The Yard Creative

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We set up a hair and skincare brand in China. Our goal was to launch a salon and then use its growing reputation to create and see retail products as well. The business was co-founded by my business partner and me.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with The Yard Creative?

We wanted to ensure that we had a consistent brand identity and aesthetic. It was also important that it met our high design standards.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They gave us a full brand identity after early brainstorming sessions and a few calls. That was practical for us in terms of setting standards. We approached the brief with several ideas of our own, without a cohesive brand identity. Our team knew that we wanted a green, environmentally-friend, non-feminine space. Along with that, we had a few minor design preferences. For example, we brought tiles that we liked to our first meetings, as a reference.

Other than that, all of our branding ideas were born out of the brainstorming session with their team. We spent a full day with them to make sure they understand everything that we wanted, coming prepared with market research for our new space. After our briefing day, we returned to China and worked together remotely under tight deadlines. 

In addition to the branding guidelines and visualization, their team handled the interior design in our first location. They’ve delivered everything to this stage, but we intend to work with them on future projects. 

What is the team composition?

There were five people attending and contributing to our briefing day and regular video conference meetings. That included Miles (Creative Director, The Yard Creative), who was our main point of contact for the project. 

How did you come to work with The Yard Creative?

After using an agency in Vancouver for another company, we found that they couldn’t nail the aesthetic we were looking for. So, we searched for top branding agencies online and narrowed it down to a shortlist of agencies. Because we have backgrounds in London and like those aesthetics, it was easy for us to connect with their team. They met our standards and our budget.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £20,000 (approximately $26,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from May–October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

A large part of the process was finding a flexible agency, attuned to our understanding of this business environment. They knew how to be flexible with designs and communicate to us in a way that would make sense. Since we hadn’t been through this process before, there was some hand-holding, but not in a condescending way.

Having said that, one unavoidable issue we ran into was that some things in the design were inaccessible to us for a while. That caused us to be a little delayed.  

How did The Yard Creative perform from a project management standpoint?

They adhered to tight deadlines and kept us regularly updated with drafts over video conferences. That way, we were all on the same page. We were originally worried about the remote working relationship, but their communication was very strong. They made it clear that they were always on call, staying flexible despite our distance and time zones. 

When we initially launched, there were some things that we weren’t able to execute because of our remote relationship. In those situations, they made themselves available to help us find an alternative. Otherwise, they kept ahead of schedule, making it clear when tasks would be completed. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

The personality and attitude of the team were great. They made a collective effort to understand our goals, position, and familiarity with the process of building a brand. Despite this being a new market for us, we never felt condescended for asking questions.

Personalities aside, we felt that they put the right people on tasks. At no point did we ever have to repeat ourselves or elaborate. Other agencies may not be as proactive as The Yard Creative. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they’ve been great partners.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If I could go back and do this process again, I would ask different questions about the design process. If there are other areas in the process that you’re not an expert in, it may be a good idea to proactively talk them through as a means of educating you in that area. They’re very willing to explain their processes at any point. I wish I had taken them up on that more on the design side of the development.