Sonder Creative

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a Research Group based at a University that does modelling and conducts research and data product development on Canadian bird populations. I am the Coordinating Scientist and responsible for Project Management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sonder Creative?

We hired Sonder to design and develop our new bilingual website and to update our previous website content.

SOLUTION

How did you select Sonder Creative and what were the deciding factors?

We received a recommendation from a partner of ours who had worked with Sonder Creative previously and we liked the website Sonder had designed and developed for them. We liked Sonder's designs and knew that they would be able to manage our unique needs relating to the communication of technical content, organizing our data product content and discovery, providing a well organized website that communicates our vision and mission.

Deciding factors were the quality of their designs, customer support and responsiveness and their ability to design/develop websites with technical content and make it accessible and appealing!

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

After an initial kickoff and discovery meeting where we talked about our needs, design features we liked and content planning, we received design links in Figma that showed a map of the proposed website and the designed proposed pages. We were able to comment on these pages and provide feedback that was changed almost immediately.

Sonder transferred content over to our new site from our old site as requested, which was no small job. Then the website was developed and we were given a link to the development site and training to edit and update the website, which was super helpful as two team members will be posting on and updating the website.

We were also given training to use a very easy to use translation plugin tool that allows us to translate and produce French pages that match the English pages on our site. After some back and forth on edits and changes that were always done immediately, we were ready to launch. Sonder helped with our domain, redirects from our old website and more.

We launched and on the day of launch they helped with any last minute changes or problems (no problems but they were on stand-by). It was a quick turnaround from the kickoff meeting to launch, especially given the large amount of content that needed to be transferred from our previous website and the very technical nature of our content.

How many resources from the Sonder Creative team worked with you, and what were their positions?

In total, we worked with 5 people from Sonder Creative. We worked closely with the Director, who was very approachable and responsive. We also worked with the Creative Director who designed our website. And we worked with the Lead Developer and 2 other Developers. We were impressed by how responsive and helpful everyone was.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Site efficiency more than doubled. We are able to use and update our website far more efficiently than our previous site. They developed a French and English site, with easy functions for translation. It looks amazing and we have had lots of positive feedback from our web visitors and partners on the design and the discoverability of our products and resources.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The Director, design team and the developer were very easy to communicate with either through quick meetings, shared documents online, and email. They met deadlines. They communicated via occasional video calls and mostly by email. We would almost always get a response to emails within a couple of hours and more quickly on more urgent topics.

We were kept up to date on the project via email and a project map was used to update progress on pages particularly relating to the status of translation. We were also given training by 3 members of their team, which was very helpful for our team. As we started to use the site they were very responsive to our questions and even jumped onto quick calls to solve problems.

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

We were most impressed by the gorgeous and functional design of our new website. It is very logically structured making it very easy for visitors to the site to find what they are looking for. We were also so impressed by how easy it was to work with the team and how responsive they were and how quickly/effectively they met our requests and solved any challenges.

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

No! The quality of the work was exceptional, and they completed the work on the proposed timeline.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of an interior design firm and retail store. Our store is approaching its 10 year anniversary and we have had a number of iterations of logos and websites in that time. As the retail market continues to focus on online sales we became aware that our look and site needed work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sonder Creative?

Our logo needed updating to reflect recent changes in our business and our online store (shopify) and websites all needed to be re-worked and linked.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We wanted to work with a local firm that focused on independent businesses. It was important to me that their sites showed a breadth of designs, variation in style and function. Additionally we needed a company who could tackle both the website and online store.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

We had initial conversations about how our business was structured and the look and feel we were hoping to achieve with the rebrand. We also discussed all the elements of our rebrand, from packaging, signage to letterhead.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked with a team of up to 4 but three individuals closely. We worked with Jeff, the owner and Sophie and senior team member the most.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We did a soft launch of our sites to give us the opportunity to work out the bugs. That being said I immediately received positive feedback from customers. The feedback has been that the site feels fresh, new but also still on brand.

I think that is the best kind of feedback when you do a rebrand. You want you customers to recognize the designs as on brand but be excited about the change. The rebrand and new sites have allowed us to clearly identify the different branches of our business.

It directs customers how to interact with us and what to expect from us. What Sonder has done a beautiful job of is connecting all the sites seamlessly, our customers and clients can see our entire business with a few clicks.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Sonder is incredibly organized and efficient. I always felt like they valued my time and I appreciated the opportunity to hit pause on the project when we got too busy. Meetings were always scheduled, communication was generally in writing and files stored in dropbox (our preferred storage).

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

One of the things I found impressive about the Sonder team was that they were incredibly well rounded. They were able so support us from a design side creatively but equally so technically. They had the knowledge to support the changes in shopify but also look at the changes from a creative side.

How they looked in relation to our branding. In my past experience with firms this is a unique set of skills. What was also very interesting and new to us is how they taught us to take on our websites internally. They were built in a way that we could make changes on our own.

They encouraged that and gave us the skills to do so through training sessions. That was a unique experience, we have had 4 websites three rebrands and this was the first time that the firm leading the design welcomed our engagement in our own site.

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

I think design is incredibly personal and subjective. I may have wanted the re-design to feel a bit more like our previous brand. They pushed my outside my comfort zone which in the end was probably the right move.

It ensured that the rebrand was in fact new and fresh. As a designer myself I know how it feels to get push back from a client. I know how frustrating it can be. It is fine balance between maintaining the integrity of the design and making your client happy. On balance they achieved that beautifully.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the founding partner of Borders Law Firm. I am responsible for running the company and also act as the firm's principal lawyer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sonder Creative, and what were your goals?

We needed a complete rebranding: new logo design and brand new website. Our last website was made in 2008. Everything had to be redesigned from the ground up.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I searched online and spoke to numerous website design companies across the world: in Canada, in the USA, and in the Ukraine. I selected Sonder Creative after seeing their amazing portfolio and having an initial chat with Jeff, the owner.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

There were many steps: kickoff meetings, design reveals of both logo and website, ongoing meetings to measure progress and make sure the design elements were on track. Creative Sonder made a custom-built website using their custom-built theme. They have wireframing technology to allow for full visualization of the website before it is actually built.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Jeff, the Creative Director, worked closely. We also had a second Creative Director, as well as a Marketing and Communications Specialist. This was the core team. I am sure there were other people supporting the project in the background.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We just launched and the load times are so much faster than before. This is due to Jeff using professional back-office and cloud infrastructure to run and host the website. The website is receiving rave reviews from everyone.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Sonder Creative is extremely organized and delivered everything as promised and on schedule. They proactively reach out for client feedback and kept very open lines of communication. It was an absolute delight to work with them.

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

Sonder Creative put 110% effort into this project. The talent pool they worked with was impressive and their technical knowledge was cutting edge. I found the team very easy to work with due to their ability to produce impressive results and their high degree of organization.

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

Not really. Jeff and his team are very responsive to any requests and work with clients to resolve any issues without a second delay. From a project management perspective, I always felt taken care of by Jeff and his team.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Media and Events Coordinator at Bioenterprise. Bioenterprise brings together key players in the food and agri-tech ecosystem to support start-ups in their journey from market entry to global expansion. We are committed to connecting entrepreneurs to a network of industry leaders, researchers, government stakeholders and critical service providers to help ensure their success.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sonder Creative, and what were your goals?

Our website was recently re-developed this past year by a third-party company. When we were left disappointed with the results we turned to Sonder to help us re-invent the site design and transform it into a platform that could better serve our customers and team's needs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We were recommended Sonder by a company we work closely with. Cost, experience and a high level of professionalism were the main factors we considered when deciding on a developer.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

We had a kick-off meeting to outline our needs for the website. From there, Sonder created a proposal that outlined how they would meet our needs. The team at Sonder outlined how they would utilize WordPress and WordPress plugins to make it easy for our team to easily track subscription purchases and edit the site after it was developed.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There were two main team members that worked directly with us. Sophie Maisonneuve helped with the design and layout of our site and Jeff Caron, Director of Sonder, developed the back-end of our website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We recently completed this project so have yet been able to collect data regarding the site's performance. We expect increased site traffic and clickthroughs based on the product they gave us.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We only had meetings via Zoom at major project milestones, which was great for our busy company that doesn't have the capacity to meet frequently. Whenever they needed a quick answer they would shoot us an email.

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

The best part about working with Sonder was that they are able to provide us exactly what we needed without us needing to be hands-on throughout the entire project. The few meetings we had with them were enough for them to understand what we needed from a new website. This ultimately allowed our small company to focus on other parts of our business as the site was being built.

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

Nope

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and we specialize in risk management for retirement planning

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sonder Creative, and what were your goals?

Sonder developed, designed and currently hosts my website.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Sonder developed and designed a website for another company I am a minority owner in.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Jeff and his team worked very well with my content creator and took my vision and exceeded all expectations. There were a couple of initial concept ideas and multiple follow up meetings along the way, just to track progress and make sure what was being put together was aligned with my vision. Jeff and his team were able to take my thoughts and create the entire site exactly the way I wanted

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Cant quite remember their positions.. but I I had multiple meetings with Jeff and his entire teamThe

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

While the site was being created I was also working as an executive for another company. The site has just officially been up 2 weeks as of now so we are still waiting to see how traffic will be

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Jeff was always proactive in setting clear expectations, which he always met or delivered early. Jeff was prompt in setting meetings and sending calendar invites so we were always on the same page

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

What I found impressive was the quality of work they did. What I found Unique was their elevated level of communication.

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

nothing at all.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I owner and founder of School of the Hunt, an online hunter education company. We offer online hunting courses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sonder Creative, and what were your goals?

We needed help to design a company brand and a comprehensive website.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I was referred to Sonder by a friend. I had a personal meeting with Jeff the owner and listened to the solutions he proposed for my company. He showed me his previous work and I was very impressed.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Sonder first created a brand for me including a logo and color scheme. They took their time researching my industry and the goals my company hoped to achieve. They presented me with three different logos all of which were great. Once I chose the logo I wanted, Jeff began doing research into how to best host online courses through a private website. He discovered learndash and then built my website integrating it.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked with Jeff and Sophie. Both of whom were fantastic to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

I have now own one of the most beautiful websites I have ever seen and all of my online course content is completely accessible.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They were very organized and accessible. Jeff responded to most of my emails within an hour.

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

Everyone at Sonder truly cared about my company. They did not simply want my money. They actually wanted to see my company succeed.

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

To be honest, I have zero criticism which is rare for me. I am beyond happy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm one of the owners of a smart home business. We install audio, video, and other technical components in new homes and home automation systems. Users can control the temperature, lights, or music in their house with a single app. Everything is all in one system.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sonder Creative?

I created a website on my own using a WordPress template. Last year, we needed to do something to have a more professional online presence, and I gave up trying to do it on my own. Then, we wanted to update our logo and get a new website to have a more solid foundation for marketing our business. Overall, we needed Sonder Creative for branding and website development. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The engagement started with the logo and branding aspects. We didn’t want a cool picture; we wanted something that was meaningful and that matched our brand. We had a session with Sonder where they found out as much as they could about our company and people. Then, they researched our competitors, digging deep into the whole branding process to come up with a logo that matched our business. They did a logo presentation where they showed us what the logo would look like in other materials, such as brochures and business cards. Sonder also gave us a quick view of what our website would look like with the logo. 

Based on our feedback, they created a website from scratch and tied it with the logo they’d created. We gave them a brief outline of what we were looking for on a website, and they ran with it and built the website. We gave feedback on changes here and there, and they took care of the hosting and all background details. They basically handled everything we’d need to get the website online.  

What is the team composition?

We work with Jeff (Owner & Director). Aside from him, three other people have worked on this project. One person is involved in the logo design and branding, while another person is responsible for the design of the website. Then, another person is involved in all the technical aspects of the site. 

How did you come to work with Sonder Creative?

We looked for a local provider in Canada because we wanted to support local businesses. I started researching website designers in Edmonton. I put in the search term “creative,” as in “creative website design,” and they were pulled up as one of our options. We were looking for a vendor that would give us a unique look since we didn’t want to look like our competitors — we wanted to be different from everyone else — and I felt that Sonder Creative had that. 

We ended up calling them and getting a quote on the phone. Based on our initial interactions, emails, and phone calls, we liked the vibe that they had. We also felt that they had similar ethics or priorities to us, and we always looked for that similarity when we did any business collaboration. We also met them in person before the COVID-19 pandemic since we liked personal interactions. We liked who they were as people; they were professional. After that, we decided that we definitely wanted to go with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The project has been quoted around $12,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2021, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website went live a few weeks ago, and we’re definitely getting a lot of hits on it. It’s too soon to tell results since we’re just starting to let customers know about it. As such, I don’t have a lot of metrics at this point. However, we have customers who call or email us to let us know that they love the website and that it’s great. Overall, we’ve received a lot of great feedback from our current client base. 

How did Sonder Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve utilized a lot of different methods of communication throughout the engagement. We did Zoom calls at the very beginning of the engagement. We also did that for the branding presentation and the reveal of the website design. When they presented the brand, they did a split-screen presentation where they could point on different things while we were able to see their faces. That was really cool. 

They did the same thing for the presentation of the website’s design. On one part of the screen, they showed the different features of the website, and we went through them together. That was super helpful. At that time, the website was basically a file that wasn’t online where we could interact to get feedback. It was like a PDF file where we could put comments on sections and make changes. It made it easy for us to give feedback on the design.

At present, when we have requests that are not hard to explain, we just use emails. In general, their response time is very quick. Oftentimes, we get a response within the hour. If I have a question, they specifically answer it. If we leave a voicemail, they get back to us quickly. As a result, we’re very happy with them and they're always on top of things.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Sonder Creative is very personable. Our interactions are for business, but I feel like they care for us. They’re excited to work with us. They’ve been interested in what we do, and they’re excited about the project. We don’t get this very often from other businesses. Sonder invests in every project, and we can tell it’s not fake — they genuinely care about the business and about doing a good job. We can tell that they take pride in their work and their competence. They really stand out in that regard, so we’re thrilled that we’ve chosen them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

When we were putting together content for the website, someone else helped us with editing and putting parameters on the writing and content. Sonder could probably help us with writing and tell us how we could create our own content for the website. That was one element of their business that could be improved. However, they’ve already improved that because they’ve already added a writer to their team.  

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do as much research on your own as possible. Think about your business and who you want to be. When we started working with Sonder, they asked a lot of questions about the nature of our business and what we hoped to achieve. The more you research your business and what you’re looking for, the more you can bring out the best in them. They can grab onto the information you give and run with it. 

Other than that, know that Sonder isn’t passive. They take charge, which is what we want. They know what they’re doing, and they can guide you through the process. On top of that, ask a lot of questions and look at their website and past projects, which are awesome. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing coordinator for Parkwood Master Builder. We’re a personalized home builder in Edmonton, Alberta. We specialize in move-up homes, as well as multi-family development projects. We’re a home builder and not a real estate firm, so we still sell our new homes directly to customers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Sonder Creative?

We engaged with them to develop a brand identity and website for our newest multi-family development project, which included townhomes and a condo tower.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided the name of the project, and they kicked off a collaborative approach to the web content. Beyond that, however, they’ve done all the branding and web design — all the creative visuals.

They did a discovery session where they got everything they needed about the project including what it was, the audience, our goals, and the tone of voice we wanted based on the prospective-buyer demographic. Then, they came back to us with multiple logo concepts. We picked one we liked, and then they showed us different color schemes. Taking those properties, they created the overall look and feel of the website. They’re also going to develop the website.

What is the team composition?

Jeff (Owner and Director) was our main contact during the proposal phase and now helps with project management. He works hand-in-hand with the creative director, Sophie, and the web designer, Christine. I’ve worked a lot with Jeff and Sophie, and Christine is more of a new face — she’s really lovely.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $13,000 CAD (approximately $10,230 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website hasn’t launched yet, but our team is blown away by the details and the way Sonder Creative grasps exactly what we’re going for with the brand. We’ve worked with them in the past, and they know that it can be tough to pull out what we’re trying to tell them. They do a great job of bringing our concepts to life exactly as we envision them.

The demographic of this project is more up-scale than that of our single-family homes, so we need the brand to come across as sophisticated, sexy, and appealing. They hit every mark we request.

How did Sonder Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

From a communication standpoint, everything has been kept on track. Things have chugged along the way we’ve planned.

They use Figma to share the web design, allowing us to see an interactive view of the landing pages. We can scroll through on our own and make changes right on the platform. It is extremely helpful in them delivering what we needed. One of my colleagues has never worked on design and development, and it is especially rewarding to watch her reaction to the process because she is blown away by how technically advanced it all seems.

I am impressed that they make sure to work on a collaborative platform that keeps everyone on the same page visually. Using Figma really helps in their success.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been very flexible as we’ve adjusted our timelines. There are a lot of moving parts within a multi-family development project — weather, permits, approvals, zoning — and what we appreciate about Sonder is that they’re very willing to adjust to approvals or delays. They put together the brand identity and web design quickly and efficiently, and now we’re at the point where they can take their time developing the site for us.

The most impressive asset that they bring to this project is the brand identity. They hit every mark, and, in my experience working on logo development, website design, and brand identity, it’s very rare to have a whole team look at something and be immediately impressed. Our logo went through a couple of revisions as usual, but once we picked it, and they ran with it, we didn’t have any feedback on the following brand identity.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They do their best to make sure that every client feels prioritized, and they’re not afraid to ask about moving things around if it will work for both parties. They very clearly look for avenues to be flexible and accommodating, which can be tricky when you’re managing multiple clients.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Come prepared, have an open mind, and trust their creative eye, talents, and experience. I’ve worked with them in the past and their reputation continues to grow upwards. They’re going to do everything they can to communicate what you’re looking for in a way that both satisfies you and your audience’s desire for usability and functionality.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of Brighter Digital, an Edmonton-based digital marketing company focused on local search.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Sonder Creative?

I hired Jeff and his team to design and develop a new website for my company.

What were your goals for this project?

I had a few primary goals with this project which were improving branding and design, a better user-experience, and ultimately a higher conversion rate with our target audience.

SOLUTION

How did you select Sonder Creative?

I reviewed the portfolios for several design agencies and decided that Sonder was the best fit to deliver what I was looking for.

Describe the project in detail.

We set up an initial meeting to discuss my project goals and develop a rough idea of what I was looking for. This was followed by a series of more in-depth design meetings to get the page templates and sitemap dialled in.

Jeff and his team got a design mock-up done on schedule and from there we were able to make the final adjustments to get everything completed.

What was the team composition?

Jeff was the primary contact throughout the project and Sophie was also involved in the initial design meetings to help make sure we got all the details right.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Excellent feedback from clients on the design.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was efficient and on schedule throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Sonder Creative has a unique style and genuine talent for design. The team is professional, knowledgeable, and they deliver.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There was a few bugs with the website after launch but Jeff was able to fix those issues promptly - no complaints.