Making Creative Matter®
Rule29 is a Certified B Corporation® and creative agency that helps businesses connect with their ideal audiences through strategy, design, and making creative matter®.
We love the immediate and lasting difference our work makes for our clients, for their customers, for the world. We grow businesses, tell stories, meet challenges, exceed expectations, change lives, explore wonder, help clients sleep well at night. We’re a creative strategic firm whose approach is built on collaboration, commitment and caring. We work with companies that value design thinking, that appreciate design’s role as a competitive advantage, that embrace teamwork. Our clients tell us we take a big-picture, long-term view toward solving their business problems. Whatever the project, be it an annual report or a documentary film, we pour into it our passion and design thinking and energy. We make creative matter®. And we’re ready to do it for you.
Let's talk about your: Brand Strategy, Brand Management, Design, Advertising, Packaging, Video, Social Media, Web Design, Logos, Books and more.
Focus
Portfolio
Fellowes, Make-A-Wish, Cargill, American Red Cross, Lifewater, Unicef, MDA, Invesco PowerShares, Allstate, McDonalds, Neenah Paper, Team RWB, USG, Quite Revolution, CDK Global, Northwestern Medical, Ace Hardware, Deltran
Wheels4Water
Since 2014, Wheels4Water has fought against the global water crisis using only bicycles, a passionate community, storytelling, and heart for doing good. To date, we have raised more than $950,000—helping more than 18,500 people receive safe water, sanitation, and hygiene training.
We've developed the W4W brand through yearly logo design, videos, social media assets, conference displays, and an immersive 360º video experience.
Our work for Wheels4Water has been recognized by a number of publications and design organizations including the Webby Awards, Communication Arts, HOW Design, and Fast Company Design.
McDonald's
Collaboration is a pillar of Rule29’s approach, and our work with McDonald's creative team is a perfect example. We help with or lead the development of a variety of projects for McDonald’s B2B and B2C communications.
We've worked with McDonald’s on a variety of projects, including their recent annual report. The cover design captures the essence of their mission to invest in community through an illustrative approach that brings together a variety of icons and illustrations arranged in a circle to represent a global reach. As we strive to do with all of our work, we focused on bringing an emotive presence and sense of authenticity to the piece.
We've also created unique motion graphics to highlight sustainable operations and innovative customer experiences.
Our team continues to add to the lively, playful visual ecosystem McDonald's by highlighting business plans and key statistics through an approachable aesthetic.
O-Cedar Freudenberg Household Products
Strategically created landing pages strengthen brands, increase SEO, and drive consumers to purchase. In O-Cedar’s case, Rule29 refreshed their ProMist MAX Microfiber Mop Amazon store page to highlight the benefits of this leading product. With custom photos, engaging content, and clear calls to action, this page communicates O-Cedar’s brand promise and expedites the path to purchase.
Now, consumers are able to read the quick clean features, see the mop in action, and review related products, all in one place.
We also worked with O-Cedar to tell the story of how their cleaning products can make your home feel like, well, home. The imagery and messaging centered around families and individuals enjoying the clean.
Wicked Root
As the industry grows and cannabis sales become legal, there is a whole new space to explore creatively. As a branding agency, the opportunities excite us as we help guide brand growth.
When Wicked Root reached out to start their brand we knew it had to look, well, wicked. With the use of bold typography and sharp, geometric angles, the Wicked Root brand has a sense of confidence and energy. We extended that theme through business cards that look fresh and highlight elements of the brand.
Rule29 continued the Wicked Root brand onto a vape cartridge. We designed the box to have the product visible. With an established color system, the consumer clearly knows what they are purchasing.
Wicked Root expanded into CBD oil and needed labels to stand out as their own brand. Each sub-brand label was designed with the goal of the CBD product in mind while looking beautiful on the shelf.
Make-A-Wish Brand Development
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. They serve children in every community here in the United States and internationally in 50 countries. Make-A-Wish has granted more than 415,000 wishes to children worldwide!
Rule29 partnered with Make-A-Wish to comprehensively refresh their entire brand, starting with their logo and identity. From there, we developed brand guidelines to show how the brand applies to print, online, and environmental displays around the world.
Our work with Make-A-Wish has won several awards, including the Worldwide Logo Design Award and Indigo Design Awards. It has also been recognized by a number of design organizations including Graphic Design USA, Communication Arts, HOW Design, and Brand New.
Deltran Social Media Marketing
When it comes to digital/social media planning, the goal is frequency, not redundancy. A media mix ensures that your campaign is seen enough times by the right people—without becoming white noise.
Rule29 has worked with the Deltran team to create monthly calendars for their social posts and execute the campaigns. Since beginning with Rule29, the Deltran team has seen increased conversions week over week by 17% and site visitors by 15%. As the trusted provider for car enthusiasts, power-sport experts, and even Mazda drivers, Battery Tender® by Deltran is a sub-brand we’ve been able to elevate online through social media, digital advertising, and HTML campaigns catered to both B2B and B2C audiences.
O'Neil Printing Brand Development
Since 2000, Rule29 has helped O’Neil Printing express that they are "Made to ImPress" at every level of their communication both internally and externally.
With any project we approach, we step back and look at the entire company and its industry to understand its stand-out qualities and highlight those particulars in the strategy and design. O’Neil Printing has been in business for over a century, and they have a rich tradition of customer service, innovation, and craft which we try to capture on all pieces, especially in their web, social, and digital experience.
Everything we create, from brand identity to environmental installations to videos to social media campaigns, is crafted to work together seamlessly and increase brand recognition each time a customer has an encounter with O’Neil.
Blackberry Market Website Design and Development
The beautiful thing about influencing a brand from the ground up is that we have the opportunity to help craft the brand experience. Blackberry Market has given us this opportunity to not only create the basic elements but help design their cafes. Rule29 has developed everything from their print materials to online experience to packaging to cafe spaces, all through strategic design and collaboration. Recently, Blackberry opened its second store and is thriving with its newly refreshed brand.
Better Way Farms Packaging System
Better Way Farms is a family-owned blueberry farm in Michigan that provides blueberries grown through organic regenerative farming methods. Rule29 developed the brand from start to finish, beginning with a new logo and refreshed brand guidelines. From there, we developed a new website and created a unique packaging system to differentiate this wholesome brand from others within the space. Each package balances clean and playful design with hand-drawn typography, whimsical art, and crisp photography.
Elea Chair by Fellowes Brand Development
Rule29 has partnered with Fellowes Brands over the years on a variety of projects. We were honored to establish and launch a brand that redefined the ergonomic furniture industry: Elea by Fellowes Studio. Elea is a high-end, innovative, and beautifully designed office chair that redefines sitting by seamlessly moving with your body.
Through strategic positioning, our creative team was able to capture the "feeling" of the brand in both photography and videos. We extended the brand into a variety of print materials as well, including a brochure, cut-sheet, direct mail piece, pop-up banner, and quick-start booklet. The Elea brand is now redefining sophistication within the office space, allowing people to sit comfortably, move naturally, and be well.
Team Red, White & Blue Brand Development
Team RWB wanted to offer veterans a new kind of experience upon returning home – one filled with physical fitness, community, and a sense of purpose.
Team RWB wants to see every veteran connected to their greater community. Rule29 partnered with Team RWB early on their history, helping the growing organization create a recognizable, uniting brand for America’s veterans.
Rule29’s first task was creating an updated logo, inspired by iconic American imagery and military patches, that introduced a core component of the Team RWB brand: the Eagle.
From there, we created their annual reports and a number of evergreen brochure pieces, as well as flexible poster templates, that share the organization’s mission and efforts. With so many local chapters and events, we also assist their internal team with ensuring brand consistency wherever possible.
Team RWB's updated website was carefully designed to showcase the organization's extensive library of imagery and video to help users visualize the "Eagle Ethos", while also communicate key messages. Scalable for both national audiences and local chapters, the website invites users into the spirit of the organization and creates simple pathways to get involved at a deeper level.
Stop Motion Video
One of the best ways to turn stories into action is through stop motion videos. Stop motion composes multiple photographs or video frames into a seamless loop of sequential frames. These videos give the illusion of watching animation when in reality they are made with still photos. This is an excellent way to bring your brand story to life!
Mellody Farm Promotion
Mellody Farm was to be built on land with a long history as a dairy farm, and was envisioned to be a truly immersive and unique shopping destination. Reclaimed wood, brick, and steel were utilized to create an industrial aesthetic that recalled the property’s previous use. From this, we created a brand that found its inspiration in farmland and lines created in these fields.
We utilized the new logo and accompanying brand to build out the Mellody Farm wayfinding signage and this leasing kit to help Regency Centers attract top-notch retailers. This kit included a beautifully-designed brochure that featured high-end print production to emphasize the elegance of the space, as well as vibrant colors to accent various aspects of the retail center. Additionally, a custom-branded Google Cardboard was included so potential companies could virtually experience the space.
Raffles Brand Refresh
Raffles Insurance, the country’s first heterogeneous captive insurance company, was conceived 30 years ago in response to the frustrating lack of control, unpredictable premium costs, and inconsistent coverage afforded by the traditional commercial insurance industry.
Rule29 had the honor of updating the company’s brand and building the platform for its future growth. After an extensive interview and research process, we worked on redefining the brand essence, voice, and positioning. From there we executed a comprehensive redesign of their logo, tagline, website, promotional materials, conference design, and recruiting tools.
Rule29 Video Reel
A little taste of some of our video and motion graphics/animation projects. Includes studio, motion, animation, live action, and location.
Cuebiq Website Design and Development
Location intelligence platforms often feel overwhelming in practice, so Cuebiq turned to Rule29 to tell their story. We produced a wide variety of materials ranging from their website, presentations, environmental pieces and more. In addition, we created a powerful and intuitive UX/UI design for their SaaS platform, designed to present high-level data analyses that could be easily understood and evaluated, no matter an individual’s technical skills.
Along with the updated platform design, we had fun creating a comic book for the Cuebiq sales team that broke down the value proposition of their Clara product and additionally served as a memorable leave-behind piece. Working for the largest location intelligence database in the United States and their vibrant brand was a fantastic experience.
Live Action Video
Wondering what kind of video might be best for your company or customers? Live-action videos are a great way to make a lasting impression in the big, beautiful world of visual storytelling. These videos feature real-life people, scenes, and sometimes animation as well. Take a look at some of our latest live-action projects!
CDK Global
CDK Global, an industry leader in automotive commerce technology, approached us with the realization that they needed a new, clear brand voice in light of a shifting industry landscape. We led the efforts to help this global leader redefine their story, brand positioning, and voice. This influenced the company’s vision and mission while impacting the subsequent creative to help establish CDK’s story internally and externally.
This greatly influenced the concept and execution of both the “Dealer Who Never Quits” spot and the “Who and What Is CDK?” motion-graphics video that we developed in tandem with the new brand voice and story. The uniquely stylized motion graphics focused on high-level concepting and emotional connection to build brand awareness.
Quiet Revolution Website
Susan Cain, who is known for her book, Quiet and for her life-changing TED talk, “The Power of Introverts“, and her team of introverts and extroverts alike partnered with us to discuss an interesting prospect – a website that would serve as a central hub of resources for introverts to find community and for others to understand them better.
The result was Quiet Revolution. With beautiful imagery, intelligent contributors, and thoughtful design, Quiet Revolution is a site that allows introverts to feel at home and grow.
Fellowes Follow the Bankers Box Video
Inspired by the brand’s “Organization Made Easy” tagline and the versatility of the product across all kinds of businesses, we developed a motion graphics video that featured these boxes being used in a variety of different environments. The hope was to convey that Bankers Box is an ally for any company’s record storage needs. We created a campaign that was fresh and own-able for the brand, using a 3D animation style to make the video feel like it had depth and movement.
Animated Video
Are you giving your story the credit it deserves? The power of sound, vision, and storytelling is at your fingertips. Animated videos utilize digital footage or motion graphics to create the illusion of motion or rotation. This footage is combined with audio (voiceover or music) to create the final piece.
Reviews
the project
Branding for Real Estate Organization
“They’re good listeners and they ask questions to ensure that they fully understand the objective.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We’re a retail investment firm and we have sister companies in residential and retail investment.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29?
They worked with our residential group. We had over 20 operators and we narrowed that down to five operators. In doing so, we had an opportunity to rebrand 12 of our properties.
What was the scope of their involvement?
The project included logo development, creating brand standards, color, signage application, and it was a very quick turnaround. They needed to develop, present, edit and finalize the logo and branding for all of the properties within two weeks.
What is the team composition?
There were two main points of contact on their team, but I don’t know how many other people were working on the project.
How did you come to work with Rule29?
I’ve worked with Rule29 in previous positions. I’ve worked with them on numerous branding and design projects in the retail industry. When we started an agency search, Rule29 was at the top of my list for recommendations.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent between $50,000–$100,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
They completed the project in a few short weeks in March 2020.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The project was very successful. They were able to complete the project in just under two weeks, and the quality of their work was excellent. The majority of what they proposed didn’t require edits, meaning that their first designs were spot-on and were accepted as final.
How did Rule29 perform from a project management standpoint?
The majority of what we did was through email because it was such a time-sensitive project. We never had to email them several times because they were always responsive. There was also an initial kick-off call, in which we had an excellent collaboration. The follow-up presentation calls on Zoom were great as well.
In addition to this, everything was done remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though we expected communication challenges because of this, they made sure that we were heard.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re good listeners and they ask questions to ensure that they fully understand the objective. They always want to know how we intend to use it. They understand how company culture can influence the design itself. To sum it up, they have very strong communication skills.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No. I’ve had such a long-standing relationship with them, it’s hard to find a negative.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Prepare yourself to work with a unique agency. They’re different than other companies, so be ready to be wowed by the results.
the project
Branding, Web Dev & Digital Strategy for Faucet Startup
"Working with them feels like we’re working with a great friend."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the president and CEO of a company called NASONI. We’re a startup that reinvented the bathroom faucet.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29?
We hit a point where we needed to update our branding, website, and communication.
What was the scope of their involvement?
In the first phase, we wanted to understand our market and our customers better. Once we understood our customers, we could message them better. Their team did two live market consumer tests in the New York and D.C. regions.
Phase two involved story and messaging. Their team took the research and leveraged it to develop our vision, mission, and values as well as our brand purpose, voice, and messaging. They either created those components or updated them. Their team created an elevator pitch and user personas.
They also developed our website in Shopify and used the Turbo theme. We also developed sell sheets, which are product specific and show them in a good light. The sheets talk about our products technical details and pricing.
In phase three, Rule29 went through our Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts. They figured out keywords to use as well as our brand image for social posts. Their team’s managing the profiles and using Sprout Social. They’re tracking what people search for when they search for faucets and then leveraging those keywords in our messaging.
What is the team composition?
We have a main point of contact and communicate with the CEO. The number of people from their team varied based on each phase’s requirements. Rule29 brings in people as needed depending on the phase.
How did you come to work with Rule29?
I used Clutch to look for different companies. I wanted to make my message clear to my customers and I thought that telling a story would work best. I went on Amazon and searched for books on story. I found a book called StoryBrand and learned about their StoryBrand Guide Certification Program. I went to their training where I learned about their certified story brand guide program. I searched through that site for consultants and researched all of them. I picked 3–4 agencies to interview. Rule29 stood out above the others. I asked them for references during the interview and all three references gave them a glowing review.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve paid a total of $57,000 up to date.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in September 2019 and we’re working on another phase with them.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We use PR companies for our marketing and advertising efforts. I’ve asked all of them for feedback on our website. Every single one of them said it’s one of the best they’ve had to represent. You can’t get any better than third-party unbiased feedback.
I get good feedback about Rule29’s work on our site. The quality of their work’s outstanding. I love their work as do our employees, partners, and customers.
How did Rule29 perform from a project management standpoint?
I’m a certified project management professional, so I understand project management better than most. Rule29 does a great job in project management. They use a tool called Basecamp for us to communicate, which is great. Their team hits targets, costs, budgets, and schedules.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Rule29 goes over and above to make sure they’ve done a great job. Working with them feels like we’re working with a great friend.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I can’t think of anything. That’s hard to say about most companies. My work with Rule29 has been awesome and I couldn’t recommend them any higher.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Look at their work. If you want to see what they can do, look at what they did for me. They’ll be happy to send you references. When I contacted their references, I thought that they stacked the deck but I’m giving them the same review. You can’t get better than this.
the project
Branding & Collateral Design for Cafe
"We were so happy with the results."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the owner of Blackberry Market, a local bakery café and coffee shop.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29?
We were starting from scratch and we needed to define and build a completely new brand.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We used Rule29 when we first started eight years ago. This time around, they helped us with the rebranding, providing us with multiple creative directions during the initial stage. They then created a full brand package for us, including logo and menu design, as well as the color scheme.
The team also managed our website and Instagram account. They created social media, digital, and print templates and helped us solve any print issues. Working with the interior designer, they gave input on the look and feel of the space itself and helped build it.
What is the team composition?
We worked with between 8–10 people, including a project manager.
How did you come to work with Rule29?
Justin (Principal & Chief Evangelist, Rule29) is a friend of mine and I had respected Rule29’s work for some time. When it came time to rebrand ourselves as an established café, I knew that they were the only option to go with.
How much have you invested with them?
We have invested around $100,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from July–October 2012. Our rebranding effort took place a year and a half ago.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We were so happy with the results. From a qualitative standpoint, we have received feedback on the consistency of the brand. People enter our store believing that we are an established café that resembles what a larger, global brand would look like, which is what we wanted to accomplish.
How did Rule29 perform from a project management standpoint?
The project manager set timelines, always meeting every deadline and goal. The team was communicative and always provided feedback and alternative options.
What did you find most impressive about them?
As a mid-sized agency, Rule29 does the work of a large agency but with a smaller team. I preferred it this way because their whole team got to know the brand and give input. It felt very personable.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, not that I can think of. I really had no issues or problems with Rule 29.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Get to know the project manager and lay out your expectations, which I’m sure they’ll meet.
the project
Brand Awareness for Location Intelligence Company
"Working with Rule29 is refreshing—they’re transparent and easy to work with."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the senior director of an intelligence and measurement company. We’re a B2B focused company, and we have clients in media and across different industries.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29?
We were in the process of promoting our SaaS platform and wanted help creating a unified, cohesive story connecting the product with our brand. We hired Rule29 to help establish the platform’s identity and help it coexist with our current brand guidelines.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Rule29 created a brand story to support our new SaaS platform. To do this, they researched why the program was being launched, the impact it will have, and why it’s beneficial. They weaved that information through the story and integrated it with new collateral.
From there, they helped us advertise the platform. They created different campaigns and made site enhancements to better represent the product. Their team wove language from the new brand guidelines into the site to emphasize the relationship with the SaaS platform.
What is the team composition?
Bob (Creative Producer, Rule29) and Katie (Marketing & Brand Associate, Rule29) are my main points of contact. Bob brought our ideas to fruition and Katie serves as our lead for day-to-day parts of the project.
How did you come to work with Rule29?
We sent RFPs to several local companies. We chose Rule29 because we saw value in the services they offered, and they came recommended to us. We felt they would be a smoother, more talented team to work with based on their proposal.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started the project in February 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Through looking at our Google Analytics account, we can see dramatic differences in bounce rates and overall engagement since Rule29 made enhancements to our site. We’ve seen positive trends throughout the platform, including time-per-page and lead generation. As our company has grown, we’ve noticed their impact increase.
How did Rule29 perform from a project management standpoint?
Rule29 uses Basecamp to track the project and we primarily communicate through email. We have access to all project updates and documentation, and they inform us about their progress throughout the week, which is great.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Working with Rule29 is refreshing—they’re transparent and easy to work with. Understanding our vision is one of their main priorities and they are receptive to our feedback. When they give us a cost estimate, we know they aren’t overcharging like other agencies might. They add a personal touch to the work they do and we find that valuable.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We had some small issues when the initial project lead left, but we’ve had no complaints with the new leader. Everything has been great since then, so I can’t think of any improvements.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Give their team as much feedback as possible. In order for them to produce amazing work, they need to know the scope and vision they are trying to fulfill. If you’re upfront with them, they’ll return with a great result.
the project
Various Brand Management & Web Development Projects for Utilities Services Company
"I appreciate Rule 29’s transparency."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the executive VP and chief customer officer for a comprehensive utility services company that serves investor-owned utilities across North America. We facilitate replacements, construction, and infrastructure planning needs.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule 29?
We’ve been in business for about 50 years and didn’t have a robust approach to brand management. Although we worked with a firm previous, we had a host of additional work needed to build a foundation and establish a house of brands for operating companies through which we deliver our services.
With our initial websites, it was clear we needed a developer with a scalable approach that could work on multiple sites and deliver the same look and feel. We needed sites with the same messaging and strong branding for each of our organizations.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Rule 29 has developed various websites and aided with a variety of campaigns. Their team gathered content and compiled the information into functional sites. They’ve also assisted with branding and positioning. One brand was our complimentary employer brand, which is a staple of our recruiting efforts. They developed a microsite that details the rationale behind that.
Their most significant undertaking was helping with our 50th-anniversary book. We had years and years of history that wasn’t archived. Rule 29 dived into the work we’ve down, working with various partners to complete the book.
What is the team composition?
My team works with around 4–5 team members that perform various tasks in different fields. I’ve mainly interacted with Justin (Principal & Creative Director, Rule 29).
How did you come to work with Rule 29?
I found Rule 29 through my affiliation with a board I sit on. Having seen the project and their approach, our company thought their team would complement our internal capabilities.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with Rule 29 in May 2016, and they provide ongoing services for our company in various capacities.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Rule 29 completed work on time and within a competitive budget. They met every deadline even if it was a challenge. My team enjoys working with them because of their professionalism, work, and speed of delivery. Rule 29 does a phenomenal job. Their work helped with a number of our organizations. The 50th-anniversary book was a home run. They leveraged their relationships with printers and bookbinders to create a fantastic product that all of our employees and customers love. The employer branding site has become the face of our employer engagement portal.
How did Rule 29 perform from a project management standpoint?
Justin and his team engage in a number of our efforts. Their team has helped our business tremendously. I’ve enjoyed their thoughtful approach to meeting our goals.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I appreciate Rule 29’s transparency. We always know where we stand with them. There have been no surprises. They’ve also stayed within budget.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, their team has been on point with everything they’ve done. Rule 29 has been an excellent partner.
the project
Design & Branding for In-House Creative Group
"They provide services that go beyond branding—they’ve become our daily design partner"
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the design lead for Agency One Twenty-Three, McDonald’s Corporation’s in-house creative group.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29?
We were looking for a design partner because our company had just gone through a reorganization and our design team was reduced. We hired Rule29 to support us with strong creative work for upcoming initiatives we’re launching for McDonald's.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Our more recent projects with them have focused on designing UI for internal websites. They walk us through the idea stage and figure out the look and feel we’re going for. Their team has created sitemaps and contribute new ideas for designs. We developed a branding system with an outsourced team, and Rule29 is helping us bring it to life through our websites, email communication, and infographics.
What is the team composition?
Our main contact is Dawn (Studio Operations Manager, Rule29), who handles the day-to-day tasks. They also provide a range of individuals for different aspects of the project. Depending on the task at hand, they’ll supply a small team of writers, designers, etc.
How did you come to work with Rule29?
I read an article on Rule29 in How Design magazine and knew Justin (Principal & Creative Director, Rule29) from the AIGA (Professional Association for Design). When the opportunity came along after we were reorganized, we felt they were the right fit for the project based on skills and approach.
How much have you invested with them?
With our annual fee included, we’ve spent between $50,000–$200,000 on their services.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working with them in 2017 and the partnership is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’re in the process of implementing a tool to give us exact success metrics, but we don’t have any currently. However, we’re able to sell the creative Rule29 creates within two rounds of presentations, which is vital to me.
How did Rule29 perform from a project management standpoint?
They’re very responsive. We communicate through email and there are always phone call follow-ups. We discuss our timelines and if there are scope changes, their team lets us know what is possible from their end. Their communication skills are perfect.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They provide services that go beyond branding—they’ve become our daily design partner. We also value that they’re willing to brainstorm with us and remain open to new ideas. They’re flexible and work well with our team.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There’s nothing I can think of for them to do better.
the project
Request for Proposal for Fortune 500 Company
"They're the kind of team that you want in your corner because you know they'll come through."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I’m the marketing communications lead at a large food service company that provides products and services to one of the largest quick service restaurants in the world.
For what projects/services did your company hire Rule29?
We hired them to help us with many projects, but the one that stands out was a very complex report and presentation to respond to an RFP.
What were your goals for this project?
Our competition was closing in on our value proposition and we needed an RFP that clearly communicated what we brought to the table, uniquely positioning us ahead of our competitors. We needed to be clear, creative in our approach, submit everything on time, and were weeks behind schedule in developing content.
How did you select this vendor?
Rule29 came highly recommended by our client. We quickly realized that they were technically sound, professional, personable, responsive, and could deliver results to make my company stand out among the others.
Describe the project in detail.
Once we had Rule29 on board, we had to get our act together on our end to provide the content. I work with highly technical people who struggle with articulating complex information in an easy-to-digest format. We tend to go deep when our customer prefers simple communication.
Rule29 did a great job of taking in all the content we had and organizing it for the RFP report, using a clean design that made all that complex information easy to look at. They also helped us convert the main content into a presentation we could share with the client in a visual format.
What was the team composition?
It was a small but mighty team. We always had the main project lead to ensure we were on time. We also had a designer who took in the content and made it look good.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
We won the business thanks to their help! We were also told by our client that our RFP was world-class and a terrific model compared to what our competitors delivered.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
They were seamless in this regard. Rule29 hung in there with us to get everything done on time, even when we made ridiculous last minute changes that were hard to follow.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
Rule29 has some special finesse that blends professional output with personable team members. The end result is that I now have a high level of confidence in their business acumen, technical expertise, and ability to deliver—even under the most chaotic of circumstances. They're the kind of team that you want in your corner because you know they'll come through every time.
Are there any areas for improvement?
The end product speaks for itself, so it's hard to find something that they should improve. The only thing I could mention is that I would appreciate it if they would consult with us a bit more rather than delivering exactly what I ask. My bet is that there are better approaches to our work and we'd be open to trying new ways. That said, we often do things very last minute. If we has given them more time, we'd have more flexibility on gathering new inputs.
the project
Marketing & Web Design for Gift Wrapping Manufacturer
“I love their creativity. Each designer from Rule29 Creative brings something unique to the table.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the president of Richwrap. We manufacture gift wrap on site. We curate boxes of wrapping paper, bows, and ribbon for companies to give away as corporate gifts during the holidays.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29 Creative?
I hired Rule29 Creative to help me with digital marketing, web design, and print design for some components that go within the gift-wrapping boxes we produce.
What was the scope of their involvement?
First, I usually meet with the whole team to go over exactly what I'm looking for. Last year, they revamped my website entirely. Rule29 Creative uses an array of modern tech tools for all our projects together.
During our marketing campaigns, they show me how to become more searchable online to bolster my web presence. We use a systematic method all the way through until we launch either a website or marketing campaign.
What is the team composition?
I work directly with the owner and president. One of two employees typically serves as the lead designer on many of my projects. They assign me a point of contact to liaise with the design team, as well.
How did you come to work with Rule29 Creative?
Rule29 Creative produced some excellent projects for my company before I purchased the business. I’d heard about their strong reputation in the design community. I followed them on social media and liked what I’d seen in their work.
Former clients of theirs also gave me great feedback about their experiences working together. When it came time to hire a team, Rule29 Creative was a natural choice.
How much have you invested with them?
We've spent between $100,000- $125,000 on their services.
What is the status of this engagement?
I've been working with Rule29 Creative ever since I bought my company in March 2011. They're still supporting us with ongoing social marketing and design services.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
My business is so seasonal that it's hard to gauge specific metrics. We only really do business during the fourth quarter. Every single year more and more people are being driven to my website.
Qualitatively, I've gotten lots of positive feedback from my customers about Rule29 Creative’s deliverables. My in-house staff loves the website. It flows so much better than the old version. I was especially pleased with a video we produced in conjunction with their external resources.
How did Rule29 Creative perform from a project management standpoint?
Rule29 Creative is excellent at keeping in constant communication. They listen attentively to my needs and make requested changes promptly. The team stays on schedule with the timelines they set out. One resource serves as my liaison to the rest of the team. I get a status updates virtually every day, and they regularly send me their work in progress to approve. They keep everyone abreast of what's going on and answer any questions I have along the way.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I mostly appreciate their overall communication. I've had experiences with design firm vendors who don't give me much insight into our status and progress. Rule29 Creative gives me consistent feedback on projects’ status. They always keep me in the loop, which is very important to me.
I love their creativity. Each designer from Rule29 Creative brings something unique to the table. I'm consistently pleased with their quality of design and innovative spirit. We're not a big city market where we live, but they bring big city firm qualifications and work experience to our projects. I really appreciate that.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can honestly say no. I can't think of anything that’s disappointed me at all.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Don't shy away from the fact that they're not a big city firm. They’re every bit as qualified for any job a prominent firm can do. Rule29 Creative has excellent outside resources, including for video production. Even though they're not a huge company, they deliver everything their clients need.
the project
Brand Identity for Global Automotive Software Company
"I was compelled with their art of storytelling. That’s what sold me over other agencies..."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the director of integrated marketing communications for a global technology company that provides software to automotive dealers.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29?
Rule29 addressed our lack of brand identity. We had no guidelines in terms of color, fonts, typography, and templates, thus no brand story. They gave us an identity that we could share with our customers.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We asked for research from Rule29 about customer feedback we received over a year and a half time frame. They did additional research on our brand perception and what dealers said in roundtable discussions. They pieced this research together to form our brand identity, and through that, our brand story. Their team created a brand foundation that included our brand essence, values, promise, and voice. They created something that our employees can resonate with. The end result was a booklet that explains our brand story to our employees so they know who we are and why we do what we do.
What is the team composition?
I mainly worked with the founder Justin Ahrens. A brand strategist and creative producer were involved as well.
How did you come to work with Rule29?
I found Rule29 because Justin and I live in the same town. We talked about what we do for a living and he told me about his company. I was compelled by their focus on storytelling. Many other agencies focus on tactics but not the story. There's an art to this, and this is what separated Rule29 from the rest.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent about $20,000. Overall, we've spent over $250,000 on a number of projects.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with Rule29 from July 2017 to November 2017. We still work with them today on a number of other projects.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The best metric we can share is that we started to incorporate several pieces of the brand story Rule29 created into our advertising last February. We perform an ad study every year with a third party that tests the viewers’ ability to recall our ads. Over the past two years, our scores improved. This year, they are at an all-time high.
How did Rule29 perform from a project management standpoint?
I thought they did well, but there was room for improvement. Their investigation was thorough and they asked several questions upfront when appropriate. The project manager updated us on scheduling and progress. When the project was completed, they gave us a final presentation where we instructed them to make minor language changes. It was a straightforward project that required constant communication.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They understand how to tell a brand’s story and the importance of capturing emotion in a brand. Their team understands that emotion best relates to capturing an individual’s attention. Other agencies also concentrate on emotion, but I believe Rule29 is the best at connecting the emotion to the brand story.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They’re great storytellers and exceptional at understanding the power of emotion, but as an agency, they could improve project management. They could be better at capturing the fine details and the status of the project.
the project
Rebranding for Clean Water Nonprofit
“They delivered a high-quality product. … I'd definitely work with them again.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the president of Lifewater International. We're a nonprofit that provides clean water access to vulnerable children and families in rural villages of Africa and Asia.
What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29?
We were rebranding our organization and we wanted to make sure our new brand was aligned with the future, rather than the past. We were looking for a company to help us with our rebranding efforts.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They visited our work sites and met with our field staff in Ethiopia and Uganda. Then, they did a competitive analysis and started the creative process. They produced a logo, created our brand standards, and developed a new letterhead.
What is the team composition?
We worked with 2–3 of their team members.
How did you come to work with them?
I worked with them on a similar project at another organization and had a very positive experience. Besides, they have a strong understanding of a nonprofit sector.
How much have you invested with them?
The project cost between $60,000–$200,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with them in 2013.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The year before we finished the rebranding campaign, our total revenue was $1.6 million. This year, it's $6 million, so it went up four times in five years.
How did they perform from a project management standpoint?
They did an excellent job. We hit all the milestones on time.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They do their best to understand your business and apply that knowledge to the creative process. That helps them produce a better product that is aligned with a true essence of the brand. Also, they have good aesthetic.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Nothing comes to mind. I'd definitely work with them again.
The majority of Rule29’s designs didn’t require any edits. Their team worked diligently to deliver on a tight schedule. They were communicative and responsive, ensuring a strong partnership throughout the engagement. Overall, they worked well under pressure, resulting in a successful engagement.