RDA International

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the senior VP of brand strategy for a hotel company.

What challenge were you trying to address with RDA International?

We were looking to refresh our brand and portfolio to appeal to modern travelers. We also needed help to develop new brands to maximize growth opportunities in the real estate market based on what we saw in lifestyle brands.

What was the scope of their involvement?

RDA International provided consultation on concept development, brand creation, creative development, brand programs, marketing strategies, and advertising.

They created a loyalty campaign for our guest recognition program and other campaigns to support lodging development and sales efforts. They also supported brand launch campaigns with social advertising around the new brands that we were launching.

What is the team composition?

We had a lead client manager who was our liaison. We also worked with eight other people from RDA International’s team.

How did you come to work with RDA International?

There was a selection process. RDA International had worked for other clients, and we saw their portfolio. We noticed how highly visual they were in their work and how successful they were in building other lifestyle brands. As some of our senior leaders had experience working with them in the past, we elected to engage with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent over $1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with RDA International when I got the senior VP of brand strategy role in December 2016, but I believe they were working for the company before that. I left the company in March 2020, and they stopped working with RDA International in June 2020. Other leaders made some changes and cut expenses due to COVID-19 and the lack of reservations, so that wasn’t a reflection on RDA International’s work.

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

One of the greatest differentiators RDA International had was that they produced creative materials, videos, and designs in-house. This helped us keep the cost down and create a more authentic vision; the assets fit together and were cohesive.

With RDA International, we didn’t have to outsource for multiple resources — they really were a one-stop shop for B2B and B2C branding and marketing needs. They had photographers, videographers, and graphic designers. Having those talents made the process more successful.

How did RDA International perform from a project management standpoint?

For project management, RDA International used a lot of tools. We communicated through Microsoft Teams and Slack.

RDA International had great project management. I was very happy with their ability to track projects — they were always on budget and on time. They went above and beyond to help us even when deadlines were tight.

What did you find most impressive about them?

RDA International was genuine and wanted to understand our business. They understood what problems we were trying to solve, either they were problems with the business or problems that a guest had with the business.

They weren’t just an agency — they became our partners. They wanted to understand the inner working of our company. RDA International didn’t just look to fulfill specific campaigns or seasonal needs. They aimed to have a holistic view of our company, which really raised the level of their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve on.

Any advice for potential customers?

Take the time to onboard RDA International and give them a view into the larger strategic goals of your organization. Share strategic, broader plans and let them have insight into them. This exposure will help them produce the deliverables over time. Don’t short-cut to just show them the project you need completed.