MHF Creative

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Cycle Together Limited. We’re an organization that aims to get more people cycling within their local communities.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with mhf creative?

We wanted to increase our brand awareness to attract new customers. We engaged mhf to create a video highlighting who we are, what we stand for, and why we exist.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided us with video production services. We mostly involved our internal team during the script-writing process because we wanted the video to feel organic, but mhf creative shared suggestions. They organized a video shoot with their own equipment and advised us on different shots. 

With regard to editing, they were very involved in the creative process; we collaborated to identify the shots we’d use for the final video, which was quite helpful. They delivered a 90-second video as the final product. They also animated a series of short instructional videos for our social media accounts. 

We’ve published the videos on our website, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with a videographer and two directors who were responsible for the editing as well. 

How did you come to work with mhf creative?

We found mhf creative through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested £7,000 (approximately $8,100 USD) in the partnership with mhf creative.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership with mhf creative began in March 2022 and ended in August 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We don't have any hard numbers regarding shares or views. However, when we launched our product, the video mhf creative produced was the most watched video on our new social media accounts.

How did mhf creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great communicators, and they delivered assets on time. The mhf creative team kept up with the project well, and they were quite clear with us during each stage.

We had some scheduling changes, which they adapted to; they kept us updated when scheduling changes affected the project. We communicated with them via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed by how closely they listened to us and understood the brief. The mhf creative team was very attentive to our goals and didn’t provide us with a cookie-cutter version of other projects they’d done. Instead, they catered the project to our needs, which differed from the typical cycling video. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

If I had to find room for improvement, they could’ve provided more guidance around storyboarding, but I’m really clutching at straws. There’s not much they could improve on; we had a very good experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I advise outlining a clear brief because that will be helpful for the mhf creative team. You can provide as little or as much direction as you’d like, but communication is key, as with all working relationships. They come with a lot of experience, so if you bring your vision, they’ll help make it come to life.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the group creative lead for an affiliate marketing network.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with mhf creative?

We needed help with marketing our product launches using video production to capture the human element of our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

mhf creative provides us with video production services. They’re creating videos for our website, which we will use to market our product launches and support our lead generation activities. Ultimately, we will end up with three main videos and some additional edits for social media.

Initially, we provided them with a rough script of what we thought the videos would look like, and they provided us with three variations of solutions that we could choose from. These options varied in price, and they walked us through the benefits of each option. From those options, we decided to go with the human element approach.

So far, mhf creative has been in charge of the whole production process. For example, they’ve had to film some of our clients for these videos, so we initially provided them with a list of questions that we wanted them to ask to steer the clients in the right direction. Then, we connected them with the clients. However, they’ve taken the lead on everything else, going to different locations, in some cases in different countries, to film the clients.

What is the team composition?

I’ve mainly been in contact with Matt (Creative Video Director) and Ciara (Managing Partner).

How did you come to work with mhf creative?

When I found mhf creative, they seemed to be very personable, and I felt that they would provide the human touch we were looking for these videos.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between £18,000–£22,000 (approximately $23,000–$29,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2021, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The videos are not ready yet, but the people within our company who have seen what mhf creative has produced so far are very happy with the product. Overall, mhf creative has been brilliant throughout the whole process, and we will likely work with them again in the future.

How did mhf creative perform from a project management standpoint?

mhf creative’s project management has been excellent, and they’ve been great at understanding our challenges. The people they’re creating the content around had never worked with an agency in this way before. However, Matt and Ciara have been very honest and flexible about changes. We’ve required a few more changes than originally anticipated, but they’ve always been happy to do them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

mhf creative’s human element, and their ability to show the human side of a story in their filming are impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very open and transparent with them, and you will get the best result.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am Head of Marketing for the Huws Gray Group, the largest independent Builders Merchant in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to raise the profile of Merchanting to attract more talent to the industry. Our aim was to highlight some of the career roles available in the industry, which people might not necessarily associate with Construction, and portray the happy rewarding culture of our business.

SOLUTION

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

We briefed 3 different companies and chose MHF because we felt that they understood our brief straight away. There was immediate positive chemistry and a strong sense of confidence right form the start that they would deliver what we were looking for.

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

After the initial breif we were given a detailed quote and had an online meeting to discuss initial creative route and ideas. We were given a link to a digital mood board that was shared between both parties so that we could comment and share ideas and requirements. This worked really well.

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

Matt led the project, working with 2 other videographers at 4 different locations. They immediately put all colleagues being filmed at ease and communicated transparently on delivery deadlines throughout the whole process. They were clear on their process, managing our expectations, incorporating last minute requests and pushing back with professional expert view where appropriate, to keep us on schedule, on budget and on creative brief.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are delighted with the video and it has been well received by people across the business.

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

Relaxed, confident, competent, approachable, amiable, open and professional.

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

Able to adapt to some challenging filming locations without fuss, finding practical solutions. They were unflappable and cheerful — it was an absolute delight to work with them.

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

Honestly, nothing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a wine investment company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our goal was to produce a promotional video for advertising purposes and then an informative video about our process for storing fine wine.

SOLUTION

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

They came recommended from a marketing company, spoke with Matt and Ciara via Zoom initially and then face to face meetings. Both really personable, very creative and provided good knowledge on how they felt the video should look. As it was our first time producing a video all of these things were extremely helpful

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

We first discussed what we wanted, then shot the footage and then did the voice over at a later date. Once we had the voice over completed, the footage was then put together to fit with the words.

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

We worked with the directors of the business, Matt and Ciara. We discussed our requirements with both and then Matt came and shot the footage with us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have now had some enquires through our social media platforms which is where our videos were initially posted. We hope to generate more organic enquires on google ads and use the videos on our landing pages. It has also helped existing clients understand the storage process better, which in turn has meant they have increased their business with us.

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

Very laidback and calm, really felt like they were listening to our vision. Once they understood what we wanted, they offered real good guidance on what they felt would and wouldn't work. Without their guidance we would have had a much less efficient video. Gently explaining the reasons as oppose to taking complete control which also allowed us to be creative.

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

The quality of the videos is second to none — I was most impressed by the minor details. Perfectionist's in what they do.

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

Genuinely can't think of anything. They were very patient with us as things from our end could have been done quicker so more of a criticism of us than them!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Managing Director of a healthcare PR agency. We support clients to improve people's health while achieving their business objectives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Our client came to us with a clear goal - they wanted to attract more healthcare professionals to want to work for their business. As part of our strategy, which including overhauling their employer brand, we hoped to bring to life the feeling of working for this particular company, through video content of a small selection of current employees.

SOLUTION

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

We did detailed research, searching for video companies that had experience of employer brand work and touching base with providers that we had worked with in the past. We reviewed content from 10+ providers, had Zoom calls with five and got a really good feeling about mhf from the beginning.

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

We started by sharing with them the project strategy and core messages that we were hoping to draw out through real life stories. We then had a project discussion call to ensure we were aligned. After that it was a case of introducing them to the participants, who we had already vetted. mhf had a discovery call with each of them to understand their personal stories, get an idea of their location options and work out the logistics.

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

We worked mainly with Matt, though we also at times worked with Ciara and Kyri. All were really enthusiastic and helpful. We felt at ease with them and could comfortably talk through ideas and thinking. The feedback process on the edits was very simple. We were provided with links to Vimeo edits and we collated feedback from the client before adding it in one go. Changes were made quickly and correctly. An important thing to note though was that there were few edits required as the first cuts were excellent.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

These videos are launching this week so we are too early to see the business outcomes - however the client feedback has been excellent and we are confident that they will deliver against the objectives.

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

The project manager was easy to deal with and we also had backups of other people we could speak to - if for example we wanted to get hold of someone quickly and a call went to answerphone. Communication happened over video, phone calls, text - all good. We also liked the project management tools they used - so much so that I have since introduced one of them to our agency.

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

It was just a very positive experience. Ultimately we were both working to deliver a particular type of content for our client and I always felt we were on the same page. Our consultancy strives for excellence - we are only 18 months old but have already won around eight industry awards - and I felt that mhf more than delivered against our quality benchmarks. The finished results were excellent.

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

Not for me - it was a great process and we are delighted with the results.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing at Kingspan Timber Solutions Group. We’re a sustainable structural timber construction company with partners in the architectural and design industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with mhf creative?

We needed them to create a video that narrated our company’s journey.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with mfh creative to make a 2D animation video of our services and customer journey. Their team helped us with scriptwriting and supplied us with the necessary design elements that we needed to showcase in the video. We met with them to discuss what we needed to put together for the storyboard, and their illustrator helped us identify the best type of animation for the storyboard we came up with. Once we finalized both outputs and we completed all the voiceovers, they proceeded with the animation process.

What is the team composition?

I initially communicated with Matt (Creative Director & Founder) regarding quotations and project stages, while Kyri (Content Creator) handled the animation phase of the project.

How did you come to work with mhf creative?

I found their team on Google and looked further into their work profile before deciding that they were the right team for us.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £6,000 (approximately $8,000 USD)

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from September 2020–February 2021. However, we’re planning to onboard Kyri again for future animation work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our website is still in the process of being developed, so we haven’t launched the video yet. Despite the lack of metrics, I already showed mhf creative’s work to our internal staff and they were really impressed. The video really helped people understand our products and services.

How did mhf creative perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicated via email and Microsoft Teams. Kyri was especially helpful in supporting us with the workflow — we weren’t prepared with all the materials they needed because of the lockdown restrictions, but he managed to make things work and communicate our needs to their team. He certainly went out of his way to make the process more bearable for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were a very helpful and efficient team. mhf creative collaborated well with us to give us the results we needed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s no negative aspect that I could point out. mhf creative exactly did what we asked them to do throughout the project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be organized and clear in relaying what you want out of your partnership with mhf creative. That’s really all you need to do.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing for Stint. We’re a staffing solutions company, connecting high street businesses with students for short shifts.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with mhf creative?

We wanted to create a video that explained our concepts in an engaging way, so that we could it to potential big-ticket clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

mhf creative created a video of talking heads, and an overlay of animations to visualize the different sections of the script. The script, which we provided, was finalized after they helped us review it. We then moved on to film the people reading out the scripts, followed by the overlaying of animations onto the film to create the final video content.

We sent the final output to the client via a link in an email, which took them to a platform called Loom, where they can watch the video. We also put a shorter version of the video on the website.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people from their company, plus a freelance cameraman and animator. I worked with Matt (Creative Director & Founder), Ciara (Managing Partner), and another team member who was an editor and cam operator.

How did you come to work with mhf creative?

I was searching for video production agencies on Google and actually ended up on their page on Clutch. I went to their website and saw that the proposition on their website seemed to align with what we wanted.

The reason why I chose mhf was, I seemed to get along well with Matt — I formed a quick connection with him. This was proven to be extremely important for us in the upcoming projects, because it’s something that I value.

The second reason was they’d already done a project in the past for the type of video I was after — which is the element of talking heads with an overlay of animations. 

Another reason was their price point was good. We were switching to a lot of agencies at that point in time, so it was pretty chaotic. When we increased the length of the video, the other agencies kept increasing their prices. However, mhf creative kept it fair for us.

Moreover, the main reason why we chose them is that we had a really tight deadline, and other agencies couldn’t deliver the project by the deadline. mhf was committed and was able to deliver the final output for us by the deadline.

How much have you invested with them?

The final quote for the project was $18,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted about two weeks in February 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Based on the percentage of the video’s engagement, we saw that the majority of the people who have seen it, watch 100% of the video — which is pretty impressive. That’s because it’s so bloody engaging and the animation is so good. The final product definitely met the goals that we had originally laid out for them.

How did mhf creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed exceptionally well despite us being extremely difficult clients. We actually had to do a couple of reshoots because we always change our minds, but they were still so accommodating. They recognized that we had a tight deadline, and they still wanted to keep track and pull out all the stops to ensure we could still deliver by the deadline. This included working two weekends, and driving down to London three times.

Additionally, there were a lot of late-night phone calls, so they really went above and beyond to help with the project. They were very communicative and they kept me up to date on the progress of their work. They were good at pushing me for feedback and making sure that I gave it on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed by the quality of the animation that they made.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I can think of. I’m very happy with the whole project.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

One piece of advice would be to utilize their animation skills. We didn’t know they were so good at animating because they never really displayed that skill. Another piece of advice would be to listen to their ideas about the script.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a client services team manager that carries out marketing tasks for a digital marketing agency. We offer marketing services to companies across all marketing channels. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with mhf creative?

Our company was trying to bring out the personality of our brand. We were trying to bring our team to the front of the business via the website rather than have people call us to arrange meetings.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their team produced a storyboard, a selection of short videos, and a long video. They gave me examples, and I selected which ones I liked and which ones I wanted them to take out. It was very consultative. We went back and forth to get the right idea. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with four people from mhf.

How did you come to work with mhf creative?

I found them on a social media post on LinkedIn, where they did a really edgy video testimonial for what they did at a university. First, I loved the fact that they were using education as a platform to share that because it shows their work at the university, and they’re looking towards the future. 

Second, they cleverly thanked the university by using video, which they’re experts at. And third, I thought they very cleverly brought out their own personality, which we didn’t actually have on our own website. These drove me to contact them right away. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested around £10,000 (approximately $13,400 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them in October–November 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We did a listening huddle. Before anything went live, we showed a video to the team and asked them to make any last-minute improvements. They shared that video with their families to get some feedback. Then, we sent it to existing clients to give them a preview of what was going to be done on the website. 

At that point, we launched it onto our email newsletter, social media channels, and encouraged people to click through. We measured success via the engagement it drove to our social media accounts, which was brilliant, and the hits on our website. We increased our website traffic and brand awareness and had lots of inquiries shortly after the video went live. 

How did mhf creative perform from a project management standpoint?

I had a discovery form to fill out, which was a very comprehensive document that allowed me to brainstorm with myself about what I wanted. I identified some questions I didn’t think about. The team at mhf creative was able to extract extra information from my mind. By doing that, things flowed easier when I wanted to get the material together. 

I gave them complete autonomy of the ideas. When I had a good idea, and they thought it wasn’t going to work, they would expand on it and give me advice on what they would do. They then told me how much it would cost me, and we went on from there. 

I received a very comprehensive plan of what we’d actually do, which was great. We discussed the content and budget. The process was kept simple. It was really straightforward, and they were lovely people to deal with. They had great ethos, and their values aligned with mine, which was very important to me.  

I also had regular contact with them. I didn’t have to question anything, and any questions I had about anything were answered straight away. Their team was reassuring about the next steps they were going to make. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The customer service was amazing. They were very patient and got to know our business very well. Their team also spoke to a lot of our clients to see what sort of things drew them to us. They weren’t only very professional towards us; they were also very professional towards our clients as well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would put in a meeting with them and spend a good chunk of time. Be prepared to spend time with them so they can get to know your brand and your requirements. 

They’re not the kind of company that would simply have a call or send an email. The benefit of working with mhf is that they invest much time in you to get the information needed to give you the best outcome. That was very clear from the beginning. Their investment in time was brilliant, and they spent a lot of time working on what I needed. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the UK Head of Marketing for a Global IT Software consultancy, we have 7000 employees, and we're based in 14 markets

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire mhf creative?

We had a request from one of our clients to help them showcase the work we've built together over the past year and help them celebrate everything that has been achieved. The work is complex but has a high impact so we decided to use a video to help us tell the story.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to help our client tell the story of the work that has been undertaken (to current and new employees), there are multiple, complex projects all working to one goal, so we wanted to build the story of the impact the work will have on customers. The video is for internal purposes only, but in creating the video together it also strengthened our relationship as we were able to pull out key achievements and highlights.

SOLUTION

How did you select mhf creative?

I researched online for a video production and also spoke to a referral. Altogether I talked through the brief with four agencies. The deciding factors for selection were - understanding of the brief, rapport, past experience, ability to deliver in the incredibly tight timeline and cost.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

Once we selected the partner we went through the brief in detail. MHF took on the task of creating the script and storyboard providing clear timelines, asks and expectations. MHF then created all visuals, voice over recording/selection, music selection and animation

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

Two people were involved from the vendors side, client director and the animator. The process was very collaborative - we used Whatsapp for quick questions and to share ideas and were able to jump on a call to clear up outstanding questions with little fuss (really useful during covid-19 lockdown). We had 3-4 rounds of feedback.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The biggest - and most important - outcome for us was a happy client and an impactful video delivered within the challenging timeline

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Feedback and communication was very fluid - the ability to comment on an animation in Vimeo directly for example saved a huge amount of time, use of whatsapp also made it far easier to provide quick feedback

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The positive attitude - and speed of turnaround - whilst maintaining quality output. We were impressed by their willingness to please and provide the output we required, it felt they went the extra mile - working at weekends, providing a second cut of the voice over and extra feedback rounds.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I think they delivered a great outcome, and I enjoyed working with the team

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a senior brand manager for a business travel company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire mhf creative?

We needed to create a brand video to help us maintain relevance during COVID-19. We needed a quick turnaround and a low-cost option that would still be impactful.

What were your goals for this project?

We hoped to maintain brand relevance during a turbulent time by anchoring this video on our website and driving traffic through paid and owned.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

MHF helped another person on my team to create some event round-up videos - she highly recommended them to me.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

MHF worked closely with us to understand the purpose and goals of the video. They helped us create something that was low-cost, whilst still being polished. The video contains stock videos, home videos and animation. We provided some guidance here but generally speaking, MHF did most of the leg-work in sourcing footage and coming up with ideas.

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We worked with Matt directly and had four feedback rounds.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're only launching the video this week, so no firm results yet. Internal feedback so far has been great. MHF have created something fresh and modern for us.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

MHF are super responsive - ready to hop on a call whenever needed to move things along. We never had to wait long for the next iteration after feedback. Any hold up was on our side, not theirs!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Genuinely nice people. Open, honest, helpful, nice to talk to. Costing is completely reasonable considering the high standard of output, never have to go back and forth negotiating.

Are there any areas for improvement?

N/A