Theory SF

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the SVP Marketing leading Ideal Living Nutrition Brands that include Supplements and Superfood.

For what projects/services did your company hire Theory SF, and what were your goals?

We wanted TheorySF to develop for us a new parent brand for our supplements portfolio with en elevated brand story. The project required extensive work including doing market research to develop a brand strategy, as well as naming, identity, packaging, e-commerce and communication assets that would be digitally relevant and disruptive in the commoditized supplement space.

How did you select this vendor?

Through RFP requests sent to several agencies. We have used Clutch to find agencies for this project and others as well.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Consumer Research Brand Strategy Brand Identity - Logo, Name etc Brand Packaging Brand E-Com Website Creative Communications/Assets

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Both the Principals - Russell who is the Strategist and Chip who is the Creative Head. We also worked with another strategist on their team and their packaging expert/lead. All are senior people with a lot of experience and I loved that they never handed our account over to any junior members - they have been the external client facing team for the entire time.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project is not completed but so far we are thrilled to be working with them. The product is excellent. We have completed brand strategy, naming, identity, and are finalizing packaging,

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They are strategic, creative, consultative, fast and prompt. A real partner in the process. We have slowed them down with a lot of back n forth's as we made our final decisions, but they continued to show patience and were understanding of our process and accommodated us. If allowed they have the ability to move faster than any agency i have worked with this far.

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

Working directly with the Principals and not their junior staff. That is refreshing and impressive. They are not afraid to challenge us to think differently. We are able to have honest and candid discussions with them. 

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

They really are a great agency to work with. The project completion is taking longer than any of us expected (due to delays from our side) so i might have scoped out the project differently. Also, i might have also added media & communication testing as part of the scope so we could have involvement with their team on those elements as well.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Ovis, a news network powered by blockchain technology. We’re dedicated to incentivizing the truth and ending fake news.

What challenge were you trying to address with Theory SF?

We needed a marketing campaign that simplified our processes. Our goal was to get people to engage with our company.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Theory SF built a marketing strategy for us. After a few meetings with the founders, the team proceeded to conduct a market research study. They eventually came up with a brand tagline and an ad campaign to help people understand what we do in very simple terms. The campaign was designed for both digital and traditional media.

What is the team composition?

We worked with the two founders.

How did you come to work with Theory SF?

Someone recommended them to us.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from May–September 2021. 

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

The team delivered the metrics themselves, and we were happy with it. Theory SF fulfilled everything in the scope on time. We believe that the campaign they created for us will be effective. 

How did Theory SF perform from a project management standpoint?

Theory SF did an excellent job in terms of project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They possessed a genuine enthusiasm for our vision and didn’t just focus on getting paid. Since Theory SF truly believed in our mission, they did a fantastic job. Furthermore, the team had a good understanding of the cryptocurrency space.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Our team is full of journalists, so we easily noticed a few typos in their deliverables. Other than that, they did a good job.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very honest about what you’re trying to achieve and answer all of their questions. It makes a big difference in the results if you’re completely transparent about your problems. Once they know about your weaknesses, they’ll turn them into strengths.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a brand consultant for New Age, Inc. Our company has a number of health and wellness product lines including food, beverage, and even skincare products. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Theory SF?

Because our division was so small, we were looking for a creative agency that would be flexible with our team and treat us as partners as we marketed our product.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Theory SF is responsible for coming up with a creative marketing platform for our products, such as a catchy tagline that would resonate with our consumers and accompanying assets for our campaigns. We’ve also done a lot of testing to make sure our direction made sense. All in all, it’s a ground-up project.

What is the team composition? 

I’ve worked with Chip (Chief Creative Officer & Partner) and Russell (Chief Strategy Officer & Partner) the most. 

How did you come to work with Theory SF?

We screened about 13 companies, keeping our budget in mind along with each company’s portfolio, past work, and pitch ideas. 

There was actually another award-winning company that we’d considered. They looked good on paper and we were ready to go with them after our first two meetings. Then, I squeezed in a meeting with Theory SF at the last minute, and they ended up taking the project because they were just so good. They stood out heads and shoulders above the rest.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $65,000 to date.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started in September 2020 and will wrap up in December 2020.

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

They’re always available with us, even on weekends. If I have an idea that I need to vet, I can just text them and get a response. 

How did Theory SF perform from a project management standpoint?

Our project has worked out so well because we need so much flexibility — our dates keep changing, but they’ve been with us all the way through. We communicate mostly through email and text.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Theory SF is super creative. The way they think about our product has been unlike any other agency that’s pitched to us. They’ve managed to turn something that’s very mundane into something fun. It blew my mind!

The team is also easy to get along with. They’ve had to work with some of the other agencies in our company, and everyone thinks that they’re a pleasure to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any criticisms.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t waste your time interviewing 13 companies and just give them a call. I’ll definitely use them again because they’re some of the best partners I’ve come across in my career.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of user acquisition for a cybersecurity company. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Theory SF?

We wanted to grow our brand and ensure peoples’ awareness of our offerings.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Theory helped us put together a brand message and creative materials that promoted our overall brand. Their team created pillars and then we sectioned our brand into them. They also created digital and radio campaigns, podcasts, sponsorship opportunities.  

Theory also produced a 30-second video with the goal of engaging customers. They focused the content on helping customers learn about us and our space.

What is the team composition?

I primarily worked with Russel (Co-Founder & CSO) and Chip (Co-Founder & CCO).

How did you come to work with Theory SF?

They were already working with the company when I was brought into the project. The people who hired them are no longer with the company, so I’m not sure of the process or why they chose them, specifically.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $250,000–$300,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We collaborated between April – July 2020.

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

Their witty writing translated well across the board. We see more traffic, conversions, and purchases. In fact, our click-through rate’s significantly higher than industry standards.

The video has an 82% completion rate, which was previously unseen. During a focus group, we showed seven-times the norm for unaided brand awareness and a 150% lift in unaided brand awareness. We have seen more traffic to the site, more conversions, and more purchases. We’re very satisfied.

How did Theory SF perform from a project management standpoint?

When I came on board, they shifted to work with me. Their team also handled all of our directional changes well. Theory worked weekends to make deadlines. They arrived at meetings prepared and understood what we wanted to see. We talked daily prior to launching the campaigns.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They clearly understood what we wanted to accomplish and how we wanted to accomplish it. Their team presented concepts that most of us loved.

We had major organizational changes happen during the engagement. This caused us to request totally different concepts without extending the timeline. Twice, they put together entirely new concepts. Their team nailed the concepts on their first tries each time, which I hadn’t experienced with any other agency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although they put together timelines, they could improve by giving firm delivery dates. Their team’s hesitant to do so because they don’t want to disappoint. However, we need to give solid answers to our clients.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Write a good brief for them to read. Have an initial discussion to ensure everyone is on the same page and then, let them work.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of brand at Avast. We’re a cybersecurity firm based in the Czech Republic.

What challenge were you trying to address with Theory SF?

The challenge was to raise brand awareness in the US.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Theory was familiar with our brand as we previously worked on other projects together. We started the process by bringing them up to date on our latest challenges and activities. They also met a few new team members.

Their team then helped to create a multifaceted campaign that included video. The campaign was to run on all digital platforms and TV. 

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact was Russell (Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer. I also closely worked with Chip (Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer).

How did you come to work with Theory SF?

Initially, we sought a smaller, local agency. We interviewed probably 7–8 agencies but Theory’s pitch blew the rest of them out of the water. We also felt that their team would be a good partner for us long-term.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent probably $200,000 on this project including all of the asset development.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started this project in February 2020 and wrapped it up in July.

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

The project just launched, but it was well-received by a tough internal audience. Their team spectacularly managed the unique challenges of the time. They ensured the images were appropriate for this moment, taking into account all of the cultural factors.

How did Theory SF perform from a project management standpoint?

We had regular Zoom meetings and texted each other. In the event of an emergency, we called each other’s cell phones. They were incredibly responsive, so I never worried about when I would hear back from them. Their team also delivered on time every single time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Theory works as if it’s their own business that they’re trying to affect. They were a part of our team. Their team brought passion and spirit to the table. They were willing to jump in and pivot at any moment. Theory was our partner, not just another agency.

At every step of the way, I worked with the agency’s partners. I didn’t work with a junior teammate. In that respect, there wasn’t a lot of overhead for account management that we would encounter in a larger agency.

Are there any areas they could improve?

In our first project, we learned some lessons and calibrated with each other. I wouldn’t ask for anything to be different in this case.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the Director of Marketing & Media at a destination marketing organization for a rural county.

For what projects/services did your company hire Theory SF?

• Rebranding
• Brand launch campaign
• Website design, build and hosting
• Marketing strategy and campaigns
• Social media campaigns and strategy
• Digital ad purchasing
• Print collateral design
• Video and animation projects

What were your goals for this project?

The intent was to offer potential visitors a new look at what our county offers. The animation characters were a spin-off from those developed for a short-version visitor guide. We planned to use the video in its entirety but also cut to use on social media platforms and digital advertising.

How did you select this vendor?

VMC issued an RFP for a marketing agency and following a lengthy interview and selection process, engaged Theory SF to act on VMC's behalf.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Research on brand awareness was followed by rebranding and a complete website rebuild featuring seasonal video and lively content. The brand was launched with outdoor advertising - bus wraps, train wraps, billboards, as well as heavy online and social media presence. We worked on many online campaigns that included creation of videos highlighting our quirky County.

What was the team composition?

I worked closely with the principals of the company: Russell Q. and Chip S.. They are consummate professionals.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Website traffic more than doubled. Our branding was being emulated by other destinations, which speaks to its success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was effortless. Russell and team were always available to talk things over.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Theory team embraced our county wholeheartedly. Not only did they create content for us, they came here on vacation! And even now, after my departure from my organization, I stay in touch with both principals.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can think of.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Director of Corporate Partnerships for the Institute for Cybersecurity, Virginia Beach, VA.

For what projects/services did your company hire Theory SF?

We are a start-up cybersecurity solutions provider that needed help with overall branding and messaging to our highly selective target audience. The product line/offerings is ahead of market acceptance and we have tried to build demand and launch in parallel.

What were your goals for this project?

We had both short term and long term goals that we mapped out with TheorySF. the first time sensitive goal was to capture the identity of the Institute for Cybersecurity and parlay that into a video engagement for the Gartner conference. Second to that, we had a long term branding proposal that outline market research, auditing and creative development to help us bring our band to life.

How did you select this vendor?

We selected TheorySF after liaising with Clutch. Clutch provided us a short list of marketing firms that we filtered through and selected TheorySF for the overall brand work.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Our short term deliverable was kicked off with a series of discovery telecons and interviews with our SME. Theory SF worked with their own internal team to create the visual story and messaging that we used in a trade show. The ongoing branding work is underway.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with their principals and creative team. TheorySF used their expertise to involve additional team members as they developed and produced the video.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Since working with TheorySF we have amplified our marketing collateral that resulted in increased brand recognition to our target market. This was the first and most important step into building our sales funnel.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had very good synergy between the two teams. Mainly we used screen sharing and telecons to meet with regular cadence to meet the deliverables. TheorySF was responsive to pivots we made and meet all deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

TheorySF brought a creative energy and a curious nature to our marketing needs starting with the first engagement. They had done their own research and understood our challenges from an outside perspective. They were able to clearly assess our product lines and capabilities and identify areas of commercial opportunity. They reinforced our own internal beliefs in the value of our offerings.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We had an A+ experience with TheorySF and will be executing an additional contract and Statement of Work for more extensive campaign and brand work.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the executive director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. We represent the wineries and vineyards of Paso Robles. Besides our wineries and wine growers, our association includes hospitality and associate members.

For what projects/services did your company hire Theory SF?

We had a quick turn-around print ad for a national wine publication that we knew would get lots of great press. Working with a partner organization, Travel Paso, we needed to create a print ad to market and promote our region. Theory SF was the branding organization working with Travel Paso.

What were your goals for this project?

We set out to create a unique, memorable, and interesting ad that stood out in a magazine full of beautiful wines and vineyards.

How did you select this vendor?

Our partner organization was using them and recommended them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Theory SF created a full-page ad. Initially, they delivered several concepts, which they later refined into a final ad.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Chip (Creative Director, Theory SF) and Russell (Chief Strategy Officer, Theory SF).

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Theory SF created a memorable, fun, and disruptive ad, which is exactly what we wanted.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were very effective and easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They created fun ideas on a very short timeline. They were also easy to communicate with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not at this time, no.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm a consumer insights contractor for a pharmaceuticals company.

What challenge were you trying to address with TheorySF?

We needed to become educated in the competitive marketplace of supplements very quickly.

What was the scope of their involvement?

TheorySF conducted extensive market research within the supplements industry, providing an audit that included their insights and strategic frameworks for analysis. The final deliverable consisted of a report about 60 pages in length. 

What is the team composition? 

Russel (Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, TheorySF) was our main point of contact. Although we never met in person, we frequently spoke via phone and email throughout the engagement. 

How did you come to work with TheorySF?

Our VP of consumer insights knew one of the co-founders at TheorySF, so they had been in touch about the different capabilities they could offer our company. Before we decide to contract them for any design work, we wanted to see how they performed from a more strategic thinking standpoint, so we gave them this project to start with.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project took place between December 2018–January 2019.

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

TheorySF provided very thorough market research that has allowed our team to build valuable business frameworks. We feel very confident in the direction we'll choose to follow based on the competitive knowledge we now have. 

How did TheorySF perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very detail-oriented, on time, and easy to get along with. I never had any trouble reaching them; they were readily available via phone and email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciated their intelligence and experience in research and design the most.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Although they work very quickly, it would be great if they could've shown us how they generated results (i.e., their thinking process and strategies for gathering information). 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give them the freedom to do what they do best–their expertise in research and design is hard to beat. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the vice president of marketing for a very large cybersecurity company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Theory SF?

We needed an agency to help develop an interim campaign to raise brand awareness and visibility for our main consumer products.

What was the scope of their involvement?

This started as an interim project, but we were pleased with their work and transformed the collaboration into our full-blown 2019 campaign strategy. Elements of their creative concepts will appear in our website, programs, social marketing, branded properties, video, trade shows, and a few other aspects of our brand strategy.

What is the team composition?

We work very closely with their principals.

How did you come to work with Theory SF?

Our advertising lead reached out to her colleagues and resources, and built a list of about a dozen smaller agencies. We spoke with several agencies, and most were highly qualified, but we really connected with Theory SF and liked their philosophy.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged them initially at the end of August 2018 and started working in earnest in September. The work is ongoing.

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

A lot of their work is just about to launch at the start of our campaign in March. We don’t have any metrics yet, but we’re expecting great results.

One challenge we face in the U.S. is brand recognition. They gave us a strategic platform that was even bigger than what we asked for, and their work enables us to go above and beyond our original scope.

How did Theory SF perform from a project management standpoint?

I like to work with them; they’re good people. We primarily communicate through email, but frequently speak on the phone or via video conference. We’ve also met in person.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their passion for our business. They are genuine, honest, and a true partner. They’re creative, accessible, and always ready to support us.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Some small things occasionally slip through the cracks, but we’re a demanding, complicated business. I don’t focus on the small things, as the big picture is so good.