MarketPlace

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the President and Chief Commerical Officer of our firm.

For what projects/services did your company hire MarketPlace?

MP created our Company name, Branded Ingredients, Logos, Website, Linked In page, business cards and many other supports which are too numerous to list. They are truly first in class and have been an incredible partner with our Company. We are proud and delighted to be working alongside MP and their highly talented team of professionals.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We have worked with MP with many of our clients and now with our new Company. There was no doubt that we would work with any other firm.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

MP designed our entire Company launch from inception to commercialization and continues to support our ongoing business efforts.

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

In total we worked with roughly 10 individuals including the owners, the project managers and teams, design teams, IT team and creative team.

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

Our website has received a tremendous number of compliments and traffic, along with our LI page, Company name and logo, brand names, business cards etc. MP has supported our efforts on a daily basis to build our business!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication was flawless. The project manager and owners, along with the rest of the MP team are always there for us and are very fast with their support. The workflow was and continues to be very effective. Every deadline was met and exceeded our expectations.

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

They are a talented, creative company and are absolute professionals in everything they do. They are a unique firm which provides exceptional insights, direction, creativity and hands on support.

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

There's nothing that we would have done differently with MP. We look forward to building this success business together with them!

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior brand director for a food production company.

What challenge were you trying to address with MarketPlace?

We were trying to launch a B2C brand.

What was the scope of their involvement?

This project had an evolving scope, but the main goal was to create a whole new brand. We started with a workshop where MarketPlace helped us come up with the name, identify the market position and space that we wanted to launch in, and determine how we could differentiate ourselves from competitors. Once we established those, we moved on to designing the product packaging and launching the brand on Amazon.

What is the team composition?

Nicole (Group Strategy Director), Courtney, and Ami (Project Manager) were our primary contacts. We’ve also worked with Jeremy (Director of Naming & Verbal Identity) and Tracy (President, CMO & Partner) at different points of the project.

How did you come to work with MarketPlace?

I worked with MarketPlace while I was still with my previous employer. We took on a somewhat similar project in a slightly similar industry, so I knew that they had the right expertise to help my new company with its brand launch. They were also focused on the same spaces we were — food, pet, and health — so we knew they would be a perfect fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested between $50,000–$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We kicked things off in January 2021, and our partnership is ongoing. 

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

We have yet to launch the brand and see any results. We do, however, think that MarketPlace’s strategic thinking has made an impact on our project. The way they expanded the scope beyond the initial packaging design has really directed what we’re trying to do. They’ve taken our original ideas and grown them, but not in a way that felt like they were just trying to make the project bigger; they really collaborate with us and help us understand what we should do differently. 

How did MarketPlace perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve experienced some ups and downs, but overall, MarketPlace has done a great job. They’ve been fantastic when it comes to laying out what they needed from us and listening to our feedback when we’re frustrated. We didn’t really begin this project completely aligned and there have been instances when we were not on the same page, but we’ve been able to work through it with their team, which I respect.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Apart from how they put a lot of strategic thought into their design, what really stands out about MarketPlace is how they’ve got really good tools that are necessary for a brand launch. They provide comprehensive PowerPoint decks listing components that we need to consider for the new brand, and they take the time to walk us through each of those different functions and steps. It’s really helpful in ensuring our success. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We felt that they were a bit adversarial at times. While it’s important that a design agency pushes clients, there were instances where it was a little too much. For example, they would sometimes still push things that we have already internally decided on dropping. It would be helpful for them to better understand the culture of the different companies they work with to get an idea of what our non-negotiables are.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide as much background and context as possible to make them understand where you’re coming from. This is especially helpful if you want to use Marketplace’s whole strategic thinking ability.