Phoenix Design Works

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of athletics at the University of the Virgin Islands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Phoenix Design Works?

We wanted to get the branding done for our athletic department. We'd never had branding or a mascot; we wanted to get that accomplished.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Phoenix Design Works provided us with branding services. They created all of our logos and mascot for the athletic department and also designed logos for some schools of education within the university. Additionally, they did all the trademarking for the new logos. The team created a complete style guide with a color scheme. 

What is the team composition?

I only worked with two people, including the owner. 

How did you come to work with Phoenix Design Works?

I met them at a convention back in 2019.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent roughly $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from December 2020–June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Phoenix Design Works did an amazing job. Our brand awareness increased thanks to having a logo for the first time, which has enabled us to redo our website. Their work has also helped improve apparel sales — we’ve seen almost $130,000 worth of sales since they created our logo and color scheme. 

They understood exactly what we wanted, and I appreciated their sense of urgency. The team took all the information we gave them, and they created a unique design we can use for the next 100 years, as they’ve done for other major institutions. 

How did Phoenix Design Works perform from a project management standpoint?

They met the timelines and were always on time. The team also understood our unique timeline; we had to get approval from our board of trustees in June. Even though this type of project can take up to two years, they completed our branding in five months – that was pretty impressive. We used Dropbox for filesharing so that we could review and approve the design renderings. Meanwhile, we used email and phone calls to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with Phoenix Design Works’ expertise — they just understood branding. They’ve been working in the field for 30+ years, so they were able to tackle the challenge and provide us with something they knew would be a great representation of our institution. 

Additionally, the team was very keen on detail. When they presented something, they provided us with 3–4 alternatives, allowing us to deviate and ask them to combine elements of all options. Then, they provided a new version within a week, so their turnaround time was amazing. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t have any constructive feedback; they were very easy to work with. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust Phoenix Design Works! They have years of experience and have worked with major institutions. If you trust their process, they’ll do a great job. They also understand how to connect with the right people in your administration to get that final approval.