Miller Ink

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a project manager for a DTC shoe wear brand that is known for versatile, stylish ballet flats.

For what projects/services did your company hire Miller Ink?

We were launching a national philanthropic effort and wanted to thoughtfully craft our messaging and digital marketing campaign to reach and impact as many people as we could.

What were your goals for this project?

Our team is very well versed in what they do, but when it came to messaging and philanthropy, we wanted to treat this campaign with a lot of thought and detail to not only help spread our message, but to help as many people as we could.

That's where the Miller Ink team really shined with their strategic know-how and holistic approach to media relations.

How did you select Miller Ink?

The firm was highly recommended by individuals in my network whom Nathan and I share many close connections with.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We engaged Miller Ink fairly early in the process, for their communications and PR expertise. Miller Ink joined us as a consultant and a holistic partner, for all content and marketing strategy.

For this and other engagements, Miller Ink has created a messaging framework, secured us numerous significant media placements, produced marketing assets and assisted us with an SEO overhaul.

They advise on projects across several of our teams to help align our goals from media to philanthropy to influencer marketing.

What was the team composition?

Our work consists of brainstorming meetings, strategy talks and campaign execution with Nathan Miller, the CEO and founder and Allie, our go-to Account Executive.

We feel supported by their attention on each of our projects, as well as Allie's outstanding attention to detail and creative problem solving.

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

We've secured some excellent press opportunities that has increased our brand visibility and have launched several philanthropic initiatives under Miller Ink's guidance.

Because of our work with Miller Ink, we've been able to increase awareness and engagement in our target audience groups, reach new audiences, and thoughtfully give back to communities who need our support most.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Miller Ink goes above and beyond, taking our initial campaign concepts and turns them into a reality with high impact.

When the COVID-19 crisis struck, Miller Ink helped us think about our business goals in a new way and encouraged us to really do the work that people desperately needed, ultimately giving back to our brand ethos and connecting to new audiences across the country.

With every new product launch or giving back initiative, we collaborate on how we can create the most impact that will have long-term benefits for both our customers and the communities we support.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their dedication and creativity are great. Their team is focused on creating solutions while supporting us on a number of projects and they do this swiftly and with a can-do attitude.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. They have been great partners consistently.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the co-founder of the Jewish Future Pledge, a major philanthropic initiative within the Jewish community. We are a fairly new initiative and engaged Nathan Miller and the Miller Ink team to help us get our project off the ground and launch in cities across the country.

For what projects/services did your company hire Miller Ink?

When my co-founder Mike Leven came up with the idea to launch the JFP, we knew that we had a lot of challenges ahead of us, including getting our messaging, website, and high impact marketing campaign together to launch this effort.

What were your goals for this project?

Build a communications platform, strong social media presence, website, PR campaign and earned media.

How did you select this vendor?

The firm was highly recommended by numerous individuals in my network.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We engaged Miller Ink fairly early in the process, just a year after founding. Miller Ink joined us as a consultant and a holistic partner, for all content and marketing strategy. In our short engagement so far, Miller Ink has created a comprehensive messaging guide, secured us numerous significant media placements, produced a stellar marketing video and oversaw the design, content, and execution of our website overhaul, and so much more.

What was the team composition?

Our work together began with a series of visioning meetings with Nathan Miller, the CEO and founder; Hannah, our go-to Account Executive; Sam, the Creative Director; and Meira, the Accounts Director.

We felt confident having Nate’s attention on each of our projects, as well as Hannah’s outstanding attention to detail and quick-thinking. Our success thus far is directly connected to Miller Ink’s team’s dedication to our work.

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

We’ve secured some excellent press that has increased our brand visibility and directly led to new strategic partners and spokespeople. Because of our work with Miller Ink, we’ve seen a direct increase in the number of people who have signed the Jewish Future Pledge, an increase in press coverage, and a considerable interest in awareness and engagement in our target audience groups.

In addition, you can see our new website: https://jewishfuturepledge.org/, as well as our stellar launch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-_bMY3FRDY

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Miller Ink goes above and beyond, taking some of our nascent or blue sky ideas and making them a reality. Unfortunately, we planned our formal, nationwide launch right before the outbreak of the pandemic, which threw a big wrench in our plans.

When the COVID-19 crisis struck, Miller Ink was instrumental in our successful pivot and reorientation. They approached us with a number of ideas, including webinars and digital engagements that have been hugely successful. We could not have launched without Miller Ink, especially once coronavirus forced us to completely rethink the entirety of our launch campaign.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their agility and nimbleness. Every time a problem presents itself – or a goal seems particularly challenging – not a single team member seemed phased.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. They have delivered above and beyond consistently.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the vice president of communications for the American Jewish University (AJU). We have two campuses in California. We’re not a traditional university as, in addition to delivering academic and accredited degree programs, we also have a very large community offering for children from ages 5–17 and adult education programs.

What challenge were you trying to address with Miller Ink?

It had become abundantly clear that we needed some professional outside help to spread the AJU brand and amplify who we are. We also needed help in determining some policies and procedures. We wanted to be able to accurately describe who we are and what we do in a broad sense to the great community. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

In general, Miller Ink has worked with us to push our brand forward. They came back to us with a proposal for a revision of our brand, and we’re currently in the process of reviewing our brand architecture. 

We began with a senior leadership retreat and an examination of who the university was across the different channels we deliver our services to. We’ve had different focus groups and meetings, though because of COVID-19, these efforts have been cut down a bit and we’re on hold. 

We’re in the final stages of presenting some of the brand architecture to our board for broader discussion, and Miller Ink has been instrumental in helping us pull together language that is more reflective of who we are and what we’re doing in the space. 

In the last year, we’ve had a few crises within the last year. They’ve worked with us to focus on crisis communication and helping us manage the media and access. From managing those crises, we realized we needed more in-depth procedures in place, so they’ve helped us train our staff on media relations and helped us determine a path for handling media inquiries. 

What is the team composition?

There are two people we’re in contact with, which is Nate (Founder & CEO) and Michelle (Account Director) but there is a whole team behind the scenes. 

How did you come to work with Miller Ink?

I’d worked with Miller Ink under a previous employer and was impressed with what they were doing. A few other people had experienced working with them, too. So they were a finalist for us among other companies. 

They understood the needs of the broader Jewish community. They also understood that we had a large variety of programs that operate as nonprofits within the university. Demonstrating that they understood the city of L.A. and our marketplace, along with the broader media relations needs, they showed a combination of their skill sets. They had experience in earned media exposure. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since July 2019 and our engagement is ongoing. 

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

We’ve been able to create a clear pathway for communication with any media inquiries. We now have a tight process and procedure in place, and Miller Ink is at the helm of that. Their crisis management work has been really well-received; they did an excellent job.

We’ve seen an increase in the number of publications we’ve been featured in and our staff are now interested in writing to get placed, which has been really successful for us. 

How did Miller Ink perform from a project management standpoint?

They are so attentive to our needs and give us access. Since we’ve been needing to shift our priorities in the last couple of months, they’ve shown great agility. They redirect as needed and provide a customized service plan. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

If an issue comes up, they help us prepare for it and get our ducks in a row. Their attentiveness has been fantastic. Their thought leadership has been really phenomenal. They have a clear understanding of who the players are in the community and help amplify our brand, which is wonderful. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall, we’re quite pleased. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you’re a good customer and willing to do the work. Set time aside to be dedicated to them, with some type of standing meeting. Be a good client so they can be a good service provider.