Mess

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a founding partner at 0x420 which is a full service NFT agency. We work with established fine artists and help them transition their work into a digital format which is sold on the blockchain.

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

We worked with Mess in order to help scale our business needs. During periods of growth we utilized Mess's ability to design and develop static marketing sites for our clients.

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

I've known the founders of Mess for years and have been following their work for a very long time. I knew they would be a reliable and talented company to work with.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We work on tight deadlines and require quick turnarounds. Mess was amazing in their ability to get us fit into their schedule and delivered designs very quickly. We would start with a kickoff meeting to describe the project, and within a short period of time we would have design comps available for review.

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

We typically worked with 2–6 people depending on the project. At the minimum we worked with a project manager and a designer, for larger projects we worked with a project manager, multiple designers, and their technical team.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Every client that was shown the work produced by Mess for us was extremely happy. The feedback from eventual customers was always positive as well.

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

Communication was adaptive, for some projects we communicated directly with their designers via Slack, other projects we would have face to face meetings over video chat. They used Asana with us to help stay organized and on time.

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

Most impressive was their creative abilities and energy and excitement to work on projects with us.

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

There's nothing they need to improve on.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m Marketing Director for Roll20, a virtual tabletop that empowers players to connect over roleplaying games like D&D from home.

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

We wanted to come up with a new concept to drive site traffic and collaborated with Mess on how to move certain metrics. Together, we came up with the concept of the GM hub, a site that could become a resource for the players who run games to discover, submit and upvote content to improve their games across the web. Mess pitched several options for implementation, solving for concept, integration, UX, design, dev, content, QA.

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

I chose to collaborate with Mess because they fully understood the challenge, industry, our user persona, and created a pitch that was spot on for our brand and product/marketing/dev needs. I’ve also worked with them on previous projects and always been impressed with their work.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

We worked together on the concept. Upon internal approval, their project manager hosted a kickoff. On our side, we primarily use Slack, Figma, Hubspot, Google Sheets, and meetings. Mess met us where we are at- though they brought additional tools on their side for project management, content, search/recommendation function, etc. The deliverables were a fully functional website with wireframes, designs, content, etc along the way.

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

We worked with a project manager, co-founders, creative lead, illustrator, designer, and others.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

It’s too early to measure results but we will be happy to report how we fare against our traffic goals over the next 6 months.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between their team and ours was great. We made some staff changes mid-project and launched a design system mid-project and they dealt with all of that well, collaborating with the new project lead and working within our design system. They proactively communicated around any changes in our planned timeline, and sought feedback when we were distracted with internal projects and delayed on feedback. I was also impressed with how deeply they sought out great content and made themselves familiar with our subject matter.

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

Of all the marketing agencies I’ve collaborated with, Mess is the best at pushing creative solutions that function. It’s not just pretty graphics- they help improve my workflow and make me less reliant on internal resources that slow down my launches. I love having fresh creative and dev tools on my side. They’ve also always been incredible in helping me discovering new resources. They’re a solutions oriented creative firm.

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

Nope, I’ve been very happy with where we ended up.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director of Software for AV&C. We are an experience design studio that creates site specific, software driven technology installations.

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

We were asked by our customer to build a briefing room where their representatives could tell VIPs attending the sporting event about their products and technology. The space was to consist of a floor-to-ceiling curved LED wall and a tablet application to control the interactive content on the wall.

The wall needed to be able to display animated text, images, and video as well as up-to-the-minute data from the sporting event. We designed the hardware and core software framework and hired Mess to create the software for both the wall and the tablet.

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

We hired Mess previously to work with us on highly interactive web development. Since we had opted to base this project on web technology we knew they had the organization and skills to bring this project to fruition.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Mess had to develop two web applications - one for the LED wall and one for the control tablet. These applications, built using the javascript Vue framework, needed to communicate with each other using websockets and with the client-provided APIs for data. There was heavy use of advanced CSS techniques for animation and transitions.

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

We primarily worked with one project manager and one developer, but there were other PMs and developers involved behind the scenes.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

Despite a lot of difficultly getting final content and data from the customer (some of which came in the day prior to the event!) the project was an absolute success. The customer was able to use the software throughout the sporting event without any issues and we received a lot of excellent feedback about how it was an exemplary experience for both the audience and presenters. We've also been asked to investigate re-using the work in other contexts.

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

The project management was very hands-on and involved from the beginning with the Mess team joining us on Slack and integrating tightly with both our software and systems teams. The project manager from Mess worked tirelessly with our project management team to keep us apprised of the status of development and help us track down the needed assets.

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

This was a really, really tough project. The compressed deadline and asset-related struggles caused numerous difficulties and success was far from certain. Not only did Mess pull off this project, but the resulting experience was something that truly awed both the presenters and the intended audience.

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

The only area for improvement I could see would be to architect for missing content and/or data earlier in the process. And honestly, I'm reaching here - Mess did an absolutely fantastic job.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-founder and COO of Streamlit

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

We hired Mess to do a complete re-design of our docs (our mostly highly trafficked site outside of the homepage) to make it beautiful and also easier for users to navigate. Then after we were thrilled with that work we hired Mess to do a redesign of our homepage.

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

Both my co-founder Thiago and I have design backgrounds so we're pretty picky who we work with. We had used a different agency for the inital web work, and wanted a team that was excellent in both design and technical implementation AND could work in an agile manner. Mess had been on our radar as some designer friends had recommended them, and after an initial proposal we were convinced they were the right firm.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a kick-off to scope the work and then another couple of meetings to refine the goals but we moved quickly to looking at wireframes and starting to spin up groups to rev on copy and layout and design before moving to coding. Even during coding we kept having comments and they were able to quickly incorporate.

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

We had a number of people working with us -- creative director, program manager, copy editor, a few other designers and a few devs.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We launched the new docs website last fall and we continue to get great feedback for it. Here is one recent user quote: Starting to play with @streamlit, and this is the first time I’ve had fun just reading a new platform’s documentation. For ex, here’s the docs on layouts; one look at it and I wanna go play.

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

They did a great job of setting expectations on timelines upfront but then were able to adapt as we wanted to work more agilely. We collaborated in Figma and also via regular meetings.

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

They have really awesome, top bar talent. And all good and kind people.

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

No! They are our preferred vendor!

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former digital marketing manager for TRC Companies, Inc.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mess Marketing?

Our goal was to launch a new website around the same time TRC Companies, Inc. was launching its new brand in March 2019. Part of the rebrand entailed redesigning the website as well as configuring a new domain that was better aligned with our brand.

We initially hired a different firm to perform this work, but they accomplished almost no work over several months. We only had about a year to build this website, and we wasted the first few months on an inadequate vendor.

What was the scope of their involvement?

By the time we hired Mess Marketing, we had about 10 weeks to build and launch the new site and complete a domain switch. There were quite a few moving parts involved for such a short timeframe.

We relied on Mess Marketing to design and develop the new website on WordPress. Their team worked in tandem with our branding firm to create mock-ups and wireframes. Mess Marketing then handled everything from writing the code, setting up SEO programs, and managing the technical work involved with the domain switch and redirects from our old URL. They even established a legacy site where we could access the old website in case we needed to refer back to it.

Not only did they develop and launch the website, but they are also the maintenance provider now. They are always available to provide any kind of technical support.

What is the team composition?

There were 8–12 team members on their side. Jack (Partner/Interactive Director, Mess Marketing) was one of the team leaders on the project. He acted as our customer success rep and developer/technical rep. He was there to make sure we were happy with the work they were doing and that we were all on the same page. He did have an assigned project manager for us as well. We didn’t communicate directly with the developers, but we knew there were folks on his team that were helping out with the project.

How did you come to work with Mess Marketing?

We learned about Mess Marketing through our branding firm who has worked with them on various website design projects. They’ve been working together for several years and have a good rapport. We were happy with their presentation, how they communicated the project timeline to us, and how they would work with us phase-by-phase.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January­–March 2019.

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

They helped the vision come to life. Everyone was extremely pleased with the results. We did a major domain switch as well as redirects that they did an outstanding job on. We didn’t run into any technical issues. I’m sure the site will perform incredibly because the domain is healthier. We removed any technical issues that we had from the old site. They did a really nice job with such a short window to work with.

How did Mess Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They worked with us extensively around the clock to maximize our time together. They worked off business hours and during weekends to help us meet our deadline. We were on the hook with our C-level team to deliver on time. Mess Marketing was agile, which suited the project perfectly. We had daily scrums and held a one-hour meeting each week to recap our progress and identify our next goals.

Their communication is incredible. Jack was a part of the project, but his assigned project manager was phenomenal. Their availability during business and non-business hours is incredible. We worked through Asana to keep everything organized.

From a customer service standpoint, they were courteous and engaging. Everybody had a great personality and attitude. They completed their project with a smile. They were really straightforward and receptive to feedback.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They know how to work fast and efficiently.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they provide great service.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about your expectations and your desired results.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the executive vice president and chief marketing officer for a large, direct-to-consumer life insurance company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mess Marketing?

The market-facing digital presence for one of our internet properties hadn't been updated in several years, so I hired Mess Marketing to redesign, redevelop, and launch an updated website. We have since also engaged them to complete a similar redevelopment for our company’s primary website.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our first initiative started with a strategy discussion, where we identified the audience, user experience, and content that we wanted to include. Our teams then developed wireframes and explored several options for the site design. We then pivoted to the development and execution, where Mess Marketing was accountable for all of the architecture and tying it back to our internal CRM. They were integral in working with our marketing team but also with our IT colleagues, as well.

I’ve also leaned on them for other sorts of marketing services. For example, I engaged them to develop a few radio spots for us. I included them in that RFP process as a courtesy, and they turned out to be the best in terms of creativity, responsiveness, and price.

Mess Marketing also works well with the other firms we use for SEO and content creation. I feel just as comfortable having personnel from those companies interact with Mess Marketing directly because it’s such a fluid and well-functioning relationship.

Overall, I view our working relationship as a partnership. They have been a part of some critical initiatives around the website development, and they are continually looking to improve our presence.

What is the team composition?

I interact with one of the principal owners, the lead designer and his team, a copywriter, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Mess Marketing?

I received several referrals from trusted colleagues and associates in the industry. I interviewed a few firms and determined that Mess Marketing offered the ideal combination of skill set, price point, and relevant experience in the industry. They were also a good fit from a personal and cultural perspective.

How much have you invested with them?

I expect to spend $300,000 by the time we wrap up this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged them late in 2017, and our work is ongoing.

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

They deliver their work on time, on budget, and according to our high standards. Our stakeholders have offered a lot of positive reviews for the first site that we’ve completed. We also see positive gains in traffic, SEO, usability, and lead requests, so we’re encouraged by the all-around results we’ve seen so far.

How did Mess Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

We initially used Basecamp and held weekly or checkpoint meetings whenever major deliverables were due. We are now using Asana and moving more toward an agile process, which keeps us nimble and more efficient.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re not afraid to put their ideas in front of the client. I’ve worked with agencies that take direction and build what they are told. Mess Marketing’s team, on the other hand, respectfully questions our strategies and introduces their own thoughts. Because they’ve done so, we’ve ended up in a much better place.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I'm struggling to find anything that could be improved.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

With every engagement, it’s wise to come to the table with an understanding of your business goals. Be as forward and transparent as you can be. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions and challenge Mess Marketing’s thinking. They can sometimes be modest and humble, and unless you press them, you won’t learn about the depth of insight that went into the work.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of an artist web platform that works as a marketplace for artists that distribute prints of their artwork online.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mess Marketing?

We hired Mess Marketing for web development support.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We used Mess Marketing in three phases. The first was our original site conversion over to Python and Django. The second phase was our migration over to Google Cloud. The third was an entire website rewrite that we’re currently working on now in Django 2.0, Python 3, and reconfiguring all the core components of the website.

Primarily, their team has been completing backend work over the years, not necessarily engaging with the design side. Several years ago, their team converted our Python and database over to a standardized Django dashboard. They moved our models over, transferred our data, and defined the first real large-scale version of our website. Since then, we’ve engaged with them regularly.

Jack (Partner & Interactive Director, Mess Marketing) and his team keep our website going, implementing JavaScript components for uploading new functionalities. Our backend has an account system where users can deposit & transfer money, and then use that money for orders.

Currently, Mess Marketing is converting our entire website over to Django 2, using a Vue.js frontend. I’m trusting them to move the project in the right direction because it’s a different stack for us.

What is the team composition?

Along with Jack, we work with 2–3 of their programmers. There’s also a project manager assigned to each project. Since we began these larger migrations, we usually engage with 3–4 of their team members.

How did you come to work with Mess Marketing?

I know Jack through a friend and knew they were a Django shop. We engaged with Mess Marketing because that’s where our company was headed.

How much have you invested with them?

Throughout the years, we’ve spent over $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Mess Marketing began in 2014.

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

Mess Marketing gave us our first platform for the 5–10 years, and I’m trusting them to deliver the next iteration for the next 5–10 years. We’re able to work in parallel where we can work on smaller product launches while I can trust that they’re handling our entire future in the background. I have confidence in Mess Marketing’s decision making. Historically, the decisions they’ve made with our website have been the right decisions.

We do talk through it a little, and they listen. Their team will change their opinion on certain things, and sometimes they’ll convince me on their suggestion. Mess Marketing is tied into our Google Cloud hosting. They will go above and beyond to make sure our project is up and running.

How did Mess Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

Mess Marketing saved us quite a few times. If their technology goes down or something breaks, we can get in touch with them. I love working with their project managers because they’re always on the ball. They’re quick to get a hold of.

Jack is a smart and proactive worker who takes on all the heavy lifting for the site. We have weekly standup meetings with the project manager, the developers, and Jack. In those, we discuss how we’re going to address a data migration or how we’re going to have functionality in the future. Then the developers start collectively working on the back and frontend at the same time. We use Slack and Asana, and our meetings are through Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I trust their decision making. When they come to the table with a solution, I don’t have to wonder if the solution will cost a lot of money if it needs fixing within two or three years. Their team does it a budget-conscious way, and they’ll also tell us what we will need and why.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’m happy with their work. Over the past few years, their team has expanded. It’s been nice using more of their people and building based on their recommendation and what their team can handle. We’re getting a lot more done quickly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to Mess Marketing because their team is smart. You want to consider what they’re saying and how it would impact your business in the future. Their team makes great decisions, so let them present their opinions and actually consider them. Nine times out of 10, they’re going to give you more than you needed.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the senior digital strategist at the Chicago Humanities Festival, a 30 year-old arts and culture nonprofit in Chicago. I oversee digital strategies, our evolving web platform, and online and social content.

For what projects/services did your company hire Mess Marketing?

We had a legacy, non-responsive web platform, with an awful UX on the front end and a totally outdated unusable CMS on the backend. We needed a complete web redesign and a CMS our staff could manage internally. We also had extremely complex integration requirements with our ticketing platform, membership program, and donation software.

What were your goals for this project?

The new web platform had significant requirements; it needed to be a responsive, extensible platform for: Clear and inviting brand messaging, seamless, user-friendly event discovery and ticketing, CMS/Content publishing that connects to events and stands alone, easy to use and administer donation functionality, and multiple software integrations. We also wanted to use an open-source framework so that refinements could be made easily.

How did you select this vendor?

One of our freelancers suggested them initially, and we invited them to submit a proposal. We reviewed 6+ proposals but were simply blown away by the level of care and specificity that the team brought to the proposal process. They had concrete solutions to our challenges already built into their proposal. All the other firms were just highlighting their past accomplishments, but the Mess team told us specifically what they'd do for us. We also just had a sense that they would be good people to work with throughout a long, complex project, and it's proven to be right!

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

They did intensive discovery to make sure they fully understood our challenges in detail, even though their proposal already had a number of solutions. They designed, developed, and launched a new web platform with a customized open-source Django/Python-based CMS. We had several rounds of approval for each project phase, from discovery documentation and integration specs to wireframes and design comps.

Once a staging site was launched, we worked closely with their teams on content migration and extensive QA over several months. Fixes and improvements were made efficiently as we prepared for our go-live deadline. Since the site launched, we've also continued to work with them on refinements and adding new functionality.

What was the team composition?

There's a design team, a development team, and project management, and we primarily worked with a small cross-functional cohort of 3–5 individuals for the duration of the project. Everyone was great to work with, kind, responsive, and helpful.

Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?

The new website's impact is frankly immeasurable. We look so much better and more professional, our ticket sales have been steadily increasing, our memberships have gone up, and we're able to manage the site content easily on our team. We continue to make small refinements each month to further enhance the UX and add functionality

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Their project management was excellent and always communicative. After going through multiple rounds of review for wireframes, sitemap, and design specs, we were updated as the development team built out the CMS. Content migration was largely handled by us, but we were well-supported by their team. We had a strict go-live window and they did everything possible to make it happen on schedule. We have used different tools throughout the process including Slack, Asana, and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

It is truly amazing what they accomplished for us on such a tight timeline. The team literally bent over backwards to meet our deadlines, despite the complicated integrations taking much longer to nail down than originally anticipated. And the result wasn't just adequate, it was outstanding. Plus, they are just a pleasure to work with. They have a palpable sense of passion and gusto, really throwing themselves into a project fully. We had direct access to the people we needed to communicate with regularly, and always felt cared for.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There isn't much to improve – if anything, they could use more developers to help with QA and testing, but I think they're already expanding in that way.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a development manager at Libenu. We provide services to children and adults with developmental disabilities.

What challenge were you trying to address with Mess Marketing?

We needed a vendor to help us create a video for our annual gala event.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an idea of what story we wanted to tell and Mess Marketing helped us put together a storyboard. They made valuable recommendations and we ended up going with one of their suggestions. Then, they did two full days of filming, which included interviews and a B-roll. We also gave them the footage we already had, and they produced the final version of the video, incorporating our feedback.

What is the team composition?

We interacted with an editor, a producer, a creative director, and one of their partners, but there were more members of their team working on our project.

How did you come to work with Mess Marketing?

I knew one of their partners socially.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $5,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them between December 2018–February 2019.

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

They created an extremely moving video that was perfect for the gala. We also sent out an email blast to our donors, and one of our larger donors responded by letting us know how good the video made him feel about his philanthropy work.

How did Mess Marketing perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very organized and met our deadline. We mostly used email and Basecamp to keep track of the project. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're very good problem solvers. We had a miscommunication on our part, so our executive director wasn't entirely happy with the first draft. We were impressed with Mess Marketing's ability to listen to our feedback and work with us to fulfill our vision.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Internally, we felt that something was off with the color of the video, but that could be because our opinion was different from theirs. We didn't ask them to change the color because the deadline was so close. Also, we wish the video was a bit shorter. It was perfect for the gala, but it's too long to show in a meeting.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don't make any assumptions about who they bring to the table. They have a very talented team and they want to work with you and hear your feedback. Also, give them as much information as you can–they'll know what to do with it.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president of a boutique marketing firm located in Chicago. We work with a variety of middle-market companies across the US.

For what projects/services did your company hire Mess Marketing?

Our first company website had been created several years ago and needed a redesign and overhaul. We utilized Mess Marketing to revamp the UI/UX, develop the site, and launch it.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a robust yet simple theme solution that we could integrate into WordPress and easily update. We were also looking to refresh the overall brand look and feel, increase site traffic and leads, and enhance the user experience.

How did you select this vendor?

We had worked with Mess Marketing over the past several years on other projects. We knew this was something that they could easily handle within the projected budget and timing.

Describe the project in detail.

We first had a series of discovery meetings to discuss overall objectives and strategy. Mess Marketing then came back to us with initial wireframes and three rough look-and-feels for the main page. We finalized architecture and agreed upon the look and feel. 

After that, Mess Marketing built out the remaining wireframes and eventually a rendered version of the site for our review and approval. We made minor updates along the way during our regroup meetings before locking in on a final version. 

Finally, Mess Marketing developed and coded the site over a few weeks. We then held multiple reviews on a staging site to beta-test everything. Once we gave final approval, Mess Marketing proceeded to launch.

What was the team composition?

We worked with a project manager, a designer, several front- and backend developers, and a strategist and director.

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

The website has just recently launched, so we're awaiting quantitative data. From a qualitative standpoint, we've received positive reviews on the updated look and feel, functionality, and ease of use from current clients and new prospects.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was fluid. Mess Marketing assigned us a project manager who set up all timelines and deliverables in Basecamp and Asana. We held weekly status meetings and scheduled reviews to ensure we stayed on track and within budget.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their knowledge of design and optimizing the overall user experience stood out to us. Mess Marketing knows the ecosystem exceptionally well, and we would not hesitate to use them for similar projects.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Timing slipped in certain areas due to design changes on our end. Overall, however, the process seemed rather seamless, and we ended up with a high-quality end product.