Spark & Pony Creative

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Youth Programs Coordinator of an environmental services company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The role of our company is to improve communication and co-operation among environmental groups and between these groups, government and other sectors.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Spark & Pony Creative to accomplish?

• Create a logo and branding guide for our Youth Network Program

SOLUTION

How did you find Spark & Pony Creative?

Branding Buddy - Youth Harbour

Why did you select Spark & Pony Creative over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from Spark & Pony Creative were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Spark & Pony created a logo and branding guide for our youth network program. This included digital and print versions of the logo/emblem, and multiple versions of the logo in both English and French. 

They also provided us with an illustrative background that we could use for social media posts, posters, and other marketing and branding materials. These logos were created over a month after filling out a detailed form to help them understand our organization and goals for the logo, as well as a few meetings to review our reponses to the form.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just received our beautiful new logos and branding guidelines yesterday, but we imagine that these will help us so much in rebuilding the youth network. A recognizable and unique logo and brand will really help us to stand out, establish ourselves, and increase our virtual presence in the province to other youth who may be interested in getting involved.

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

Michelle was extremely communicative and organized. She was very clear in meetings about what the outcomes and process would be, and when to expect certain drafts or other items over email. She established clear timelines that allowed me to know exactly when things would be done by, and was very flexible if we needed to shift timelines to accomodate changing schedules. 

She was very open to our feedback and suggestions, and very quickly responded to all emails. She worked with us to create a beautiful logo and guide that perfectly suits our needs.

What was your primary form of communication with Spark & Pony Creative?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

She was super quick to respond to emails and make changes. They took our ideas and found a way to make them into something that would be visually appealing in many different scenarios. She was very detail-oriented and thoughtful about all the elements of the logos, and creating something that reflected the mission and purpose of our organization really well.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Spark & Pony Creative could have done differently?

nope!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am an executive at Leboldus Consulting Ltd.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We support sustainable growth within organizations by identifying areas for improvement and offering advisory & training services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Spark & Pony Creative to accomplish?

• Online presence
• Clarity of purpose and services

SOLUTION

How did you find Spark & Pony Creative?

Online Search

Why did you select Spark & Pony Creative over others?

• High ratings
• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Spark & Pony Creative were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

Spark and Pony Creative were engaged to do a brand discovery, and to then create a website that accurately represented a rather unique specialization in management consulting. The end result was a website that required minimal revisions and which stands alone as the only online presence required for the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A fully functional website requiring no revisions/changes once launched. Brand discovery process resulting in outstanding demonstration of Spark & Pony's understanding of their client, and that client's target audience. Ongoing support to maintain online presence. Excellent communication. Delivered on time, on budget, with superior professionalism. Multiple referrals to other business owners as a result.

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

They were extremely responsive throughout the entirety of the project. Communicating via email, and in virtual meetings; their professionalism and ability to clearly articulate ideas, processes, and creative flow was unmatched. I have engaged Spark & Pony for ongoing projects as a result, and will continue to recommend to others.

What was your primary form of communication with Spark & Pony Creative?

Virtual Meeting

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

The communication style, adaptability, and creativity, all while staying firmly grounded in sound project management practices. They operate in an open and transparent manner. Continued delivery of content development for 2+years, including engagement in training and development activities within new projects.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Spark & Pony Creative could have done differently?

No areas to note

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a consulting/software company based in Alberta, Canada. We develop resource modeling software and provide consulting services for mining and resource companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spark & Pony Creative?

Our website had not been overhauled since launching our company and needed a fresh and cohesive design. Our goal was for Spark and Pony to provide a clean and professional new website design that our team will code.

SOLUTION

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

We reviewed portfolios of over a dozen design agencies before picking Spark and Pony based on their portfolio of bold and high quality design work.

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

We met with Spark and Pony and completed a comprehensive survey on the project goals and information that would be included on the website design. Further iteration was done through Figma providing comments and feedback. This provided very rapid iteration and design files that our team can use for developing the website.

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

We worked with 2 designers at Spark and Pony.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The design files were well received by our development team with cleanly laid out source files and every page done including error, privacy and cookie policy pages. The new design was universally praised by our team as a fresh and modern look for the company.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Working with Spark and Pony was easy over google meet and directly through comments on Figma. The comments were very fast to iterate on ideas for photos and text to incorporate in the website.

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

I was very impressed with how they quickly took our ideas and goals and develop a design that matched our vision. Spark and Pony dug into our industry and proposed design elements and fresh ideas that fit perfectly. They also managed to take our long winded product descriptions and condense them into concise and impactful selling points which we greatly appreciated.

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

We were very happy with the delivered product and process along the way. We don't really have any suggestions for improvement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a photographer mainly focusing on editorial-style photography for women and children.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Spark & Pony Creative?

I needed help with web development and design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Spark & Pony built my website. Initially, they sent me a questionnaire with a lot of questions about myself, and they reflected those answers on my website. I was very specific about how I wanted it to look; I wanted a very minimalistic, modern, and professional site. Still, they brought great ideas to the table to achieve what I wanted.

Then, Spark & Pony built my site in Squarespace and used a template for its design. I paid them for one of their basic packages, so it wasn’t a custom, from-scratch development. After they built my site, they helped me organize the photos and rephrase some content that I had written. The site included the main page, a portfolio page, a services page, and a pricing page.

In addition to web development, Spark & Pony also helped me post on Instagram for my first month active, writing the captions and hashtags. Additionally, they developed a theme for my Instagram, and they built a template for my posts on Photoshop, which they taught me how to use.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with both owners of Spark & Pony.

How did you come to work with Spark & Pony Creative?

I found Spark & Pony through an acquaintance, and they were very accommodating from the get-go. I had a budget in mind, and their initial proposal didn’t work well for me. However, they moved some things around to make it work, which was great.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent around $3,000 CAD (approximately $2,300).

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from September 2021–January 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I told Spark & Pony what I wanted, and they really delivered — my website was great! Additionally, the pricing packages they included on the pricing page were awesome. I also received a lot of feedback about how much people loved my new website, and I even recommended Spark & Pony to some of them. Overall, they exceeded my expectations, and it was great working with them.

How did Spark & Pony Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Spark & Pony’s project management was great. We communicated via email and had three video calls throughout the project via Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Spark & Pony was very welcoming, accommodating, and professional, and they explained everything very well. Both owners were very nice, and I noticed that they tried to save me money when they could — I never felt like they tried to take advantage of me.

I was very indecisive, and I also had a very fixed idea of how I wanted this project to go. However, Spark & Pony was great at listening to me and changing things up to accommodate my needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything that Spark & Pony could have improved on; they did everything very well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a clear idea of what you want so that they can help you to the best of their ability. Be very direct, honest, and specific.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and photographer at Toastography Boutique Boudoir. We empower people and make art through creative portraiture.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Spark & Pony Creative?

I have had the same website for many years that was not memorable and was beyond simple. As my business grew I needed to refresh my brand and my website. I hired Spark & Pony to help me create a new look for top to bottom. Hoping for a website that compliments what I do and help with website traffic.

SOLUTION

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

I spoke with 4 different local businesses but Spark & Pony stood out the most. They were not only quick to respond but they were so personable from start to finish. I felt at ease talking to them.

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

After a phone consultation we set up a video chat to discuss my business and what I am looking for in rebranding. I received some drafts that allowed us to talk about what we did and did not like to achieve the perfect logo. Even when I said the final okay to the logo I received one more updated draft that was THE ONE. They truly put so much care.

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

I worked with a team of 2 at Spark & Pony

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

After seeing my new website for the first time I cried from joy - they captured everything that I am and my business represents. I have seen an increase in website traffic and more contacts from visitors. I receive many compliments on my website from customers - and they fixed issues I was having with effective methods of receiving contact from clients.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Both members of the team were easy to talk to and very communicative. They were honest, happy to explain not just what they were doing for me but why, and made sure I was happy all along the way!

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

As a unique company myself I felt like I needed to a company for design that was not only professional to a T but also could tap into my creative side and bring it out in their work. They have an amazing balance of creativity and structure.

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

There is nothing I can imagine to request for improvement. I felt they were beyond my expectations!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a licensed acupuncturist and registered massage therapist, and I own and operate a holistic wellness business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Spark & Pony Creative?

I hired them to help me establish my online presence. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built my website using my existing Wix account. They continue to provide marketing services. This includes running online advertising campaigns and managing my social media. We focused on Facebook and Instagram. 

What is the team composition?

I work with Michelle (Co-Owner & Senior Designer) and Kass (Co-Founder). 

How did you come to work with Spark & Pony Creative?

I used to be a promoter, and I did a contest for a show, and Michelle won. Eventually, I hired her to do graphic design for an old project. She also did marketing for a music festival that I was part of. I’ve known Michelle for over a decade. 

How much have you invested in them?

Initially, I invested about $1,000. I spend about $400 per month on retainer services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together on this project in October 2020, and the project is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I’ve seen an increase in views on my social media posts. They gave my business a professional look and feel that helps me be successful in a saturated market. They’re professional, and I can always count on them to deliver. 

How did Spark & Pony Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re excellent. I never have to email them because they’re always reaching out to me. They’re organized and keep things moving forward. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They give me more bang for my buck in comparison to similar providers. They actually care, and they focus on long-term success. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. If anything, they could make their lives easier by sending me less detailed formal reports each month. We have a good relationship, so I feel like I can trust them, which is why things like that aren’t necessary.