Watson Creative

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m self-employed, and my company does business consulting, leadership, and team development coaching.

As a disclaimer, I’m now providing Watson Creative with consulting services as they grow their team including coaching some of their executive leaders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Watson Creative?

We needed to build a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I think it’s a WordPress site, and it looks great. The process was very collaborative. The designer I was assigned was very responsive and professional. I had ideas, flavors, photos that I had envisioned. This was the first business I’d started on my own, so I needed that web development expertise. They asked a lot of good questions to guide us on what would work best for me. They didn’t push a template on me, which I really appreciated.

They also created business cards and a logo for me.

What is the team composition?

I worked with a designer, as well as the resource who did the backend. He helped me do some things where I could make a few changes myself.

How did you come to work with Watson Creative?

I know Matt (Founder, Watson Creative) from our time at the same university. He worked there, and I attended the school.

How much have you invested with them?

I spent around $10,000 with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from March until June 2015. I’m now in talks with them to trade services; I’ll offer them something and they’ll create a video for me for the website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Satisfaction has been great. People have responded well to the site, saying it’s informative and attractive. They built in some information about me as well that tells my customers about my personality. The navigation is very smooth

How did Watson Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

The owner is great to work with. Through my relationship and reaching out to him, he partnered me with the right person to ensure there was good alignment from the beginning. They’re very collaborative as a small studio, which gets things done quickly. They stayed very engaged with me as a client to see how things were going. Project management was very good.

What did you find most impressive about them?

If I had to choose an agency in Portland, they’re one of the top ones for small designs firms. They’ve hired talented people and get out their way, they let them do their work.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They may not have communicated as well back in 2015 as they do now. The communication was good, but it could always be better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be transparent. Go in with your ideas and work with Watson. Be open to not being the expert. They’re a top-notch agency to collaborate with.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a professor at Oregon State University in Design & Innovation Management. Matt Watson was a student of mine in the Graphic Design Program.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Watson Creative?

Matt has been consulting with our design programs for the past 10+ years.

What were your goals for this project?

To have successful and influential alumni advise and mentor our faculty and students.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Matt Watson is an Oregon State alumni.

Describe the project in detail.

Matt sits on our Advisory Board for the Design Programs in the College of Business at OSU and also mentors students and hires our graduates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our students are much better informed after visiting Watson Creative and talking to Matt and his team at Watson Creative.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I have known Matt since he was an undergraduate student at Oregon State University in the graphic design program. Over the past 25 years, I’ve followed Matt’s post-graduate journey, starting at Lippincott in New York, moving to Nike, and finally starting his own agency, Watson Creative in Portland.

Over that time he has remained dedicated to his alma mater by teaching and inspiring students, working on our Advisory Board and hiring dozens of OSU grads. I can attest not only to Matt's critical design thinking and problem-solving ability but also to his character and to the people he hires.

I have enjoyed getting to know the team at Watson Creative and I highly recommend them.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of my own consulting firms that is geared towards working with business executives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Watson Creative?

We wanted assistance with branding for a new business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They assisted with brand strategy and design services. This included deck building, website design, graphics, and copywriting. 

What is the team composition? 

Matt (CEO & Executive Creative Director) is my main point of contact, but I also worked with Ian (VP of Communications). 

How did you come to work with Watson Creative?

Matt was a former coworker of mine when we worked at Nike. We got together to discuss our new ventures, and I realized he would be a great fit for the project. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested a bit less than $10,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August 2019, and the engagement is ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched the new brand yet. However, Matt has done a good job and been consistent with his point of view. He has a clear view of what the project will look like. His advice has helped move the project forward. 

How did Watson Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive and open to dialogue. Even though the team is busy, they’ve remained easy to get in touch with. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Matt is a very stoic strategist. He thinks about the big picture and is creative in his work. He brings about a lot of unique ideas that I may not have considered. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t say anything negative. Their business is growing and figuring out how to manage their workflow, but they’re doing a good job. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to the strategies and ideas that they might bring.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

VP of Marketing for one of Oregon’s 50 largest businesses,.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Watson Creative?

Brand development, video production, graphic design.

What were your goals for this project?

Enhanced brand image. Ability to stand out in a crowd of competitors.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Based on trial of smaller projects. Communication, design competence, marketing acumen, brand understanding.

Describe the project in detail.

Multiple corporate and product brand development programs. Development of a strategy and related array of branded content for trade shows, web and other channels focused on building recognition and leadership position within industry and categories.

What was the team composition?

Account manager, videographer, junior and senior designers, digital experts, and Matt Watson himself.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

High visibility to key partners. Increased email marketing open rates. Marketshare increase.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Efficient with a whatever it takes attitude.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their spirit to do it right and their passion for branding stood out.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Communication for all sides can never be perfect, but they don't mind listening more if needed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

At the time I worked with Watson I was the Marketing Director at Scott Edwards Architecture

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Watson Creative?

We hired Watson to take us through a branding exercise and design us a new website.

What were your goals for this project?

Our firm had recently undergone its first ownership transition. One founding partner had stepped down and five had stepped up to take the reigns with the remaining founding partner. Our vision remained the same, and we were excited to learn how our voice had changed and how we wanted to reemerge to the world with a refreshed brand illustrated through a new website.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We polled our peers and interviewed several well respected firms.

Describe the project in detail.

Once we selected Watson we had a kickoff meeting that led to several intensive workshops where the 13 person management team worked to distill who we were as a firm, our voice and how that would translate into our website. A smaller web design team then met with Watson weekly to work through the design details of the website through rollout.

What was the team composition?

Initially it was the 13 person management team from SEA and a team of 4 from Watson, including Matt Watson. Then as we figured out the higher-level branding and visioning the team became myself working directly with the Watson team and reporting progress back to the 6 person SEA ownership team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The website was a huge improvement. And the process that we took to get there helped us come together as an organization at a time of transition. It has been 5+ years now and the website has held up well and we couldn't be more proud of it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective. We had obstacles and setbacks like any team, with staff turnover, trouble making decisions on the ownership side, etc. But we worked through them all with clear communication and a shared commitment excellence.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Matt and his team partnered with our architectural firm over 5 years ago and since then we’ve watched Watson become a trusted name in the AEC industry. I can clearly remember the passion behind Watson’s work and the expertise brought to every task – it’s because of them that our culture and brand are communicated the way we envisioned.

I was recently back at the Watson studio and was very impressed with the culture and the team/family environment. They’re just as kind and welcoming as they are talented!

Are there any areas for improvement?

The team was exceptional. I would work with them again and have remained friends with Matt over the years. The firm he has continued to build is exceptional.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Bloomfire

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Bloomfire is an AI-powered knowledge management platform that transforms fragment content, tribal knowledge, and insight overload into a certified "truth layer" for the enterprise.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Watson Creative to accomplish?

• Our Company had reached a stage where the business was maturing faster than the brand supporting it. We were gaining traction with larger enterprise clients, but our messaging, website, and overall positioning still reflected an earlier stage startup. Prospective customers often required too much explanation before understanding our value, and internally there was inconsistent alignment between leadership, sales, and marketing teams. We needed a clearer market position that could support growth while improving communication across the organization. We specifically wanted to work with a branding agency in Austin that approach strategy with depth with depth rather than focusing only on visual design.

SOLUTION

How did you find Watson Creative?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Watson Creative over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Watson Creative were assigned to this project?

11-15

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Watson Creative led a comprehensive positioning and messaging engagement that include stakeholder interviews, customer research, competitive analysis, executive workshops, website strategy, messaging development, and visual identity refinement. They restructured our website architecture, clarified our core messaging framework, and developed a more cohesive brand system aligned with our growth objectives. Their team also worked closely with marketing and sales leadership to ensure the positoning translated effectively into campaigns and outbound communication.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Withn several months of launch, inbound demo requests increased significantly, and our sales team reported noticeably stronger lead quality during early conversations. Website engagement metrics also improved across key conversation pages. Internally, there was much stronger alignment between departments. Teams began communcating with more consistency, and leadership gained greater clearity around long term positioning.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Project management was highly organized and transparent throughtout the engagement. Weekly executive check ins, clearly defined milestones, and discplined communication helped keep the process efficient and focused.

What was your primary form of communication with Watson Creative?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Their ability to combine strategic thinking with practical execution was impressive.

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

The dscovery process was intentionally detailed, which extended the early stages slightly longer than expected. However, the additonal research ultimately stenghtened the final outcome and reduced unnecessary revisions later in the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Ocado Retail

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are world's dedicated online supermarket, commited to bringing more of what matters to our customers, unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, reassurngly good value.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Watson Creative to accomplish?

• We hired Watson Creative, based in portland , Oregon, to help us create a simple map with important locations so we could give better and faster project quotes. We also wanted to connect our quoting process to a database that is easy to access and use.

SOLUTION

How did you find Watson Creative?

Online Search

Why did you select Watson Creative over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Watson Creative were assigned to this project?

10-13

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The main work was to rebuild our branding using a map with ponts of interest. These ponts could be customized, and the quotes would change depending on different factors. We also needed a fast and easy way to store and find these quotes in a database.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The key outcomes includes a map system that analyse real routes and supports multiple routes, customizable points with adjustable prices, and a quick quote storage system. The project helped us generate quotes faster, find quotes quicker, and made our team work more efficiently.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Watson Creative's Portland based team was flexible and adjusted to our changing needs during the project. They delivered on time and communicated well.

What was your primary form of communication with Watson Creative?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out to us was how well they communicated and their effort to understand our business. They asked the right questions to make sure the solution worked well for us.

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

We have no complaints and are very happy with Watson Creative 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Data Facts

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Data Facta provides clients with national and international background screening solutions to make sound hiring decisions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Watson Creative to accomplish?

We hired Watson Creative to help us make an old product look new and explain it better to our customer

SOLUTION

How did you find Watson Creative?

Online Search

Why did you select Watson Creative over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost

How many teammates from Watson Creative were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

We picked Watson Creative because they really know this kind of work and already understood our company and audience. This made everything faster and easier. They helped us by looking at our old reserach, checkinf our competitors, working with our team on tests, and coming up with new ideas for how to talk about our product. They also made a guide to help our marketing and sales teams.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We can't share exact results because of privacy, but our work was used at a big event with one of our key customers. Watson Creative stayed in touch wth weekly updates and meetings, and they were flexible with our schedule.

We can't share exact results because of privacy, but our work was used at a big event with one of our key customers. Watson Creative stayed in touch wth weekly updates and meetings, and they were flexible with our schedule.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

The team comprised 3 to 6 specialists, including a project manager, brand strategists, a copywriter, and the company CEO Matt  Watson who provided strategic input throughout the process. while confidentially restricts sharing quantitative results, the refreshed messaging was sucessfully showcased at a major client and partner event soon after completion. 
Communication was exemplary, with consistent weekly updates and adaptable scheduling to accommodate our internal review and stakeholders.

What was your primary form of communication with Watson Creative?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

Watson Creative leadership impressed us the most, showing strong support for our team and commitment to continous improvement, whch allowed them to adeprtly handle the nuances of our industry and business requrements.

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

There are no signficant recommendation for improvement at this tme.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Accreditation, Author, Educator and Consultant of International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE)

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The IACBE promotes and recognizes excellence in business education in institutions of higher education worldwide through specialized accreditation of business programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Watson Creative to accomplish?

• Over the last couple of years, we developed a new mission and vision for our organization. As part of our centennial celebration, we also had developed a Collective Vision that identified opportunities for the business schools of the future. It was time for us to develop a brand that supported the new strategic direction of the organization. We were looking to partner with an agency to help us bring the new mission and vision to life and articulate who we are as an organization, what we do, why we do it, and where we add value.

SOLUTION

How did you find Watson Creative?

Referral

Why did you select Watson Creative over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Watson Creative were assigned to this project?

4-8

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

First, we went through a discovery phase, which involved Watson Creative's team interviewing some of our key leadership team members and influential members within the industry. They also researched our audiences through surveys to benchmark our awareness and reputation and how we're viewed as an organization to explore where there were opportunities for us to evolve and strengthen our market position.

Then, we went into a strategy stage, which involved workshops with our team members, leadership, and board members to define our brand essence and purpose. Watson Creative presented some different high-level positioning themes to explore the best fit for our organization, which then informed the brand personality of the organization. Once we had the strategic direction, we then built a brand tree that included a master brand and sub-brands representing our various products and services. The master brand included logo design, icons, color treatment, messaging, language, and all elements needed to create a consistent and powerful brand voice. The final stage was launching the new brand to members at our international conference and implementing the brand across more than 150 IACBE brand assets globally, ranging from the website to brochures to video and building signage across our global locations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We're seeing significant growth in business engagement with our site as well as membership overall. One of the sites Watson Creative rebranded has been visited by over 1 million students, a 37% increase over the past year. For another site, we've seen a 24% increase in the number of visitors, including educators and businesses.

Their efforts have also opened up the types of members that engage with our organization. We now have over 7,000 followers on social media, a 10% increase over the past year, and we've seen a 25% increase in Google search rankings for targeted keywords related directly to the IACBE brand, including “best business schools,” for example.

Our new branding and messaging has helped the organization achieve a lot of positive media coverage around the globe. Representing over 800 accredited schools and members in over 50 countries, most are now actively displaying their IACBE accreditation seal and the branding work Watson Creative helped us create.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our account executive worked closely with us to keep everything on track. It allowed me to focus on the overall strategic direction of the project. I felt I could fully trust their team to deliver on the project, which involves a strong relationship between agency and client.

What was your primary form of communication with Watson Creative?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

I was most impressed by the level of expertise they were able to bring into our project at each stage. Everyone involved was up to speed on the brand and what we were trying to accomplish, and there was a sense of guidance that they had gone through this before, while still acknowledging that every client is unique.

I've worked with a lot of agencies in the past, but Watson Creative stands out as being more collaborative in nature. They thoroughly digest our feedback and provide additional input where they feel it would improve outcomes. They also take an iterative approach, coming back to us often to ask questions throughout the process to ensure they're delivering what we want they are true partners in that way.

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

Not at all, they were able to meet all our expectations.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Chief Financial Officer of Invesco

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Invesco  is one of the world’s leading asset managers, with 8,300 employees helping retail and institutional investors in more than 120 countries rethink their challenges and find new possibilities for success.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Watson Creative to accomplish?

• We needed their team’s web development and branding expertise.

SOLUTION

How did you find Watson Creative?

• Online Search
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Watson Creative over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Watson Creative were assigned to this project?

11-15

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Watson Creative’s initial task for us centered around website development. They built our platform from scratch and based the iterations on our brainstorming efforts and functionality and design preferences. I specifically wanted them to focus on optimizing its UX by giving our customers options for seamless payment methods. Over the course of the development process, they created five iterations to apply panel and design changes.

As for our branding pipeline, we tasked Watson Creative to generate brand strategies that mirrored the mission and vision of our family business. Their team also conducted thorough research to determine which industry specific strategies worked best to get the word out about our company. Watson Creative then proceeded with designing our logo based on the color scheme they chose for us. Additionally, their team came up with our tagline, which we still use on our website to date.

Watson Creative currently performs web hosting related tasks for us. They update our site content on a quarterly basis and put up new web links for our customers when necessary. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Watson Creative has done a great job in understanding the right aesthetic for our business the main reason why our company has entrusted them with our branding efforts for quite some time now. They have a natural talent for optimizing the visual aspects of a business, and that’s well reflected in their deliverables every time. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

We mainly communicated with their team via email regularly. Watson Creative generally meets our project management expectations, but there are times when some tasks take them a while to finish. However, this is understandable since any artistic work takes time.

What was your primary form of communication with Watson Creative?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

We’re most impressed with their capacity to comprehend and implement the right branding approach for us. They understood the importance of a good logo and a striking tagline.

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

Watson Creative can benefit from a more articulate scoping and timeline management approach. Additionally, they can be more transparent in defining the services included for every price point they negotiate.