Rakas

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of TRC Companies, a global engineering and consulting firm. We’re leaders in energy transition. We help our clients with their energy transition, climate solutions, resiliency, decarbonization, engineering, and environmental work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rakas?

We needed help with an extensive brand refresh project with significant market research.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We followed a robust process. Initially, we went through a discovery phase, and Rakas spent a lot of time with our CEO and stakeholders in our team for the brand process. They learned about who we were, our clients, and how we saw ourselves. Then, Rakas went into the market to talk to our clients and potential clients about who we were and how we were perceived.

Besides all that research, they also did an internal brand survey with our employees and a few workshops at the stakeholder level. Afterward, they began crafting our brand. We had three sprints, culminating in a report with the direction for our brand.

We didn’t change our logo or name; Rakas helped us with the brand visuals, including the use of color, shapes, and iconography. They also produced a go-to-market plan and an internal and external communications plan.

Finally, we moved through a brand workshop to build the platform we’ll roll out into the market in February.

What is the team composition?

Our main partner in the process was Jeff (Managing Partner). He had a team of about 10 individuals. The creative director, project manager, and account manager were constant throughout the process, but some people came in and out.

How did you come to work with Rakas?

We knew we wanted to refresh our brand, so we researched on Google. We wanted a partner who understood our space because we were in a unique position across the energy transition. We also wanted someone with the same breadth of market experience and understanding of sustainability to be part of our journey to better our message.

I went out, did a lot of digging, and came up with 8–10 different agencies. Then, I narrowed it down based on feedback from my network. I had over 5,000 connections on LinkedIn, so I just put it out there and asked if anybody had worked with those agencies. Many people responded with experiences. I wrote the positive experiences into the “yes” bucket and the others with difficulties in the “no” bucket.

I was left with about five companies; Rakas was one of them. They were a niche firm that dealt with technology-enabled clients and focused on sustainability, ESG, and similar topics. We put the scope of what we wanted to do out there, and they went through a bidding process. In the end, we chose Rakas as our partner.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August 2022–September 2023.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched into the external market yet, so we don’t have relevant measurements. We’ll have a large event in February to launch.

Moreover, everyone was pleased. I presented Rakas’ work to our board of directors and executive leadership team. Everyone was excited by it; the work was positively received.

How did Rakas perform from a project management standpoint?

Our organization was quite large and complex, so we had a lot of delays on our end. However, Rakas continually adjusted their time and looked at their process to find efficiencies to speed it up without compromising quality or data collection. Overall, they handled the project exceptionally well.

We had weekly calls, and they provided regular email updates. We also used Microsoft Teams to communicate. Rakas had a project management portal where they illustrated the timeline of the activities and made adjustments. In summary, we had multiple communication layers, and they were very thorough.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Jeff was a fantastic leader and partner. He genuinely wanted the absolute best for us and understood the pressures of a role like mine. Also, he was always there to help move things forward and be my sounding board throughout the project. Jeff went out of the way to ensure he supported us through the extensive process, both from the step and the time it took us.

Allbriton (Executive Creative Director) was brilliant from a visual standpoint. He pulled it all together and thought about unique ways to leverage a brand in the market. Overall, he thought outside the box and was always willing to try something new. Working with him was fantastic.

Additionally, two people worked on the brand platform, and they were absolutely fantastic. To be honest, they brought freshness to our brand messaging and our process. When interpreting all the data Rakas pulled together, they were also excellent. It wasn’t easy to look at the feedback and pull out the minor details that would truly set us apart from a competitor, and they were able to do that and put it into a brand refresh to move us forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Firstly, their project management process was phenomenal. Rakas worked within the constraints of our ability to respond to them. Many companies take any opportunity to blame delays on our company and our complexity. Even though delays were indeed our fault more often than not, Rakas never did that. They just came up with the next step in the process and kept pushing the timeline forward.

Moreover, I’ve been in marketing for 28 years, working with several agencies. Rakas stood out for their process, which was consultative. They guided us but didn’t put words in our mouths. The team teased out how we saw ourselves as a company and how our internal stakeholders and clients saw us.

They had a gentle way of helping us discover the truth about how all these stakeholders perceived our brand. Other brand agencies also have a discovery phase but tend to influence the process and outcomes. Rakas didn’t; they led us to our truth without affecting the process in any shape or form.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would point out little things if I wanted to be super nitpicky. However, the reality was that Rakas refreshed their brand while doing our brand refresh. They created a whole new company under them and launched it for themselves without missing a beat with ours. All in all, Rakas delivered, and they should be commended for that.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be honest with Jeff and the company. Tell them what you’re concerned about in your brand and what you think isn’t great; give them the good, the bad, and the ugly. That honesty and vulnerability will pay off in the long run. Sometimes it’s a difficult conversation, but you have to accept there are things about your brand that aren’t fantastic. Being honest with them will help you navigate through.

Finally, trust Rakas when they say you should do things a bit differently than what was set in the statement of work. They don’t come to those conclusions lightly. If we had held them to the absolute letter of what we agreed on day one, we never would’ve gotten the amazing results we did. Being flexible is part of being a partner with a firm like Rakas. You get the best out of them when you’re honest and open shoulder to shoulder.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Product Marketing Manager of a software company 

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We develop world-class maritime software products that improve vessel performance for the health of our seas, our environment and ourselves.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Identify and define the key buyer personas for our My Digital Fleet software.
• Map the buyer journeys for these key buyer personas.
• Develop a messaging hierarchy that can be used to target these various buyer personas along their buying journeys.

SOLUTION

How did you find Rakas?

Worked with them in the past.

Why did you select Rakas over others?

• Good value for cost
• Had been very impressed with their work with previous projects

How many teammates from Rakas were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

The project began with Rakas performing some rather extensive industry research to provide us with insight around industry culture, category dynamics, our customers and our company. We then scheduled and conducted an onsite Persona Workshop with key Product, Marketing and Sales representatives which Rakas hosted and orchestrated. In this workshop, we were able to identify and define 3 main buyer personas along with the start of buyer journeys for each of them.
With the learnings made from this workshop and the initial industry research, Rakas then developed a message map that we could use when targeting these personas at specific points in their respective journeys.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were able to identify and define 3 primary buyer personas along with a detailed buyer journey matrix and a targeted message map.

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

We requested a rather fast timeline to get this work done and Rakas did an excellent job delivering within our requested window with exactly what we'd hoped for.

What was your primary form of communication with Rakas?

Virtual Meeting

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

We were impressed by their attention to detail and willingness to dive in and truly learn about our industry. It really felt like they cared and were excited about the work they were doing.

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

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Vice President, Brand Strategy of Synchrony

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Synchrony is a leader in payment and finance solutions to help consumers get what they want and need across a broad spectrum of industries, including digital, health and wellness, retail, telecommunications, home, auto, outdoor, pet and more.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Brand platform development

SOLUTION

How did you find Rakas?

• Referral
• Worked with its sister agency Saxum

Why did you select Rakas over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Rakas were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

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

Rakas conducted secondary and primary research to understand organisational challenges, business objectives, market opportunities and how an ownable brand platform can help unify the brand and solve business challenges. Upon the execution of a robust research plan, Rakas developed a very ownable brand platform that is creative, inspirational and very true to who Synchrony is.

The brand platform is articulated in a robust brand book, including brand architecture, brand voice, nomenclature approach, and more. Lastly, Rakas conducted a brand materials audit to provide guidance on how to categorize and tier brand assets for refresh as it relates to the brand platform.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The brand platform was delivered on time and has been well-received by executive leadership and other key stakeholders across the organization.

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

Rakas delivered items on time and thoughtfully. They were very responsive and flexible -- accommodating the needs of the business. We worked very well together. They served as an extension of the brand team.

What was your primary form of communication with Rakas?

• In-Person Meeting
• Virtual Meeting

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

Rakas is very flexible and accommodating to the needs of the business. The Rakas team members are great listeners who are also willing to challenge the client in their thinking to ensure the most strategic counsel is being offered to achieve business objectives. They are also willing to be challenged in their thinking as well.

Lastly, their interactive brand workshops/working sessions is very unique in terms of how they engage participants --pulling out key insights that can be leveraged to build a brand platform.

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

While Rakas is flexible, it might consider how it can be more accessible for unplanned working sessions to accommodate organizations that prefer to work more iteratively more often. Rakas' working sessions are extremely advantageous and although it may be a challenge to be available at the last minute, it could be helpful to plan for it in advance somehow. Just food for thought.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Marketing Manager II of Evergy Energy Partners

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

As the energy marketing division of investor-owned utility Evergy, we have a long-standing reputation for best-in-class energy management solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

• Brand Awareness
• Content Development
• Paid Social

SOLUTION

How did you find Rakas?

Referral

Why did you select Rakas over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Rakas were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

We have been working with Rakas for three years now. As a business, it's crucial to have a solid marketing plan in place and in 2020 Rakas helped us build the brand from virtually ground zero. They took our goals and turned them into a comprehensive marketing plan that covered all the bases. 

From boosting our brand awareness to creating a paid media strategy through content creation. The first year was spent developing the strategy, while year two was implementing the marketing plan. This year we have continued to improve our campaigns by analyzing data and pivoting when needed to increase performance.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have used various KPI's to determine the progress and success of our marketing plan. Since our project is constantly evolving, so do our performance metrics. We are always looking for ways to become more innovative and efficient.

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

Rakas is the epitome of efficiency, precision, and superb responsiveness. Their timely approach ensures that every project milestone is met without any delays. Their team is always there to answer your questions, address concerns, and provide regular updates.

What was your primary form of communication with Rakas?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Rakas believes in building meaningful connections with their customers. From the moment you reach out to them, you'll experience their warm and friendly approach. Their team takes the time to understand our needs and provide tailored solutions. 

With Rakas, you're not just a customer, you're part of their family. Their team of experts is always one step ahead, utilizing the latest industry insights and trends to deliver exceptional results. From innovative strategies to cutting-edge technologies, Rakas ensures you stay ahead of the competition.

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

There's nothing they need to improve on.