Y5 Creative

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a realtor licensed since 1987 in Vancouver, B.C. Canada, one of the most active markets in North America

For what projects/services did your company hire Y5 Creative?

Having been in the businees for so long, I needed to freshen up my marketing tools and website. And at that time I had no branding.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I inquired at a couple of other companies and consulted other realtors to understand pricing and value. After my initial consultation with Y5, there was no doubt of who I was going to work with. I have known the group at Y5 for years through other avenues and was very cognizant of their integrity and honesty.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

I sat down with the team and we spoke at length about me, my business and what makes me unique

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

Initially I worked directly with their project manager and then after that also had conversations with the other support members of their team if they needed Logos/colours etc. from my company.

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

The final product has been able to work seamlessly with my website and social media. And it it able to evolve as my marketing needs change.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Working with the Y5 team was easy. Their design process is polished and simple, and I always knew I was been heard. We communicated via email, in person and on the phone. They delivered on their promised every time.

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

I loved that they were completely transparent and communicated openly with me. In addition, their team had a lot of experience. They were incredibly creative, and I felt I was always in good hands. On a side note it was exciting to be in the room listening to the team director be creative!

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

Not really, I appreciated their guidance and assistance with my project

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a stand up comic based in Los Angeles.

For what projects/services did your company hire Y5 Creative, and what were your goals?

As a comic who is self employed I need to market myself to comedy clubs, bookers, agents, corporate events. I had little social media presence or branding. Y5 changed that. Made me more competitive with other comics in this industry.

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I heard of Y5 through some friends that did work with them. For me it's all about trust and feeling comfortable with those I work with. The minute I talked to Carol and her team I know I was in the right hands. I knew they had the vision of what I was looking for.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Starting from a very little web presence, Y5 talked me through what I needed to stay relevant and competitive. I'm an old school guy. I didn't know what some of the things they referred to but I did know whatever they were suggesting must be good since I saw a number of their clients before we started and I liked what I saw.

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

I work with a variety of people at Y5 and they are all amazing and great at what they do. Most of what I do deals with Carol and she funnels the assignments to others. What I like best about Y5 among other things is that they are so responsive to my needs.

I'm pretty obsessive when it comes to things and despite my over the top emails to Carol and the team they are always right on it. And always providing me with a better solution than I had thought of.

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

After the projects were completed I immediately noticed a ROI. More calls for work. More top bookers and agents looking at my website and social media. Definitely a transformation I expected but certainly not that fast.

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

Carol and I spoke regularly and emailed regularly about timelines, deadlines, etc. I knew what was going on and when things would be finished. And they were always ahead of schedule.

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

A lot of people can do what I needed. Sure. But a lot of people won't take the time and energy to do what Carol and her team does. They took the time to get to know me. They took the time to understand what I needed and how I could use their services to be more successful. You can find someone off CriagsList to do design but that's all you will get. You won't find a team like Y5 Creative that stands behind you to make sure their product makes an impact.

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

Absolutely none.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am an owner of a digital label printing business called AllLabels in Burnaby, BC, Canada. I am responsible for marketing the company and the brand.

For what projects/services did your company hire Y5 Creative, and what were your goals?

When we went to Y5 Creative, we had just purchased a high end digital label printing machine and were embarking on our new venture into the label printing business. We needed a name and a brand to start selling our new services.

Once we had the name and brand, we needed to create a website and marketing collateral, including brochures, sample packs, trade show materials and more. We also needed assistance with our digital marketing strategy and execution.

How did you select this vendor?

We were recommended by an industry associate to use Y5 Creative, as they are known to be an experienced branding company with in-depth knowledge of the printing and graphic industry.

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

To start, we had a deep dive discovery session where we touched on all the elements necessary to create a strong and successful brand. They are very detail focused and were committed to delivering a product that was reflective of our vision. We worked closely with their design team and it was great to have the trademarking experience they provided when finalizing a name for our brand.

Once they had finalized the design of the brand, exceeding our expectations, they delivered a branding manual and the logo files were put into a drive folder that they continue to add new elements to on an ongoing basis. Their web design team then took over and they delivered a beautiful design and ultimately a website that we are proud of. The marketing collateral was a complex job that they handled with ease and they continue to work with us developing any collateral that we need.

Digital marketing is now our main focus as we grow the brand and we work closely with Y5 Creative's digital marketing team who are very supportive and knowledgeable. They continue to provide SEO services as well as Google and Facebook paid ads. Our business is growing fast.

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

I worked with the owner Carol who is hands on and oversees her team. The team includes graphic designers, web designers, web developers, digital marketing specialists and a great project manager.

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

Basically, we were given all the tools we needed to launch this new division of our business and I am happy to say that it has been very successful to date. Our label printing business continues to grow as a result of the support of the Y5 Creative team.

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

We communicate with them through Slack and they manage our projects through Monday.com. They collaborate closely with us on our digital marketing campaigns and their reporting is detailed, keeping us informed throughout the process. It's great to have our finger on the pulse of our business at all times.

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

They are always available when we need them. They treat our business like it’s their own, which is great. They are a part of our team.

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

None that I can think of. I highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for an all round digital company to work with.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the principal and founder of the BHC Group, and we’re a group of like-minded consultants who provide management consulting to our customers.

What challenge were you trying to address with Y5 Creative?

We were looking for someone with the marketing skillset and branding experience to help increase our digital awareness.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Y5 Creative helped rebrand our company and rebuilt our entire website from scratch. They’ve also helped us design our content’s layout and changed how we interact with our users on social media.

We initially started with discovery sessions to identify our needs and goals. We went back and forth to make sure our decisions were accurate and once that was done, they created and delivered a brand manual containing all the necessary information about our branding — this includes our logos, content layout, web design, and color schemes.

For the website, they integrated a tool that allows me to log into the backend and populate the content with information. They’re continuing to manage and maintain the website for updates and technical issues.

What is the team composition?

We’re working with around 4–5 people who are responsible for different components in the project.

How did you come to work with Y5 Creative?

I came across their company through Facebook.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $30,000 CAD (approximately $23,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement?

Our partnership started in April 2020. They’ve successfully delivered the project, but they’re still providing us with ongoing web support and additional ad-hoc tasks.

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

I don’t necessarily have any KPIs or measurable metrics, but we’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback from our customers and network. Their work helped us achieve social media exposure and connect with old and prospective clients.

Another thing worth mentioning is that the brand refresh also helped us acquire a professional look for one of our new offices in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I’m confident and comfortable with the new brand they’ve given my company.

How did Y5 Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re great from a project management perspective. They’re always on top of the process and they make sure to resolve any of our issues or concerns.

We use Monday.com as their primary management tool, and we typically communicate through Slack, email, and Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We’re impressed with their experience, as they really understand the marketing industry and the mindset of consumers.

We also like how they came into this project as our primary marketing partners — they didn’t just want to work with me, they wanted to continue the relationship and grow with me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they could improve on.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to see the project as a learning and growing opportunity, and just have fun with it. Let go of your restrictions and concerns so you can find the experience more enjoyable.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Sombilon Studios. We’re a commercial photography, videography, and custom artwork firm. We have a full suite of creative services that we provide to multinational corporations, nonprofits, and celebrities. We’ve been in business for over 15 years and have 30 photographers that work in our offices.

What challenge were you trying to address with Y5 Creative?

When we approached Y5 Creative, we desperately needed one central website. We didn’t know at the time that we actually needed a whole rebrand.

So when we came to them first, it was for web development, and once we learned about what service offerings they had, we ended up running with them for a full repositioning of our brand and marketing strategy.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Starting with the website, we’re a full creative studio that offers a number of services that all interact. We ended up building different photo library websites for our clients, which is a useful service, but all of our sites went to different places, and nothing was uniform. It was problematic in the sense that people wouldn’t be able to see us as creators and hosts.  

The team did intense research to figure out everything about what our target markets were, the verticals we were targeting, and where our industry tracks. That took about two years to build and launch. They did everything from scratch.

They were involved with SEO and completely overhauling our portfolio and messaging to our clients.

The team at Y5 Creative took a deep dive into our marketing strategies and developed an automated marketing education for us. They implemented a new CRM, automated marketing software, project management software. They also helped mine our emails to help with having proper newsletters and marketing communication.

For the rebrand, their team redid our logos, business cards, and other collateral. For the logo, they created a design that could feature our clients with their own colors and brand ambassadors.

What is the team composition?

Over the years, we worked with five people and one dog.

How did you come to work with Y5 Creative?

We’d been burned a few times by other similar agencies, so we had our guard up. We couldn’t find somebody that could actually understand what we did. To be honest, I don’t know if we’re the easiest to work with because we’re continually evolving.

We were referred to them by a friend who had worked with them. We did make sure to do our due diligence with them, but it was a marriage made in heaven.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over $130,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in July 2017.

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

We were dropping the ball for many years before Y5 Creative came along. We now consider them as part of our company. We also now outsource any branding work our clients need to them.

The team went into every aspect and area of our business to make sure our brand was well-represented. Our focus is always on the clients, which sustains our growth and business. The rebrand they did for us targeted that.

Their overhaul of our marketing strategy yielded a 20% increase in revenue per year. They’ve also increased our followers and engagement on social media. We’ve also received more leads through different sales avenues. Our brand is gaining momentum.

How did Y5 Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

I can’t rave about that enough. Some of our methods and programs that we were using were so insufficient in hindsight. They suggested other programs, like Monday.com and Slack, that were easier for project management. They made everything more organized for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their company genuinely cares about their clients and their growth. They want to see you scale, and they’re never trying to upsell you.

We’ve made Y5 Creative part of our business because we trust them implicitly. We also refer them to anybody we come across. They’re a genuine, well-organized team.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d like to see them scale and grow. They have the capabilities to become a much bigger business.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t make any assumptions coming in. They will complete this amazing discovery once you come in, and they’ll blow the doors off any expectations you had for the brand. I thought I was just coming in to get a website done but ended up restructuring my entire company and brand that I hadn’t planned to do.

Y5 Creative does a real deep dive into your industry. By the time you start working with them, they’ll intimately get to know your brand and needs.

Please describe your company and your position there.

A scenic Inn located in Nova Scotia. I am the owner

For what projects/services did your company hire Y5 Creative?

Development of a complete new brand identity

What were your goals for this project?

To create a recognizable brand identity that would work across all marketing and communication touch-points. We wanted to honor the history of the inn while bringing a more contemporary feel to the brand design.

We wanted an identity that suggested the key appeals of the Inn and its surrounds, namely the beautiful nature surrounding us and the Bay of Fundy waters for which the area is famous.

How did you select Y5 Creative?

I had worked with Y5 on other projects and respected their work and ethics.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

I drafted a branding brief outlining my thoughts on the business and what it represented. We then began a discovery process, led by Y5.

Through the design process we had a number of project update sessions. Initial ideas were generated and presented as alternatives. These were gradually narrowed down through an interactive process until we agreed a final approach.

Once the final approach was agreed, Y5 generated a complete comprehensive branding guideline.

What was the team composition?

Myself and wife, as owners. Together with the Y5 team

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

We have had very positive feedback about our new identity. It does capture both the history and environment while being stylish, simple and contemporary.

We have rolled out its use in most of our marketing efforts so we are driving a consistent visual identity

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. Good communication

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Personal approach. They are entrepreneurs who understand the needs involved in the journey from small to medium to large businesses.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a realtor and CPA.

What challenge were you trying to address with Y5 Creative?

I had just recently ended a longterm partnership and needed to establish my own brand. I hired Y5 Creative to help with this by creating a website and branding materials.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Y5 Creative designed and developed my website using WordPress. For the branding efforts, they’ve helped with the color schemes, logo design, and other aesthetic choices. They’ve created materials for both web and print, including signage and other deliverables. 

What is the team composition?

I work with several people from Y5 Creative. 

How did you come to work with Y5 Creative?

I knew Y5 Creative through a family connection and was drawn to working with them because of how they operate with care. 

How much have you invested with them?

I’ve spent around $25,000 on the project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since September 2018. 

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

It’s too soon to see the impact of the website, but we have received some fantastic comments on it from users. Their team did a lot of research to ensure the final product wasn’t cookie-cutter. The branding materials are clean and crisp, and people now recognize that I have a separate brand identity. 

How did Y5 Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

Responsiveness is never an issue. I hear back from them within hours. Even when timing on my end changes or I'm running around doing other tasks, they are accommodating and work well with my schedule. There are distinct project deadlines that they adhere to, and I’m happy with how they’ve managed the work.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

The way they care about the work they’re doing makes them stand out from competitors. They bend over backward to make sure I’m happy and they operate like they’re a family. I can tell I’m not just a number to them. They also create final products that are sustainable and won’t become outdated. The work they deliver is going to last and be versatile. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

At the beginning of the project, more oversight on a junior designer could have helped my vision be understood better. I also wish that they could provide more assistance in creating content from scratch. More industry-specific knowledge could be helpful because additional explanations about functionalities have cost me more. However, outsourcing some of this development could be a great idea for them. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

No matter who you hire, you need to know what you want because no one can read your mind. They’re excellent at discovering creative ideas from your vision, but you need to provide them with that instead of hoping they’ll be all-knowing. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a dentist and the owner of Hupfau Dental.

What challenge were you trying to address with Y5 Creative?

I’d never had a website. I realized that I needed one to validate my existence.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Y5 created a brand and a logo for my business. Previously, I was just Dr. Susie K. Hupfau Inc. We came up with Hupfau Dental and worked on a logo. Their team also built a website for my existing patients and prospective patients to view the business. I provided the content and their team created the design as well as developed the WordPress website.

What is the team composition?

Mainly, I worked with three people: Carol Colley (Creative Director and Creative Branding Specialist, Y5 Creative), a logo designer, and a website developer.

How did you come to work with Y5 Creative?

A patient recommended Y5 Creative.

How much have you invested with them?

At the end of the day, it was approximately $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from April 2018 until June 2019.

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

I don’t have any metrics, but I’m pleased with the results. I’m happy with the website. Everyone that has seen it says it looks great. I feel like the platform reflects me.

How did Y5 Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicated almost solely through e-mail. I found Y5 to be quite responsive. If I had a question, their team got back to me right away.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I found that their team was personally invested in my project. I liked that they were a smaller firm. I didn’t feel like another client. I always felt that I was receiving dedicated services. Their team cared about the results. As someone who’s not technically savvy, I found Y5 Creative to be approachable. They explained ideas and took care of tasks that I couldn’t manage myself.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know if it was a shortcoming on their part but I had to develop a lot of content myself because they’re not dentists. It likely resulted from a misunderstanding in the beginning. When I finally said you need to help me and we need to get this across the finish line, their team was responsive and able to help.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Y5 was professional and did a great job.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the manager of ground transportation and cruise programs for Ceres Terminals Canada. We operate the cruise terminal on behalf of the Port of Vancouver.

What challenge were you trying to address with Y5 Creative?

A few years ago,Y5 Creative helped us organize a few pull-up banners, but they had become outdated. We needed further assistance with general wayfinding through the cruise terminal, so we hired Y5 Creative to produce new signage.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Y5 Creative helped us come up with several innovative solutions for signage. We ended up deciding on tall, magnetic sign towers, and their team modified them for our multiple different ships and cruise lines. They also ensured everything matched our brand guidelines. If anything needs to be fixed, they’re available to help us quickly solve them and they perform updates whenever we have new cruise ships.

What is the team composition?

Jonathan (Director Business Development, Y5 Creative), Carol (Creative Director, Y5 Creative) and one of their designers work very closely with us. 

How did you come to work with Y5 Creative?

When we were originally doing a signage search, Y5 Creative was paired with another company and came together as a package so we chose them. 

How much have you invested with them?

As a rough estimate, we’ve spent around $50,000 CAD (approximately $37,700 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve worked with them in the past, but this project ran from January–April 2018. 

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

The fact that passengers can navigate through the cruise terminal and find their own way speaks to the quality of the signage. We’ve received great feedback on the signs, as well. Our ability to move the towers has had a huge impact on our operations as it is flexible based on our needs. Y5 Creative’s work augments what we currently have in our facility and works well with our complex operation. 

How did Y5 Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very responsive. For example, we just had a mechanical issue with one of the sign towers and Jonathan was quick to engage our supplier to get replacement parts. He found out we were covered under warranty, so instead of paying a substantial fee, we got some free replacement parts and did it ourselves. We’re very happy with their approach to managing the work in that respect.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We like that they’re a smaller company because they really care for their customers. They’re very on top of their communication and always make sure we have everything we need. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

We've been pretty happy with them for the long time and level of service that we recieve, so I don't think there's anything to improve at this time.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We provide clear guidelines of what we are looking for, so I recommend others do the same and they will do an excellent job. They're good at incorporating and following brand standard guidelines provided into the work.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I'm the chief development officer at a foundation that supports greater access and equity for women’s health care in British Columbia, Canada.

What challenge were you trying to address with Y5 Creative?

We had a new unit that was being created for a hospital. It's a unique unit that allows pregnant women involved in substance use to stay for several months before and after they deliver their baby. Canada's universal health care system doesn’t cover decorations, and the space was quite utilitarian with white walls. We wanted to create a warm and welcoming environment.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Y5 Creative created decorative murals for the hospital unit. Due to infection control regulations, the mural was made from removable vinyl. They worked to come up with designs that were impactful and respectful. They helped us help navigate feedback from multiple stakeholders (e.g., nurses, patients), which was very difficult. The first design they presented was rejected by the hospital. They took that in stride and started over. Their second attempt was successful.

Next they worked with the redevelopment and building team on the installation of the murals. There were all sorts of unexpected plumbing issues. Y5 Creative could only cover the top half of the walls in the rooms because the bottom half has a special covering to protect it from gurneys and wheelchairs. 

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Carol (Creative Director, Y5 Creative) and Jonathan (Director of Business Development, Y5 Creative). Some of the junior staff also worked on the design concepts. 

How did you come to work with Y5 Creative? 

My predecessor in this role found them and I signed the contract within my first three weeks on the job. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $122,000 CAD (approximately $91,900 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement? 

The project took place from December 2018–July 2019.

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

It was very moving when we saw the finished product. We couldn't afford to do as much as we wanted to do. Y5 Creative was really good about helping us decide what to prioritize. The most important thing was that there’s a full mural on the biggest wall in every woman’s room and bathroom.

The murals are so beautiful, welcoming, and girly. The nature theme is so calming; they did a great job with it. The women who use the unit want things that are soft. It lets them know that the hospital and the donors support them and truly care about them. It’s their home for several months, and it’s much friendlier than the bare rooms it was before. 

How did Y5 Creative perform from a project management standpoint? 

Y5 Creative was so responsive. They're really flexible and they totally accommodated my schedule. I definitely appreciated that. They were also really helpful because I hadn't done anything like this before. They explained everything to me in a way I could understand as a lay person. They helped interface with the hospital about what material we could use on glass as well as the walls that would meet the infection control criteria. They were creative and upbeat, which was great.

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They were always available. They kept me in the loop if one of them was going to be out of town for a while. I was probably less available for them, but they made it work. 

Y5 Creative had to deal with a lot of fits and starts on our end. We weren’t able to give them as good direction as was necessary. We were waiting to hear from patients about what they wanted, which wasn’t always straightforward. They were very accommodating.

Are there any areas they could improve? 

We needed to be sensitive and respectful in navigating this project, and we found some of Y5 Creative's earlier ideas to be a bit forward. After talking with them about taking a more passive approach and listening to the hospital's feedback, we were able to agree on a plan for the mural.

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

They were really good about communicating, even with all of the complexities of our project. I imagine they’d be really great working with other professionals who understand the business in a way that I did not.