Rule29

BACKGROUND

O'Neil Printing is a 108-year-old print communications service provider located in Phoenix, AZ.  We offer our clients comprehensive traditional and digital ink on paper solutions as well as automated marketing programs, wide format graphics and online fulfilment storefronts.  Our target markets include education, hospitality, financial, medical and retail store clients.

As president, I have overall responsibility for the vision and continual development of our team, products, services and performance as we seek to increase value for all our stakeholders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

The challenge for Rule29 was to take this very old brand "Since 1908" and make it relevant for the products and services we were currently offering.

SOLUTION

We had worked with Rule29 on other client projects in the past and found them to be a partner that took the time to understand our business goals, culture and to be able to tell a story around the value proposition that was relevant and relatable.

Our rebranding included everything from a new website to all printed collateral including signage, wall graphics, and a showroom in our wide format facility. The project has spanned over 15 years now and we are about to launch a new website.  They are truly an extension of our marketing team and function that way internally and externally.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

We always receive favorable feedback from clients (existing and prospective) on our marketing communication tools.  Rule29 is able to understand our DNA and translate that into tangible messages that engage our clients in memorable ways.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Appleton Coated is a single-site paper manufacturer based in Combined Locks, Wisconsin. We have over $350 million in annual sales and around 600 employees. We are self-owned by the management team.

I am the marketing manager of the company. I, along with my team of 3, am responsible for all public-facing brand touchpoints, including website, print, social media, signage events, and so on. I've been in this position since 2000, but I've been working for the company since 1996.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29 Creative?

We've had very few creative firms of record, using one from 1996 until 2004 and another from 2004 to 2012. Rule29 has become our go-to, comprehensive, creative shop.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Rule29 Creative is responsible for anything that we can't do, including branding material, strategy, creative work, events look-and-feel, as well as many print promotions, which are our primary means of communication and advertising as a print shop. Rule29 has been an advisor and manager of our social media.

Rule29 took care of almost any brand touchpoint in the market that we couldn't create using our internal design team. Alternatively, we've repurposed material created by Rule29 for brand consistency. Rule29 has also provided copywriting, photography (either through their team or other partners), and most anything else.

How did you come to work with Rule29 Creative?

I've known Rule29's principal professionally and personally since the early 2000’s. They have worked on some small projects for our Chicago representative, and I also introduced Rule29 to our design firm in the early 2000’s. We've worked on various projects with Rule29 since that time, even before they became our of-record firm.

How much have you invested with Rule29 Creative?

Because we do a lot of work with Rule29, it's hard to say. They were initially placed against another small firm from the east coast, as well as our incumbent partner at the time, for the quoting process. What I can say is that Rule29's pricing was better than both of those.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began our of-record relationship with Rule29 in August 2014. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

While we do engage in social media and email marketing with Rule29, 60-70% of our work is print, which is much harder to judge in terms of ROI.

I can gauge success from a customer feedback standpoint, as well as based on the awards we've received from the ADI Awards and other design competitions. These are people judging outside of the world of people, so our material was held up to the same level of quality as with other bigger firms. We've won tons of silver and gold awards. From a quality of design and level of engagement standpoint, our work sits very high.

How did Rule29 Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Rule29's speed of execution is truly unparalleled. We have lots of revisions, which is something not all firms handle well, if at all. Rule29 remained hands-on in the best possible way and also responsive and sensitive to the need for change.

Communication levels are extraordinarily high and transparent. Rule29 is extremely good at project scoping, making estimates, informing us whenever we go outside of the scope, and telling us what the re-estimated amount will be. Rule29 has never blown a deadline. Overall, there is a high level of account handling through a dedicated manager. We also work directly with Rule29's principal and with the designers themselves. We have a very good back-and-forth. Our project management tool is Basecamp.

What did you find most impressive about Rule29 Creative?

"Excellence" is a term which can be used to an excess but isn't heard as much currently. It is the quality I like most about Rule29. Every facet of what we're working on and how we're working on it, in terms of communication creative aspects, questions, and execution, is handled flawlessly. Rule29 also has extremely high accountability. I've worked with firms which decided for themselves when the work was done and refused to make changes.

Prior agencies we've worked with were staffed with members in their 50’s, within the managerial level and with account managers, creative directors, and art directors in their 30’s and 40’s. The age of Rule29's team skews down by 6-8 years. They're a younger crew, which gives us insight into that specific age group and how they view our work and products. We almost have a built-in focus group. I often tell Rule29's team that, if they can make the work make sense to themselves, it will make sense to our audiences. The clientele for paper and the graphic design for it can be old, but we also engage with people in their 20’s. Rule29 is wonderful at capturing this and distilling out the 3 paragraphs which were typical for older material into a few bullet-points. I've challenged Rule29 on this, and they've delivered well.

Are there any areas Rule29 Creative could improve?

The only area in which we've seen improvement is print production. Most agencies don't do print at our high-end level. No errors are acceptable, which is something we've had to teach to every firm we've used. Rule29 has been very good at adapting to our standards and has shown a good retention of the principles we've outlined.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Rule29 Creative?

Account management is one of the keys to a relationship. I have a weekly standing meeting with our contact from Rule29. For any clients running as many simultaneous projects as we are, a regular meeting should be standard operating procedure. Our account manager knows exactly who is working on what, how busy they are, and so on. There is a great degree of transparency with Rule29, which was often lacking on the ad agency side with our previous partners.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The Positivity Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering America’s youth to build stronger relationships by seeing the character strengths in themselves and others. Our vision is to create citizens and leaders who will enhance our communities and country by internalizing the belief that “Other People Matter.” We are building a movement and we aim to reach 2,000 schools and 1 million students by 2022. 

We partner with schools across the United States to provide educators with the resources, confidence, and inspiration to consistently teach character. Positive psychology’s 24 character strengths serve as the foundation of our approach. We believe that character is more than just behavior – it’s what is inside all of us. 

I am the co-founder of The Positivity Project. My primary responsibility is designing a strategy that empowers schools to consistently and effectively teach the 24 character strengths. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Rule29 Creative?

We needed to create an entire brand identity that appeals to school communities (educators, students, and parents) across the United States. These school communities include public, private, and charter schools in urban, suburban, and rural demographics from grade levels K-12. Our goal is to be partnered with 2,000 schools by 2022 and 10,000 schools by 2030. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

For our brand identity, they created our logo (a plus sign that forms into the letter "P"), website, colors, typography, social media quote meme format, and t-shirt layout. They provide ongoing support on an as-needed basis -- which is nearly every other week -- to provide technical and creative expertise on a variety of items, such as visual assets, videos, and physical assets for schools.

How did you come to work with Rule29 Creative?

My co-founder, Mike Erwin, worked closely with Rule29 at a veterans service organization that he founded, called Team Red, White & Blue. In October 2015, Rule29 offered to help The Positivity Project develop our entire brand identity and provide ongoing creative support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

At The Positivity Project, we believe that organic growth is the best way to scale. We grow through word-of-mouth, which includes face-to-face interactions, local and national publications, and social media. This means our brand must be strong. And, if our growth is any indication, Rule29 did a tremendous job in helping us design our brand. We grew from one Partner School in 2015 to 33 Partner Schools (in 11 states) in 2016 and plan to partner with 200 schools in 2017.

What did you find most impressive about Rule29 Creative?

It was clear from my first days working with Rule29 that they were an amazing partner. In addition to their technical and creative expertise, they truly listen and have great patience. They ask questions and seek to understand not just what resources we think we want, but why we want them. Although they are the experts, they always remain humble and kind and have the patience to listen to our partial ideas and iterate until we get it just right. This iteration process has been crucial to our brand's success and specifically our visual assets that summarize complicated psychology theories into easily understood images. 

The most special part of Rule29 is that they feel like true teammates. They always go the extra mile to ensure a product is excellent and meets our needs. And, they're also willing to be honest and tell me when something isn't working or when I need to clarify my thinking. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I work for Fellowes Brand Incorporated. We manufacture consumer products for offices, such as paper shredders, record storage solutions, binding and laminating machines, and air purifiers. We also have a full range of mobile accessories.

What is your position?

I am the senior marketing communications manager. I oversee the entire creative department that handles our advertising, packaging development, and digital strategies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Rule29 Creative?

We needed an agency that could come up with quality branding and messaging. We have a broad range of products and a diverse set of consumers. We were looking for an agency that could bring fresh marketing and advertising strategies to the table.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Rule29 created the marketing strategy for one of our new products. They managed the messaging and go-to-market strategy for our digital campaign as well as video production and media buying.

How did you come to work with Rule29 Creative?

One of my colleagues had a connection to an employee at Rule29 and passed me their brochure. We had them in for a capabilities meeting, and I was immediately impressed. Their portfolio included many similar projects to what we were looking for. Since we are a relatively small company, it was important to us that we met the people who would be doing the work.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The cost was between $200,000 and $500,000, which includes the creative work as well as media spend.

What is the timeline of this project?

The timeline for our first campaign was about four to five months but, since then, we've worked on five or six additional, significant campaigns with them. They continue to do a lot of work for us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

We have been overwhelmingly impressed with all the campaigns Rule29 has run with us. Both the number of impressions and the click-through rates have absolutely exceeded our expectations. The cost per click was also less than what we anticipated. They have surpassed what they've initially targeted, and we have seen an increase in sales because of their campaigns.

What distinguishes Rule29 Creative from other providers?

Rule29 Creative consistently brings fresh, new ideas to the table. They are very good at designing innovative solutions, and they do a great job with creative every time we work with them. They have a very good pulse for what's trending, but they are also very receptive to feedback if they are not on the mark for what we want.

Is there anything Rule29 Creative could have improved or done differently?

Honestly, no. They've been a good partner. The follow up and response time is excellent, and they're always there when we need them. I don't have anything negative to say about them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization and your role there.

When I was working with Rule29, I was the CMO [chief marketing officer] at a major publishing company in New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Rule29 Creative?

The challenge was largely around brand management, which included positioning, advertising, marketing, and outreach. We needed to cover several different areas of marketing, but we were mostly concerned with brand management. We engaged Rule29 to work with us on a product we had, which was both a print and digital travel publication. We actually had them work on the brand for three separate product lines.

One of the challenges that we faced was how to translate a print product into a digital environment – how to engage with customers in a different way. Book publishing is run mainly through intermediaries, so we work through wholesalers and booksellers, but we needed to go more directly to the customer. We wanted to evolve the brands so that we could move more directly to customer engagement. Those are the concerns we worked on with Rule29.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

Their work covered just about everything. First, Rule29 did an analysis – almost an audit – of where the brands stood and what we wanted them to evolve into. After that, they articulated a strategy that detailed what we needed to do, and then went on to the execution and the positioning. Their work touched on all of those areas.

How did you come to work with Rule29 Creative?

The marketing director of a magazine we were advertising with referred me to Rule29. We were struggling with the creative, so he recommended that I speak to them and see if they could help us. That was how the introduction took place.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

During the course of the whole relationship, it would probably be in the $150,000 range.

What is the status of this engagement?

My work with them started sometime before 2010 – I would guess in 2008 or 2009. I continued to work with them until about a year ago when I left the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics, metrics, or other feedback from your work with Rule29 Creative?

I don't have access to the metrics anymore because I'm no longer with the company, but I would say we significantly increased both our outreach and the ways in which we engage with customers. The metrics behind that were more campaign-oriented, but they developed during a long period of time. These were multiple campaigns for different projects, not just single shots. Rule29 significantly increased our penetration in both the travel and the consumer markets.

What distinguishes Rule29 Creative from other providers?

Three things make them stand out. Number one, Rule29 Creative is a small agency that can act like a big house. They are very adaptive to different business needs. The three projects they did for us, those were all entirely different sorts of projects. The execution of those campaigns ranged from very detailed to very broad based. That was the first thing. 

The second thing that makes them stand out was their ability to partner. They're experts at branding and positioning, so they became a key strategic partner for us, which was critical. They weren't just simply a design agency – they were able to partner.

The third thing is their creative talent. They're a very talented agency. Their creative work is top-notch. Our relationship with their entire team was really solid. They were adaptive to different sorts of projects, and the project actually gained scope as a result of our ability to work together. Their pricing was great.

Is there anything Rule29 Creative could have improved or done differently?

There are some areas of the technology that they're just not involved in. They are not a Google Analytics shop. They are not an SEO [search engine optimization] shop – things like that. That's not a negative comment on them. I had to work with some other folks on supplementing some things, but that's par for the course.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

I've worked with Rule29 in two different organizations. The first one is Team Red, White & Blue. We're a veteran's support nonprofit with more than 100,000 members. Our mission is to help veterans reintegrate into civilian life. I was the executive director for the first two and a half years of the organization.

The other organization is the Positivity Project, which is a nonprofit I started a few months ago. Our mission is to help kids and teens see the good in themselves and others by harnessing the power of positive psychology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with Rule29 Creative?

We needed to establish our brand from our logo to our website to how we were going to communicate who we were to the world.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

For both organizations, Rule29 was with us from the beginning. They created the brand and vision for how we would portray ourselves to the public. Practically this looked like creating a logo, website, brand guidelines, and so on. Building those documents, putting them on the website, was crucial to gaining momentum for our organizations in the early stages.

How did you come to work with Rule29 Creative?

For the first one, it would've been back in 2010. A member of our board, who was in charge of our marketing initiatives, recommended them. As CMO [chief marketing officer] of a large publishing house, he had worked with a dozen or so creative companies, and said Rule29 was the best. After he joined the board, he said, "Hey, we really need to figure out our brand, our logo, etc". This was sometime in the spring of 2010.

When it came time to launch the Positivity Project here recently it was a no-brainer to use Rule29. From my perspective, Rule29 is the best that I've ever seen in terms of their ability to be invested in the relationship. In today's world, it's very easy to be transactional when delivering products, but they actually see themselves as members of the team.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

It's definitely been north of $100,000 but, in time, they've come on and sponsored some of our initiatives, which has obviously changed aspects of the business relationship.

What is the status of this engagement?

We've been working with them since 2010 for Team Red, White, & Blue. They still do our creative design and are currently working with us on a website redesign, and branding refresh. The Positivity Project work is still ongoing as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

Objectively, our growth has been in no small part because we've been able to build a movement to inspire people to respect and help our veterans. We currently sign up around 3,000 new members per month without any marketing spend. It's all organic and word-of-mouth driven because of the strength of the brand Rule29 Creative created. I've got a meeting in the Oval Office with the president in April [2016] to commemorate the organization going past 100,000 members. Our growth has been significant.

In terms of the other ways, they've been beneficial, they've helped us to roll out various iterations of the logo. We've done something called the Old Glory Coast-to-Coast Relay, where we move a single American flag from California to D.C. in 60 days. We've done other events like that, and Rule29 has played a key role marketing them through creating specialty logos, flyers, and things like that. 

What distinguishes Rule29 Creative from other providers?

I think they have this unique blend of being very responsive and customer-oriented but, at the same time, knowing how to be creative and execute the work. They really blend that quite well. The most important thing for me has been the relationship we've developed. To me, that is so important and sets organizations apart. Obviously, they want to grow, and they've been growing, but their commitment to remaining a relationship-based company, to me, just speaks volumes about who they are from a core values standpoint.

Is there anything Rule29 Creative could have improved or done differently?

For me, the only thing, is that we always want the product faster and to be kept in the loop when there are delays. I think all companies can improve on that.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief of Staff of Nations Group

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Nations Groups is an owners representation firm  that uses the power of collaboration combined with depth of experience and industry/ market knowledge to assist partners in all aspects of a capital facility project.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Rule29 to accomplish?

• Create a logo
• Develop an initial brand
• Create visuals including PowerPoint, website, and physical boards

SOLUTION

How did you find Rule29?

Referral

Why did you select Rule29 over others?

• Great culture fit
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Rule29 were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

• Create a logo
• Begin initial branding
• Setup a website
• Create a PowerPoint
• Print signage 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Development of tangible items. 

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

Rule29 was great with their project management. We came to them with some last-minute requests and they were able to get everything done on time for us. We also had a lot of feedback and ideas that they listened to an, ultimately, created a great project for us. 

What was your primary form of communication with Rule29?

Virtual Meeting

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

Rule29 was very responsive to our needs and really took the time to listen to our specifics. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something Rule29 could have done differently?

None, they were great. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Corporate Director, Training of Great Wolf Lodge

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At Great Wolf Lodgefamilies can experience a world of play, all under one roof. Go with the flow in our water park resort or find adventurous dry-play throughout the lodge.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Rule29 to accomplish?

• Create design for training materials while maintaining Great Wolf Lodge brand

SOLUTION

How did you find Rule29?

Referral

Why did you select Rule29 over others?

• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Rule29 were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Design templates, icons, logos, Word & PPT templates for use in training materials and online e-learning courses.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Feedback and completion rates

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

Always delivered items on time. Ali is a fantastic project manager!

What was your primary form of communication with Rule29?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Creativity. They brought our vision to life, and it turned out even better than we hoped.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Rule29 could have done differently?

Not a thing I can think of