Spire Agency

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m vice president of communications at Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA), an organization dedicated to establishing an efficient, profitable and sustainable high technology global ecosystem encompassing semiconductors, software, solutions, systems and services.

A leading industry organization that represents 300+ corporate members on six continents, including more than 120 public companies, GSA provides a unique, neutral platform for collaboration, where global executives interface and innovate with peers, partners and customers to accelerate industry growth and maximize return on invested and intellectual capital. Members of the GSA represent 70 percent of the $500B+ semiconductor industry and continue to grow.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

The GSA wanted to rebrand the semiconductor industry to attract and inspire young women to choose to join the semiconductor industry, to raise the visibility and empower women in the industry to remain and seek promotion and leadership. GSA launched the Women’s Leadership Initiative to help bring awareness to women in the industry.

The Challenge

1. We are being out-branded by other industries seeking the talent of STEM focused women – the Facebooks, Googles and Amazons of the tech world. Our industry has traditionally been focused on Moore’s Law and process technology nodes. This is not branding. If we want to inspire women to work on the programs and products that will determine the future of technology, then we have to be more persuasive and change the conversation to focus on the value proposition/reward/potential.
2. Women who do join the industry are leaving at very high rates and the executive teams are made up of very few technical women.
3. There is a lack of awareness about what our industry is all about and its fundamental contribution to humanity.
4. Women are opting out of seeking degrees relevant to the semiconductor industry.

What was the scope of their involvement?

An empowering campaign was developed that would primarily come to life on college campuses within the schools of engineering, computer science, mathematics, and living sciences.

Striking ads highlighted strong women who were working to address a global challenge (such as the need to double food production in coming years). Each headline led into a call to action meant to appeal to graduates (“Design the Solution”) followed by body copy that illustrated how the semiconductor industry is creating solutions to the crises affecting our world.

The campaign launched on leading university campuses, ensuring the semiconductor industry would be a top-of-mind career possibility for females leading up to spring graduation.

A variety of on- and off-campus marketing materials were created, all pointing to the new DesignTheSolution.Org website:

• Microsite
• Print campaign
• Testimonial videos
• Social media 
• On-campus collateral
• Ambient media

What is the team composition?

We had 4–5 teammates assigned to our team. Within that team, we had a project manager, and Kimberly (Partner & COO) led the creative and strategy side of the work.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

I had worked with them previously several times in various roles and capacities. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $150,000–$200,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June 2020–June 2021.

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

Goal: Increase awareness of the semiconductor industry among college-aged women.

Actual: Women’s enrollment in STEM college courses rose about 6% last year, according to the “Women in STEM Statistics” 2020 report. Our ‘Women in Semiconductors College Initiative’ is simply phenomenal in terms for raising target audience awareness of an industry that is primed for the next generation of up-and-coming female talent. We’re
excited to see the results of the campaign in the coming years. 

Goal: Encourage today’s female STEM graduates, and recent graduates, to apply for and accept jobs in the semiconductor industry.
Actual: The 2020 “Doubling Women in Semiconductor Leadership” survey by Accenture found that a whopping 58% of the industry’s largest companies saw increases in female hires in 2020, up from just 44% in 2019 (+32%).

Coinciding with this campaign, the number of women in STEM board positions rose by 18.3% in 2020, according to MSCI, showing movement by our industry as well. And with 74% of middle school girls expressing an interest in STEM, according to the National Girls Collaborative
Project, our industry future looks bright. 

Spire Agency won the first AMA Marketer of the Year DE&I award with this campaign.

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They did a great job with project management. They constantly communicated with us through regular email and phone calls; we talked every day or every other day. We also had biweekly and then monthly meetings through Zoom since we worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spire Agency was wonderful about following up with us and ensuring we had all the information we needed when we presented work to our board to get approval. 

At the start of the project, we had to put some things on hold because we didn’t have all our ducks in a row, and then then the COVID-19 pandemic started. As a result, we had some delays, though they were all on our side. The team stuck to our budget and even came in right under the budget by the end, and we appreciated that mindfulness.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Spire Agency stood out for the strength of their messaging and their ability to succinctly tell a story. They delivered the whole package: a great strategy and messaging with incredible imagery that tied the story together. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we were ecstatic with their work and results.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I advise to be prepared but trust the process and the experts at Spire Agency. You can rely on them to help tell your story in a variety of mediums. They're incredible at what they do!

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president of Cervey, a company providing pharmacy technology solutions to hospitals and pharmacy benefit managers. My role includes overseeing all company aspects, such as branding, marketing, sales, operations, and more.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

When we initiated, we were a startup company in a well-established industry, and we didn’t have a name, a marketing infrastructure, or brand awareness whatsoever. Essentially, we needed help with everything related to branding and marketing. We wanted to partner with a branding agency specializing in B2B, so we decided to partner with Spire.

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, Spire helped us come up with a name for our company and create our logo, visual identity, and media brand story. They started this process by interviewing our entire team to understand where we were at and who our competitors were in the market. We were competing in several business segments, so they evaluated each one and identified what our competitors were doing well. Then, they developed a strategy to build our brand awareness.

Spire has also designed and developed our website from scratch, and they’ve created our social media presence overall. Moreover, they’ve provided us with comprehensive marketing and design services, such as collateral design, tradeshow booth design, video production, event marketing, CRM, and PPC.

What is the team composition?

We work with four people from Spire, including the co-owner, the director of strategic marketing, and an account manager.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

We found them online while researching and talking with several agencies. During this process, we also got a strong recommendation about Spire from a business partner; they had a very strong strategic and creative reputation in the B2B space.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $450,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in mid-2019, and our engagement is ongoing.

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

Thanks to Spire’s involvement, we’ve grown as a company over the years. One of the most important results that they’ve achieved for us has been effectively communicating the essence of our company as a vision-based company. The fact that they were able to create a name, logo, and brand image that communicated what we wanted to communicate set the foundation for everything else.

We’ve also experienced very strong growth in sales, and Spire has substantially contributed to our overall marketing presence. We’ve had very strong results regarding lead generation, new pipeline opportunities, and new accounts, which has ultimately resulted in our company growth year-over-year.

Additionally, Spire’s design work is very strong. It has allowed us to go to market with a very polished presence and convey a tight and effective message. For example, during one of the largest trade shows that we attend twice a year, numerous people have come to our booth to remark on our impressive presence and make comments about our evident growth. These comments have been very uplifting because they’re a sign that we’ve stood out during these events, and Spire has been behind the creation of that presence.

This summer (2022), Cervey and Spire were jointly named Healthcare Marketer of the Year by the Dallas/Fort Worth chapter of the American Marketing Association with pretty high honors. We were named the overall best from a lineup of around 18 category winners that night.

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Spire’s performance is fantastic. They manage projects very well, and they always deliver on time. Additionally, they always come within budget, oftentimes less, which I love to see. We don’t have to manage them; they even manage us occasionally, and they act as an extension of our team.

Moreover, Spire is very responsive and respectful. They usually provide us with a lot of excellent ideas, so we end up choosing from various options. However, they also respect when we want to move in a different direction; they listen to our feedback and respond accordingly.

We have weekly account management meetings with Spire, which have been our most effective way of communication. We also exchange emails when needed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Spire’s creativity and design skills are outstanding. I’m very impressed with what they’ve created for us overall, not only in terms of graphic design but also in terms of our messaging for marketing campaigns and other things like that.

Moreover, Spire is very proactive, and they’re always one step ahead of the game, which I really value. They’re an excellent strategist in the B2B space, which has awarded them an impressive reputation. We truly rely on them for our brand identity, brand building, and momentum building. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of a single thing Spire could improve on — we love working with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Follow the plan that Spire puts forth regarding the foundation of the relationship. They’ll do a lot of research and do a terrific job interviewing your team to get as much understanding of your business as possible. Lean on their expertise, and let them come up with options for how to proceed in the relationship.

This review was published on August 19th, 2020.

Associate VP, Pharmacy Benefits Management Organization

Pharmaceuticals

51-200 Employees

Dallas, Texas, United States (25015)

$50,000 to $199,999

Jul 2019 - Ongoing

Project summary:

Spire Agency revamped a new pharmacy solution’s messaging and positioning. Then, they updated a HubSpot website and the brand’s look and feel. The team delivered webinar content and marketing collateral.

Feedback summary:

Spire Agency provided high-caliber services, leading to a broadened scope of work and an ongoing partnership. The flexible team educated themselves on the client’s niche business and provided actionable insights. They delivered frequent updates and met deadlines, excelling at project management.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the associate VP of a services-led, analytics-enabled performance improvement company. One of the services that we provide is a pharmacy benefits management solution, through which we provide pharmacy benefits to employers for their employees to leverage as part of their benefits package.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

The pharmacy benefits management solution had a lot of work done by a different agency in its inception. However, as it was nearing public launch for clients, we felt that we needed a refresh and a pivot on messaging. We selected Spire to help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project was originally scoped to be a strategy update, with messaging and positioning included. We worked through the SOW (statement of work) with Spire. After we began the process and saw the output they were providing, we were really excited about working with them and asked for additional scopes of works and projects to be initiated. That includes updating our website and our visual look and feel. They also updated our collateral library to include business cards, letterhead, and templates for Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, and Excel.

In terms of technologies used, our website is on HubSpot, and they were able to help us with that. I believe they also worked in Adobe InDesign and Microsoft Office.

What is the team composition?

The main people that we worked with were the account manager, senior account manager, strategy lead, and marketing and client services lead. We worked with those four people on a regular basis, but I know that behind the scenes, there were multiple other folks. 

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

I took over as a marketing lead for the pharmacy benefits management solution from another marketing person. They had used Spire on a previous, very narrowly scoped project, and they’d recommended that I move forward with some other agencies that they’d preferred. When I started working with those other agencies, I didn’t receive the experience that I was expecting, nor did I get the results that I wanted.

Spire was still in our agency Rolodex, so I reached out to them. After meeting with them and talking through what we were looking for, they seemed like a better fit. I moved them up from a secondary vendor to our primary vendor and then began the large scopes of work that we did with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve paid around $125,000–$130,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started our work together in July 2019. We have finished all of the open scopes of work that we had, and it was really done in a couple of different phases. One of the attributes that I really appreciated about them was that they were able to divide the projects up so that we could have certain deliverables to meet specific deadlines. For instance, we had an industry trade show where we needed some of the images, updated look and feel, and updated positioning, and they were able to meet all of our deadlines and still accomplish the overall project goals. 

The first part of the project was the messaging and positioning, and we knew that would take the longest. That finished at the end of December 2019. We kicked off the webinar content, imaging, and templating in November 2019, and that finished in the first quarter of 2020. 

We still plan to work with them, but we don’t have any open projects right now. I’d consider the relationship ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The service they provided was extremely timely and high quality. There weren’t a lot of iterations. I've had experiences in the past with other agencies where, by the end of the project, you sometimes feel like you did the project yourself, even though you paid someone else to do it. That was never the case with the Spire team — they would bring back insights from interviews that they did, which I’m not sure we would’ve necessarily uncovered on our own.

They were always able to identify opportunities while giving us options. They gave us 2¬–3 paths to choose from so that we could always find something that the management team could agree upon. 

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

I really needed an agency that was strong in project management, and Spire was. I wear a lot of different hats and manage quite a few different businesses in my role, so it can be easy for me to get lost with deadlines or in the mix of which business has which deadline. They were really on point about sending weekly or monthly updates. I always knew where we were in terms of budget, the scope of work timeline, when they expected a return or an answer from us, and when we should expect the results from them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really came in and learned the business. Pharmacy benefits management is fairly unique. They did a lot of background and research. They came in and met the key leaders and already knew some of the terminology and background, which really helped establish their credibility. 

They were really timely and able to be flexible, which was also necessary with our pharmacy benefits management solution being a new startup. There were often times where we thought we knew what the deadline was, but as we worked toward that deadline, we found many smaller deadlines within. They were absolutely outstanding at helping us meet those deadlines; they reworked things and made sure we were still being prioritized appropriately so that we got what we needed at the end of the project. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. The one thing I’d say is that for Spire, we may have been a smaller client without as large of a budget as they might be used to dealing with. There were a couple of times when they started to give us options or propose things that were not going to be within the scope of the budget. However, they were very open to the feedback and didn’t do it repeatedly.

Any advice for potential customers?

Spire should absolutely be one of your first calls. They have a lot of skill sets, subject matter experts, and centers of excellence. They can always find someone in their organization that can help you accomplish what you're looking to do. 

They’re also very friendly and personable; I really feel like I have a relationship with them. I can pick up the phone and call Marissa (Senior Account Executive), reach out through email, or let them know I'm in town and meet up. Feeling like they were part of the project team with skin in the game really helped make the entire process with them smoother; they weren’t just someone who was externally being asked to accomplish some deliverables for a paying customer.

Star Ratings

Overall rating: 5

Quality: 5

Cost: 4

Schedule: 5

Willing to refer: 5

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chief people officer at The Howard Hughes Corporation. We’re a publicly traded real estate development company specializing in master plan communities.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

We wanted to work on an extensive branding effort to connect our consumer brands to stakeholders, including the employer value proposition and candidate brand. 

We engaged Spire Agency to help us work on some of our brand positioning components, including tone and voice elements, and bring to life our internal experiences of working at the company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had a clearly defined strategy that we communicated to Spire Agency. They shared their expertise, and we collaborated to develop the final branding concept. 

Spire Agency has designed and delivered several materials, including a color palette, logos, and business cards. They’ve also helped us develop brand language centered around our vision, mission, and values. 

We utilize their deliverables to create content for our social media advertising to promote special moments within the company, like our 10th anniversary.

What is the team composition?

We work with 3–4 core team members, including a business partner, project manager, and other specialists.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

We conducted an RFP, and Spire Agency won against four other agencies. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested roughly $200,000–$1 million in the partnership with Spire Agency. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Spire Agency in June 2020, and the partnership is ongoing.

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

I don't have concrete success metrics, but they’ve really impressed me with their deliverables. Spire Agency always provides excellent quality work. 

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Spire Agency is excellent; their project manager is outstanding, and they’ve done a fabulous job. We meet via Zoom and communicate via email; they’re very professional and concise. 

Spire Agency consistently keeps up with project timelines and deliverables. They’re very thoughtful and have immersed themselves in the project to become an adjunct part of our team.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Spire Agency team’s main strengths are their approach and ability to connect with the project. They researched our competitor landscape and tried to understand our goals and why we wanted to achieve them so they could best assist us. 

We were impressed during their RFP presentation, so we had high expectations, which they’ve lived up to. The team has really gotten to know us as a company and is open to feedback, which is a huge differentiator. They’re talented at bringing brands to life and always willing to work through iterations with us. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have nothing they could improve on; Spire Agency has done a great job adapting to feedback.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I advise leveraging the team’s skills and expertise and being open to iterations because the branding will build on itself. Rather than trying to boil the ocean in a day, start with one piece of the project, and evolve from there. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder and CCO of ClearShift, a cleaner, more sustainable specialty products and chemicals company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

We founded our company under a different name, Advantage Midstream. Our initial goal was to eliminate flaring and produce fuels out of flare gas. As our company evolved, we got into more specialty products — like paints, dyes, and cosmetics — and away from fuels. We also did everything in a sustainable manner.

That shift made our name confusing to the markets. In our industry, the word ‘midstream’ is typically associated with pipelines, natural gas, and oil processing. Based on this business challenge, we decided that we needed to shift our brand and image to be more in line with what we actually are. That’s why we engaged Spire.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Spire led a very organized and prescriptive setup. First, they interviewed our management team and key decision-makers. They asked these stakeholders what the company meant to them and what their vision of the company was. Spire got to know the industry through this interview process.

They also did some research on their own to understand the competition and the landscape of the industry. Then, they came back with some findings. They then lead us through a name selection process, which was iterative and thoughtful. We then went through a similar iterative process with logo design and slogan generation.

We then engaged Spire to build a ground-up website for us. They applied the branding work they’d done to the website. We let them know what we wanted to see on the website and what page categories we wanted to have. We then went through a multi-step process of wireframing and layout to get to our final design. After that, it was just providing copy, and they took it from there. We ended up with what we think is a really great website.

They also set us up with a fully functional CMS so we can edit the website on our own after the fact, which has proven useful.

What is the team composition?

Our main points of contact are Marissa (Senior Account Executive) and Kimberly (Owner & Partner). Marissa acts as our account coordinator, and Kimberly is also heavily involved — she attends every meeting. 

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

We did a competitive bidding process.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in August 2019, and we officially kicked that September. Our work is ongoing.

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

Spire is very thoughtful and creative. Changing your entire corporate identity is a very difficult process, but Spire was diligent throughout. They asked the right questions and led a prescriptive process that helped us manage everything. The team really carried the ball forward in a meaningful way. I’ve been part of rebrands where I did 99% of the work, but Spire made the process easy. 

Their brand thoughtfulness was ideal. They took something that they didn’t know anything about — the clean chemical space — and really helped us get our message out there. They focused on our audience and positioning our brand accordingly.

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They handle all of the project management. Our interfaces with them are primarily about data requests. When they reach a major milestone, they come to us and allow us to choose from several options. They make adjustments and then give us more options.

The team delivers on time. I can’t comment on their internal project management, but from the customer side, they do well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their core focus is B2B, and that is really attractive to us because we are primarily a B2B company. Their expertise and niche in B2B made them stand out to us. They have a good, effective team and use what resources they need — nothing more. Clients don’t get weighed down by administrative costs associated with larger agencies.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. I couldn’t imagine a better experience.

Any advice for potential customers?

If you need B2B, go with Spire — they’ve got that down. They’re the best value out there, and they deliver a great product.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the director of marketing at Payer Compass, a healthcare technology innovator that focuses on providing healthcare cost solutions and transparency.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

We were challenged with elevating our brand among our competitors when we noticed that everyone was starting to step up their game in terms of marketing and promotional efforts. So, we decided that it was time to take it up a notch as well and to close that gap. 

We wanted to make sure that we were not only staying on top of our game but also ahead of our competitors when it came to the messaging and the overall look and feel and how we were targeting the right clientele in the market space.

We were definitely a bootstrapped, young organization that had been doing everything internally. To finally turn out work for these sorts of professional services, it was very obvious we had to start from the ground up and build that foundation.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Spire Agency started off by defining our messaging and positioning platform as an organization and led us through an exercise that aligned the marketing team on key messages and selling points and also spread that across our executive team. 

We then designed our website. We have a parent page on our main solution and, at Spire Agency’s direction, we included additional solutions on that same page to help the user understand what can go together, creating more points of engagement for users.

They also rebranded collateral material and put together pitch decks that were specific to the two markets that we serve. Spire made sure to address those two different market segments using similar materials and a similar look and feel. 

We've also worked with them to produce product sales sheets and digital brochures and to align our organization with the newly defined brand.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two teammates regularly, and we also worked with another 2–3 for other elements.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

We were looking for a marketing agency with a very quick turn, so I reached out to some colleagues and started to vet a couple of recommendations. Some agencies weren't taking on new clients or we weren't the right size. I stumbled upon Spire Agency when I was looking at healthcare agencies in Dallas on Google Search.

The team took my call and we started a conversation. I dug deeper and looked at samples of their work, and I was just blown away by their creativity. It was a match made right on the spot. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent just north of $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in November 2019. We’re in the process of implementing stage two of our website and finalizing digital brochures. We’re also retooling our updated presentation templates to reflect our newer website. The updated website went live in June 2020.

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

Spire Agency definitely helped us step up our game. There was just a more streamlined level of communication and messaging we were sharing externally as an organization. Our website is also much warmer and current with a better UI. 

Our bounce rates were between 79%–92% before, and we’ve gotten them down to about 30%–42% now, which is driven by Spire Agency’s guidance on page layout and content.

Our board of directors has been very pleased with the look and feel and the direction that we've taken the company from a brand perspective. 

I've noticed that we've seen a couple of our competitors emulating our images, adding a warm human element to their marketing campaigns, and using some of the same language that we pulled to the forefront. 

Additionally, our sales team is appreciative of the fact that they have more enablement tools at their fingertips and just a more elevated product. Before we were doing things in-house, using word and Adobe as much as we could. This has really upped our sales game as well. 

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Sometimes they weren't the fastest, but the product that they delivered was truly worth the wait. It was beautifully designed and impeccable. One of the things I did appreciate was sometimes they would push back. They are not order-takers. 

The team would pose questions to us that made us think and would give us a couple of options to consider. Spire Agency would also show us things that were bolder. They're strategic in their product development. As I said, they're not the fastest, but, ultimately, the result is beyond expectation. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity is exceptional. I looked at some of the other agencies that I initially had my eye set on, and I can confidently look back and see that the product that we've received from Spire Agency far surpasses what we were going to get elsewhere. 

Their creativity really separates them from others. The team was willing to dig into our space and understand our market because it’s not easy to explain healthcare. They were willing to come to the table, ask questions, and gain an understanding in order to be successful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Initially, there were some gaps in communication, and we were transparent about that because we wanted it to be a long term relationship. The team was responsive and worked efficiently to close those gaps in communication and improve the follow-up and the recapping of the goings-on. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of product management and strategic solutions for a market leader in technology for pharmacies and long-term care facilities. In my role, I wear several hats.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

We were originally part of a large parent company but wanted to differentiate our selves in the marketplace. In order to get that recognition, we brought their team on to reposition and rebrand the company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

The rebranding effort included a new logo, website, and branding guidelines. At first, we had a positioning workshop. For that, several executive members of our company went to their offices to give them an idea of everything that we offer as a company. They interviewed us as a group and individually. From there, they got to work on the deliverables. The new site was created in Wagtail CMS. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with just about their whole team. I believe there were about 10 individuals assigned to the work.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

I knew a few of their employees, so I was aware of the company going into this project. Another one of our business partners also works with them. They recommended their services to us

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $100,000–$200,000 with them. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged with them in November of 2018, and the deliverables launched in February 2020. 

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

We’ve received plenty of positive feedback both within our organization and at our brand launch at a conference. There, we got plenty of unsolicited comments about the logo, colors, and overall brand look and feel.  

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They hit all their deadlines, even when we made them somewhat unrealistic. There were a handful of times when they pulled us out of the fire. We communicated over phone calls and sharing Google Sheets.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They took the time to understand our business and educate our team about the importance of branding. It was important to start broad and work our way up, and they helped us internalize that. Additionally, they had an impressive creative team that blew us away with their talent.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything. They’re awesome. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to their insight because they’re great strategic thinkers and can look at concepts from a new perspective.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the brand marketing director at Tyler Technologies, a software company that provides services for any public sector entities. This includes schools, courts, first responders, tax assessment systems, and any other utility and city services work.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

We publish an annual report each year. We were looking for creative concepts to add to the report.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Beating out several other agencies, Spire Agency came back with three different concepts. They presented those in a traditional board form and electronic versions. Their team gave a presentation for our senior management. Once their concept was selected, they were in charge of producing the annual report. Spire Agency coordinated and produced artwork, photography, and the printing and shipping of the report.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three primary contacts. David (VP Account Services, Spire Agency), Jason (Senior Designer, Spire Agency), and Kimberly (Owner & Partner, Spire Agency) were directly involved. I’m sure other members of their staff were involved in some capacity.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

I knew one of their account reps from a previous agency several years ago, and we kept in touch. When his non-compete had run out, he contacted me and began discussing work they could do for Tyler Technologies.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $180,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Spire Agency on this project in August 2018.

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

We do post the reports electronically on our website, but mainly they go to our shareholders. Since those are hard copies, we have no direct way of tracking them.

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed extremely well when it came to project management. Their team was flexible on unforeseen adjustments, but help us to the set schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Spire Agency strives to understand businesses before producing work. They conducted interviews with myself, key stakeholders, some of our customers, and shareholders. Their team wanted to get an idea of what those audiences wanted to see in an annual report.

Since we use this report as a marketing tool, they also held interviews with management within the company as an effort to showcase the financial strength of our business. Spire Agency did their research before embarking on the creative work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes I felt that their resources were stretched thin, but they never missed deadlines, and we had no issues. It just felt that they were running on fumes at times because of the workload.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would definitely recommend them, and also would suggest that they open their organization to inquiry. As I said, Spire Agency’s strength is the fact that they understood our business. If customers let them understand their goals and let them inside their company, they will find that Spire Agency is talented in delivering research and translating that into creative concepts. Their work will meet the key objectives your team sets out.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I worked with Spire Agency as the former CEO of two companies: OptiSense Network and Younicos. I’m a turnaround CEO, which means that I get brought in to provide leadership when venture-backed companies run into trouble and need help properly commercializing their technologies.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

In both cases, we hired them to resolve a branding issue.

What was the scope of their involvement?

With OptiSense, which is based in the U.S., we didn’t have an established brand. The logo was very dated and we didn’t even understand how to product-tie and market our solution in the marketplace. Spire Agency completely rebranded for us. They also helped with reproductization and provided a comprehensive go-to-market strategy, which included marketing materials, trade show booths, and customer communication.

In the case of Younicos, they were a Berlin-based asset we’d acquired and we were struggling with how to product-tie a new offering, as well as with how to brand it and get it to market. The product was related to energy storage, which was a relatively new topic and unfamiliar to many industrial customers. Spire helped us helped us with branding, marketing, and the launch of that product.

What is the team composition?

We worked with anywhere from three to six people at various points in each project.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

One of my former colleagues had known the team at Spire since the company formed. He introduced me to Kimberly Tyner, their owner, who is impressive in her creativity and ability to execute ideas. Spire didn’t have the biggest name or reputation, but meeting with Kimberly gave me full confidence in their capabilities.

How much have you invested with them?

I’m not entirely sure, but it was at least $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with them across both companies from March 2011 to March 2017.

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

After the rebranding at OptiSense, we went from producing nothing commercially to selling about $1 million of product per month within about two and a half years. This was in large part because Spire worked with us on a new branding and trade booth strategy. They helped us purchase a premium booth so we didn’t have to rent a generic one and they gave us more nuanced marketing materials. After that, our booth was 100% booked for four days at our next trade show, resulting in 200 solid leads. It started a massive increase in presence for us.

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They assigned an account manager for us who handled communication and project coordination. He integrated smoothly with our team, kept us informed, and handed off different aspects of the work to his team as needed. All of our project milestones were met on time and they always invested an appropriate level of effort. They were also accurate and transparent with billing, so there were never any surprise costs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I felt like I was their only client even though I knew I wasn’t. Their customer engagement was excellent. They listen well, learn to grasp the unique needs of your company, and translate that into a specific outcome. It’s easy for contractors to get stuck in trying to learn your mission or values, but Spire is extremely efficient with this process. They also use customer feedback to hone the messaging until they create something that’s unique and makes people excited.

I think this level of quality is due to the fact that they’re all highly specialized, capable people. Whether we needed graphic design, a company mission and profile, or someone to tease out a value proposition, everyone at the company was extremely experienced and capable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As their business continues to grow, I hope they can maintain their strong customer service.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the development manager for Howard, one of the largest CPA firms in North Texas. I oversee marketing our brand and recruitment initiatives.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

I came onboard to revamp our whole marketing image. I needed a marketing brand firm to develop our social media presence, rebuild our brand image from scratch, and increase brand awareness and our position in the marketplace.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They conducted extensive research of our competition, and brought that back to our senior leadership team for strategy workshops. They started from the ground up to develop true messaging and positioning. We needed to change our name, our logo, and put ourselves in a better position for our clients and team members. They overhauled all of that, along with any client-facing elements, including our whole website.

We did our own social media work internally, but they helped us as we recreated our image on those platforms. They helped with messaging, and our business cards, letterhead, stationary, and every design aspect. They were involved in digital promo items, invoices, software, telephone messaging, and signature blocks. We had very little time to go live and essentially transform into a different firm.

Luckily, I’ve done many of these brand changes, and knew where I wanted to go. We were able to work with their team, who understood the big picture and could take everything and execute it. They let us do some of the work on our side, which let us reassign more of our budget to the creative side.

What is the team composition?

We had one main point of contact who delegated all their work on their side.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

Our founder attended a photo shoot for one of our clients years ago. He met Spire there and got their business card. He had it in his desk for years, and gave it to me to call them when I came on and started the rebranding. We were considering two other firms, but they weren’t the right fit. Spire gave the best presentation, and were the surest they could finish the brand launch by our hard date in November 2013.

How much have you invested with them?

Our annual cost varies, based upon what projects we assign to them. The initial investment was $125,000, and our current total investment is over $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I joined the company in July 2013, and we started working together around that time. We launched the rebrand that November. We still work together on other projects.

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

After the relaunch, we were a finalist for the American Marketing Association’s Corporate Rebrand of the Year award. That was huge, and really boosted brand awareness. We’re now able to take in applications through the site, and the number of qualified leads went up amazingly within the first year. Recruiting applications and contact forms both went up, and one new client that year paid for our investment in the engagement.

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

I’ve done several brand relaunches, even with huge firms, and this was one of the easiest I’ve done in terms of having one contact at the agency. Regardless of my need, I could always go to my one main contact, which made the process super easy. We had such a tight deadline, and this really helped.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re personal. Sometimes they have great ideas that don’t fit our firm yet, so they adjust. They keep brainstorming and, five years later, we’re coming back to some of their creative touchpoints for bigger campaigns. They don’t charge me for every little consulting email or phone call, and they’re able to run through things quickly and move on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d improve. I recommend them highly, and still do work with them both personally and professionally.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to their ideas and suggestions. You might need to compromise to fit your budget, but they will work with you on that. They’ll also help you push ideas internally to restructure your budget spending. They can provide mockups to compare what you want with what fits in the budget, and make recommendations for the long haul.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the president and CEO of a startup in the building materials space, specifically focused on roofing. We are currently developing and preparing to launch a new style of synthetic roofing shingle. We’ll start up our business servicing the markets near to us, then grow to a national scale as quickly as possible.

What challenge were you trying to address with Spire Agency?

We were looking to begin the process of creating our brand identity. We had a lot of ideas about how we wanted to position ourselves, but we needed to condense them into a few coherent points. We would then use these to build our branding identity, and then start with marketing.

I have over 30 years of experience in this industry, and the VPs we have are also experienced. We needed Spire to make our ideas more concise so we could build our marketing campaign and sales approach around them.

What was the scope of their involvement?

One of the original deliverables was a positioning statement where they created a strategic brand platform document to be used as a guide for our work. They developed the product names, and augmented development in Exhibit for all of the associated parts and pieces. This included assets used in a tradeshow booth for the International Roofing Expo.

They also helped us get an initial website up, and they’re currently working on our permanent site, as well as sales collateral. They’ve helped us create some public relations work as well.

As a building materials business, we have to be able to present our product line and show samples to homeowners and contractors who install them. We’re doing our marketing in-house, but Spire is definitely aiding us in that process by building style guides and a consistent branding identity.

How did you come to work with Spire Agency?

I was searching for a smaller firm that was not necessarily experienced in building materials, but had done a contemporary and creative branding strategy before. I was also looking for someone in the Dallas or Ft. Worth area so we could have a close working relationship. Spire was one of the three firms we evaluated, and we ended up being very impressed with their previous work along with their thoughts about developing our brand.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $350,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

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

We haven’t commercialized ourselves yet, so we’re not currently active in the marketplace. However, the work Spire did for us in preparation for the International Roofing Expo was a huge success. The booth design, exhibit, and other various components were all excellent. Our stand was busy from start to finish every single day, and contractors were very excited to hear about our new product. We received consistent feedback that they liked the experience of our exhibit, which Spire contributed heavily to.

How did Spire Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re okay. I’m used to starting with a creative brief with past agencies, which pushes the team to move through the project. Spire is a bit loose when it comes to this area, but we wanted a smaller firm that we could personally engage, so a rigid process wasn’t necessary. This isn’t a negative trait of their company, but more just a part of their personality as a smaller firm.

We haven’t had issues with communication or deadlines. If they were a larger firm, I could see us having to chase deadlines a bit more aggressively.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a very creative team, and they see ways to put sparkle and pizzazz on things that are typically presented in a more mundane fashion. I like their edginess and the fact that they’re willing to push the envelope with their creative work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

If they could implement a creative brief at the beginning of a project, that would be very helpful to the process.