Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and communications lead for C.K. Atlantis. We’re an asset management company for several hotels.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates?

We needed a team to help us form a lookbook for the hotel’s guests. We wanted the books to convey as much information as possible about the services and history of the establishment.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates orchestrated the photo shoot and created all graphics for the books. They also developed the copy and content. From there, their team managed the printing process. They forged all materials for us and put the lookbook together.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Albert (Co-Founder & Creative Director, Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates).

How did you come to work with Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates?

An associate of ours recommended them. After reviewing their portfolio, we knew they were a good match for our brand.

How much have you invested with them?

The entire project cost around $12,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July-December 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We utilized the lookbook as a tool for our sales team. Additionally, guests frequently take the books with them after checking out, which we view as a positive sign. Everyone on our internal team loved the final product.

How did Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates perform from a project management standpoint?

Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates were highly organized and managed the project excellently. Their responsiveness made for amazing communication, which was primarily through emails, conference calls, and on-site meetings. They traveled to our properties to make the collaboration smoother.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

As far as creative talent goes, they provided unbelievable results and high level of service. The finished product was better than we imagined—they went above and beyond.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing they could have done better. Even though it was a smaller project, they treated us like we were their biggest client.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The best choice is using Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates for your project. Their team was talented and they understanding branding, even if it’s for a niche market or a high-end luxury company.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president and founder of 4Front Consulting. We focus on building custom homes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Strano + Pettigrew?

I wanted my brand to stand out among competitors, so I was looking for a company to help me with branding.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They spent some time understanding what I wanted my brand to be and what type of collateral materials I needed. Then, they chose the best tools to achieve my goals and developed a brand package. They designed all the creative pieces, such as business cards and a letterhead. They also designed a website for me.

What is the team composition?

I mostly worked with Albert (Co-founder and Creative Director).

How did you come to work with Strano + Pettigrew?

I had worked with Albert and saw some of his work. I knew that he could do very creative things, so I wanted to bring that talent to my office.

How much have you invested with them?

We paid about $3,000 for the creative work and about $3,000 for the website.

What is the status of this engagement?

I worked with them between July–September 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have a small business and don't do a lot of tracking, but we got a very positive feedback from our clients. Many people have commented on how unique my business card is, so it helps me stand out.

How did Strano + Pettigrew perform from a project management standpoint?

Albert was very responsive and provided me with different rounds of peer review. If I ever had any questions, he always got back to me quickly. We usually communicated via email or phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They can interpret your vision in a unique and creative way. That’s the reason I chose them–I knew they'd be able to come up with out-of-the-box ideas on how to brand my business.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything. I was very pleased with what they did.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Albert is creative and brings excellent ideas to the table. Tell him what your vision is and give him some creative freedom. You'll be pleasantly surprised with what you get back.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the co-founder and co-owner of Strategic Objectives, a full-service public relations firm specializing in brand building programs for global and national brands operating in Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Strano + Pettigrew?

We contract with Strano + Pettigrew to provide graphic design services or published materials for third-party clients. More recently, we worked with them while redoing our own corporate identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We engaged Strano + Pettigrew to develop our new logo—one that we could easily use on social media. Our name is a rather long one to use on social media, so we relied on Strano + Pettigrew to create a more social media-friendly logo that can effectively tell our story.

When we partner with Strano + Pettigrew to help shared clients, their team is responsible for graphic design and taking complex materials and presenting them in an easily consumable fashion. Meanwhile, our team focuses on public relations.

What is the team composition?

Albert (Principal/Creative Director, Strano + Pettigrew) has been our primary point of contact.

How did you come to work with Strano + Pettigrew?

We were introduced through a shared client that hired us separately, and we quickly realized that we worked well together. When it came time to determine a firm to help with the identity for our company, they were the logical choice.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them for the first time in 2015. Since then, we work together on a project-by-project basis, depending on if we feel they are the best fit for the client.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our agency identity has been very well-received, and our social media presence has grown. Additionally, they work they’ve done for our clients has been similarly praised.

How did Strano + Pettigrew perform from a project management standpoint?

They are mindful of deadlines, which is vital in our line of work. I have the utmost trust in them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The quality of their design work is beautiful. Albert is good at listening and understanding what a client wants to achieve. These projects are very much about what the client wants to achieve, as opposed to simply what the art director prefers. He is flexible in his designs to match the client’s expectations.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they have been wonderful collaborators.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Zukudla, a nutrition company for exotic pets.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates?

We didn’t have much experience in the exotic zoo market, so we needed help creating a brand that would perform well in the market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We originally wanted them to refine our existing brand concept, but we eventually developed entirely new brand initiatives. After donning us with a more fitting brand name, they moved on to produce four signature looks for our brand and the accompanying packaging. Once we selected our favorite option, they built 3D PDF animations of the packaging and 3D renderings of the full marketing presentation that would be installed at the point of purchase. Our team reviewed their work, and they made the changes for the final product.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Albert Strano, the co-founder and creative director at Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates.

How did you come to work with Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates?

When I met them, I had already invested a lot of money to work with another branding agency. After seeing Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates’ stunning portfolio, I knew that they would be more beneficial to our growth than the previous vendor.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $250,000 on their services.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While some of our products had zero traction in the marketplace, our dog treats became widely successful due to the captivating packaging. In six months, our unknown brand was picked up by 170 stores. We realized that Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates’ marketing efforts had a big impact on our growth when other companies started asking who’s behind the work.

How did Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates perform from a project management standpoint?

There was never a time when our teams weren’t on the same page. They have a trusted process in place that streamlines their development and communication efforts; we request new material in a shared document and they quickly produce the deliverables. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Even brilliant products are hard to sell without great marketing; fortunately for us, Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates know how to engage customers through their stunning package designs. They always manage to exceed my expectations with their work. Beyond their talent, we appreciate their simple billing process and their lack of surprise fees.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly don’t have anything negative to say about them, except that they can be sensitive about their work. It’s nearly impossible to ask them for changes during the later stages of the project, but the final results are always satisfactory.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The cost of not working with Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates outweighs their relatively high prices.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Tannk, an affordable kids’ clothing company based in Africa. Our mission is to provide affordable clothes and give back to the African educational system at the same time.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates?

I needed help with branding as I wanted to stand out on the international platform. I didn’t want to hire a local team because I wanted my logo to eventually become recognizable without the name of the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started by making sure that our brand name was aligned with the mission and the quality that I foresaw. Albert (Principle & Creative Director, Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates) helped with that—we both contributed things into what the brand should be aligned with.

Together, we developed the logo for the brand. They went a step further and created a brand overview, mission, vision, and the quality of the brand. Albert really helped in making all of those elements. We then did the stationary mockup; they came up with a template for most of my stationary, including presentations to investors and business cards.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Albert.

How did you come to work with Strano + Pettigrew?

I contacted them because I’d heard about and seen some of their work online. I sent them and a couple of other companies an email and explained what I intended to do.

Strano + Pettigrew understood the altruistic value of my company. They really reached out to me with great enthusiasm, and we struck up a good conversation. I explained in detail what I intended for the brand, which they took on like it was their own.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $8,000. He understood that I was a startup and gave me a pretty good discount.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from July–October 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They helped me streamline our business, doing everything that an owner would do. They’ve given me guidelines that I can use to make this brand a success.

They’ve really good with feedback, even outdoing themselves. I’ve never expected I would get all of these deliverables for that amount of money. After they showed me initial samples and mockups, I knew it’s going to be a huge success. They’ve given me a very good foundation.

How did Strano + Pettigrew Design Associates perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very professional and always on time with deliverables. They gave things I didn’t even request. The communication was excellent: we used video calls and Google Meetups. They took it upon themselves to make sure I carried on each stage of our agreement.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re not just a company, they have a vision and a heart. It wasn’t all about the money for them—instead, it was about how excited they were for the project. They took it on as their own and it was like working with my business partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. I don’t know what else they could have covered. For them to take on a small company like mine just shows that they’re really cool people. They’re trustworthy and efficient.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

ZoneTV is a hybrid company. We’re a news, media, and entertainment company that also has this incredible fabric of technology underneath it. We deliver entertainment to paid TV operators throughout North America. Our primary focus is on video entertainment products. We have a series of on-demand services that go to paid TV operators and extend to paid TV viewers. We also have a series of new linear channels that we have been launching this year and offering via subscription service to viewers. The company is focused on acquiring digital-first content, bringing this never-seen content to paid TV, and curating, programming, and offering it in a unique way.

I’m the founder and executive chairman of the company. My commitment to the organization is around product vision. I’ve brought in our new marketing brand strategy as we have gone through significant product line releases this year. I manage the board and corporate matters for the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Strano?

The company is 15 years old. Before October 2015, we were called ES3 which was a pure technology company focused on the media space. In October of 2015, we made a major strategic change. I appointed a CEO because we had great opportunity to become more of a media company than a technology company. At that point, we decided on the brand of ZoneTV. We used an online service called 99 Designs for a new logo, and that’s all we had done with our brand strategy. We worked 1–1.5 years under that partially thought through brand approach. We needed a better brand strategy and brand tools as we launched our linear channel service and became more of a consumer-facing company. We needed a better strategic approach to how we were going to be able to scale this brand identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We went through a series of interviews independently and then as a team. They articulated well and captured the tone and spirit of what we do. They succinctly captured that, put it in a brand book, and converted it into a strategy that was dynamic enough for us to be able to scale on. That was the first objective, and they did extremely well.

We made a multi-phased project. What we needed immediately was the new image for ZoneTV, the marketing and stationery templates, and the strategy for how we would apply that new brand identity to things like merchandise. That way, we could operate on a corporate level with this new brand design. We also asked for a series of secondary design assets that would help us with our marketing and sales materials. I saw that as more of the corporate brand strategy design and culmination of assets that we needed to operate. They did that very well.

As ZoneTV launched a series of 14 linear networks for paid TV, we put the objective and the challenge in front of Strano & Pettigrew to create a connected sub-brand series of each channel. We wanted each channel to have its own brand identity and color palette that’s complementary to the master brand of ZoneTV. That way, people would know, in some respects, they’re connected, but, in other respects, they take on their own monolithic brand identity and structure as they grow up as their own channel. It was an interesting challenge. We looked at everything from illustration styles that would match the themes and the creative context of what we had done within ZoneTV. They put together an interesting vertical branded approach that allowed us to go from the master of ZoneTV and drive down this vertically connected series of sub-brands, which represented our linear television networks. It leveraged iconography and color palettes that created connections back to the master. Each palette tells a story around the richness and the style of the content that goes into each of these linear program channels.

As we closed out the original project, we retained Strano & Pettigrew. We’re on a monthly retainer with them. They are our creative and brand services organization now. We continued the work by extending that brand into our new website. They’ve been working on creative work supporting our marketing and sales material. They’ve done incredible work on both print and digital for our new linear channel network. They’re also working with creative ads for tradeshow events that we’re going to. We’re even doing creative ads for media buys that we’re doing on paid television to promote our services.

They’re also working with our product user experience team. They’re now both informing and enforcing brand adoption and bringing neat ideas to the creative side of our product interfaces.

How did you come to work with Strano?

I knew Al [Co-founder & Creative Director, Strano & Pettigrew] from past experiences in the late 90s. I knew of his firm. I reached out to him through LinkedIn and explained what our challenge was and I showed him our existing logo. I told him I wanted him to put together a path of truly identifying the values and the brand message all the way through. We wanted them to understand what our company is doing and help us articulate our message and put together an identity strategy that will scale with the company because we have a unique set of requirements.

How much have you invested with them?

Confidential. For phase 1 and 2, it was a project-based cost structure which was extremely helpful because we didn’t have it in our original 2017 plan for our budget. We received great value.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April of this year, and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our primary customers on the business side are big paid TV operators and cable companies like Comcast, DIRECTV, AT&T, CenturyLink, Bell Canada, Tellus, etc. Since we’ve launched our corporate brand, we received tremendously positive feedback and no negative feedback. It resonated strongly within our market, and people understand that the brand approach that we took is now our identity. It’s been adopted quickly, much faster than I expected.

How did Strano perform from a project management standpoint?

They do really well. We have a creative brief and docket structure set up with them where we put in requests for new creative work to be done. They manage those dockets quite well. They set up a nice file sharing system. Their responsiveness makes me feel like we’re their only client. They’ve done a good job in account management. We get an incredible level of attention. There’s a level of enthusiasm as well. They want to bring forth new ideas. There’s a back and forth collaboration when we engage with them. They’ve hit every major deadline that we’ve needed them to hit.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the kudos I would give them is that they don’t work in a vacuum. It’s a dynamic environment whereby we have product designers and developers that Strano collaborates with. We also work with another agency which does video production, and Strano works with them seamlessly and collaboratively to provide insights and brand concepts that bring everything together. I see them as the glue that keeps this new identity crisp and on the right track. Everyone understands that this is a part of our new DNA in the way that we want our company to be recognized outside in.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They have incredible talent for video productions. I would suggest that they expand their skill sets even further to take on more video work. They’ve got an incredible talent pool. If it’s in their design to expand their breadth of skill sets and services, they could become a one-stop agency. It would allow us to be able to increase our retainer with them on a monthly basis and lean on them for everything we do.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m Vice President of Marketing at Dentalcorp, which is a business services consultancy for dental practices in Canada. Our network comprises 250 dental clinics.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Strano & Pettigrew?

We were working with a very dated brand. Consequently, we wanted a nimble design agency to rebrand us as a health care company, not a consultancy. We needed that vendor to be highly creative and able to meet our demanding schedule.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Strano developed the vision and brand integrity. They changed our logo’s color palette and did our stationery and other sales collateral. We were unable to change web developers when the engagement started. But after 2 years, they helped us redesign our site’s look and feel. Additionally, they created a sub-brand, DC Institute, which is an education organization. We handled all marketing internally.

What is the team composition?

We had one point of contact, who was a web designer that hosted all of our 250 clinic websites. The team also included other designers and project managers.

How did you come to work with Strano & Pettigrew?

A colleague in our network referred us to Strano based on their relationship. We looked at multiple companies; they were one of 4 firms in our search’s final stage. We chose them because the team displayed an active passion that we did not sense in the other firms.

How much have you invested with them?

We switched from an hourly rate to a retainer structure. The amount is confidential. [CONFIDENTIAL]

What is the status of this engagement?

Work started in 2013 and is on-going.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Feedback says that our brand exudes sophistication. I directly attributed that to the identity they created for it. Our ads have great detail, which not everyone would notice. Everything is subtle, but well-thought-out. The execution brings our brand to life.

How did Strano & Pettigrew perform from a project management standpoint?

They're phenomenal at hitting our demanding deadlines. They can turnaround advertising solutions within 24 hours. We communicate via phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They did an unbelievable job with DC Institute. The team created something new from our existing brand. The first thing people say about the institute is its branding; they love it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, because their process works well for us. There hasn’t been an issue in our entire relationship.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Find a partner that understand the client’s philosophy and will challenge initial concepts. Most firms produce what their given, but often neither party isn’t completely happy without some back-and-forth in the collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of marketing for Second Cup, a specialty coffee retailer in Canada.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Strano + Pettigrew?

About three and a half years ago, we initiated a complete brand and business transformation. We needed a company to help lead our in-store and out-of-store marketing communication elements.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They redesigned our website, and all of the packaging for our consumable goods. They also worked on our rewards program emails, and the merchandise we sell in-store, cups, tumblers, etc. They’ve worked on digital promotions for experiential events. For instance, when we launched flat white in Canada, they designed a little Piaggio coffee truck as a promotional idea. Everything they’ve done so far moves the brand in a premium, contemporary direction. Our principal focus is driving sales and cultivating purchase interest.

Strano also does all of the artwork production, preparing our files for print, and resizing and reformatting about 90 different versions of our point of purchase kit for use in various Canadian markets. They’ve reskinned the website, impacting its design and functionality, and we hope to initiate a complete overhaul next year to change the backend.

For the first year and a half of our engagement, we paid them on a per-project basis. Now that we’re more established, we pay an all-inclusive monthly retainer. We will start work on other large projects in the future, so our payment structure may change again next year.

What is the team composition?

We work mainly with two people: Albert Strano [Co-Founder, Creative Director, Strano Pettigrew] acts as our outsourced creative director, and his right-hand person manages our account and does design work for us. She keeps the project timelines moving, and is our primary contact for creative feedback and revisions. They manage their whole team, so we may have anywhere from two to six people working on our projects at any given time.

How did you come to work with Strano + Pettigrew?

They came on board shortly before I was hired. Our new CEO joined the company about a month prior to engaging them. She referred them through her network.

How much have you invested with them?

For the first year and a half of our engagement, we paid them on a per-project basis. Now that we’re more established, we pay an all-inclusive monthly retainer. We will start work on other large projects in the future, so our payment structure may change again next year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in March 2014, and our collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve seen improvement, with positive growth in five consecutive quarters. We are changing people’s perceptions of our brand through the physical look of our stores, and through social media dialog. The tone that people use to describe us, and the way they interact with the brand is moving in the direction we want to go. They’ve had a lot of impact on the business.

How did Strano + Pettigrew perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re extremely dedicated, and do whatever it takes to meet deadlines and our crazy turnaround times. The business is in flux, and they always try to be as accommodating as possible. They never get frustrated with us, and never let their personal biases or egos get in the way of producing great work.

Albert is a fantastic designer who really understands the aesthetic of our brand, and our vision. He is instrumental in shaping our plans, and passionate about the work. He shows a sense of ownership, and has been with us since the beginning of our transformation.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re talented, creative, passionate, and committed. They’ve been a great collaborative partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Sometimes we catch errors from their junior staff. We have such tight turnaround times, it seems like the approval channels occasionally don’t complete before they deliver items to us. When there is proper oversight from intermediate or senior members, they catch those issues before delivery.