Mentus

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a Director of Marketing at Advanced HPC. We’re a system’s integrator on the high-performance computing side.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mentus?

We needed help with foundational branding for our new website, including our look and feel, core messaging, and brand expression.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They operated on a couple different levels. First, they created a brand style guide and the framework that goes along with that. Second, they generated a brand expression strategy for our website and digital marketing foundation, which included a new logo, and color system.

Mentus didn’t develop any of the wireframes, but before we got to that point, they did a lot of collective brainstorming, as well as all the ideation that’s necessary to make a new website. Mentus was instrumental in everything we asked them to do on the implementation side. There were certain things, due to coding requirements, that only a website design firm we partnered with could do, but Mentus did the bulk of the work.

What is the team composition?

Our day to day contact was an account supervisor, Janine, but we also had access to two creative directors, as well as a production manager. We also talked with their CEO in the beginning, who's always a good resource for us.

How did you come to work with Mentus?

I used to work for Mentus for almost 13 years, so I know them about as well as you can know somebody.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February 2017 until November 2017.

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

We launched in November, which is the slowest time of the year in our business, so we’re going have to wait before we have empirical evidence. Anecdotally though, the response has been really good. Mentus created a really favorable brand foundation and impression. They did a great job.

How did Mentus perform from a project management standpoint?

Janine is really excellent at what she does. She’s as good as it gets. She’s very thorough, professional and dependable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s one size fits all, in terms of the creative approach, so there are no levels of service. You either get the A team or nothing, which is great if you’re doing a huge project, but if you want a small project done, it can be costly and time consuming. It’d be helpful for a company of our size to have access to a junior designer and a junior account manager, so smaller projects would be less costly. Mentus has one price model and that makes it difficult for somebody like us. It makes my job hard in the sense that I’d like to use them for everything, but we can’t afford or justify it.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Ask a lot of questions and get familiar with how they’re going to deliver. Make sure you understand who’s going to be part of the team, and what’s involved from a cost standpoint. There should be an opportunity to get a tiered approach so that you can get access to services that aren’t always that one size fits all model, that I referenced. Mentus is really good about that though; there’s no bait and switch. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of Investor Relations and Head of Corporate Communications at Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals. We develop RNA interference therapeutics.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mentus?

We were in the process of a name change and corporate identity rebranding. We wanted a new logo, website, and brand standards. All of our public-facing documents, like presentation templates and stationary, needed to be updated. We had started this process with a different vendor but I just wasn't happy with the work they were doing. It seemed very forced and wasn’t what we were looking for.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Mentus redesigned the logo and the website, both structurally and aesthetically. They provided all the public-facing branding materials including PowerPoint presentation templates, new stock photos, poster templates for scientific presentations, business cards, and stationary.

They worked iteratively on both the logo and the website redesign, going through multiple options on the logo. For the site, we started by talking about how we wanted it to feel. We were moving from a research-based business that was more technical to a more patient-centric one. They provided ideas that we talked through and shared sketches and images with us.

We’ve launched the rebrand but still work with Mentus on a regular basis. They recently did an ad for us for a conference sponsorship. They do design work as well as ongoing web maintenance and support.

What is the team composition?

Our project manager is my primary point of contact. I also speak to designers and web developers periodically.

How did you come to work with Mentus?

Somebody here had worked with Mentus in the past at a previous company. Our media relations firm had also done work with them for another client.

How much have you invested with them?

CONFIDENTIAL

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2016. The new branding and website went live in April of that year but we still work with them.

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

Everybody internally is very satisfied. We’ve used the new branding and brand standards for two years now. We continue to use a couple of different illustrations they provided in a lot of different places. They have stood the test of time. If we had had any concerns, we would have changed things by now.

The branding has had the desired effect of bridging our identity as both a technology company and a pharmaceutical company. It has helped to reshape the view of us beyond an early-stage research company.

How did Mentus perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate via email and phone. Our project manager is very responsive. She’s available anytime we need it. They have met tight deadlines, like for this ad we just did. They worked with us to get it done on the same day and even provided four options to choose from. They’re comprehensive—I never feel like I’m pushing them. They always give me more than I expect.

I think the hallmark of good project management is that you don't see all of the background work required to get you the final product. I explain what we’re looking for to our project manager. She asks clarifying questions. Once she understands it, they build it and she presents it to me. There are a lot of steps involved from the explanation to a finished product but I don’t see them. They’re very good at working together without the client having to push them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Mentus always hits the deadlines and are always within budget, which is very important. More than that, they seemed to understand what we wanted because they’ve worked with several different industries. They’ve done a lot of work with other pharma and biotech companies. They understand the needs of the various stakeholders and the different audiences we want to attract. I think that’s rare. They weren’t just technical designers or web developers. They view things from an industry insider standpoint which is very helpful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I'm sure there are but I haven't seen them. I've been universally satisfied and happy with the work they do. I don't have anything bad to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I don’t think so. They manage the whole thing themselves. They walk the client through every step of the process.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Igor, and we provide a software platform solution for smart buildings. We integrate things like lighting control, security, and automation systems into one software platform for large commercial buildings.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mentus?

We needed to create the marketing and branding necessary to give our website a professional high-tech look and feel. Separately, I've worked with them on rebranding projects for several agencies.

What was the scope of their involvement?

To increase our credibility in the industry, we moved our website away from a WordPress based system to a commercial break website that connects with our partners. The website allows users to see all the different types of devices that we control, as well as data sheets, inspection sheets, and pricing on the devices.

In addition to the website, Mentus developed all of the templates for our written collateral and business cards. They took on the entire branding program. They also provided lead generation capabilities where customers can request demonstrations of our technology and ask for information on how to become a licensee.

Over the 20 years I’ve known them, I have worked with Mentus on several rebranding projects. A private equity owned company in Denver had been painted in the industry as an old technology company. With Mentus, we did a complete product rebranding and developed a campaign where users could seamlessly manage their entire broadcasting operations with our software.

A second example of a previous rebranding project was with a carwash manufacturing company. It was a founder-owned business with very outdated logo and messaging. We completely rebranded the company with a new logo and marketing campaigns. For this company, Mantus also managed my events, like trade shows, and the graphics associated with those.

What is the team composition?

My primary contact is Guy (CEO and Owner, Mentus) but I also have contacts on both the administrative and creative side. Over the many years we’ve worked together, I’ve worked with seven or eight people within the firm, but Guy has always been my main point of contact. He’s always brought a lot of energy and creativity to the table.

How did you come to work with Mentus?

For our very first engagement, somebody in my marketing department introduced me to Guy, and Mentus has done an amazing job for us ever since. Because of the overwhelming success we’ve had, Mentus is my go-to firm for major campaigns or important projects.

How much have you invested with them?

The last project was within the lower range of $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve worked with them a total of 20 years and across multiple companies, but this most recent project lasted from Mach 2017–September 2017.

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

Our new website does a wonderful job of articulating our brand and positioning us as a leader in the industry. We’ve seen a tenfold increase in product inquiries through our website, and the information it provides has become a staple for architects, building owners, and developers looking to incorporate our technology into their industry. It’s been very well received by the marketplace and by stakeholders.

An unexpected benefit from the website has been increased recruiting and retention. It can be difficult as a small technology company to find and keep highly talented software engineers, but the website has done a great job getting people excited about wanting to come work for us. In the past two years, we have successfully tripled the size of our software team.

Previous success is evident through how the companies have grown, and the increase in stakeholders’ investments. The campaign for the private equity-owned company was hugely successful. We were in direct competition with a very large company and ended up winning over their largest U.S., European, and Asian customers. The corporation became so successful—due mainly to the success of Mentus’ campaign—that our competitor bought the company for $340 million. Because of Mentus’ involvement in helping raise the image of the carwash manufacturing company, I was able to sell for 20 times our invested capital.

How did Mentus perform from a project management standpoint?

At the CEO level, what I’m really concerned with is if the project is on time and within budget, and they’ve done a great job of delivering quality products within our time and cost requirements. Aside from that, my marketing department interacts with Mentus at more of a project management level.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been a few times they have marketed themselves as an all-in-one firm, but PR and website management doesn’t play to their strengths. If they want to grow into a full turnkey service provider, they need to increase their capabilities on tactical execution for websites and PR.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear understanding of your goals and be willing to listen to and trust Mentus’ advice. They know what they’re doing, especially at the strategic level. I would include Guy early and make sure that he understands your objectives. Once everything is clear, he will come back with half a dozen exciting ideas and take the time to work with you through each of them, considering how each would play in the industry and selecting the right path forward.