Sun&Sons

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the owner of two restaurants.

What challenge were you trying to address with Sun&Sons?

The challenge was to take a business that wasn’t able to seat guests and bring its brand to life.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a whole new brand system, including the logo, typography, and imagery that was created using a variety of formats. The final products were menus, stamps, stickers, and labels for packaging.

What is the team composition?

We had two points of contact.

How did you come to work with Sun&Sons?

They were referred to me because they did some work for another company who spoke very highly of their work.

They had some fresh ideas and I liked that they bring a very different way of thinking. We can get married to our own ideas, so it's important for someone else to challenge that line of thinking.

Their experience in advertising and in that world is something I found to be super beneficial. They are looking to build a brand rather than making something look cool.

How much have you invested in them?

We've spent around $25,000 on the various projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

The first time I worked with them was in August 2018. They have done ongoing work for me. When I engaged them for Moby’s, they started working in May 2020.

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

When they helped me in the first project to overhaul my exterior signage and some of the brand messaging, they did a really good job of simplifying the message in a way that was intuitive for the guests. We closed the store for construction, inclusive of the exterior signs changing, and when we reopened, sales went up 70% overnight.

How did Sun&Sons perform from a project management standpoint?

It's important to have a clear scope and ensure there's a clear communication cadence. The project moves along when both parties stick to that. If the deliverable dates are a little looser, things don’t move as quickly but they can churn out a lot of work quickly. They have managed the projects well and understand deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to simplify messaging is certainly an asset. As far as the look and feel, they have an ability to bring an old world and retro feel to a project, but it also feels contemporary as well. I don't think it's easy to strike the balance between timelessness and contemporary, but they did it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They probably provide too many options, which comes from a good place. They're giving a full array of work, which is helpful to an extent.

However, at times I have 10 different things to choose from, and it might be easier if I was choosing from 3–4.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It's important to clearly lay out your vision for the look and feel of the project. It might be helpful to provide them with the inspiration that they want to draw upon because it allows them to understand your vision.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a pizza restaurant; it’s a local business that’s been there since 1970. We’re well-known amongst the community.

What challenge were you trying to address with Sun&Sons?

We bought the business after it shut down in 2015 and used and Sun&Sons for creative and digital, to modernize the essence of the old brand and space. They’re a great, local, boutique shop.

What was the scope of their involvement?

It was a combination of updating our logos and the look and feel of the space. There’s an ongoing component of digital and social media management and reinforcing our message and culture.

They mostly do organic content that we create. We both come up with ideas, and they’ll build posts. They also do community management where they’re listening to what our customers are talking about.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked with primarily four people from their team.

How did you come to work with Sun&Sons?

It was word of mouth. I ended up working with them on a small project for one of my other businesses. They were the perfect fit because they understood Miami and culture and have big-brand experience. They have a cool, different way of thinking.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $65,000–$70,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2018.

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

In terms of social media, they grew our followers by about 40%. Qualitatively, they did a fantastic job with the image and perception of the brand. I hear from people that we’re witty and current and unique. They hit the things we planned. We even launched one campaign that went viral on social media that reached over 200,000 people.

How did Sun&Sons perform from a project management standpoint?

They have an assigned project manager that keeps it on point through email communication. Every two months, we have a planning session on what the next two months will look like. We review the previous action-items and what’s going to happen moving forward.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity and thinking are different from everyone else I work with. They always surprise you with their ideas. They also challenge us and disagree. Most agencies won’t do that; they just want to get the business secured. Sun&Sons pushes us out of our comfort zones.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They are a boutique, smaller agency, so we have to fight for a little bit of their time and thought leadership. They have limited hours in the week, so that’s why the planning sessions are important. Understanding and learning how to work with them is something you have to grow into.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Brief them properly and let them do an overall deep dive into your business and not just into what you’re looking to hire them for. They’re very good at big-picture thinking.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have several companies, but the one that has done the most work with Sun&Sons is Gramps Bar LLC.

What challenge were you trying to address with Sun&Sons?

We wanted to take our ideas for opening the business and tell that story visually.

What was the scope of their involvement?

At this point, we already completed construction on the project and knew what we were trying to say as a brand. However, we were having trouble tying it together in a simplistic way. In their work, they focused on graphic design, exterior design and renderings, typography,  and general rounds of ideation on our brand identity. Even many years after the bulk of the work was complete, we’re still revisiting and reinvigorating our branding ideas. We’ll engage them for a month or two of thinking and talking. Those one-off engagements include the creation of a brand within our existing identity that coincided with the opening of our kitchen.  

When we first get a new project, one of our main priorities is discussing possible branding opportunities with them. They help us scope out any work that’s needed. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with four members of their team, one being a project manager.  

How did you come to work with Sun&Sons?

We had some mutual friends and met in 2012. After being introduced, we clicked. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent between $20,000–$50,0000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2012, and our collaboration is ongoing.

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

They’re our true advisors. We wouldn’t make a branding move without hearing their opinion on it. When they designed the front facade of our building, we were impressed. At this point, the design is iconic in the neighborhood. Many photographers have been taken and shared. That’s contributed to the success of the business alone.

Whenever we set a goal relating to ticket sales or attendance for an event, we always see our goals met. That’s because of the impact they’ve had on our business.    

How did Sun&Sons perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re a small team, so we need to work on scheduling issues when they’re busy. It helps me to know where they are with other projects. That way, I can coordinate our work around their increased availability. Because their business is growing this way, a project manager is assigned every time I call them. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They offer the right combination of technical design, typography, and a down-to-earth attitude. We’ve never experienced them impose their ideas on us. They’re great listeners, which can be rare. However, they contribute their ideas to the conversation if they discover something we didn’t realize. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be more specific with delivery dates. That would help us as our team grows.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have a strong sense of your mission and overall goals. At the same time, remain open to ideas that might be outside of your expectations for your business. Trust that you’re going to end up where your company needs to be.