Merit/Andrew

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former manager of brand and creative at Panasonic Avionics Corporation, an in-flight entertainment and communications solutions company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merit/Andrew?

We were launching a new product and wanted to elevate our launch campaign with two videos – a high-level, product-focused sizzle video and a longer form docu-style video that went into more of the details of the product feature set.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We partnered with Merit/Andrew on two videos that we used in our launch campaign. For the first video - we asked them for a fast-paced and high-level sizzle reel that could help us showcase the product’s features. This video included amazing 3D animations of our product, voice over, and and a music background track. The second video was a longer, 4-5 minute video with a more documentary style. The Merit/Andrew team had multiple setups on location at a studio space in L.A. and interviewed our executives and product teams. The teams spoke about the product, its development and the impact it will have on the industry.

To jumpstart the process, they started by proposing 3–4 different options of style and worked collaboratively with us to refine the script for the videos and write the questions for the interviews, which helped us get honest answers from our interviewees.

After that, they took the material to edit it together with some B-roll footage and 3-D animations.

Production-wise, they brought their crew and production equipment — they covered everything.

How did you come to work with Merit/Andrew?

We reached out with an RFP and collaborated with them to refine the scope. They really helped us in deciding on the best path to move forward.

How much money have you invested in this partnership?

We spent $100,000–$200,000 with them on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–June 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They did a great job getting the real stories about our product, how it would impact the industry, and what it meant for the future of Panasonic Avionics. We’ve published the videos on social media, including LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. 

Overall, everything went according to plan successfully — the material was concise, informative, innovative, and told a compelling story while highlighting all of the features and benefits of the product.

How did Merit/Andrew perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was amazing; their team delivered everything within our established timelines, even with our last-minute changes and other slips to help us stay on schedule.

Regarding tools, we used Google Docs to share documents and email, phone calls, and Microsoft Teams to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are great storytellers. They can take an abstract idea and complex product and come to the table with a compelling narrative that captures the high points and details. Then, they couple that up with some amazing visuals to connect with the viewers emotional level. It's pretty remarkable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they can improve on — their team was awesome and functioned like a well-oiled machine. They were a great partner and kept our team on track.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them as much information as possible and allow them to do what they do best. They are great partners!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of business development for Applied Mobility Partners. I’ve also worked with Merit at a number of other companies, including a global aerospace company and a nonprofit.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merit/Andrew?

My previous company was hired to develop a passenger cabin for an air taxi, or, in other words, a flying car. This is a new type of mobility aircraft, so we needed to document that development and prepare it for marketing both on our site, at the Paris Air Show, and at other events.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They produced an extremely high-quality promotional marketing video about the development of this passenger company. We worked in a collaborative manner, developing the storyboard, shoot plan, and final edited version together.

There was a substantial amount of live filming done; we had a few assets provided by our client, but, otherwise, we shot 80% of the video with Merit. They also implemented some animated effects and digital graphics. they provided the equipment and studio as well.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the head of Merit, as well as a shooting and editing resource. There was also a resource in a management role, along with several other people. We interacted with five people regularly.

How did you come to work with Merit/Andrew?

We reached out to quite a few companies across the country, but we mostly focused on southern California, where we’re located. There was a competitive bidding process, and Merit came out on top of two other options.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $57,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

This specific project ran from January 2019–June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We exhibited the film as a marketing tool at an event where thousands of people showed up and received positive feedback. At the second event, the feedback was equally as powerful and positive. Merit told our story extremely well.

We were on a tight schedule to exhibit the video at both these events, and the stakes were high, as the people that would be in attendance were very powerful. Merit 100% met our expectations for both the timeline and quality required.

How did Merit/Andrew perform from a project management standpoint?

I don’t recall the specific tools we used, but they did have a technology-based process for project management. Communication took place both in-person and over emails and phone calls. They were very open to working in-person, and it led to a great collaboration.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their subject-matter expertise was the most impressive, as were their storytelling abilities. We had a difficult-to-communicate message, as we were developing a vehicle that had never existed before and had to tell our story in four minutes. Merit completely captured our essence, however.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The truth is, I can’t think of anything — a concern or issue. We had a flawless relationship, and I’m using them again for a project with my current company. There’s nothing they could have done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Interview them in person and get to know them, and, if you feel comfortable, partner with them. The correct choice always comes down to people and your feelings about their team. They’ve produced quality, historically.   

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I worked with Merit/Andrew before I started working at my current company; I worked with Merit/Andrew at two other ad agencies I worked for. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merit/Andrew?

We had clients who wanted to do broadcast TV and video campaigns; we contracted Merit/Andrew to do video production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The final deliverables were advertising campaign videos for both projects with Merit/Andrew. Our customers came to me looking to develop ad campaigns to support different product launches or improve brand awareness. We worked with customers to develop overall ideas and then brought in Merit/Andrew as a production partner to bring the ideas to life in a video. 

Merit/Andrew handled pre-production, casting, location scouting, shooting, editing, and animations. They also provided all the equipment. Once the videos were approved, they were aired on TV. Our media buys that featured the videos were on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter as pre-roll to other videos. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a dozen teammates, including two producers, a coordinator, and their head of photography. 

How did you come to work with Merit/Andrew?

We knew of them as a vendor in the area, so we invited them to bid on the project. They responded to an RFP from us with a production treatment, and they were the winning bidder. We then took them to the customer for approval. 

How much have you invested with them?

The production budget for one of the projects was around $800,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with Merit/Andrew twice, once in 2015 and again in October 2019. However, I left my former employer in 2020, so I don't know if the engagement is still ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I don't have any specific metrics to measure the project's success, but our customers were always extremely happy with the final deliverables and the success metrics. I worked on the creative side of the project, so I never paid attention to ratings. 

Merit/Andrew had great attention to detail. During one of the video projects, we realized during the pre-production processes that we needed additional animation. So, Merit/Andrew took that on, even though it was outside the scope of work, which the customer was excited about. 

How did Merit/Andrew perform from a project management standpoint​?

We had very tight timelines, and Merit/Andrew always delivered. We communicated through emails and then occasionally had in-person meetings at their offices. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Even though Merit/Andrew is a production vendor, they also brought a lot of original, creative thinking to the table. Sometimes, ad agencies have to do all the scripting and storyboarding and then bring in the production vendor who follows the materials exactly. However, Merit/Andrew brought interesting ideas outside of what we gave them.

Also, Merit/Andrew was in-touch with our customers. We didn't have to serve as intermediaries between our customers and Merit/Andrew — they came into our meetings and invited our customers into the studio. I'd never experienced that in the past. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything for Merit/Andrew to improve; everything went as well as I could've hoped. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Since Merit/Andrew was very collaborative, I'd say that customers will get the most value from the partnership by engaging with them early in the process. Customers don't need a complete idea or creative concept, they can just bring Merit/Andrew into the process, and Merit/Andrew will contribute things customers wouldn't have thought of themselves. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the group manager of brand experience for Panasonic, a consumer electronics business. I manage brand strategy, customer experience, marketing, and post-purchasing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merit/Andrew?

We work with them on a variety of projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They create video content for us, which we use to help promote awareness about our products. Merit/Andrew has created a series of videos across our product categories. They’re also working on the strategic framework and messaging for our video content.

Normally, we bring in a project and talk about our goals, who our target audience is, and where the final assets are going live. We decide whether we want to use those videos primarily for advertising, e-commerce, or a combination of both. We usually create a few different form factors, so we might ask for a one-minute, long-form version of a video, and then a 30-second version. We also ask for 10–15-second cuts for our social. We put those cuts into our planning ahead of time so that they’re readily available to still cohesively tell a story.

Once we determine who our audience will be and the different platforms we’ll be airing, Merit/Andrew comes back to us with pitches on video concepts and what they would recommend. A concept deck includes the overall idea and sometimes a couple of sample lines from the script to help us understand. The deck usually has a vision or inspiration board with some imagery, so that we can grasp the look and feel of what they’re trying to achieve. Our team reviews those concepts, and we decide which one to move forward with. At that point, Merit writes a sample script and storyboard, so they show us scene-by-scene exactly what they’re planning to produce. From there, they start to write the overarching copy, which is going to be either the voiceover or the text that viewers see on the screen. We review the script, confirm if we’re still happy with the direction, and make minor tweaks.

From there, Merit moves on to casting and location. They usually scout a few different locations for where we’re planning to shoot, and they show us sample images of the locations so that we can make a selection. If we require casting, they also show us a sample of who they’re going to hire. If we’re doing everything with computer graphics (CG), they show us examples of stock videos and photography that we can choose from to integrate into the final video. Then, they try to secure the location and run auditions for our cast.  Normally, we narrow it down to three people for each role, and we review their audition tapes to determine who we want to end up working with. Then, we start to finalize the details of everything that’s going to go into the video and the various scenes, such as wardrobe and prepping.

Once all of those steps are done and we have a shoot date confirmed, we normally have someone from our side on-site to be a part of the process. However, because of COVID-19, Merit sets up a Zoom link for us that has a direct feed into the primary camera. That allows us to watch and give comments for however long they’re filming, whether it’s a one- or two-day shoot. From there, they collect all of the footage and start editing. 

They come back to us with a sampled cut or the first-draft for the long-form. Our team reviews that and provides feedback. They make some tweaks from there and come back with round two. We go through a few different rounds until we get to a version that we’re really happy with. Once we have a primary edit that we’re really happy with, they do cut downs of those smaller versions. Sometimes, they also provide us with some stills to use in our marketing materials. We review and approve all of those assets, and then we close the project once they deliver everything.

What is the team composition?

They generally work with me in terms of creative direction and overall brand, making sure that we’re accurately reflecting the right audience and messaging. I’m usually their contact for creative decisions.

We have at least one and sometimes two people from the marketing team: the marketing manager on the category and then potentially the group manager of marketing, who confirms that we’re aligned with our marketing goals for the content. We also usually have at least one person from the product team, but sometimes two. They confirm that we’re using the product and representing it correctly and that everything aligns with the consumers’ interest in the product. They become our product experts as well as technical experts in case there are questions of how to use the product properly on set.

We occasionally include our PR person depending on the user case, such as if it’s part of a bigger storytelling effort. For example, if we’re going to use the content at one of our trade shows, we bring in PR to make sure that we’re aligned with our communication strategy. We work with 5–6 people in total, including myself, two from the marketing team, and two from the product team.

How did you come to work with Merit/Andrew?

For any given project, especially for higher budget projects, we have to do a formal RFP process where various agencies can pitch their services. They provide their creative concepts as well as pricing. We do a formal analysis and comparison with procurement. There are usually 2–3 stakeholders from the business who actually rate each of the potential vendors on a variety of different parameters. Then, we review all of that feedback together and make a final decision. Procurement then works with that vendor on creating that contract.

Merit/Andrew was involved in a formal RFP process a number of years ago. I believe another Panasonic business had used them before, which is how we knew they existed and put them into our RFP. Merit/Andrew ended up in the consumer business RFP, and we liked their pitch the best. They had the most creative thinking, and they also aligned really well with our brand strategy. For the first project we worked with Merit/Andrew on, a lot of the other agencies had ideas that just didn’t feel on-brand. Merit really had a sophisticated approach as to what they wanted to do, and they had a great presentation. Everything was very professionally put together, and the mood boards all aligned with our brand. That’s how they won our first project with us, and we’ve since done multiple RFPs like that for other video projects.

They are consistently one of the strongest to pitch. They usually have very creative ideas that feel right on brand with what we’re trying to accomplish. Their creative director is very good; he has really good ideas, which is a big piece of it. We’ve also been extremely happy with their production quality.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $500,000 with them so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first video that I did with them was in May 2017. Right now, I’m working on two concurrent projects with them. We’ve produced about five projects since 2017.

We now have a master service agreement with them, which we actually just renewed. Then, we have a statement of work (SOW) for each individual project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We look at the success of the content in the market, so we consider KPIs such as our conversion and click-through rate (CTR). With Merit/Andrew's content, those KPIs have always been really strong. Merit/Andrew’s content performs extremely well.

How did Merit/Andrew perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re absolutely fantastic to work with and are great with communication. They also consistently set expectations correctly. The team lets us know immediately if there are any challenges that will set us back. They’re flexible and work with us when we need to tighten the timelines or anything like that. That’s one of the reasons we keep going back to them. 

We communicate through emails and Zoom group calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Compared with their competitors, I believe that Merit/Andrew’s creative and production value is stronger. Their level of production is cinematic quality.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Merit/Andrews was sometimes more expensive than other providers when we first started working with them. However, over the last few years, they’ve worked on being more efficient with their crews, and how they approach a project. They’ve become much more reasonable and are now extremely competitive, price-wise.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be really clear on your expectations and goals upfront, which is basically the same for any vendor that you work with. I think that with creative work, people are sometimes extremely careful about being critical of an agency because they don’t want to hurt their feelings and things like that. Merit really wants to make sure that you are completely happy, so it’s great if you communicate clearly that you don’t like something.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

When I worked with Merit/Andrew, I was the VP of marketing and communications for a health company in California.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merit/Andrew?

They served as our agency of record for all TV advertising production.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team handled all of the actual production work, including creative content development, filming, editing, and publication efforts either with television stations or the online platforms where we were putting out the material.

We did both live-action filming and motion graphics with their team, as well as branded stingers at the end of the videos so that all of the content looked like it was coming from the same family, which was very important to us.

What is the team composition?

Most of their team was involved with us at some point or another, including their principal and head of production, our dedicated account manager, and several folks who worked on the actual production of the individual spots.

How did you come to work with Merit/Andrew?

I knew their account manager from previous experiences, and she introduced us to the agency and their capabilities. After a few meetings, it was clear that they were exactly what we were looking for, so we decided to move forward from there.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership with them ran from around January 2019–July 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their work with us was very successful. We deliberately did some brand building with them, and I had high expectations for the return from the start, but they managed to exceed even those. We pretty much doubled our appeal to prospects based on our benchmark research and saw a significant increase in our net promoter score among members at the same time, and I would attribute a lot of that to the brand work that we did with them.

How did Merit/Andrew perform from a project management standpoint?

We worked closely with them on all of the deliverables, in large part because they are committed to a very integrated approach with their clients. Their style of project management was great and significantly emphasized organization.

Our account manager did a fabulous job sending notes after every meeting and keeping everybody on the same page about what was going on, so we never had any issues with communication between our teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the things I loved about working with them is that they always had additional creative ideas. Even if we had one direction conceptualized, they would always bring alternatives to the table. We would discuss them, and sometimes we’d shot multiple things and then put them together to see what worked best. They really brought a lot of creativity to the whole process.

They are just a close-knit team that really enjoys working together on your projects, so that energy feeds into the partnership as a whole. It is a joy to do business with them, and on top of that, you always feel like you’re in good hands

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think between their broad range of industry experience and their ability to handle anything we threw at them, we had no complaints about the relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No, you really can follow their lead and count on them to get to where you want to be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former director of digital advertising at Scheifer Media.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Merit/Andrew?

At the time, we didn’t produce creative in-house, but a lot of our clients and partners would come to us and ask us to help them with creative. 

One client in particular had contracted a production company to create a TV commercial that relied on a lot of motion graphics and visual effects. It wasn’t going well, so they came to us. We reached out to Merit/Andrew for support on the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Merit/Andrew took over the project completely, working within only the budget that was remaining. They were able to take a concept and objective that the client had for a new product they were launching — they storyboarded it and came up with a new messaging concept. From there, they were able to create the TV commercial based off those storyboards.

What is the team composition?

I had two points of contact, Curt (CEO & Partner) and Caroline (Head of Production & Partner). They essentially managed the project for us.  

How did you come to work with Merit/Andrew?

They were local to the area, and we knew of them through our network. They provided a very seamless solution.

How much have you invested with them?

The budget was about $30,000–$40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in March 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Merit/Andrew’s work really delighted the client and made us look like heroes. We couldn’t be happier. They stepped in and created something very impressive in a short amount of time for a reduced budget, salvaging a project that was going downhill.

The commercial was for a new product, and it was run in connection with a radio and digital campaign crafted off the back of the TV spot. The product itself ended up selling out, and our client ran into manufacturing issues because they couldn’t make the product quickly enough.

How did Merit/Andrew perform from a project management standpoint?

I have nothing but good things to say about their project management. They offered great communication and a very personal touch. I’ve always felt that Curt and his team made sure we always felt very well taken care of.

We kept in touch primarily over email and the phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The greatest value to working with Merit/Andrew is that they’re a strategic partner. They’re much more than just a vendor: they understand business objectives, they understand people and relationships, and they’re also technically gifted. They really are some of the best at what they do in terms of video production and motion graphics. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I can think of.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear and communicative as possible. As any creative team or production company can tell you, they rely heavily on the briefs and understanding the objectives. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the Lead graphic designer and digital content creator/project manager for Edelbrock Automotive Performance, LLC. Edelbrock is the leader in performance manifolds, cylinder heads, and Carburetors for the automotive aftermarket.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Merit/Andrew, and what were your goals?

We hired Merit/Andrew to create a series of branded :30 broadcast-ready commercials as well as a series of :15 online branded spots for various product-centered sales promotions we offered throughout the year.

SOLUTION

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

Originally we found Merit/Andrew through an advertising agency we had worked with off and on in the past. Their creative vision and professional but easy-going attitude were some of the deciding factors.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

The first commercial we worked on with Merit Andrew was an image-heavy branding spot called "Made in America". We pitched the idea to them about a spot that featured a father and son team bonding while working on a car. Merit Andrew worked up storyboards and a script which was submitted and approved. They handled all aspects of production which including finding an amazing local shooting location.

The Merit Andrew team and the crew were amazing to work with. Super efficient and included our Edelbrock team every step of the way. Filming wrapped and moved on to editing, scoring, and Final delivery.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

We worked with the entire Merit/Andrew crew. Beginning with their creative director and executive producer who was able to take our idea and flesh it out into a creative, concise, cohesive vision. Their head of production did an outstanding job finding locations and keeping their crew organized and on schedule throughout each production. The Director was easy to work with and did a great job explaining the scene to the hired talent. Their producer did a great job answering our queries, running the set and crew, and tackling any issues while filming.

Once in post, we worked directly with their editing and graphics team who delivered the final product on time and in the formats we needed to submit for broadcast. Communication with the Merit/Andrew team was always professional and they did a great job of responding to any concerns we had. This was our experience on all subsequent productions as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The "Made in America" spot was well received by management. They did an especially good job with the production design by not making the spot look dated which allowed us to get years of use out of it. The "MIA" spot is still in broadcast rotation 7 years after production.

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

Merit/Andrew was a pleasure to communicate with. They were always prepared for production meetings and always followed through with follow-up emails detailing all aspects of the meeting. They responded in a timely manner to all communication by email or phone.

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

What impressed me the most about Merit/Andrew was their professionalism, creativity, and ability to respond to any curve ball that was thrown their way. Their honesty about deadlines and production capabilities was outstanding.

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

Nothing.