States of Matter

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-Owner of Cardoon

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Cardoon is a cafe bar serving house-made world-influenced sweet and savory bites, specialty coffee and tea, and low and zero-proof drinks.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire States of Matter to accomplish?

• Formalize our brand identity
• Create an inspiring and unique logo

SOLUTION

How did you find States of Matter?

Referral

Why did you select States of Matter over others?

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

How many teammates from States of Matter were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

The work centered around brand identity exploration and logo development. After several value and personality brainstorm sessions, we were delivered a summary brief including design attributes and brand differentiators. From there, we began work on the logo design, which included interactive mood board exercises and several rounds of design iteration and tweaking. The final deliverable was a set of text and graphic logo files.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The delivered logo is iconic and puts us in a great place to establish our brand and differentiate us from our competitors. This has been remarked on by design-minded customers and friends alike. We still refer to the early value proposition and brand personality exercises which helped clarify our vision.

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

Work items were delivered on time and the meetings were flexible based on covid-era restrictions, which allowed for hybrid in-person on-site meetings as well as virtual meetings. Iterations were well-received and based on providing the highest quality deliverable that fell under the project scope.

What was your primary form of communication with States of Matter?

Virtual Meeting

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

The approach was much more personable and based on shared values than would have been feasible for a larger design firm. The care taken to understand the vision of our just-started cafe went beyond the confines of a normal design contract - tasting prototype food items, touring pre-construction spaces to imagine the physical aspect of the space, and doing extensive research to bring in the work and styles of other cultures respectfully was greatly appreciated.

Are there any areas for improvement or something States of Matter could have done differently?

Excitement around our ideas and a willingness to consider and pursue potential design paths is one of the strong-suits of this agency - the many discussions we had were memorable and ensured buy-in to our vision. There were times, though, when this type of collaboration could have benefitted from more conscious time management to ensure we stayed on-track.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the VP of Marketing of Blurb

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Print-on-demand for self-publishing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire States of Matter to accomplish?

• Help us QUICKLY design a logo

SOLUTION

How did you find States of Matter?

Referral

Why did you select States of Matter over others?

Referred to me

How many teammates from States of Matter were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

After many failed attempts to design a logo that met the bar for all stakeholders, we turned to Henry at States of Matter upon the recommendation of a trusted colleague. We asked him to design a logo from scratch for a new consumer brand in a very short amount of time (like days instead of weeks).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Henry did a great job reviewing our brief, asking the right questions, looking at the previous rounds of logos that failed and he hit it out of the park on the first round which is what we needed since we didn't have time for more than 2 rounds of review/revision.

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

The project was managed impeccably. Henry met deadlines, gave clear communication throughout the process, and took our feedback and made adjustments quickly.

What was your primary form of communication with States of Matter?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

They really hit the nail on the head with their first round of logos. I'd never really seen that before!

Are there any areas for improvement or something States of Matter could have done differently?

Nope.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President & CEO of Unmute The Voices

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

My company produces radio and video content.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire States of Matter to accomplish?

• Establishing the brand identity of my radio show
• Logo design
• Color scheme and animations

SOLUTION

How did you find States of Matter?

Referral

Why did you select States of Matter over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fits our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from States of Matter were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

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

States of Matter did a wonderful job creating the entire brand strategy for my radio show and podcast. They created the logo, color schemes and entire brand identity of my project. They worked with my team to help me establish a very strong brand, which has continued to do very well. They also incorporated the music into the brand, which was incredibly helpful to us.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The outcomes of the project continue to be very strong. People recognize the Unmute The Voices brand because of its vibrant colors and logo. They associate the brand with excellence and the creation of that from States of Matter has truly helped our show be successful.

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

They were extremely punctual and ALWAYS exceeded our expectations when we worked together.

What was your primary form of communication with States of Matter?

• Virtual Meeting

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

 was most impressed with their creativity and innovative approaches toward art and marketing. They know how to predict the future of the consumer, and design specifically for the future. They are also very good at helping one strategize and predict how to continue to be a disruptor and innnovator in a very competitive market.

Are there any areas for improvement or something States of Matter could have done differently?

None.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner and operator of Mami Tran, a Seattle-based Vietnamese mobile food truck. My sister and I got into this business to honor our mom’s cooking and do something different than we’d done before.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with States of Matter?

When we started the company in 2018, a friend of ours that has a similar business in San Francisco advised us to look into a branding company. We hired States of Matter to create our whole branding approach.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

States of Matter helped us with branding. We had an initial meeting with them to get to know each other. Then, they did a full day-long exercise to get our perspective and ideas about what we wanted the brand to look like. For 8–10 hours, they brainstormed and discussed how we would bring forth ideas with us.

The team created our image, including our color palette, logo, and food truck design. They'd already come up with logo ideas before that second meeting, and they presented us with the different options. They also wrote our slogan and designed the tile for our truck. States of Matter worked with the food truck design company that did the wrap for our truck.

States of Matter then used the same image on the website to be cohesive. They used Squarespace to create the site because it was easy for me to edit; I wanted to manage it myself without calling them for updates. A copywriter from their side wrote all the text, including the slogan, website content, and our bio.

The main purpose of our website was to inform our clients about our location, so the States of Matter team added a calendar feature to display the truck will be at. They also added functionalities to order online for pickup.

Since that first project ended, we've hired States of Matter for other related services. They designed stickers for our packaging that inform the clients what kind of meat is in their food. We sell hot sauce, lemongrass chili, and fish sauce, and we also hired them to create our labels for us. The most recent project that they've done for us is professional-looking packaging for the frozen items we sell, such as vegan rolls and wontons. 

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with Henry (Principal & Creative Director) and Jessica (Strategist & Partner). We also talked with the web designer and the copywriter.

How did you come to work with States of Matter?

My sister found them by googling branding companies in Seattle. Often, you can tell if a company's work is good by looking at their website. My sister saw some of States of Matter's work, liked their aesthetic and the projects they'd done, and asked me to reach out. When I got together with Henry and Jessica, we had a good rapport and an instant connection, so we decided to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

The first project cost around $12,000. In total, we've spent around $23,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The initial engagement lasted from December 2018–January 2019. We completed our other projects with them outside of this range.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We measure their success based on our customers' reactions, and we get so many compliments on the packaging States of Matter created for us! Their work helps our business come together, added to our products and customer service. For our patrons, the first impression of our product is crucial, and States of Matter's designs have been a really important part of that.

None of the food trucks in our area have a design like ours; many trucks have mismatched branding. Meanwhile, States of Matter created a cohesive image for us,  from the food truck design to our website to our packaging — it all looks really nice.

Additionally, the website was designed really nicely, and we've gotten a lot of compliments on it. The copywriter was really good; our website content was worded nicely, too.

Before finding them, we thought we would just go online and have someone create a logo for us. We're so happy we went with States of Matter and did the design more formally because it made the process really easy, and our branding looks so much more professional. They planned out our discovery day well; they were really focused on us and weren't distracted. I appreciated that they asked us what was important to us.

Even though we could go with someone else for further projects that would be cheaper, we'll keep going with them because they already know our branding better than us — their work was well worth the money. 

How did States of Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

They were really good at scheduling and communication. Project management was back and forth; it was also about us getting back to them, and because we operate the truck, sometimes it was difficult for us.

We never worked in any kind of time crunch; they were pretty mindful of our deadlines and always stuck to the timeline. As far as budget, we never had one because we're entrepreneurs, too, and we trusted States of Matter to give us the quote they felt was reasonable for the time they put into their work.

We usually communicated through phone calls and emails. We also used Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I've also visited their office to drop off materials, such as the jars for the label designs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was most impressed by States of Matter's communication skills. I could ask them anything, and they were good at responding fast and were really honest. For example, we asked them for advice on who to hire for nutritional labels; they asked one of their other clients and then got back to me. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there wasn't anything they needed to improve. There were times when I had specific ideas, and then Henry would help me look at them differently. That's the only thing I can think of, and I don't consider it a bad thing. Although some people might not like that approach or think the client's way should always be right, I was open to their professional perspective. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Keep an open mind, especially if you're a new company, and especially with cost. Allow yourself to think out of the box. The engagement might not go well if you start with a too-strong idea; sometimes, the professionals know best, and you have to let them take care of it. 

You do get a say, of course, and that's why I liked the exercise they did; it was a word box where you express what you want your brand to feel like. With that input, States of Matter can create the image you're looking for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is called Gordian Knot Investments, which is a real estate investment company. We syndicate the purchase of apartment buildings or office buildings to private equity or loan placement.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with States of Matter?

We wanted all of our products to have a strong image and to create a concept of our company in the minds of customers, investors, and high-net-worth individuals. In order to address our image and branding, we hired States of Matter.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

States of Matter did everything for us, from our logo to our physical collaterals. One of the things I’m particular about is the thickness and weight of our business cards, so they took care of that. Their team designed our checks and envelopes to have the Gordian Knot Investment logo as well. 

They made all of our product interfaces and designed our webpage, ensuring that the elements were consistent across all digital and printed media. The graphics and pictures of the buildings we’re looking to buy were also compiled into an offering book, which is like a private placement memorandum, that I can send out electronically.

What is the team composition?

The two people we worked with were Henry (Principal & Creative Director) and Jessica (Strategist & Partner).

How did you come to work with States of Matter?

My son was the one who found them when we were looking at several groups and conducting interviews. Even though they weren’t as well known as the other people we talked to, we decided to go with States of Matter because we were impressed by Henry and Jessica’s attitude towards work, ability to get things done, and design sensibility. Everybody else proposed designs that just weren’t creative or original. They were better for what we needed. 

How much have you invested with them?

We probably spent around $20,000–$25,000, including the cost of the cards and the stationery. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started in January 2020 and worked with them until the lockdown in March 2020. We blasted through the project — we were practically living in their office for a few weeks and did a tremendous amount of work over a short period of time.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The business cards that States of Matter made for our company cost a lot but have been very worth it. It’s two pieces of colored paper put together and Henry managed to make it such that we could see the divide between the blue side and the white side. There is also an almost invisible line drawn through the logo, and in Greek legend, whoever would cut the Gordian knot would rule the world. It shows that their team has an attention to detail and responsiveness to our story. 

In addition, when we hand our business card to somebody, they get a sense that we’re serious about what we’re doing. It really catches people’s eyes over and over and I feel better every time someone compliments it.

Henry and Jessica did an excellent job. I wish I had done this project for another investment company that I’ve owned for 10 years. They created a whole different look that really distinguished us from my prior companies.

How did States of Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

Their communication was excellent. I had a lot of projects under construction and had several people communicating with me  —  contractors, engineers, real estate people, investors, bankers, and lawyers — so I had pretty high standards. I wanted an immediate response to my email unless it’s sent out on a Friday evening. The States of Matter team, however,  got back to me on the same night or the following morning, even on a weekend. 

It was truly a joy to work with them because they had their own strong work ethic but immediately adapted to ours. When they needed to attend to something personal, they let us know. They got the work done in a timely manner and worked really hard to meet the set deadline.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team was highly intelligent and had the ability to grasp and be creative with the concepts. Before COVID-19, I would have meetings all day long and, in the course of my day, I would always look forward to working with States of Matter. I would literally leave early because I enjoyed their company. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have a funky space down in Pioneer Square, in Seattle, and I enjoyed going there to work with them. However, their office was on the fourth floor and there were no elevators in the building. I think they’re going to have to grow out of that as I, myself, had a hard time climbing up those stairs.

There is nothing I would change about their business manners, intellect, or creativity. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Now that we’re coming out of quarantine, you need to work with States of Matter personally, not remotely. This is true with any kind of creative, whether they’re architects or graphic designers. Let them get to know you, what kind of personality you have, and why you named your company the way you did. 

I’m a firm believer that you have to have that personal interaction with creative people, and their team is superb at that. We felt really comfortable the first time we met them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at Intrepid. We sell a learning solution that empowers the Global 2000 to solve their high-stakes learning challenges. Basically, it’s a digital learning solution for collaborative learning. Users can learn with and from others.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with States of Matter?

Intrepid needed to rebrand. We didn’t know how would a rebrand reflect on our website, what our layout should look like, or how to best showcase our message. We were ultimately looking to redo our website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first step was to determine our branding attributes. States of Matter conducted a branding attributes workshop with our executive team. This helped us figure out who we are, what we’re interested in, and who our key audiences are. The goal was to understand the composition of our company.

Henry (Principal and Creative Director, States of Matter) conducted the workshop and two of his teammates facilitated the session. Afterward, they collected feedback and conducted interviews.

The second step was a competitive analysis. States of Matter worked with us to identify who our major competitors are. Their team spent a lot of time understanding our business. They identified additional competitors they thought would help us make certain decisions. This led to a series of reports and additional discussions.

Next, we did several workshops that eventually culminated in our final website. States of Matter completed the wireframes and design, all while moving the project forward.

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Henry and Stephanie (Project Manager, States of Matter) as well as other individuals on their team.

How did you come to work with States of Matter?

I have worked with them at three different companies and found them while working at the first one. At that time, I’d been searching for digital design agencies within the Seattle area. Through word-of-mouth, I heard about States of Matter and wanted to learn more.

When we spoke with them, they first stood out because they had a boutique interest—they weren’t taking on giant amounts of clients. Second, their references were impeccable. We talked to many of their references and received only positive feedback. Third, we interviewed them and were super impressed with how they came across. Their intentions aligned with ours, and we knew they’d help us build our business.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested about $80,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Intrepid has been working with them since 2015. We have an ongoing partnership.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our site went live in May 2019, and we’ve seen great traction ever since. The number of page views has increased, and our SEO is much better than before. We hear that our viewers understand what we do, which was the big issue we were trying to solve.

We’re seeing many of our industry competitors using our language and starting to change their website to match the designs on ours.

How did States of Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

Stephanie has done a great job of being accountable for project scheduling. They’ve always delivered on time and within budget. Their team is very clear on project deadlines, what deliverables will hit when, and who’s responsible for what.

I’m very impressed with their project management capabilities. As a small company, that’s a huge benefit. I don’t have time to manage that, so I count on my vendors to do so.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their design experience is the most impressive asset they’ve brought to the table. States of Matter has the ability to analyze the business, understand it, and then output that into a visually-appealing modern design. A design that is easy to understand makes us capable of maintenance as we move forward.

A lot of other design agencies output complex designs that only they can maintain. I’ve never seen that with States of Matter.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve used them for five years now, and I haven’t seen anything bad.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to spend time helping States of Matter understand your business. Give them all the information they need to be successful in the project. Don’t forget to spend time understanding the project plan as well—ensure that it agrees with your business objectives.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Kuma Coffee, a wholesale coffee roasting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with States of Matter?

We needed help with redesigning our package. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted a package that has a cleaner design and represents our values better. States of Matter started the project with an exploration process where we thought about who we are and what we’re trying to do. I spent four hours filling out a long questionnaire and then attended a two-hour meeting talking through my answers. 

It was very useful for us as a business to have that self-reflection. It allowed us to base the designs on our values rather than purely on aesthetics. After that, we had three rounds of designs where we’d talk about how the choices aligned with our values. We also had a practical perspective in terms of whether a package design would physically work for our product. 

Once we settled on a design, States of Matter helped us fulfill the materials. They guided us through talking with vendors, working out details, and going through proofs until we were ready to order.

What is the team composition?

We worked with three people. Henry (Principal and Creative Director, States of Matter) was our designer while Stephanie (Former Producer, States of Matter) handled our project and account.

How did you come to work with States of Matter?

I was looking at other companies’ packaging and tracking down what vendors they used to design them. I then googled those companies that were based in Seattle. That’s how I found States of Matter.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $15,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from May until August 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

When I talked to other business owners, they said that when you do a rebrand, the common response you’ll hear is silence—and that’s a good thing. But I’m happy to say that after working with States of Matter, we have an overwhelmingly positive response from current customers. We’re also seeing a good deal of new business. It’s been a big success.

Since then, we’ve engaged States of Matter on a few other projects. They created signage for a pop-up venue we hosted with another company. Now, they’re working with us to design some vinyl for a delivery van.

How did States of Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve done exceedingly well. We’ve collaborated with a lot of different vendors, and States of Matter was one of the better teams we’ve worked with. I could explain my concepts to Henry, and he just got it. Our communication was brief, but they still fully understood what we were going for. Once they had that understanding, they just went for it and got it done.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their competence and accuracy impressed us the most. That foundation of understanding our requirement was there for every task, and from there came action.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Any advice for potential customers?

It’s hard to find vendors who can really do good work. States of Matter is one of them. Make sure that you’re both aligned on what you want them to do before you start the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the CMO for MediaPro. We’re a cyber security and privacy education vendor. We sell to companies who are interested in training their employees on cybersecurity risks. About 80% of all breaches happen because somebody clicks something or does something wrong, so we sell programs to companies to enable them to better educate their employees.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with States of Matter?

We went through an equity investment back in October, which led to a new CEO, and we needed to do a brand refresh. It had been 10 years since the last one, so we wanted to include everything from logos to websites to messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They started by developing the logo and then moved on to the website with design wireframes. They helped us do messaging and positioning as part of overall value propositions - and then we launched our new site. We did the development in-house, but they did pretty much everything up to that point.

They helped us move away from a very content driven site, and helped us with re-visualizing ourselves as more of a cybersecurity company. The second part is they needed to bring in the three buyer personas we’d researched and developed. They also helped us create our site navigation, based on those personas.

What is the team composition?

We have both a project director and project manager, in addition to a designer and a marketing resource.

How did you come to work with States of Matter?

They did a good job for me on a project I worked on while with another company. I was looking at a bunch of companies, including States of Matter, and they worked well with our CEO. They helped him figure out what he wanted, and asked all the right questions.

How much have you invested with them? 

We spent more than $100,000-$150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from December 2017 until May 2018. We launched the site on May 1st.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our internal folks are really excited about the new branding and website, and our Board of Directors has been excited about what they’ve been seeing. We continue to see a rise in web traffic, and there are all other sorts of good indicators, but it’s a little early to make any ROI calculations.

How did States of Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project manager did a great job, especially regarding expectation management, which is always difficult when you’re doing any type of agency work. They were consistent in their communication and provided the right level of feedback to keep the project on track. They communicated especially well with our executive leadership. We mainly talked via email and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They spent time figuring out what it was we wanted in the beginning. They always seemed to ask the right questions, provided the right level of facilitated sessions, and have exercises that are interesting and engaging. A lot of the executive leadership team, when we did our website and core branding, came into the session expecting to be bored with the standard, stupid exercises. But they did a great job of keeping them engaged, providing compelling, value-ridden exercises. People walked feeling like they had accomplished something. Their strengths are their process, and taking people through a journey, which is the most important part.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I've used them twice, and I don't really have any bits of feedback. There's always trouble, in any project. For example making sure specific communications are correct, but I don’t’ have any major feedback.

Any advice for potential customers?

I'd probably tell them to make sure that they invest time upfront to help States of Matter understand what they’re trying to do. They're very good at making sure to hold those frank discussions as well.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of NK Architects. We're a B2B architecture firm that focuses on the Passivhaus method, which helps accelerate a transition to clean energy by designing zero-carbon buildings at scale.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with States of Matter?

We were in the process of rebranding our firm to more clearly align with the high-performance building design approach called Passivhaus. We hired States of Matter to help us think through our rebranding, develop a design, and launch a new website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, they had to understand and learn about our world, and our specific type of work so they could effectively communicate it to our customers. Then, they did market research, including interviews with some of our longtime clients to identify what their pay points and priorities are. Based on these findings, we worked together to create a brand framework and archetype cards, which determined the voice of our website copy, as well as the color palette for the site.

We then developed a wireframe for the Craft site, keeping in mind the journeys we wanted our primary and secondary audiences to go through. Then it was on to design palettes and actual concepts, which was a very collaborative process. After, we honed our messaging of the Passivhaus method, deciding to focus on the certainty it lends to building performance, financials, and quality.

On the website itself, States of Matter created a strong video hook at the top of the site and reworked our “Why Work With Us” section, to focus less on ourselves and more on the certainty our services provide. The site has an active blog, that they create content for, and showcases featured projects that allow potential clients to see our portfolio. The CMS is easy for us to use as well since there’s a lot of plug and play stuff we can do with quotes and social proof of our work.

What is the team composition?

We had a project manager, but we also worked with four other people, including a project architect and a designer.

How did you come to work with States of Matter?

We wanted a fresh perspective and a new set of eyes. We’re moving into a new approach and new space in the architecture field, so we wanted new, creative ideas around us. Our CEO had a friend that knew of their work so we had them in for an interview. They gave a really effective pitch and came with great questions and a great portfolio.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from August 2016 until February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve had really great feedback on the website from both potential clients and people we’ve hired. It’s been a good recruiting tool as well. We’re already seeing major projects come in, like a 500-unit Passivhaus job north of Washington D.C., that is partly thanks to the website. We’re also very active on the high-performance building design speaking circuit, so having this site align with our work has really helped us position ourselves as though leaders.

How did States of Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

We spoke at least every couple weeks, and it was certainly more frequently than that at some points. We weren’t always an easy client to manage, but they cajoled us where we needed it and were flexible when they needed to be.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They clearly translated our brand into visual and verbal mediums, which helped bring order and energy to our message. They really did a great job collaborating on that.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The creative process had its hits and misses, but that’s kind of the way it is. Their first attempt at translating our stuff into a visual form was less vibrant than we had hoped for, but they expanded their team and were able to fix any problems, meeting our hopes and expectations.

Any advice for potential customers?

I think you have to be ready. Engagements are successful when you have that investment and spend time and creative energy in the process. Be ready to make that investment because they’re going to ask for it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

My name is James Gwertzman, and I am the CEO of Playfab. We are a backend services company which provides services for game studios.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with States of Matter?

We’ve had several projects with States of Matter, the primary one focusing on clarifying the brand and messaging of our company. We wanted to work with a design firm because, to me, that was how we could get a good sense of what our brand was.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

States of Matter has created a logo for our company, UI [user interface] designs which helped us visualize the product we were building, a booth for a trade show on two occasions, a marketing brochure, as well as a new design for our website. States of Matter has also helped us create an overall messaging brand framework for Playfab.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our very first project was in the summer of 2015, for our logo work. We subsequently engaged States of Matter on early UI work. In the fall of that year, we kicked off the branding and messaging work. In January 2016, we worked on the trade show booth design and marketing brochure. At the moment, there is no ongoing work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I have no hard KPIs [key performance indicator], but I can mention qualitative feedback from people who have visited our trade show booth and looked through our brochure. I was told that they were some of the best brochures they’d seen. It tells our story clearly, and it’s attractive. Likewise, the booth itself has received praise many of times.

Our website was terrible before, and now it looks good, but I don’t necessarily have numbers which would show that we’re making more money because of it.

A big part of being a small company is what we call “the big lie,” namely communicating a much larger footprint or impact than we necessarily have. A big part of broadcasting that larger footprint has been looking like a much more professional company. Things like the booth, the brochure, the logo, and our website are at the top-notch, professional level they should be at.

I feel that, instead of States of Matter pushing their own ideas in a disruptive manner, we were able to come up with an extremely organic result, which fit who we were very well. Much of the help in figuring that out was based on States of Matter’s input, so their ideas did go into the process but in a positive way. They were helping me uncover what the brand was, as opposed to steering it in a wrong direction.

How did States of Matter perform from a project management standpoint?

Stephanie [Producer, States of Matter], our project manager, has been in charge of the process and has always been extremely attentive to our schedule and budget, letting me know when something I was asking for had the potential of shifting our plan.

What did you find most impressive about States of Matter?

A part of why I like working with States of Matter so much is that they’re very smart and good at figuring out different elements, as opposed to making random choices. Their decisions never felt like toss-offs, but rather are rigorous around what’s the right answer for us.

We’re a very smart company, and we do well working with other smart people. By this, I am referring to the intellectual rigor that States of Matter can bring to the work. It’s never a choice based on what they’re feeling like on a certain day. This goes a long way into our relationship with States of Matter.

I’ve never seen States of Matter’s egos get involved in decisions. It’s always a collaborative process, even though they may push back sometimes.

Are there any areas States of Matter could improve?

States of Matter is an expensive company, but I keep coming back to them. Ultimately, this is the level of work I’m willing to pay for. I don’t blame them for the hours being put in, but I do have realizations over the amount of money we’re spending. It’s easily worth it, though.

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

Put your time into it. From working with States of Matter, I have discovered that the best results come from a high level of engagement with the client. I’ve heard them complain that certain clients don’t do that, which makes it hard to get the best results. Delegating the collaboration to the lower levels will not get the best results.