SGK

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a digital marketing analyst for a financial services company.

What challenge were you trying to address with SGK?

We needed help with our trigger-based communications. These communications ensure that we’re targeting specific groups of people and making sure it’s as relevant as possible.

The opportunity was to optimize a whole suite of communications. There were 38 different versions in total. It was a large-scale, long-term project.

What was the scope of their involvement?

In the beginning, it was really to understand how we might want to communicate because we had some outdated existing communications that weren’t capturing the way that our customers interact with our business.

The first task I wanted SGK to help me with was understanding what needed to change to make it relevant and targeted for what we know our customers are doing. The second piece was proposing a number of changes in terms of messaging and the way we communicate this with the things we say and how we structure the information from a technical and build perspective.

The deliverables ultimately were to come up with proposals and design templates for each of the trigger communications. There were six categories in total. In each category, we have a number of different email variations - with 38 deliverables in total. Each of these emails then had to be handed over to another agency to be deployed.

They were able to look at the existing communications we have and use their external perspective, having worked on lots of different brands. 

The other piece is they do have a lot of familiarity with our business, having worked with numerous parts of our global company. That really helped to make sure they understood our brand and how we want to communicate to our customers because we are a specific type of company. Having that knowledge and expertise really helped them shape the recommendations so that they were completely on brand and innovative.

They were also really able to bring the innovation piece. There was no idea too crazy. It was really about how we bring it to life through email, via our communication and messaging structure.

What is the team composition?

We work predominantly with three people. There was the main copywriter, the account director, and the lead account manager.

How did you come to work with SGK?

I had worked with them for a number of years, and they’ve done a lot of email and communication builds.

I had taken over someone else’s role, and they had always been the agency used by various members of the team. They were always great to work with, and they turned around work quickly.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested between £50,000–£90,000 (approximately $68,000–$123,000 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with SGK started in February 2020.

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

SGK was completely invested in our agenda and driving innovation. I really liked them because they did the whole strategic thinking and put together the recommendations and told me how to build the email in the right way, so people are interacting with it and driving action.

We’ve had constant feedback throughout the process. One thing that’s really helped is having deadlines and milestones we try to reach. Throughout the process, there are many different areas of feedback and channels we have to get through our company.

People have really enjoyed the communication and different strategy. It’s definitely a different direction we’re taking. It’s a lot more modern and relevant to our customers. The proof is going to be when we launch and see the difference between them. Early results have already shown a significant increase in open rates and click-through engagement, so we're excited to see full results soon.

We’ve had a lot of chances to talk between the teams, make sure we meet deadlines, discuss when things maybe didn’t go to plan, and try to work together.

How did SGK perform from a project management standpoint?

It was a pretty big project with several processes and guidelines to follow. The team was really tech-savvy which helped because they could give the context on how to build and make sure every single email looked great.

Seeing them manage it and help us to meet the deadlines we needed has been really impressive. They were able to manage everything very efficiently and effectively.

The pandemic has slowed down some of our timelines. We keep constant communication. When we first started, the team put together a project plan. We have head regular catch-ups each week. That has helped us to stay on track with the milestones.

We’ve become very close, which has made it that much easier to work together because we understand how each other works. Keeping those constant lines of communication has been great. We have regular video conferences and emails. They were really great about documenting everything important to me. They had project plans throughout so we could see where we’re tracking.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team takes feedback on board very well. They’ve been great at taking a step back to understand what we need before making calls or suggestions. When things haven’t been prioritized with the pandemic and other processes, they’ve always been patient.

The team at SGK is adaptive and flexible. They’re very attentive to the way these processes don’t always go to plan.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They just need to continue on the trajectory that they’re on to make sure they understand the landscape of the different brands, processes, and elements we work with.

Their team should continue to ensure we’re efficient with our costs. I feel that way about any agency I work with. Because of this past year, we needed to make sure they’re a bit more flexible since efficiencies are more important.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure you provide them with as much context as possible. They love data and being able to look into the landscape. They need to understand where they can make a difference.

If you see something you think would be interesting to try but you think it’s crazy, go to them with those ideas. SGK is great at bringing those to life. Don’t go in feeling restricted because they can help you think outside the box.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m an innovation manager for a food & beverage company.

What challenge were you trying to address with SGK?

SGK was assigned to do packaging architecture and design work.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team helps with content development for innovation ideas. They’ve done some prototyping, provided strategies and insights, and designed concepts. SGK also helped with packaging architecture in the different areas of our product portfolio while allowing each to keep their own identities.

Overall, we’re collaboratively exploring different packaging ideas to excite consumers and enhance their experience through new formatted pack designs.

What is the team composition?

Jenny, (Client Coordinator) is our main contact. If she is unavailable, I work with Zoe (Senior Account Manager). They have a designer that I request for most of our projects and I also interact with Kimberly (Client Services Director).

How did you come to work with SGK?

I had worked with them at my previous company and they produced great results. I appreciated the relationship we had built and wanted to work with them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $50,000 – $60,000 in one year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together around October 2019 and we continue to collaborate with SGK on our projects.

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

They go above and beyond anything I ask them to do. For example, if I present a brief and ask for 2–3 ideas, SGK returns with 5–6 great ideas.

How did SGK perform from a project management standpoint?

SGK is always available and responsive. We have a written brief and go over it on the phone. They’re very transparent regarding delivery time and have never gone past a deadline. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

SGK is very strategic and their relationship building is one of their best skills. They manage their clients brilliantly. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could improve on showcasing the services they offer more clearly.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They have a specific way of doing things. Trust them, they know what needs to be done in order to achieve the desired results.