2019.

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

Their team was open and honest. When LESS+MORE first presented what they’d come up with for the verbal identity, it felt like they nailed it on the first try. It was awesome to see our company and team represented genuinely. Their team answers questions, going above and beyond to make sure we’re taken care of. 

LESS+MORE drafted it with simple and thoughtful words that represented us strategically. They were extremely patient and accommodating with us. On our side, we had employees on vacation and someone out on maternity leave. The rollout could’ve been quicker without that challenge. LESS+MORE was willing to put the project on hold and support us in whatever was necessary.

How did LESS+MORE perform from a project management standpoint?

Their team was professional, responsive, and on top of work. I mainly worked with two experienced partners. The other provider I looked at was going to assign me a recent college grad who had worked there for two months, which wasn’t what I wanted. I don’t think the collaboration with LESS+MORE could’ve gone better.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s comfortable to talk to their easy-going team. Their team is approachable. No one from our team felt like they didn’t connect to LESS+MORE. Their work was also excellent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that I can think of. They were on point.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Clients are in good hands. They should trust LESS+MORE with their process, and they’ll get where they want to go.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a founder and partner of the RMD Group, a hospitality management, development, and consulting company based in San Diego.

For what projects/services did your company hire LESS+MORE?

We are opening a multi-level, multi-concept project in the San Diego Gaslamp District. We have worked with LESS+MORE in the past, and knew they had the forward-thinking, high-level, artistic experience we needed to help us create multiple brands within one location. LESS+MORE helped us develop our Brand Identity through concept and content development, as well as Brand Experience through print, web, and packaging design.

What were your goals for this project?

Our project includes two separate restaurant concepts and a private event space. Going into it, the question was: do we create a brand that connected all the concepts, or do we create individualized brands for each? This was a question we posed to Mike, Steve, and their team. We ultimately decided it would be most beneficial to create a separate brand for each concept, which also meant we needed two completely different brand packages that still needed to work together within the same venue.

How did you select this vendor?

I have worked with Mike and Steve in the past, before starting RMD Group. Their level of work, creativity, and professionalism is at the top of their industry. They are always able to provide much needed direction, and we trust in their ability to deliver extraordinary and unique ideas and content.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After we decided we needed separate brands for our multi-concept project, we began the naming process. They were able to provide us with multiple name options, availability/infringement research, and exploration of brand visual identity through style boards. LESS+MORE then provided us with a brand positioning statement, logo, proof of concepts (website, menus, merchandise, signage, etc), as well as brand messaging, strategies, and guidelines. Once the brands were identified, the LESS+MORE team delivered unique pre and post open campaigns as well as Grand Opening materials.

What was the team composition?

Our internal marketing and design team worked closely with both Mike (Chief Strategic Officer) and Steve (Chief Creative Officer) to produce two unique brands.

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

Our restaurants will be opening in Fall 2019. Since working with LESS+MORE, we have been able to lead a successful pre-opening campaign, building awareness and buzz around the brands, gaining press and social media coverage, and creating a strong network of hopeful job candidates.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The LESS+MORE team communicates efficiently and timely, ensuring our projects move forward and stay on track. We often have multiple people looking over and giving feedback on design and marketing projects. Mike and Steve have the patience and structure to be able to organize this feedback and produce exceptional products.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

LESS+MORE is able to create the most clever and creative ideas for brands and campaigns. However, they are equal parts artistic and strategic. They are able to brilliantly combine eye-catching designs with a strong strategy and thoughtful function.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We always find it most difficult to organize the feedback process. However, LESS+MORE did a great job making this easier on us, while still trying to meet deadlines and turn projects over in a timely manner.