Northbound

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Social Venture Partners Seattle, a nonprofit organization. I’m a volunteer and was assigned to be the lead partner for EarthGen, another nonprofit we awarded a grant to. My role is as a go-between for them. I’ve worked side-by-side with the executive director for five years, and over that time, I’ve worked on various capacity-building projects.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Northbound?

Once we established our partner organization, we decided to go through a branding change, which is why we hired Northbound.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Northbound provided us with branding services. First, they led a month-long discovery phase. Then, they worked on the brand’s positioning and compass for a month. The third month was focused on visual representation, including the brand name and logo. 

The team delivered a new name, logo, brand identity, messaging, and visual branding guide that included a new logo, visuals, colors, and fonts. They also wrote a new tagline. Additionally, Northbound provided trademarking consulting, and we also used an external lawyer to assist us. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with five teammates from Northbound, including Michelle (Managing Partner), two people who helped with messaging, a creative resource, an account manager, and one more person who assisted the account manager with branding. 

How did you come to work with Northbound?

I knew about them from previous interactions with Michelle, with whom I had worked. We interviewed 2–3 agencies and ultimately selected Northbound. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $60,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–November 2020. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with Northbound, we’ve seen positive trends for the organization, and the branding has helped quite a bit. Their mission is to serve schools in Washington state; in 2018, they were helping 141 schools, which increased to 351 in 2020. They also went from serving 34 school districts in 2018 to 131 in 2020. In terms of funding, they started at $500,000, and now, they’re a million-dollar organization. 

Northbound was really clear with their directors and facilitated excellent brainstorming sessions. They were able to draw our team’s ideas and vision about the organization, including our executive director and director of advancement. The Northbound team had excellent listeners and collaborators with a lot of good advice. 

How did Northbound perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very collaborative, and the process was well-organized. We had a clear timeline with various milestones, so we understood what we needed to do each step along the way. Moreover, the team met their timeframe. 

We communicated virtually because we worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our project management tool was a platform we used to brainstorm and share information, though I don’t recall its name. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Northbound’s graphic design was top-notch. Their designer had a unique gift for logos. Many people have commented on the logo; it has been really powerful and galvanized the organization around the mission. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they needed to improve. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a former executive for an advertising and marketing agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Northbound?

We needed strategic expertise around brand strategy, naming, and strong supplemental guidance in the strategic challenges our clients were facing.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Northbound assisted us with a few separate projects, which included naming, brand refreshes, new designs and color schemes, and positioning. Northbound also helped us with marketing plans for our clients.

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Michelle (Managing Partner) and Samantha (Company Brand Officer). 

How did you come to work with Northbound?

A mutual colleague introduced us. 

How much have you invested with them?

We invested close to $500,000 with Northbound. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between May 2012–December 2014.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had very high client satisfaction, and they produced extraordinary work. 

How did Northbound perform from a project management standpoint?

They always stayed on time and within budget. We communicated via phone calls, emails, and text messages. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were separate entities, but they acted like a partner, and we always appreciated their integrity. Their output was extraordinary, and they were wonderful collaborators that we trusted fully. What they delivered always delighted us. When we worked with them we got their knowledge and experience, which was invaluable. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing they could have improved upon. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re the right agency to work with regardless of the size of your company. Ask any and all questions that you have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of brand strategy at a technology solutions provider. We provide enterprise software globally.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Northbound?

We needed a company that could help us with our brand architecture and our products’ and services' meaning. We also needed someone who could handle the brand strategy and messaging development for certain portions of our product portfolio.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We usually start our engagements by trying to understand what we’re trying to achieve, getting aligned on objectives, and asking the right questions to make sure that we’re on the same page in terms of our needs. Northbound would then develop solutions and provide concrete recommendations based on their expertise. We then provide them with feedback as needed and then deploy the recommendations once we agree on everything. They’re really good at staying flexible to changes along the way. As we learn something, they’re not rigid in saying that what they’ve recommended is the only and right answer.

The deliverables are hard to quantify because there are so many different kinds. But whether it's a product name, a piece of strategy, or some messaging, it's usually in the form of recommendations that then we as a company deploy.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with 10–15 people from Northbound, depending on our needs.

How did you come to work with Northbound?

They were already working with the company at the time that I joined, but I found, during my own evaluation, that not only were they great, but they were someone I wanted to work with more. Based on my experiences, I increased their engagement a considerable amount based on their performance and the way the manner in which they work.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2017, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen an increase in our brand awareness and brand perception. We now also have a clearer understanding of our product portfolio, thanks to Northbound’s work. Aside from that, they had a significant role in defining our strategy and the messaging, which are market-leading solutions. In addition, they had a very clear and strong role in some of the prime names for major global products and services. They are the engine behind many of the company's most important names.

How did Northbound perform from a project management standpoint?

Northbound has performed well in terms of project management. One of the strengths of northbound is that there are never any surprises. We always know they will come at or under budget, and if we do need to go over, it’s something we will discuss before and agree on what is appropriate.

We typically communicated through Microsoft Teams, phone calls, and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Northbound is a smaller company but brings the best in class of thinking and expertise. It's that unique combination that makes them different. Another thing that we love about working with Northbound is that they are adaptable. Our company has its own methodologies and processes, but Northbound is flexible enough to work within our system, augment it, and help us build it out. Some companies will try to imprint their own process on us,  but Northbound does a great job of adapting to our needs and processes whilst still being able to bring their best thinking.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Constantly improving creative quality is something that they can do and are doing.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It's important to understand your own needs before you start working with them. Having a very open and transparent conversation with Northbound at the beginning, letting them into the problem, and not holding hold any information back is essential because by trusting them, you get the best of their thinking.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the CMO at Inrix, a transportation solutions company that works with major automotive manufacturers worldwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address Northbound?

We had not updated Inrix's brand strategy for several years, and sales were stagnant. We wanted to change our brand story and become much broader about new technologies like autonomous vehicles and the shift to electric cars.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Northbound spent a lot of time with our team, including board members and customers, to help us redesign our website based on the brand guidelines and identity we asked for them. We wanted that the language they used, the positioning, the phrasing, the taglines, and the brand identity could reflect the new thinking that we needed to bring to the table to position Inrix at the forefront of this revolution.

In addition, they provided us with a complete brand identity and how we would describe ourselves as a company in our marketing in a dynamic way. They did mock-ups of how presentations would look and change, new templates, and new go-to-market materials and collateral.

Moreover, they looked at some of our competition and companies in the space to understand what we wanted. They did this to learn how we would look compared to them and how we could tell a unique story. They also worked with us in places where we needed to make changes providing their honest feedback.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around six members of their team, including their two principals and a design team.

How did you come to work with Northbound?

I had worked with them on a previous project. When I had the opportunity to do this redesign and take on a completely new look for our website, I offered them the opportunity to participate in the RFP we put out. We had every major agency bidding and pitching us different ideas and different concepts, but in the end, Northbound was the best solution.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000–$200,000 on this project.

What is the status of the engagement?

We worked together from January 201–September 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They hit all their scheduled dates, and our customers and internal teams received their deliverables well — everything started to feel new for everyone, which certainly caught everyone's attention. Overall, they're amazing, and the entire team is brilliant because everyone I worked with was awesome. Northbound is a great organization that I've recommended to several people in my network.

How did Northbound perform from a project management standpoint?

We used multiple tools and documents for project management, including email for communication, shared Excel spreadsheets on deliverables, to-do lists, and a deliverables calendar with what they'd complete by certain dates. We also had shared folders we used in which we were sharing and making notes and comments in the docs. In addition, when things didn't land right, they were willing to push a little bit, let it sink in, and talk it through.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're a small agency, and when we compared the quality of their work and the value they provided to other international agencies, Northbound was more cost-effective than many of them. Additionally, I had Northnbound's two principles in my office regularly. Hence, their level of attention to me as a client was great — they were invested in ensuring we were successful, and that's not something we always get from a partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn't think there was anything they could improve — everything was a process that kept improving as we moved forward.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be clear about what you want and be flexible; if you have a goal, be clear and crisp, but don't be afraid to consider radical ways to get to that goal that you might not have otherwise considered.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the executive director at a nonprofit environmental organization. We work to connect people around Washington State to solutions for environmental issues that they can do at home and in their community.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Northbound?

We wanted to improve and update our brand and assets, including our logo and website. We were poised to take the next step in the organization, and we needed something that captured who we are and what we do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Northbound designed a new logo for us and helped us describe the brand and determine the language that we should use to address our donors and community. They developed a WordPress site from scratch and updated the designs of our business cards and letterhead. Our logo and other assets were also updated across all social media.

Right now, they’re helping us with a campaign.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with six people from Northbound, including a brand specialist, copyeditor, and creative director.

How did you come to work with Northbound?

We found Northbound through a referral.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Some of the benefits have been earned media, including news stories, different publications, and radio. We've also seen an uptick in the number of donors. They've also helped us attract new board members and solidify our position in the environmental community in the greater Seattle area.

How did Northbound perform from a project management standpoint?

Northbound has performed well in terms of project management. They’ve been fantastic at keeping a tight timeline and organizing our schedules so that we can achieve our goals in a timely manner.

We typically communicate through email, phone calls, and Microsoft Teams.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Northbound goes above and beyond to understand our organization and where we’re headed. They dive deep into all of the available information to ensure that the products they create reflect the mission and goals of our organization.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to give them the creative freedom to come up with different options related to imaging, graphics, copy, and messaging so that you have a suite of different opportunities and options to choose from.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of product strategy for Dawn House, the first product and brand that has come from the wellness division of a larger company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Northbound?

We were developing a new product in a new space, so we needed help with defining who our ideal customers were and how to address them. Additionally, we needed to develop a brand name and brand identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Northbound helped us launch our new brand and product. This process included a discovery phase, quantitative insight discussions, brand composition discussions, user personas definition, message development, and naming and brand identity development.

First, Northbound helped us with market research. For this part of the process, we did focus groups and external interviews, and they helped us with qualitative and quantitative research. Then, they created the entire branding, including colors, names, color schemes, and creative assets, and they included us in the process along the way. 

In addition to their branding work, Northbound recommended a partner they had previously worked with to develop our website. This partner helped implement Northbound’s branding designs into a website UI/UX, making the process seamless.

What is the team composition?

We worked with around six people from Northbound on a regular basis, including the two partners and an account director, who was our main point of contact. Still, they brought in additional resources as needed. For example, towards the end of our engagement, they brought in design partners to work on the branding.

How did you come to work with Northbound?

I got referred to Northbound. When I was looking for a partner, I reached out to several people I had worked with in the past and got many recommendations. We interviewed those companies, narrowed down our options, and ultimately decided to hire Northbound.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent over $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March–August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The way we measured the success of the engagement was that we all felt very excited by the end of the project with our new name, branding, and logo. We haven’t changed any of the work that Northbound delivered. To this day, we’re using the assets and materials they developed on a daily basis. For example, whenever we bring a new partner, we share the research, target personas, and brand guidelines that Northbound helped us develop.

Now, we’re in the process of launching our business digitally through marketing, and we’ve received very positive feedback about how well our brand looks. We’ve also received compliments from partners about the quality of Northbound’s work and how easy it is to use and implement. This has made our jobs easier because we don’t need to explain our model and target audience to every new partner, helping us move forward easier.

How did Northbound perform from a project management standpoint?

Northbound led the entire process by asking the right questions along the way and defining the next steps. We worked very closely with them, and their collaborative approach helped keep us on the path of building the brand as we were simultaneously developing the product internally.

Additionally, they were very good at recognizing if something we asked for would take us off budget or time so that we could make that decision together. Overall, Northbound stayed on time and within budget, and this was one of the most satisfying business relationships we’ve had.

Northbound used a platform to share information about the project, and we had weekly meetings, which were very important to keep everything on track. These meetings allowed us to keep abreast of project updates from previous weeks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the things we really liked about working with Northbound was that the partners got involved in the project upfront. They really understood our project and the market we were going after, as well as the complications the project might entail.

Additionally, I really liked Northbound’s team size and quality. Other companies were much larger, so I felt we wouldn’t be a relevant client of theirs. Moreover, everyone I worked with was smart and engaged, and they seemed to have the same passion for our project as us. They had the right resources with the right talents, which we really appreciated.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. Northbound asked us the same question at the end of our engagement, and we didn’t identify anything we weren’t happy with. They worked with us throughout the project, and they understood and adapted to our needs, so there was nothing they could have done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as transparent as possible upfront in every aspect and share everything you know about your business so that they have the best tools to work with. Additionally, meeting deadlines and getting work done is a two-way street. Be very engaged in every meeting and make decisions quickly to allow the project to move forward and hit your deadlines.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Naming & Brand Architecture of Microsoft

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Microsoft is the Copilot company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Northbound to accomplish?

• Providing strategic leadership in naming and architecture
• Evaluating all naming requets

SOLUTION

How did you find Northbound?

Referral

Why did you select Northbound over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Northbound were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

The role of Northbound's naming strategists is to deeply understand Microsoft’s naming strategy, evaluate naming requests on select criteria, and lead all strategic communication with product marketing managers concerning the content, strategy, and name of each request. Essentially, they run all our day-to-day naming evaluation and strategy.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With Northbound, our naming approval flow runs both efficiently and rigorously. Last year, we evaluated and approved over 300 names with the Cloud Marketing organization.

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

Northbound's strategists are happy to roll up their sleeves and jump into projects - they're timely and very helpful.

What was your primary form of communication with Northbound?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

For a small Seattle organization, they have an incredible knack for attracting young talent.

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

Northbound makes a lot of bets on young, new strategists. With that approach, you end up with a mixed bag of talent. Some turn out to be incredible all-stars and others require more hand-holding and coaching. Thankfully, Northbound has been very flexible with swapping in and out strategists whenever there's been a mismatch.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Owner of Full Stack Strategies

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Design, manufacture and service technology infrastructure for business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Northbound to accomplish?

• Develop company AI positioning and message platform

SOLUTION

How did you find Northbound?

Referral

Why did you select Northbound over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit

What was the size of Northbound’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

Develop data driven AI positioning and messaging that correctly articulates company strategy, technology and differentiation. Research, recommendations, positioning statements, messaging content.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Internal stakeholder approval and agreement to proceed, driving earned media and narrative into the market. Use by sales teams in market. Increased pipeline and understanding in the market.

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

Responsible and responsive. Active, engaged. Excellent listening skills. Comfortable in debating approaches, interpreting data. Always on time, agile in approach.

What was your primary form of communication with Northbound?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We are impressed with their skills and knowledge in the technology domain. Strategic thinking. Great approach, great culture. Was comfortable putting Northbound team in front of senior leadership in the company w/out any concerns.

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

Nope, nothing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

At the time, I was CMO at Sysomos. Sysomos was the leading Social Monitoring service.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were on acquisition spree and needed a strategy branding and naming. Goal was to make sure we had a strategy for how we'd integrate.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I know their work and reputation

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

Define our current band and naming strategy Build new strategy for acquisition, based on fact Parent name wasn't changing

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

3, two founders and day to day AE

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We walked away with clear structure going forward

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

Best thing about Northbound is not just weekly coms,, but immediate reach out on serious questions so they could keep moving. The collaboration felt like family.

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

Optionality, reasoning, insight

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

NO....went great

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the brand strategy director assigned to drive a positioning and messaging project for a legacy product and brand that was part of large portfolio of business to business products from one of the top 4 most valuable brands in the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to define a new position for a legacy product and create messaging to support and bring that position to life. When we started the project, little did we know that COVID would be a major factor in not only doing the project, but on the outcomes of the project.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Two criteria were important. First, discipline expertise was critical to doing a project like this. Northbound has a number of high quality individuals with great knowledge and experience doing this kind of work.

Second, they had pre-existing experience with our company and the audience and subject matter. This helped shorten the learning curve and go deeper without retraining an agency.

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

1. Northbound was asked to help with the following: review existing research and develop a list of known truths that we could use to create a baseline of knowledge and insight
2. review competitive offerings, positioning and messaging
3. consult with research team/agency to develop a research plan for testing positioning and messaging.
4. develop and present positioning concepts and stimulus for testing
5. develop and present messaging concepts and stimulus for testing
6. develop a messaging framework that combined all of the learnings from qualitative and quantitative research that would be used by marketing, social media teams, sales, etc.

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

3-6 people depending upon the phase of the project, that included:

1. project manager who managed process and next steps
2. two brand strategists who collaborated on the various phases, concept development, writing and stimulus creation
3. copy writer who assisted in the development of stimulus and final outputs.
4. agency leadership (2) who provided key insights and expertise at various milestones of the project

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Due to the proprietary nature of the work and company, specific metrics are not available. Qualitatively, the work was used immediately at one of the company's largest customer and partner events and

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

Northbound did an excellent job of providing weekly updates in writing project updates and driving regular review meetings. They were flexible when it came to meeting the needs of our research schedules, executive review schedules and pre-reviews with numerous stakeholders.

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

Northbound has strong, steady leadership that provides a critical foundation to the individuals who they staff for various projects. They have and regularly demonstrate an open, growth-oriented mindset that helps them adapt to the subject matter, audience types, and business needs.

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

Nothing of consequence.