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    Lombard, IL
    630.627.5200

Make Things Happen

5.0
3 reviews

Stevens & Tate Marketing is a leading Chicago-based, integrated marketing and advertising agency that is servicing clients nationwide. We specialize in broadcast advertising, interactive advertising, package design, media buying, search engine optimization, social media and website design.

Stevens & Tate has a solid client base in many industries such as B2B, Real Estate, Senior Living, Hospitality, Food Retail, Healthcare.

At Stevens & Tate we understand the importance of offering leadership in thinking and process. We know objectives and strategies should always be bold and measurable. Creative must clearly convey your service or product's unique competitive advantage. At Stevens & Tate, we "Make Things Happen"​ for our client partners.

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$10,000+
 
$100 - $149 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
1992
Show all +
Lombard, IL
headquarters
  • Stevens & Tate Marketing
    1900 S Highland Ave
    Lombard, IL 60148
    United States
    630.627.5200

Reviews

5.0
3 reviews
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Design & Advertising for Bakery

“They understand our company and they understand our brand.”

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
2012 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Stevens & Tate provides design and marketing services for a medium-sized bakery business. The scope of work began with package design and expanded to include display design and public relations work.

The Reviewer
 
501-1000 Employees
 
Schaumburg, Illinois
Tom Marcucci
VP of Marketing, Gonnella Baking Co.
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Their strong background in package product design is reflected in the quality of the work produced, which is creative and syncs with the brand and mission of the company. They are responsive, communicative, and highly professional partners, who offer quick turnarounds and prompt invoicing. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Gonnella Baking Company is located in the Midwest. I’ve been the vice president of sales and marketing for approximately 20 years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stevens & Tate?

We originally went to them seeking some help with graphic design. We have around 24 branded packaged products items which deploy a variety of packaging techniques. At some point, that was getting very difficult to manage and it was hard to keep our graphics focused. We started looking for an agency that could cover our packaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were doing a little packaging design with them, but we found their work to be good and we them to be responsive, so we moved more and more in their direction. They now do packaging design, some display design, and some billboard work. They presented us with some billboard options over the last couple years which we are going to deploy with our 2018 budget.

They also do some PR copy for us and handle public relations. We occasionally put out press releases about all kinds of things: opening new plants, closing plants, or developing new products, for example.

What is the team dynamic? 

I know their team now. If I call for Debbie [TITLE NEEDED] and she’s not there, they ask if I want to talk to Marie [TITLE NEEDED]. They help me navigate their company and get to the people I need right away.

How did you come to work with Stevens & Tate?

They’re engaged in things like the Illinois Food Retailers Association and the Grocery Manufacturers Association here in the Chicago area. I attend those events, and met their team several times. They said on more than one occasion that they’d love to come in and discuss my goals and aspirations for my company and see how they can help. When I needed to nail down a package design and get consistency across our product line, I reached out to them and a couple other firms as well. Stevens & Tate won the account.

We chose them due to their strong consumer package product background, particularly in private label. That was attractive to us because we were starting to do more private label packaging for large grocery chains. They’re also very active in Chicago, which is one of the reasons why they’re a good fit for us. It doesn’t matter how good a company is; if they don’t know our brand, then we’re starting from scratch. Finally, we consider ourselves to be a medium-sized company, and we wanted to work with a medium-sized agency.

How much have you invested with them?

In the last five years, we’ve spent $300,000, probably 70% of which was in the last two and a half years. Our dollar line with them is going up every year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them five years ago and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They developed our display adverts for trade magazines and at industry events I have people come up to me on a regular basis and say they like those ads. They put a new twist on an old product line; it’s creative and it syncs up with our packaging, our branding, and our mission.

Sales are the much more problematic issue. Our food service sales and our grocery store sales numbers are flat, which is good news as Chicago has been a focal point for incoming bakeries who encroach onto our turf.

How did Stevens & Tate perform from a project management standpoint?

Our relationship is improving and growing, as opposed to what often happens with agencies, which is that they come in and you get great work for six months, and then they stop answering the phone. That’s not the case with Stevens & Tate. They’re very responsive and I never go 24 hours without a returned call. Their turnarounds are also very quick. I’ll have a first draft or couple of concepts for a task on my desk within 24 hours.

Also, the billing and the invoicing processes are good. That might sound like an unusual thing to say, but for me, I want to pay my bills and I want to pay them on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They understand our company and they understand our brand. They’re very responsive. If I give them a task, they hit the mark and don’t misunderstand. We just understand each other and there’s no confusion.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. They do a nice job.

5.0
Overall Score I’m not looking to replace them and the relationship is growing.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They meet deadlines and are very responsive.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They’re very cost effective. The invoices come on time and I find their pricing to be in line.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    I’m very happy with them.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I already have.

Branding & Advertising for Retirement Community

"A competitor now runs simplified versions of our ads … because they’ve resonated so well with the public."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
May 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Stevens & Tate comprehensively modernized a website and marketing strategy to maximize nonprofit budget. They created a social media presence and now coordinate online and print branding and advertising.

The Reviewer
 
201-500 Employees
 
Madison, Mississippi
Felichia Fields
Assistant Director, St. Catherine's Village
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The website and social community have impressed residents and professionals alike, and advertising connects well with target audiences. Their patient, dedicated engagement coupled with tech and marketing savvy drives mission and financial focus. On-point project management keeps tasks on-target.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

St. Catherine’s Village is a part of the St. Dominic Health Services System and our Dominican Sisters are out of Springfield, Illinois. We’re a private, nonprofit, continuing care retirement community in our 29th year. We have 250–300 employees.

Our residents, age 62 and older, can start out living independently in an apartment or three-bedroom home. From there, they may progress to assisted living and then memory care or skilled nursing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stevens & Tate?

We were looking to update our branding and go fully electronic. Our website needed a facelift. We didn’t have a social media presence or any type of CRM [customer relationship management] system to track our leads. Everything was on index cards.

We also needed to be more fiscally strategic with our marketing. St. Catherine’s has relied on its reputation for years, but as we get closer to serving the baby boomer generation, people are more concerned with getting the most for their money in addition to compassionate, first-rate care.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stevens & Tate helped us tackle our marketing strategy accordingly. They completely revamped our website and coordinated our branding on social media, email, and print campaigns. They handled all of the website’s graphics and design, except for the logo, which was designed as part of the entire Dominican health system. We can now track traffic and follow up with visitors who want more information.

They especially provided guidance on our social media strategy, as getting on Facebook felt a little intimidating for us. They created an online community to appeal to both our residents and potential clients.

They also walked us through transitioning from a 100% paper-based marketing system to incorporating more electronic methods. This was a challenge for us, as our team’s more traditional approach has worked well for over 20 years. Steven’s & Tate took the time to hone in on who we are as an organization as well as our goals. They found innovative ways to maximize our dollar by cutting back on print in some areas and doing more online and via email.

How did you come to work with Stevens & Tate?

We put a bid out to three companies, and all three were really good. When we compared Stevens & Tate’s RFP [request for proposal] to the others, it seemed like they had really done their research on area demographics. None of the other companies were based near Mississippi, so they wouldn’t have as good of a grasp on our particular retirement market.

They had also worked with the Franciscan Sisters, so they understood our mission and the challenges of the long-term care market. That really stood out to me.

They met with us for a site visit and we gave an overview presentation. They made suggestions for how we could move forward. Then they presented their proposal to our board, which really helped members understand clearly what marketing looks like for us.

How much have you invested with them?

$45,000-$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I won’t have a baseline to compare to until next year, but we’ve gotten positive feedback. A lot of our residents and professionals have been very impressed with the new website and have enjoyed the community on social media.

A competitor now runs simplified versions of our ads in the newspaper alongside ours because they’ve resonated so well with the public.

They’ve also saved us a lot of money. It’s more economically feasible to use Stevens & Tate than it would be to hire another vendor, because they have so many additional capabilities. They can do graphics, online work, recommendations, and even budgeting.

How did Stevens & Tate perform from a project management standpoint?

They do a great job. I do a lot of operations and I’m all over the place, so I gave them permission to tell me if I dropped the ball on something. They’ve kept me and my team organized, on-task, and on-schedule all year.

They also laid out what services we will use during which months, where the ads will go, when we will do radio, whether we’ll do anything with television, and which ads we need to run for each area.

Sometimes our focus will change, and they’ve been accommodating of that. Everything is fluid. We may focus our spending one month on memory care and switch to filling vacant beds the next month. Their flexibility as we change gears, along with their careful planning, has been really helpful for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their investment in us as a nonprofit is most impressive. They took the time to secret shop our competitors and see what they had to say about St. Catherine’s. It was great to have that outsider’s perspective. That passion is hard to find outside of an organization’s direct employees, and wouldn’t likely be displayed by other vendors.

We never had a contract that specified a certain number of years that we’d work with them. The partnership has worked so well for us that we want it to continue.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They’ve accommodated our work process and nonprofit financial needs very well.  

5.0
Overall Score It has been a pleasure. They have been very invested in us, and we work closely despite remote communication.
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They are—and helped me stay—very punctual. They stay on top of things and get them done. They offer a great turnaround.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    From my careful comparison, it’s clear that we would spend a lot more money for what Stevens & Tate does for us if we went elsewhere.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They’ve done great work for us. They truly grasped our organization’s identity and residents’ needs to represent us well in the community.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I would refer them to anyone who asks. They’ve helped us really get noticed in the community.

Branding for Industrial Machinery Company

"They are not trying to push you in one direction just because it works for them."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Oct. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

As part of an ongoing effort, Stevens & Tate is providing branding support and positioning statements to showcase the value of a high-end product. Their work includes a brand story and redesigned catalog. 

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Chicago, Illinois
Craig Shields
President, Graymills Corp
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The updated catalog was well-received internally, noted it's more modern and clear look. Stevens & Tate is very responsive and meets all major milestones. They take the time to understand business needs before identifying a solution. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the president of Graymills Corporation. We're a manufacturer of industrial machinery. I oversee R&D and product development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Stevens & Tate?

We needed to get our value proposition across to our customers. We're a premium brand, and we needed our customers to understand why they should be paying more.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Stevens & Tate's biggest project was redoing our catalog. Currently, they are also helping our team to develop the story of Graymills. That has been part of a bigger picture branding effort. The results of that effort will go across all media, including our ads, our catalogs, our website, and even how we talk to customers at trade shows. Their team is working to provide us with positioning statements.

How did you come to work with Stevens & Tate?

I know Dan through an advisory board that we're both on. When I was looking for a partner, I didn't consider any other agency.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together last fall. The engagement is still ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just released the new catalog, and the people in my company think it looks really nice. It is more modern and clear than our previous catalog.

In terms of branding, Stevens & Tate has helped us understand what our value proposition is. They get a lot of input from quite a few people in the company, and it makes us think. They pulled together common threads in all of our conversations and got us on the same page.

How did Stevens & Tate perform from a project management standpoint?

I wasn't involved in the day-to-day work. However, there were no complaints about their project management. They were very responsive to us. We hit all of the major milestones when needed on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really try to understand your business, and they use that understanding to drive the process forward. They are not trying to push you in one direction just because it works for them. They really take the time to understand your business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think they do well.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    They always seem to meet the deadlines we need.
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    For me they're expensive, but sometimes the cheapest option is not the best option.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    The deliverables have all been really high-quality. They are able to take my ramblings and make it something that looks good.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer