The Yard Creative

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the head of global retail for Lindt & Sprungli Chocolate. We are a chocolate producer and retailer. I'm leading the global department for the retail stores.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I was holding an international meeting with my colleagues from 10 different markets. We were thinking about how we can innovate our sector.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They facilitated the workshops with our 10 global affiliates in order to ensure we understand key market trends. Their team also allowed participants to come up with great innovative ideas to prepare for the future. As of now, we're are in the process of doing another project with them.

What is the team composition?

I worked with the CEO and the creative director. They had another creative resource on board as well.

How did you come to work with The Yard Creative?

I asked another agency in the United Kingdom market for a recommendation based on my exact needs. They pointed me toward The Yard Creative.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began in February 2020, and the project ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a very good response from the participants, who thought the presentations were really relevant. They triggered the right thought process, and the documents that we received afterward had some strong, actionable ideas.

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

They are very informal, fast, and reactive. We could always reach them very quickly via the phone or email for more formal matters. Our frequency of communication depends on the project plan and our agreed-upon deliverables. They've always been very reliable.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I've worked with many creative agencies, but their knowledge of the retail market separates them from the rest. They communicate and translate their knowledge profoundly well to meet customer needs. That's really helpful.

For example, there are tons of trends they could have delivered and discussed. However, picking the ones that really resonate with the business model is what makes the difference. That's what they did.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It took them a while to get to know our business in the onboarding phase, but they definitely had an excellent grasp of our needs and offerings by the time the project was underway. So, I can't think of anything they should do differently. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It was really helpful to have a personal briefing session with the CEO and creative director. There, I really took the time to bring them up to speed on our business to ensure they could help. If you start working with them, give them proper access to your issues so they can play a role in addressing them.