Twelve12

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the president of Cilek USA Inc, the US division of Cilek. We manufacture and sell children’s furniture, and our flagship store is in California.

For what projects/services did your company hire Twelve12?

We wanted a video advertisement to air on TV. We engaged Twelve12 to create a script and then shoot and edit the video.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to build brand awareness in the US and our company’s home country of Turkey. The video would air on TV, YouTube, social media channels, our website, and in our stores.

How did you select this vendor?

We’d worked with Twelve12 on developing our marketing strategy and mission, so we were familiar with their skills and level of quality. We’d also seen their video productions for other clients; their style matched our vision for this project.

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.

We first provided a short brief and chose the product we wanted to showcase—a children’s racecar bed. We also discussed our target market, casting needs, and our desired feel for the video. Twelve12 then developed several different scripts and storyboards for our consideration. Once we made our revisions and settled on a storyboard, the team created a detailed budget and timeline. We accepted it, and the project began. Twelve12 completed end-to-end video production for us, including casting, set design, shooting, post-production, and music editing. 

What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?

We trusted them with a turn-key solution and didn’t interfere until we saw the first edit. We provided minor revisions to each edit until we were happy with the final product.

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

After launching the video in the US and Turkey, we saw an excellent return on positive reviews and feedback. Our brand awareness and value grew, and our online sales channel in Turkey saw a 20% increase in racecar bed sales.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We worked closely with the owner and creative director. The team communicated all details before production started. They then, at our request, ran the process independently, informing us of meeting timeline milestone and looping us in once they had finished the first edit. We were happy with the collaboration from start to finish. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We valued Twelve12’s personalized service, technical expertise, and speedy delivery. They delivered a high-quality video on time and within a tight budget.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Twelve12 lacked in-house music production capabilities, and their vendor’s work did fully not match the style and feel that we wanted in our video. We also wanted the video to focus more on the product itself. However, we missed the opportunity to address this in the script and only realized it when we saw the first edit.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the VP of Marble Bros Inc, a wholesaler and retailer of tile and stone products. I manage marketing and sales.

For what projects/services did your company hire Twelve12?

We changed our company name from Federal Marble Inc to Marble Bros Inc, and we needed help with branding. 

What were your goals for this project?

We’ve been in the industry since 1999, so we wanted to debut a fresh catalog and website under the new company name.

How did you select this vendor?

They were a recommendation from one of our vendors. I contacted them and they were responsive. They easily understood what we wanted to do from our first meeting, so I felt comfortable working with them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We had two meetings before deciding the scope of work. Twelve12 started by creating a new logo. Next they produced new stationery and envelope designs. We then sent them all our stone and tile products. They took professional pictures and created a new catalog. They also developed a new website. 

What was the team composition?

I worked mostly with Ike (director, Twelve12). I also spoke with the web developer, photographer, and catalog designer whenever needed.

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

Our website and catalogue turned out even better than I expected. The new branding created trust. Our dealers gave us compliments without us asking for their opinion.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I’m busy and tend to be a slow responder. They were extremely patient when they needed my approval for things to move forward. They kept pushing the project forward without putting pressure on me. I really appreciated their professionalism. They got the new website up and running in a few weeks.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Ike was extremely knowledgeable about business and marketing in general. He knew about all the latest developments in marketing strategies and web development.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. We were one of their first customers, and Twelve12 continues to support us with updating our website. They grew fast in the last 5 years and I’ve noticed an improvement each year. The entire team is very capable.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and investor at Nuff Boards. We’re a unique skateboard company because we offer high-quality products at a price point that is affordable.

What challenge were you trying to address with Twelve12?

Our business is difficult because a lot of companies started to sell electric skateboards suddenly. When we had the idea, fewer companies were in the market. By the time we launched, there were more companies in the market. Delivering a quality skateboard at a good price is a big challenge because it’s expensive to manufacture one that is high-powered and high-quality. We needed someone to help us create a brand that would resonate with the 18 to 35-year-old male demographic that was different than other skateboard companies in the industry.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They did a great job with market research. They gave us complete branding support including the name, the logo, the brand, the videos, and they ran the Kickstarter campaign, which was fully funded. They designed and developed our website. They even designed the skateboard. They did everything and still do. We created another skateboard company and they did all of those tasks for that company too.

What is the team composition?

We work with the project manager. Their director is always involved. I connected with the writer/communications coordinator about the essence of the brand and how to connect with the consumer. I also met the development team and design team in meetings.

How did you come to work with Twelve12?

I interviewed several companies, and I’ve worked with many marketing companies. I found them online and they were also recommended.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $200,000–$300,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

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

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

They’re like part of the company. I don’t have an internal marketing team because they do such a good job. Whatever goals we set together, we beat them. Perhaps we are successful because I listened to them.

They’re good people, which is why we recommend them to many companies. They’re eccentric geniuses. I’m happy.

How did Twelve12 perform from a project management standpoint?

They asked me years ago how I wanted to communicate. I told them I prefer to meet face-to-face so we schedule monthly face-to-face meetings. If a deadline is ever missed, it’s because of issues on my end, not because of them. If they say it’s going to be finished in one month, they finish in three weeks.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re honest. You can see that they care about your business. They have passion and love what they do. I told them many ideas and many times they told me it wasn’t a good idea to spend money on them. At the time, I didn’t understand. Now I look back and I understand, they weren’t good ideas. Not many companies would do this; they would just take your money.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to them. They’re honest people doing good work. It’s like when the doctor tells you to take medicine, you don’t say no. Branding is like that. Trust them.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the co-founder of a software development company. We’ve developed multiple well-received apps.

For what projects/services did your company hire Twelve12?

We needed someone to build our brand, website, and copy. We also needed them to handle PR, SEO, and SEM for us.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to be successfully funded on Indiegogo and then be able to sell our products online. We ultimately wanted to create a brand that was recognized.

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed many providers but weren’t entirely comfortable with them. From our first meeting with Twelve12, we hit it off and knew why they came recommended to us. Now, I cant picture us working with a different vendor, they've become an extension of us.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We held a three day strategic planning retreat. They helped with a number of aspects, including: choosing name, brand design, site development, copy, video production, Indiegogo management, social media management, SEO,SEM, and Amazon and e-commerce integration.

What was the team composition?

We work directly with the director, Ike, on each project. Throughout the years, we’ve interacted with around 15 team members from Twelve12, depending on the project.

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

After starting, we hit our funding goals for Indiegogo. Now, we are on the first page of search results and we are actively selling our products on multiple platforms. We couldn't be happier with the results; I'm sure that our brand and product wouldn't be as successful without their help. 

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

I was impressed, it was a very organic and natural workflow. They always communicated very clearly and quickly. Our director responds to our questions or feedback within a few hours, at most.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The character and honesty that they brought to the table were impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There aren’t any areas for improvement, they charged a lot but we got what we paid for.