Paper Tiger

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the web development director of a video game studio, and we’re located Georgia.

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Tiger?

Our web designer had switched departments, so we no longer had a web designer. Our team only had developers trying to make do with the past styles that we had. We muddled through, but we weren’t doing a great job because we were not designers.

When we had to redo our studio’s website because of a special promotion that we were having for one of our games, we were required to do a lot of custom design work. As a result, we asked Paper Tiger if they could redesign our website so that our internal developers wouldn’t need to come up with a fresh design.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an initial call with Paper Tiger to describe our business setup. After that, the first thing they designed was a new page for a new feature we were releasing for the game. Since we wanted to drive a lot of traffic to that page, we walked Paper Tiger through our existing branding and assets we would get from the game teams, concept artists, and 3D modelers. We had really loose requirements so there was a lot of room for interpretation in them. In the end, they came back with amazing designs. 

They also redesigned our company’s website and gave us a lot of options. They even discussed the pros and cons of each option they created. The team continues to provide design services to our company.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with Jason (Co-Founder & Creative Director) and Mirko (Principal Designer).

How did you come to work with Paper Tiger?

Jason was a friend of mine for a really long time.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $40,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started collaborating together in January 2018, and it’s ongoing.

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

We had a silent CEO in the company and he never wrote to anybody. However, when he saw Paper Tiger’s work, he sent us an email telling us that we did good work. We also received good feedback internally about how much nicer the new site looks. On top of that, community feedback was also positive. 

Instead of trying to force their ideas, they always try to figure out what works best for us. On top of that, they assume that we know our business better than they do. They also want us to feel successful, and they include us in their design process. Overall, working with them is a breeze because they’re receptive and talented.

How did Paper Tiger perform from a project management standpoint?

Paper Tiger is very responsive; we typically communicate through email and phone calls. They use a bunch of technologies, but they give us their outputs through Figma. They’re also easy to work with because they’re very respectful of everyone’s time; they give us updates when necessary, and they don’t get up in our face when it’s not necessary.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have good listening skills, and they can process feedback very well.

Are there any areas they could improve?

We have a positive experience so I’m not really sure if they have any areas to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They make up for other people’s shortcomings. For example, if you’re not a good communicator, they’ll over-communicate and clarify things for you. You’re going to get the most out of your money if you trust them enough to let them do their work. On top of that, be very clear with your feedback.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the global cloud services manager of a children’s product manufacturer. We build and sell car seats and strollers globally. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Tiger?

We needed to do two things: re-platform our B2C offering and establish a new B2B platform that didn’t exist previously. Our goal was to enable our omnichannel presence, not only selling through retailers but establishing our own online platforms. The B2B platform would allow us to automate ordering for our business partners, eliminating the need to call into our customer care department to place orders.

What was the scope of their involvement?

 We asked Paper Tiger to create several deliverables: the look and feel of both the B2B and B2C sites, an integration of both ordering processes with our Microsoft Dynamics ERP, an integration of our Salsify product catalog, and an integration with our payment processor, authorize.net.

The look and feel required them to provide guidance as we developed the navigation scheme for both sites. They helped us understand how the user story would flow as customers came to the site, looked at products, and ordered what they wanted. Along the way, they developed wireframes for visualization and approval.

These products were developed in a three-phase process: discovery, development, and implementation (go-live). In the first phase, Paper Tiger worked with business analysts to establish what needed to be done and what currently existed. This phase led to a defined scope of what was to be done, both on our existing platform and in the creation of our second platform.

During phase two, Paper Tiger developed anything and everything having to do with our e-commerce capabilities, including integrations with our current ERP system and current payment system. (authorize.net) The implementation phase was last and consisted of transferring the code to the production platform and supporting the platforms for four weeks post-launch.

What is the team composition?

We worked with five people, though our main interactions were with Mark. (President) Everyone else was a developer or a development lead.

How did you come to work with Paper Tiger?

Their selection pre-dates me, but I know we looked for recommendations at the beginning of this project.  They were the best fit because they provided a fixed-bid contract. At the outset, they looked at the scope and offered a flat price to deliver all of it. There wasn’t an initial cost with a time and materials rate added on to it. They were very cost-effective. Additionally, we received personalized attention from Mark during the selection phase.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $200,000 with them, plus or minus $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project kicked off in September 2020, and the B2B and B2C sites were delivered in June and July of 2021 respectively. They provided support for a number of weeks afterward, and our engagement ended in September 2021.

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

The largest impact of Paper Tiger’s work was on our B2B ordering, decreasing the time it takes for our business partners to place their orders. Before we had the B2B platform, our partners had to call us between 9 am - 5 pm to place their orders, but now they can order online 24/7. It’s impossible to quantify the value of this flexibility.

How did Paper Tiger perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very attentive to our needs and kept up a regular cadence of calls. It was weekly, initially, and then daily during the implementation phase. We handled the majority of the project management responsibilities on our side, but Paper Tiger kept up with all our deliverables and timelines, updating us as appropriate. They delivered what we expected them to.

Microsoft Project and Basecamp helped us communicate and collaborate, along with email if detailed technical explanations were required.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The main attribute that distinguishes them is the personal attention their whole team gave us. We were never told that they couldn’t talk to us or that they were busy working on a more important project. They were truly dedicated to us.

Additionally, I liked that there was no middleman between us and the developers. We had direct access to them and got our opinions heard. It was a true partnership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I shared this with Paper Tiger already, but, as we were defining the scope in the beginning, they could have created a more specific technical document. The broad statement they created describing the integrations didn’t show enough familiarity with the technology.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Talk to them directly and be open about any challenges in the environment. Keep them talking and asking questions. They could have done that more with us.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the design lead at a fintech firm based in New Jersey.

For what projects/services did your company hire Paper Tiger?

Our company wants to build its brand identity right for the official launch. We hired Paper Tiger for designing an impactful logo and build a user-friendly website.

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

We have a tight schedule and limited budget, but we also wish to work collaboratively with our designers. Paper Tiger's work is streamlined, and the team is very responsive and reactive to our needs.

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

During the first month, we received a creative brief, brainstormed our mood board, and designed and finalized the logo together. For the next two months, we reviewed the design style guide and the overall web structure in parallel. In the last month, we received the beta website for QA and fine-tuned the interface.

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

I was in contact with 1 design lead and 1 project manager. There are also 2-3 other part-time designers and at least 1 lead developer who worked on the project and communicate through the design lead and pm.

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

We were able to create a distinctive brand in a competitive industry, and we're already receiving much positive feedback from potential clients all thanks to them.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The design lead was easy and friendly to communicate with. The project manager provided us with clear objectives in each progress update. Most of the communication (besides the early design phase) was through comments in documents and Slack. Everything was delivered on time, and we were given sufficient time to review the work progress.

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

They were attentive to our requests, and they were also very patient while we came up to speed. The level of their efficiency and collaboration is refreshing.

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

Since most of our communication lived in documents and messages, it wasn't always clear if our feedback and communication went through during the work progress. I think it would be helpful if we received more active responses and had a couple more meetings between phases to receive updates, in order to avoid miscommunication.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of brand for a legal technology company. We specialize in spin management and optimization for in-house counsel at Fortune 500 companies.

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Tiger?

Our company was started in 2014 and spent most of the years focused on developing a great product. However, the brand itself was secondary. So, I was brought on to build a brand that covered our visual language and messaging to consumers.

When I started that project, there was some sort of a brand but nothing that was identifiable to our target consumer. I was tasked with helping to create more brand recall, which is why I hired Paper Tiger.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Paper Tiger designed the logo and our overall visual language. They also built our new website. I gave them a brief in which we highlighted that our priority was that our website visitors wouldn’t confuse us with legal consultancies, but would know that we were tech first.

In addition to that, the team also helped with our marketing collateral which included email, banner ads, and pitch decks.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a couple of teammates including Jason (Creative Director) and Mark (President), who were our points of contact in the beginning. As the project progressed, we worked with other teammates. 

How did you come to work with Paper Tiger?

I did a lot of research on Google and through my network of vendors. I was looking for a vendor who was more aligned with the needs of this particular company. After stumbling upon Paper Tiger’s website and being impressed by its design, I reached out to them. 

They spoke to me about what I was looking for and it instantly felt like the right fit personality-wise. We were also really impressed by their design and ideas. Additionally, they were able to work with us on a tight timeline and within our budget constraints.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement lasted from December 2019–April 2020.

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

The day we launched, we saw a big boost in our website engagement without any paid promotion. We only promoted it through our social channels and email. We also had lots of investors, prospects, and clients reach out to tell us how amazing the new look of the website was. 

A lot of prospective investors thought that the new website signified monumental growth and was a look ahead on our path to success.

How did Paper Tiger perform from a project management standpoint?

They had very strong project and client management skills. There’s not one person on our team who interacted with Paper Tiger and didn’t have a positive interaction. Everyone has said they would love to work with them again. It felt like they were a part of our team.

Prior to working with Paper Tiger, we had hired another agency but it was a complete fail. They had poor project management, no flexibility, and a bad attitude. Additionally, their creative work was so underwhelming. Paper Tiger was the complete opposite.

They were extremely buttoned-up and organized, and they presented their plans from the very beginning. Even when more work was added to their plate, they never missed a deadline. The team didn’t push back on feedback; when they provided an alternative view, they always backed it up with facts. 

The team was also very dependable. If we reached out to them, we knew that we would hear back from them that day. We loved working with them because they’re a great team with great ideas. They were also very flexible.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are extremely talented from a design standpoint. Additionally, some agencies try to nickel and dime you, but their team wasn’t like that. They supported us in the way we needed to be supported. 

Paper Tiger was really good at understanding the needs of a company that’s somewhat in its infancy. Our company is a startup, which has certain implications when it comes to our budget and our process of building a brand. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no suggestions. I’m the kind of person who would definitely provide constructive criticism, so that says a lot. Overall, Paper Tiger was very good at their work. There’s nothing negative to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need to understand the exact scope of your project before bringing Paper Tiger on because they are a design agency. They’re not a full-service advertising agency that provides strategic support; they’re a design shop. If you’re looking for that type of support, you will need to bring on another partner agency.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the founders at a health and wellness startup. We sell supplements and vitamins.

What challenge were you trying to address with Paper Tiger?

As a new company, our initial business challenge was establishing a presence. We contacted Paper Tiger to help build our brand through web design and development.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave Paper Tiger our logo and content, and from there Paper Tiger developed a WordPress site with WooCommerce. They used the content we provided to design each webpage, and they also developed our branded fonts and color palette.

The team recommended widgets and other features we should implement to enhance the customer experience and begin to establish different funnels throughout the site.

What is the team composition?

Jason (Partner & Creative Director, Paper Tiger) was our main point of contact, and we worked with him day-to-day. We also engaged with Mark (President, Paper Tiger).  

How did you come to work with Paper Tiger?

We found Paper Tiger on Clutch, where I looked at a lot of different agencies and their portfolios. The style of Paper Tiger’s work caught my eye; their attention to detail really brought out the brand, which is why we decided to move forward with them.

How much have you invested with them?

My company spent between $10,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together spanned April–July 2019. The site is currently live. Once our company grows, I’ll definitely re-engage them to expand the site and build in more unique functionalities to add to the user experience.

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

Working with Paper Tiger was a great experience. As a startup, our brand and look and feel are critical. Paper Tiger was able to bring my vision way past what I thought was possible. The feedback we’ve gotten from customers and people within our network is that the site is beautifully done, well-branded, and really sets our company apart from others in the marketplace.

How did Paper Tiger perform from a project management standpoint?

On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give them a 10. Paper Tiger was very clear, and they were always willing to provide further clarity or walk us through a direction or approach. A line of communication was always open, and they were responsive from start to finish. They guided us on best practices and what makes a good user experience. We appreciated their due diligence, organization, and efficiency.

If I had a suggestion or wanted to change something, both Jason and Mark provided feedback on why that wasn’t necessarily the best approach. They were very articulate in explaining why they didn’t recommend something, rather than just saying no. When we had these types of conversations, I generally went with what they suggested. They helped manage our expectations and the timing of everything.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I went to Paper Tiger with an idea, and they took that idea and made it better than I expected. The entire process was smooth and seamless. We were impressed by their attention to detail, creativity, and ability to adhere to timelines. Rather than speaking in technical jargon, they made everything clear and easy to understand.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, nothing comes to mind. While I was researching vendors, I read several accounts of web design and development companies that were great at design but fell short at development, or vice versa. Everything was clear-cut with Paper Tiger, and they managed our expectations throughout our experience of working together.

Any advice for potential customers?

Hire them. They’re top-notch people, and the agency is fantastic. The end product speaks for itself. I have no second thoughts about who I hired for this project.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the digital sales and marketing manager for T. Edward Wines, a wine importer and wholesaler. 

For what projects/services did your company hire Paper Tiger?

We engaged Paper Tiger to develop our website for wine and spirits import and distribution.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to refresh the image of our company and provide content and information for beverage industry professionals.

How did you select this vendor?

We found through Paper Tiger an advertisement followed by an excellent interview and demo. Our needs were complex and required a deep understanding of our business and the industry. Paper Tiger demonstrated a willingness to learn our needs and work with us to focus our concept into a concrete design.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Paper Tiger helped develop a new website from the ground up. They assisted in drafting the site design, revamped the company logo, and uploaded content. The team contributed heavily to crafting the website’s organization and aesthetics. Paper Tiger now provides ongoing maintenance, updates, and tech support.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Marc (President, Paper Tiger) and Jason (Creative Director, Paper Tiger), as well as a project manager and at least two additional developers and accounts receivable. The size of the team grew as the project developed a wider scope. We now work with one person at a time to make improvements and updates as needed.

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

Information within the company is now easily accessible. But more significant is our increased search visibility. More contact with clients and consumers allows us to field inquiries, evaluate customer satisfaction, and assist consumers in finding our products. We've seen the real payoff in capturing new accounts we never had contact with or recapturing accounts we had not worked with in many years. The website has also enabled us to expand nationally with smaller distributors across the US looking to carry wines we import and finding us through internet searches.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

Project management was the most challenging aspect of web development. Paper Tiger excelled in responsiveness and managing expectations. Their ability to deliver on deadline—even when our side had delays at various points— went above and beyond. When our materials were prepared, Paper Tiger was always ready to move to the next phase. Since completion, the team remains highly responsive to queries and troubleshooting.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Paper Tiger manages a complex web of wine and spirits content that others find obscure and difficult to track. When a separate contractor couldn’t deliver an additional mapping feature, Paper Tiger found a creative solution to step in and complete it.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had significant shifts in design during the drafting process. While this ultimately was our internal shift and not reflective of Paper Tiger's work quality, we would have benefitted from outside advice. That way, their team could provide requested changes as one complete re-design rather than piecemeal.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the director of marketing communications and creative services at Coriant before it was acquired by another company. We delivered networking solutions for a fast-changing and cloud-centric business world.

For what projects/services did your company hire Paper Tiger?

We hired Paper Tiger to develop a new company website.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to produce a modern, clean, scalable website with an easy-to-use CMS for administrators. It also had to give customers and prospects intuitive access to information relevant to them. Further, we wanted the website to stand out in a crowded industry and properly showcase our refreshed brand.

How did you select this vendor?

We needed a vendor who was up to speed with current web development trends and applications. They also had to work with a short project timeline, stay on budget, and provide guidance through the planning and development process. This would ensure we were taking advantage of all available tools.

We selected Paper Tiger because they met all of our qualifications and stood out as a company who prided itself on building strong working relationships with its clients. They seemed like they wanted to be a part of an extended internal team before, during, and after development.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

After helping us scope the website, Paper Tiger produced wireframes and provided design comparisons. Then, they developed the solution and set up hosting for us. We continued to engage them for development enhancements post-launch. These were part of Phase two and weren’t included in the original scope.

What was the team composition?

We primarily worked with two Paper Tiger employees through the planning, design, development, and post-launch phases. They both had project management, design, and coding skills.

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

Our senior leadership was very happy with the new site as it met the primary goal of standing out and promoting our newly revamped solution set. The site was part of an overall brand refresh that attracted more interest to the company, complementing our major tradeshow presence and related sales engagements.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

We had weekly status calls with the Paper Tiger team and additional email/phone communication as needed. The process itself was straightforward.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Paper Tiger was well-informed, skilled, able to meet our tight deadlines, and very easy to work with. They never seemed stressed either, despite the quick timeframe. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not that I saw.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm an owner of Qwell Meditation and Wellness, a meditation studio.

For what projects/services did your company hire Paper Tiger?

We hired Paper Tiger to develop our website and design our logo and branding.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted an impactful logo and a user-friendly website. 

How did you select this vendor?

A friend referred us to them. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Their team designed our logo through a collaborative, lengthy process. They used a Squarespace template to design our website.

What was the team composition?

A team of four worked with us to design, implement, and support the website.

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

Our logo and website draw our target audience and accurately and consistently reflect our brand.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They managed the project capably and efficiently. We always had a point person, and the whole team was responsive and supportive.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were incredibly responsive and easy to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They should offer ongoing support strategies. 

Please describe your company and your position there.

MOOYAH is a fast-casual restaurant with burgers, fries, and shakes. I'm the director of brand creative.

For what projects/services did your company hire Paper Tiger?

Paper Tiger is our web developer. 

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal is to have a reliable vendor that can update our website with minimal downtime.

How did you select this vendor?

Paper Tiger has been a reliable vendor for years. I'm not sure how we originally selected them, but would highly recommend their services. 

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

We recently updated our menu landing pages. We provided the design files, and Paper Tiger made the changes on time and within our budget. The final product looks just like our designs.

What was the team composition?

We work with their president on an ongoing basis. He's responsive and gives us great customer service.

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

Our new menu landing page performs well. It's the most visited page on our website. Paper Tiger does a great job with website redesigns, maintenance, and ongoing updates.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

I discuss projects with their president, which is highly effective. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We're impressed with their customer service and response time. Paper Tiger is an expert in our CMS, and they're invaluable in keeping our website up-to-date. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm pleased with their work and don't have any improvements to suggest.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work at a nonprofit that develops standards and offers professional development opportunities for faculty and administrators engaged in study abroad programming. I develop resources that support the implementation of standards and best practices and educate professionals in our field.

For what projects/services did your company hire Paper Tiger?

We hired Paper Tiger to create an online curricula resource center. They also collaborated with the New York Times to incorporate articles and archives into our curricula.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted an attractive, user-friendly, highly searchable product that could grow with us as we build our content.

How did you select this vendor?

We took proposals from three or four companies. Paper Tiger understood our work and audience best while offering a reasonable price.

Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.

Paper Tiger designed, developed, configured, and launched our digital resource center and curriculum toolbox. The project involved extensive testing with not only our staff, but also our users. They also created our critical incident database and currently work on a variety of other projects.

What was the team composition?

One senior contact always works with us from ideation to completion. They assign additional developers and designers as needed. For the first project, which was large, we worked with two or three people. More recently, one developer has stuck with us across projects because he knows our needs well. 

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

We're pleased with our experience, and our users are happy with the product. Engagement with our database has steadily increased since we launched the new design. Users say it is clear and easy to use.

How was project management arranged and how effective was it?

They work closely with us to understand our needs. One senior project manager handles the beginning and end of each project, and we communicate directly with developers about details. This process works well for us.

They provide multiple design options, adjust elements at our request, and respond to changes on the fly. They usually respond to our requests quickly. After delays, they are quick to admit their mistake and apologize.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're extremely upbeat, transparent, and pleasant. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

We switched from Basecamp to other communication and project management platforms, but later returned to email. That was a bit frustrating, but not a big deal. Everything works fine now.