Middle Boop

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Project Manager of Unilever PLC

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Unilever

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Middle Boop to accomplish?

• Increase ecommerce performance
• Design an acquisition strategy
• Performance assets for testing

SOLUTION

How did you find Middle Boop?

Referral

Why did you select Middle Boop over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Middle Boop were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Project Objectives: 

1. E-commerce Performance Enhancement: The primary goal of this project was to optimise our DTC e-commerce platform's overall performance. This included improving website speed, responsiveness, and user experience to ensure customers have a smooth shopping experience. 

2. Conversion Rate Optimisation: We wanted to implement a comprehensive CRO strategy to increase the conversion rate. This involved analysing user behavior, A/B testing, and making data-driven improvements to the checkout process and product pages. 

3. Digital Asset Production: Produce high-quality digital assets, including product images, videos, and interactive content for advertising. 

Key Project Activities: 

1. E-commerce Performance Audit: Conduct a thorough audit of the current e-commerce platform's performance, identifying bottlenecks, slow-loading pages, and other issues affecting user experience. 

2. Performance Optimisation: Implement necessary changes and optimisations based on the audit findings. This may involve server upgrades, content delivery network (CDN) integration, and code optimisation. 

3. CRO Strategy Development: Develop a data-driven CRO strategy, which includes analysing user data, heatmaps, and user feedback to identify areas for improvement. 

4. A/B Testing: Create and execute A/B tests to optimise key elements of the website, such as the shopping cart, product listings, and call-to-action buttons. 

5. User Experience Enhancements: Implement user experience improvements based on UX/UI best practices to ensure customers find it easy to navigate and shop on the platform. 

6. Digital Asset Production: Establish a pipeline for producing high-quality digital assets, including product images, videos, and interactive content, in-house or through collaborations with external partners. 

7. Content Management: Develop a robust content management strategy to organise and deliver digital assets effectively, ensuring they align with marketing campaigns and product launches. 

8. Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Monitor the performance of the e-commerce platform, conversion rate, and the impact of digital assets. Provide regular reports and insights for further optimisation.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Expected Outcomes: 

1. A highly optimised DTC e-commerce platform with improved speed, responsiveness, and user experience. 

2. An increase in conversion rate, resulting in higher sales and revenue. 

3. A library of compelling digital assets that enhance brand engagement and product promotion. 

4. Enhanced competitiveness and market positioning in the DTC e-commerce sector.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Throughout our collaboration, Middle Boop demonstrated exceptional project management skills. They consistently delivered items on time, meeting or even surpassing our expectations. Their responsiveness to our needs was truly impressive. Whenever we had questions or requested adjustments, they were quick to address them and provide solutions. 

Their open and effective communication made it easy to collaborate and ensured that our project stayed on track. In summary, their project management was excellent, and their commitment to delivering on time and addressing our needs contributed significantly to the success of our project. We look forward to working with them in the future.

What was your primary form of communication with Middle Boop?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Middle Boop's dedication to pushing the boundaries of what's possible and their relentless pursuit of innovative marketing and design truly impressed me. Gordon provided outstanding service, but also actively sought feedback and embraced change to meet our evolving needs.

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

No major improvement to suggest to Middle Boop. Overall very happy with the level of service and quality of work produced.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Design Director for HSBC Wholesale Transformation, the B2B banking services offered by HSBC.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Middle Boop?

We needed a company that could help us launch our new collaboration space.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Middle Boop to support the launch of a collaboration space. They were tasked with doing high-impact graphics work on things like door decals, posters that were going in the room, playbooks to articulate the design thinking method that we were coming up with, as well as a bespoke brand for that space and for the customer experience team that was running it.

Middle Boop assigned a bespoke team of design, copy, and strategy to work directly with us. The scope of the work was to come up with a brand story around the customer experience team, as well as a brand identity and official marks supporting that, and then for those assets or that identity to come to life in the form of a team manual and wall art for the collab physical space as well. 

Middle Boop was inspired by the brand, but they also had the freedom to stray beyond that. They used a lot of marks and shapes that created a whole new identity around the brand, so it looked like a really exciting space to be in, and it grabbed a lot of attention from across the building. They also stuck around a lot later than they needed to and went above and beyond in terms of buying materials when that should have been someone else's job. They also did catering and other things to support the launch event.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people from Middle Boop, including Gordon (Founder), Ben (Creative Designer), and Tom (Copywriter).

How did you come to work with Middle Boop?

We found Middle Boop through a recommendation. I chose them above others because of their approach to integrating within the team themselves. It felt like they were part of the business rather than an external supplier.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around £150,000 (Approximately $180,000).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2019–January 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a load of stories on Jira boards, and we had acceptance criteria against each of those. So we knew that when they worked and when things were signed off, we had achieved outcomes on the deliverables. We also received positive feedback from the people that saw the space. Overall, Middle Boop did a great job, and we’re very happy with the work. 

How did Middle Boop perform from a project management standpoint?

Middle Boop performed very well in terms of project management. I don't remember any instance where a deadline slipped at all. They were very quick to respond to challenges along the way. They were also really collaborative in writing the brief and making sure that the acceptance criteria were very clear. They had a direct line to my boss, the managing director, to get approvals and sign-offs, which were all done in a timely manner. Overall, it was a very easy engagement in comparison to others, even though the work itself was hot.

They provided weekly updates on what has been achieved, what's coming up in the next week, and any risks, issues, or blockers. We typically communicated through email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with how quickly Middle Boop picked things up and how autonomous they were. They often went above and beyond the scope of the brief to make things happen for us. The quality of the craft itself was very high as well, and the speed at which they were able to produce high-quality designs and ideas and document them in a way that had a clear story behind them was incredibly impressive.

We didn't have any real brand expertise in the team at the time, and being able to rely on a team who understood the value of going back and doing a proper discovery around the history of HSBC was critical. They were valuable in telling the story of how that space came to life.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't think we needed as much copy support as we had, and I think there were times where Tom, the copywriter, probably was twiddling their thumbs a little bit, and we probably could have used him in other places.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you can, get them on your systems as soon as possible so that you've got a collaborative tool, and it would just make your life easier. Make sure they've got access to the right level of brand governance to minimize any potential waste by helping them understand what you can and can't do with the brand early on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a director of Sabroso, a creative studio that help clients find larger audiences through the development of content.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We began working with a new client developing their website and content offering. The client had struggled to position themselves in quite a competitive market, and so we asked Gordon and Middle Boop to step in and support us with brand strategy. As a major part of the new website involved selling to consumers, Middle Boop also aided us with e-commerce strategy.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were introduced to Gordon (the owner of Middle Boop) by a third party who had also worked with him in the past. He had helped them with a similar project with fantastic results. As a studio, we prefer to work with vendors who come recommended, and Gordon clearly knew his stuff so it was an easy decision.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

We're under an NDA on the specifics of the project, but I'm happy to discuss generalities. The major issue was the positioning of the new website in a competitive market. The client was a newcomer (VC-backed) and struggled to convey their USP in a succinct way. Gordon helped us to work out the client's value proposition, and a way we could convey that in everything from their tagline to their typography.

He and his team developed a full design system, a tone of voice, colour palate and style of imagery that was robust enough to use across all assets, not just the website. Outside of the branding, the e-commerce strategy involved understanding who was buying, what they needed and how the customer approached the idea of 'value'. This helped us to develop packages that suited the different types of customers and their needs.

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

We worked directly with Gordon, but he had a team who supported with specialist tasks. We also had design resource on our side so it was a very dynamic and collaborative atmosphere.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The project was delivered on time and on budget, which is always a plus! After the site went live, it was very well received by market. It is still very early days in this site's life, but we are pleased by what we've seen so far and we're seeing a very positive response from the types of customers we developed personas etc. for.

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

Everything was delivered on time. We already had the project up and running on our side, so Gordon and the team simply joined our channels (Slack, Dropbox, Invision etc.) There was never any issue in terms of communication and collaboration. It was like they became part of our team almost instantly.

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

Gordon was clearly an expert who understood his profession, and he knew how to explain the processes to his clients. As with any project with lots of stakeholders, there were times where we needed to change direction or incorporate last-minute tweaks - Middle Boop were always quick to either make the changes, or to explain the second-order effects of the changes that we hadn't considered. This made it much easier to manage timelines and our clients (and our own) expectations.

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

No. It was a very smooth process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

CTO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Middle Boop?

Our startup needed branding and overall design that reflected our values and what we were trying to achieve

SOLUTION

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

Middle Boop were heavily involved with our growth from the start. They have a three step process for startups that we felt was bang on for what we needed. They spoke a lot about not just being brand designers but getting involved in the overall business development too which is certainly what they did.

Gordon, the owner, was on hand regularly to consult us with critical decisions, they provided us with workshops that helped us realise a few key painpoints we hadn't realised and basically have been involved with us every step of the way from strategy, branding, a recent brand refresh, print and digital and social.

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

Idea, pitch, executed to a tee. I need no more detail. Brilliant

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

The return on the investment for the initial branding and strategy work helped us think differently about how we engaged with potential clients and investors and that work alone won us a lot of work with some huge artists (Years & Years, The 1975) Since then each digital ad campaign has always met our expectations for return on investment. Their campaign work was clever and deeply rooted in strategic thinking which helped us get ahead of our competitors.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Really well. They're always on hand to solve any problems we throw their way without any troubles which always helps relieve the pressure on our side. Being as heavily involved in the process as they were and keeping us involved too helped ensure we were always aligned and up to date with how the work evolved.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We dealt with a few people including Gordon the owner. They brought in a team of people that had the specific talents we needed for our job and who knew our industry, we dealt with Ben the creative designer, Tom the copywriter and an account manager too. They were all heavily involved and felt like part of our own company rather than an agency we'd commissioned.

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

We've always resonated with their approach, they question choices, push ideas we've not thought of and helped us out with some big business decisions that enabled us to grow as a company. They have a no bullshit approach that works for startups that move fast and evolve. They've really helped in taking us to a much bigger level.

We have worked with Middle Boop for 4 years, and they have always had strong ideas about how we can push things further, where there's value in us investing more time to push things in a different angle and finding new ways for us to resonate with new audiences and clients. I honestly believe these guys stand out because they just get the startup process so well. They get the times when there are limitations on time and budget but have always seen the value in what we are trying to achieve and truly get what we are all about as a business.

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

I'm sure there are always things they can improve on but nothing I can really think of. They're great value all round.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a venture lead at Unilever, Responsible for building and deploying new digital businesses for our Homecare division.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The Middle Boop team joined the Lever Direct team at its inception. Our goal was to create a brand focused on world-class cleaning brands designed to be better for the planet & more affordable for our consumers. We asked the team to concept a total brand launch including, brand architecture, website, comms & packing.

SOLUTION

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

Middle Boop came through an extensive tender process. They were able to pinpoint our key objectives for the project and excited the team with their creativity in the pitch.

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

Middle Boop took the time to really understand the heritage of our existing portfolio & brands. This depth of research became the leading principle for how we developed Lever Direct, named after the Founder of Unilever, Lord Leverhulme, a true pioneer and a man ahead of his time. The Middle boop team led the full design and deployment process for LeverDirect.

They had creative input and control over:

• Brand Positioning and design
• Packaging - Website
• Copy and communications

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

We had various satellite members join the team as the project progressed. Gordon, who was the led from Middle Boop was able to bring in the various skill sets required for each element.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since launch we've 3 major retail awards, serviced over 5,000 customers & hit 2x our sales targets.

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

The team always came with a data or research-backed approach. As a collective, I'd describe the middle boop team as hands-on, in the detail, and not afraid to push back. The team is obsessed with the end-user & always came to our session with data or research to help our decision-making process.

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

Consistency in delivery across all aspects of this project.

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

We were happy with the team and approach.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Floor Refinishing is a services company that restore floors nationwide. I'm an executive of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Middle Boop?

We hired Middle Boop to rebrand the company after transferring to a new operation and name. Middle Boop designed the company logo, look and feel and colour palette that the company would adhere to for launch.

What were your goals for this project?

To find a modern clean and clear look and feel for the new company logo. Middle Boop took this project on with great professionalism and understood the goals, delivering on all fronts.

SOLUTION

How did you select Middle Boop?

Middle Boop had been involved in businesses that were close to the company, though in a different sector. The bold approach suited the new look, the business runs from a small town but works nationally and Middle Boop provided the impactful choice that reflected bigger goals than the geography the company resides in.

Describe the project in detail.

Floor Refinishing needed a full design, it was a new company with no footprint of brand an image. However, the company did have 20+ years of experience in the work that needed to be reflected in the design work. Middle Boop designed a new logo, with a smart and innovative design that showed fonts and text restoring as the reader took in the company name. Cracks would appear at the beginning of the logo, cleaning up as we went, reflecting exactly the processes that Floor Refinishing often take. Middle Boop also went steps beyond the brief, providing ideas and solutions for business cards, allowing the company to set them aside from all the competition.

What was the team composition?

Middle Boop's director tackled this solo.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The logo and design work is still being used throughout all of Floor Refinishing's look. Despite the company moving forward through new technology and marketing methods, the brand design still feels fresh and modern over 9 years on.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective, the director of the company was able to guide Middle Boop through the process to great results. Middle Boop's experience in the work was much more advanced than the companies knowledge, but despite this there was professional and intelligent guidance for Floor Refinishing. Even with a minimal briefing the results were outstanding.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As mentioned before, the insight and guidance to create the work without a huge amount of briefing was incredibly impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Hindsight is useful here, the brand work has not had to be updated in 9 years, which shows that the delivery was almost ideal.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Black + Blanc, a real estate agency in the United Kingdom. We specialize in sales, lettings, and buying agent services for our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Middle Boop?

We needed Middle Boop to make an elevation of the brand conception.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Middle Boop has a very specific way of working. From the beginning, they sent us over a campaign objective, and they asked us to know exactly why we wanted to launch a campaign and what we wanted to achieve from the product or service they provide. 

Since then, Middle Boop has been heavily involved in executing campaigns of a brand redesign for us. We’ve worked quite closely on a few successful campaigns. They’ve also worked on four bespoke campaigns based on four locations that we cover. 

They’ve worked on the offline to online journey. For example, they’ve worked on web design, graphic design mailers, and stationery. Middle Boop has been involved in the bespoke marketing material that we've sanctioned. Overall, they revamped things over time, and they've done retail work for us, like retail, publishing, and many other services.

What is the team composition?

There are quite a few people in the team, but I’ve mainly worked with Gordon (Creative Director), who’s been heavily involved in talking to our head of marketing. Gordon has spent a lot of time with me, arranging the service and coming to see the offices and the retail experience. It has been quite interactive. He has gone above and beyond to make sure that he gets his products and marketing campaigns correct.

How did you come to work with Middle Boop?

I found Middle Boop looking online. I’m a very specific person, and I don’t work with everyone. I interviewed 3–4 creative agencies at the time, as we needed something different for our company. Gordon stood out a million miles from them because he came and saw us within 72 hours with a deck of fresh ideas of what he thought about the brand.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested close to £100,000 (approximately $140,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2019, and Middle Boop still works with us continuously.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Everything we do is trackable and documented, and every campaign we’ve launched has metrics that follow the return on the investment and has been a success. They played a part in us becoming well recognized as Southeast London’s Best Real Estate Agent in 2019. 

The return on the investment of the first campaigns we ever ran with Middle Boop was highly successful. The cost element was £10,000 (approximately $14,000 USD) at the time, and I think the return was well over £85,000–£90,000 (approximately $119,000–$126,000 USD), and that was just in the mailing campaign, separate from the Facebook campaign. 

Moreover, when we hired them, Gordon did his own research and launched a fantastic campaign that later on made us stand out from a project in the city that celebrated local icons, with very well-known people involved. Gordon was one of the pivotal people behind one of the most influential campaigns we’ve ever done as a company, and even though we’re still a very small company, it was quite important for us.

How did Middle Boop perform from a project management standpoint?

Gordon is probably one of the most involved creative directors I've met in creative agencies. He and I usually communicate through WhatsApp, Microsoft Team meetings, and Zoom, but we’ve been able to send them the audio and video recordings and feedback. Gordon and his team are always accepting of everything and are willing to arrange a lot. When it comes to communication, they’re fantastic.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been in a good relationship with Middle Boop for 3–4 years now, and I think their process of learning the brand, understanding what the objectives are, and where they want it to be, is amazing. This is crucial to why Middle Boop produces a fantastic product and service for their clients in the end. They are one of the very few agencies that have allowed us to understand why we require amendments and why campaigns can change at certain points and trigger in its journey. 

One of the things I love about Middle Boop is how they work, which is very constructive but effective. They give an opinion on what they think will benefit your brand, and they won’t shy away from telling you where they think you can elevate something to another level. For me, it’s a no brainer to speak to someone like the Middle Boop team because they really offer detailed attention for start-ups as well, which we were in 2017. Back then, we were a bit more progressive and had a name out there, but they’ve been able to take us to another level when it comes to marketing experience and graphic and illustrative perspective.  

Middle Boop distinguishes from others because of their ability to understand what the client wants and bring their own bespoke touch to it. If they don’t have the utensils to handle what the client needs, they’ll find the right person for it, which turns into a complete project management team, from print to publishing perspective, I believe all the years of experience have paid off.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There's always room for improvement, but I’d say there’s nothing from the project basis they’ve done for me. I have a lot of respect for them.

Any advice for potential customers?

To get it right, invest your time in them to understand the creative objective form they send you, so you can actively put down what you want. Be willing to communicate via video, call or email so that you can get the best out of it. They won’t disappoint you when it comes to communication terms. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a blogger that runs a pub and alcohol culture Instagram account. I travel to different pubs in the UK and other areas, promoting the industry through reviews and endorsements.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Middle Boop?

When I started off, I wasn’t getting any engagement with my brand. I sought out professional help to have a more consistent view across all of my social platforms.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

My main platform is Instagram, so the main focus was to drive sales and interest there. I wanted a punchy and bold logo. After that, I wanted to launch merchandise like t-shirts around that.

What is the team composition?

I mainly dealt with Gordon (Creative Director & Founder) and another contact.

How did you come to work with Middle Boop?

Some of my friends in the design and journalism industries recommended Middle Boop. They said that they had a good pulse in the field and had decent prices.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent right around £5,000 (approximately $6,900 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2020. If I need tweaks or artwork help, I can contact them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The rebranding has helped my service become recognized as a larger brand. They delivered a clean and fresh logo. I’ve had merchandise sales. It’s also helped with my networking.

I was at a conference wearing a branded t-shirt, and people noticed and asked about my business.

How did Middle Boop perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicate by email and phone calls. The lockdown has made meetings more difficult, but we’ve had video calls here and there.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to make clients feel like they’re invested in their business stands out. Middle Boop puts in the creative time and effort to help with a brand. They take their clients through an entire journey. While they’re the clear experts, it feels like a true collaboration. They listen to what their clients want but will explain to them if their idea isn’t the best. They want their clients to stand out from the crowd. They’re also always available, making their clients feel like they’re in the right hands.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s always something to improve on. They could be a bit more vocal about what they could offer and produce for their clients. They could let clients know what results they could get if they used different services that they offer.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I’d advise them to come up with a speck of rough ideas. Be open with them. This helps the engagement become more of a collaboration. Bouncing ideas off people to get to the main goal is important.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Lever Direct is Unilever's HomeCare DTC business in the UK. As a Senior DigitaI Commerce Manager, I am co-leading the business and responsible for the P&L delivery

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

To support the creation of Digital Assets on the Commerce/ trading platform plus creative creation to support paid & organic marketing efforts to date.

SOLUTION

How did you select Middle Boop and what were the deciding factors?

We had already engaged with Middle Boop on a different Direct-To-Consumer and were comfortable working with the firm

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

Key Deliverables included:

1. Digital Merchandising
2. Paid Social Visual/ Creative for the various campaigns in 2020 and Q12021
3. Branding and visual assets for New Proposition Launch on Lever Direct
4. Support CRM partner agency again with branded assets used in email campaigns

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

Gordon Reid from Middle Boop was hired as a contractor. He led the thinking and execution of brand building assets/ campaigns as Creative Lead

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Helped us effectively connect with consumers across channels and improve. Click-thru-rates and Conversion rate onsite

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

They are collaborative and persistent.

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

Their previous experience working for some very large brands plus their collaborative approach on delivery of needed assets

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not applicable