We Make News.
Named Best Mid-Size Agency in the World 2019 at the IABC Gold Quill Awards, Strategic Objectives is Canada’s most award-winning public relations agency. Headquartered in Toronto, with associates across the country, we partner with our big brand clients to create breakthrough, integrated marketing strategies that cut through the clutter with effective communications that make good news, build positive awareness and drive sales.
Our Strategic Objectives team of master storytellers has a proven successful track record of building, maintaining and protecting brands.
Focus
Reviews
the project
PR & Annual Retrospective for Tissue Product Supplier
"Strategic Objectives is a top-notch PR agency, and I have the utmost respect for their entire team.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the VP of Consumer Bathroom Tissue & e-Commerce for Kruger Products. We manufacture and distribute Trademark and Controlled-Label consumer tissue products in Canada and the USA for sale across retail channels.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
We were looking for a PR agency to develop a flagship property to promote a strategic brand.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Strategic Objectives (SO) has worked on multiple projects, including our annual Cashmere Collection PR event. This is a fashion show featuring original, couture dresses made from bathroom tissue, which spotlight leading Canadian design talent, and the event raises awareness and funds for the breast cancer cause at the Canadian Cancer Society. SO creates an annual retrospective for the Cashmere Collection, which is on our website, including editorial photos of the designs, designer bios, and descriptions of the garments.
When the pandemic hit, SO was an integral partner in a collaborative, multiple-agency program to support frontline workers and food banks. The #RollingItForward campaign also promoted acts of local sharing, addressing panic buying by encouraging Canadians to share paper products until the shelves could be re-stocked.
What is the team composition?
Day-to-day, I work with one of the principal owners, who is involved with strategy development and execution; an account director; and an account assistant. Within SO, many more team members are selected to work on initiatives to support our business objectives.
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
We were transitioning a key product to a new brand name. We put an RFP out to different PR agencies and chose Strategic Objectives based on their pitch.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working together in January 2003, and we continue to collaborate on an ongoing basis.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
After events, we analyze media coverage metrics such as hours of video, number of stories, sentiment, etc. Every year, we see gains in media impressions. SO always exceeds the brand-awareness industry standard, with our brand being mentioned around 95% of the time vs. the standard of 75%. In respect to cost-per-impression, we fall well below the industry standard. There is great value in the work they do for us.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
Strategic Objectives is a disciplined, robust team that’s supported by strong leadership. They communicate well and always go above and beyond to deliver what they promise.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Strategic Objectives is a top-notch PR agency, and I have the utmost respect for their entire team. They are invested in our business, executing with excellence on all levels: strategy, implementation, reporting, and more.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of any areas where I would say they need to improve.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be transparent. The more information you provide, the better execution will be. Embrace them as a partner.
the project
Media Placements for Consumer Product Manufacturer
“The approach was logical, well thought out, and well-executed.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the marketing manager of a consumer product manufacturer.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
Our business had grown in the Canadian market, and we wanted to have an in-market earned media agency for them specifically.
What was the scope of their involvement?
At eye level, we wanted them to be the media agency of record for our Canadian operations. We asked them to handle all of our outreach and gain multimedia placement. They were thoroughly insistent on starting with a process of information gathering and market research.
There were also a series of related initiatives.
They gave us the “boots on the ground perspective” since we made a lot of assumptions about the Canadian market. The team provided strategic counseling and suggested we attack the market from a different angle. Currently, we’re in talks to continue working with them on a full-time retainer basis.
What is the team composition?
Karina (Senior Account Manager) is my main point of contact.
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
We asked for recommendations through our network which didn’t lead anywhere. We turned to cold outreach and found agencies based on Google search. We sent RFPs to a number of agencies and ultimately decided to work with Strategic Objectives. We were impressed with their accolades, book of business, and relevant experience with working consumer product companies looking for growth in Canada.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in December 2019, and our work is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They’ve exceeded the KPIs that we set in place. We ended up going with their set of suggestions and were successful. We’re up 971% in earned media in Canada.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
They gave us a proprietary method of project management. The approach was logical, well thought out, and well-executed. They stand out amongst our agency partners in quickly earning our trust.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The team listens really well, and they’re pretty good of finding the balance of when to push back. When I think of some of the negative agency experience, I have, some vendors are rigid and act like they know better than the client, which isn’t the case with Strategic Objectives. They’re organized and committed to process and deadlines, too. Overall, the team is collaborative, innovative, and nimble.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There are some agencies that are a bit more on the “catch-all” side of things. On the one hand, we’d love to be able to work with them in some other areas. On the other, the more they diversify their product offering, the more they end up diluting quality overall. If there were more core marketing services offered that fit our needs, we’d definitely expand our engagement with them.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
We found success in starting with a narrow scope of work on a finite contract basis. Then, you can evaluate and decide to expand the scope of work from there. Results really speak for themselves.
the project
PR & Media Strategy for Market Research Innovator
“They’re eager to hear what you have to say before molding it into something they can build on.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the president of TrendHunter.com, which provides insights and customer research to businesses of various industries all over the world. We look to help them spot future opportunities. My specific role is overseeing client experience; I work to ensure that clients are getting the best experience out of the services they’re purchasing from us.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
We were looking to reassert ourselves as one of Canada’s leading innovation companies and reestablish ourselves as frontrunner trend-spotters.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They helped us build the company’s profile through various PR efforts. In a major push before an important book launch, Strategic Objectives secured coverage in both traditional and digital publications. They assisted in shaping the content we were looking for from different media outlets.
We also worked on acquiring media coverage for our Future Festival here in Toronto. They sent out invites to their vast database to increase prospective attendees’ interest in our event.
What is the team composition?
We worked directly with Amelia (Senior Account Manager) and Deborah (Co-Founder).
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
We’d known Strategic Objectives for a long time; Deborah often invites our editorial staff to various PR events for the clients she works for. She’s done a great job of putting media-covered events together, so we were confident that they could do great work for us.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in September 2019, and the festival took place in October of the same year.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We were able to get media partners to attend the festival, where we also enjoyed some coverage. The profile we were able to subsequently develop helped increase our ability to acquire talent and increased our brand exposure.
They’re super realistic in their approach. I really appreciated how transparent they were about what they could and couldn’t do for us within a one-month time frame. Even though we brought them on a little late in the process, they dove in headfirst and were up and running immediately.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
They’re excellent on this front. They’re extremely communicative throughout the entire process, so they were lovely to work with. We had a few in-person meetings, but our communication was mostly through email and phone calls. We can contact them anytime and get a quick response back, which was great.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re known for being one of the best in their industry–they win best agency awards, year over year. That puts a lot of confidence in anybody who’s looking to select an agency.
They’re very human about everything; they’re eager to hear what you have to say before molding it into something they can build on.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Nothing jumps out. It would’ve been great to get even more media coverage, but it was the tight timeframe that held us back, so we can’t fault them for that.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Start off by delineating what your goals and objectives are. Then, you can leverage their expertise on how you can achieve those.
the project
Corporate PR Services for Packaged Goods Company
“I knew that if they were working on a project, everything would run smoothly. No detail was left out.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the director of communications for a regulated consumer packaged goods company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
Strategic Objectives was our corporate public relations agency.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They worked on a number of different activities for us, including drafting press releases, managing media relations around specific announcements, drafting key messages and speaking notes for media briefings, and crisis management. We have a high-profile CEO, so we didn’t have a problem attracting media attention, but Strategic Objectives recommended which opportunities would be the most valuable and ensured that our CEO was prepared. To support this, they profiled our C-Suite. They also planned events and thought leadership, including our corporate social responsibility program.
What is the team composition?
I had three key contacts that I spoke with regularly, though there were a few other people who worked on our account.
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
I inherited them as an agency when I came on board.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent between $500,000–$1 million.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our engagement lasted from 2018–2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They provide fantastic service. We were really pleased with their support of our corporate social responsibility program and media turnout. They’re well organized and their event organization is amazing. They had creative ideas that we appreciated.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
With every project, they took care of all the details. They followed up with reminders and were very diligent. I knew that if they were working on a project, everything would run smoothly. No detail was left out.
Our teams were very close and we would communicate via text or email. We also had weekly phone calls and hosted teleconferences when necessary.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their client service was outstanding. We were super pleased with that.
Are there any areas they could improve?
They’re strong partners and I didn’t see any areas for improvement.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Give them the opportunity to pitch on or provide proposals on projects that you wouldn't normally think of them for. Strategic Objectives is normally thought about as a very consumer PR shop, but the work they did for us was very corporate. Even areas they aren’t as well known for, they have very strong skills.
the project
PR Partner for International Development Nonprofit
"They’re always able to find really, really creative ways to raise our brand voice."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the director of strategic communications for a child-centered international development organization. We've been in business for nearly 60 years, and we just rebranded.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
If you look at the scope of players in our area in Canada, it's a very crowded space for international development. Our organization has traditionally been about a tenth of the size of most of these other organizations.
We had never done proactive public relations to raise awareness of our brand, our voice, or our global campaigns. And so, we started working with Strategic Objectives.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They’ve been working with us to help us develop a cohesive brand voice, cut through the clutter, and get significant media and PR coverage.
We knew we were going to be changing our brand to align with our goals. So, Strategic Objectives has helped us develop a name for our organization. We spent a lot of time working with media, influencers, and social media to really raise our brand voice so that when we changed the name it wouldn't be like, “who are you?”
They’ve invested a lot of time and energy to help us gain some really good national coverage. For example, we have an authority-building campaign with our current CEO. They’ve worked with us very closely to establish him as an authority in the space. They've also done media trips with us overseas.
They’re very good at working with our marketing partners or any other partners that we have. They've played a really strategic role in that. And so, they're very integrated into the work that we do.
Also, they've developed all kinds of marketing and advertising materials for us over the years. In fact, Strategic Objectives created, developed, and launched our global survey campaigns from top to bottom for two years. This included creating the final report and devising all the media, social, and video materials.
What is the team composition?
There's always a senior account person who does the day-to-day. Also, we've always had a very, very close working relationship with Judy (Co-Founder & Partner, Strategy Objectives). She's always been intricately involved in the project. I feel I can truly call or email her anytime, and she responds instantly.
Normally, when we're meeting their team face-to-face, there are 5–6 people involved depending on the focus of the meeting. The people involved in media relations strategy could be different from the people involved in report designs or social media. A communications manager serves as our inside person to vet all the media requests and social tasks.
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
We had worked with some of the other really huge firms, but we hadn't had great success because we didn’t feel like we were like an important part of their business.
We had a need for content strategy, and we heard pitches from 2–4 companies. Strategic Objectives came out on top. When we find a good partner, we always want to grow that partnership because it’s a huge value to have a partner with a depth of knowledge about our work.
We chose to work with them because they are very, very knowledgeable in the sector and they have huge credibility with the Canadian media landscape and social influencers. They are known because they're so professional and proactive. They really know how to build influence or how to grow authority. They're super, doggedly determined to get the results that you want.
They are deep thinkers, and they understand what’s going on in the world, our sector, and the PR industry. They are not going to implement something unless it will resonate and get results.
We work with them because they really take the time to sit down and figure out what we do. We may say, “We think this is a problem,” and they may turn around and say, “That’s a part of your problem, but did you also think about X, Y, and Z?”
They’re always thinking about the best way to get our message across and grow our brand over time. That’s why we’re with them, and that’s why we love working with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in 2013, and they serve as our ongoing public relations communication partner.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
So we have a very successful and results-driven relationship with them.
Every year, the work we do with them results in better and better media coverage. It takes time to explain, position, and elevate your brand voice, and the media is really starting to understand what we do. The media has had no problem talking about our new brand.
They’ve helped us do a lot of events with the media. For example, we did an art show in downtown Toronto where a brand photographer took beautiful photos of our work.
They’ve also helped build our CEO’s authority in the space. During International Day of the Girl, he was called upon by national media to be a voice for our sector.
The survey campaigns they created were run globally all over the world. We got millions and millions of impressions, media coverage, tons of interviews, as well as coverage with influencers, television, radio, and more.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
It’s a very positive relationship. They’ll submit a statement of work, and we have full confidence they’re going to get it done. They’re always going to exceed our expectations in some way.
Every week, they provide us with a full description of ongoing work, challenges, opportunities, and the next milestones. They’re on top of it. It’s a relationship based on mutual trust and respect.
We have touch-base meetings, in-person meetings, brainstorming sessions, and phone calls. We always feel very, very confident that they're very aggressively pursuing their work. It's always very timely. They’re always pushing us, saying, “Can we get your CEO in front of this media?” They’re pushing us because they love what they do. You can tell they take huge pride in their work, which is always excellent.
We're always very informed of who's on the core team. If we need to reach different members of their team, we always can. They're very, very proactive in ensuring that we know who's doing what on their team. We know exactly how many hours each employee is devoting to each task.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re very creative and innovative. They’re always able to find really, really creative ways to raise our brand voice. They're always coming up with new ways of doing things.
They have tangible examples of how they’ve achieved results over the years for many organizations, and those examples show their out-of-the-box thinking. We needed to really shake things up dramatically, and we've been able to do that with them.
Are there any areas they could improve?
We’ve worked together for so long that we have really honest and open discussions. I can’t think of an instance where they’ve let us down or where there’s been a challenge. If they don't understand a particular initiative, they'll just call us up and ask about it.
I don't feel that there's ever barriers in between what we need to do or what they need to do. I don't really have criticism. If I did, I'd probably be looking for another partner. But they're totally loved and appreciated over here.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
The more open and honest you can be about your business challenge, the more you can engage with them, involve them, and inform them. Then, they’re better equipped to help you.
You have to be really open and invite them into your staff meetings. You have to take the time to educate them so they can do their job well.
They need to understand the strategic vision of the organization. We share all of our documents with them (e.g. our three-year plan, our goal, and areas where we’re having difficulty).
the project
Journalist Engagement for Nonprofit Hotline Launch
"The support we felt at this very stressful point – since our marketing communications team was just me—was amazing."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a marketing communications officer from a national nonprofit dedicated to ending human trafficking. We provider victims with referrals to service providers and law enforcement in their communities, as well as accept tips about human trafficking incidents.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
We were going to launch a national hotline. To promote it and our organization, we wanted to engage journalists in small communities, but we had a small team.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Early on, they did 1-on-1 journalist outreach, as well as stakeholder relations with the Candian press, which got lots of coverage. Our hotline launch was picked up by national outlets and local newspapers.
They also organized a Toronto press conference for us where journalists came in and interviewed our CEO and staff members, plus service providers and law enforcement from Toronto. The conference was live-streamed so our stakeholders could view it online. In preparation for the conference, they put together our key messages and fact sheets and did media training. Afterward, they provided media tracking, which we presented to our board.
What is the team composition?
There were roughly six people. Shane (Former Communications Manager, Strategic Objectives) was our main point of contact, but there were a few others depending on what was happening at the time. For example, on media day, we had someone to coordinate and escort us to interviews.
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
We’d worked with Judy (Co-Founder, Strategic Objectives) on pro bono level before, so we knew they could deliver. They provided advice on putting together our key documents as we grew: marketing communication strategy, a crisis communication plan. They also had input on our strategic priorities before I came to the organization.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from March until the end of June 2019. The launched was in May 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Their original goal for earned media impressions was 4.5 million, and they got 83.5 million. They really blew that goal out of the water. They also earned 760 earned media pieces in French and English media outlets. The team presented all this information in a really great report after the event.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
They really performed well for us. The support we felt at this very stressful point – since our marketing communications team was just me—was amazing. We wouldn’t’ have been successful without them.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their level of relationships with journalists across the country was incredible. We had a unique project for them regarding the smaller size of our budget and our subject matter, but their expertise in engaging journalists in our topic was amazing. We didn’t have that ability.
Are there any areas they could improve?
On the level of working with a nonprofit, they have room to grow. Not that they didn’t do a great job, they just don’t have as much experience dealing with tactics we use. For example, they wanted to use influencers in the campaign, but that’s not part of our approach.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be organized and map out goals and priorities. Walk them through the other stakeholders and their priorities. We had board, community members, and victims and survivors to think about, so provide them as much detail as possible on the audience. They can do a lot of research, but it helps if it comes from yourself.
the project
Press Release for an On-Demand Delivery Service
“Their pure ability to surpass our KPIs was really impressive.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We are a third-party, on-demand delivery service. We deliver food, alcohol, and other household items. I'm a PR and influencer marketing specialist.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
We're launching a new product on our platform for Toronto. We wanted to raise awareness and drive acquisitions.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They helped us with media relations. That included developing a news release and distributing it across Canada through targeted pitching. They also created mailer kits to send to influencers in Toronto. They designed and procured all the materials, put everything through production, and oversaw packing and shipping. They also executed a media and influencer event in Toronto.
What is the team composition?
We worked with two front-facing individuals: one account manager and their SVP. The account manager was our main point of contact.
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
We did an RFP, and we hoped to find a team that could fit within our budget and a rather short timeline. Strategic Objectives has a good reputation, and we wanted to work with a company that had the connections and experience to pull off an event and program of this scale.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent about $60,000 in total.
What is the status of this engagement?
The project started in August 2019 and was finished at the end of September 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Our experience was very positive, and everything surpassed the KPIs we set for the platform. We were very happy with the work that they did, and everything was professional, well-executed, and organized. They took us to a new level.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
They're very good project managers, and we never had to hold their hand. We communicated mostly through email, but we also had a weekly phone call.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their pure ability to surpass our KPIs was really impressive.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don't have any areas of improvement for them.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Give longer lead time if you can. The earlier you can start working with them, the better.
the project
Ongoing PR Campaigns for Snack Company
“I was taken by their enthusiasm and their genuine drive to represent the brand to the best of that brand’s potential.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the account manager of exports at a large confectionery company. I manage our UK exports as well as some of the North American imports.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
We were seeking PR work and representation for a few of our brands.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They're instrumental to our PR procedure because they focus on brand representation and communication. Their PR involves marketing campaigns—communicating news items about our brands. They even work with influencers across social media.
During holiday time, they’ll compile a yearly program that outlines different initiatives for different times of the year. They take into account what’s trendy and relevant to contemporary consumers. After we work together to discern which activities we want to proceed with, they’ll bring that plan to life.
What is the team composition?
I have consistent contact with around three members of their team. Different teammates work on different brands, but since I oversee all of their work, I regularly communicate with all three.
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
It’s a historic agreement that existed before I onboarded at this company, but I maintain our relationship with them because they have an excellent understanding of the brands they manage.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent somewhere between $100,000–$200,000 annually, so the total we’ve spent would easily exceed a million.
What is the status of this engagement?
We’ve been working with them for almost ten years, from 2009. The engagement is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They continue to demonstrate an excellent understanding of our brands. They’re able to get under the skin of customers through effective consumer angles and engagement ideas. The extent of their attention to detail is very impressive.
I also embrace the fact that they’re always coming up with different solutions for our particular needs. They provide a very full service, which is very helpful.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
They’ve been excellent. They follow a methodical approach of coming up with ideas, scoping them out, putting a proposal together, then launching and managing it.
They’re very approachable and open. We communicate via conference calls when required, but we also have occasional face-to-face meetings. In general they’ve been accommodating of different communication methods.
What did you find most impressive about them?
I was taken by their enthusiasm and their genuine drive to represent the brand to the best of that brand’s potential.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Nothing long-term comes to mind because whenever I have constructive feedback, I deliver it to them immediately. They’re great at taking and adapting to feedback, which I really appreciate.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be communicative about how exactly you want the brand to be represented, and go in detail. It’s very important that all objectives are outlines with real clarity.
the project
PR & Brand Reputation Services for CPG Organization
"They bring in-depth knowledge to each project and adapt to last-minute tasks and scope changes with ease."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am the head of marketing for a consumer packaged goods (CPG) organization. We sell our products in multiple channels of retail and e-commerce in Canada.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
We’ve worked with Strategic Objectives for over ten years on multiple business scenarios. One particular challenge they helped us address was a quality perception issue with our pens. According to market research, consumers believed our pens fell short of market standards when from a technical perspective, they exceeded category norms. We engaged Strategic Objectives to create PR and social strategies to shrink this perception gap.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Strategic Objectives identified an opportunity to communicate the benefits of writing by hand versus typing. They tapped into our research resources and set up studies to demonstrate these benefits. At the same time, during these demonstrations with consumers, they subtly talked up our brand of pens with an emphasis on quality. They engaged several spokespeople to deploy this message.
Throughout the process, Strategic Objectives dove into our business objectives to better understand our goals. After 2–3 rounds of discussion and negotiation, we settled on our final programming—including any deliverables or physical materials—and establish KPIs to measure impact. Once the campaign finished, Strategic Objectives provided regular performance trackers through a video and a PowerPoint presentation.
What is the team composition?
I work primarily with Vanessa (Account Manager, Strategic Objectives) who leads a team behind the scenes. We also collaborate with Judy (Co-Founder and Partner, Strategic Objectives), and Adriana (Vice-President, Strategic Objectives).
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
We parted ways with our prior PR vendor because their level of client service didn’t meet our expectations. I asked for recommendations from industry colleagues and drew a shortlist of 6–7 companies to consider. Strategic Objectives was one of them. In our interview, we were looking at more than a company’s skill set; we wanted a partner that would fit with our project and organization’s needs. Strategic Objectives stood out from the competition, and we’ve been working together ever since.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent over $3 million CAD (approximately $2.3 million USD) so far.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in February 2007, and our partnership is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We measure the impact of our campaigns using KPIs such as CPI rates. We look for a certain number of TV, radio, and print impressions and weigh it against how much we’re spending on those ad campaigns. Strategic Objectives reliably delivers CPI-efficient campaigns. They turned around public perception of our pen brand. Their campaigns meet or beat KPIs, and we are highly satisfied with our partnership.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
They’ve made the collaboration seamless. The team meets every deadline and helps us stay on track to accomplish the next stages.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Strategic Objectives dedicates themselves to every step of a project. They bring in-depth knowledge to each project and adapt to last-minute tasks and scope changes with ease.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Over the past three years, we’re moving towards a more permanent presence in social media (rather than leveraging social channels as part of a campaign). While our in-house team is overseeing this effort, we could use insights from Strategic Objectives on social advertising.
the project
PR & Marketing for Global Automotive Company
"They're accommodating, strategic, and very creative."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm a corporate communications manager at an automotive company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Strategic Objectives?
We were trying to get more out of our sponsorship activities and target a new audience. We worked with the automotive journalism, but we didn't speak to the mainstream journalism, so we started looking for a company to help us find a new voice to share our stories.
What was the scope of their involvement?
First, they sat down with us and tried to identify what the problem was and what business needs we had (our goal is to sell cars). After brainstorming their ideas and strategies with us, they identified one strategy and worked with me on developing key messages and setting the goals for KPIs. After that, they implemented the strategy. They did a fantastic job guiding the process and engaging their team members. They continue to update us on the new opportunities and let us know when the problems arise and what solutions they've come up with.
What is the team composition?
I usually work with three members of their team.
How did you come to work with Strategic Objectives?
I come from an agency experience, so I knew of some agencies. Strategic Objectives went above and beyond in terms of doing research and proposing some ideas we hadn't thought of, so we decided they'd be a good fit.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in July 2018 and the relationship is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
They've overachieved the KPIs that we set for the campaign, and we have more media coverage coming in.
How did Strategic Objectives perform from a project management standpoint?
They're very organized and someone from their team is always available to answer our questions. They have a thought-out agenda and they always follow up, implementing anything we've discussed.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They're very easy to work with. They're accommodating, strategic, and very creative. They have great ideas and a positive attitude.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can't think of anything. They've met all of our expectations.
Strategic Objectives has provided top-level commitment on all aspects of communications, and its digital services have led to increases in brand awareness and media impressions. For more than 10 years, they've delivered expert resources and hands-on management, resulting in a pattern of excellence.