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Fearless.

4.5
5 reviews

Yield is a fearless brand advisory. An independent, partner-owned firm for more than 20 years, we specialize in being our clients’ brand stewards, articulating and activating their brand to achieve higher performance – to generate greater yield.

We’re proud of our long-standing relationships with some of Canada’s most prestigious consumer and business-to-business brands. Working collaboratively with our clients on a journey of discovery and change, we use customer research and insights as the platform for taking calculated risks that build brands.

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$10,000+
 
$150 - $199 / hr
 
10 - 49
 Founded
1989
Show all +
Toronto, Canada
headquarters

Reviews

4.5
5 reviews
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Brand Development for Government Agency

"Their thorough, professional approach and unique insights about our brand stood out."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
4.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
Dec. 2017 - Dec. 2018, Jul. 2019- Aug. 2019
Project summary: 

Yield Branding provided branding services, including producing a logo, brand guidelines, and a brand story. This involved conducting an employee survey and interviewing key stakeholders.

The Reviewer
 
11-50 Employees
 
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Chief Communications Officer, Government Agency
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

While the new brand hasn't launched, it has received positive feedback from internal and external stakeholders. Yield Branding is an expert listener with a productive research process. Their creativity, timeliness, and transparent communication were highlights.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We’re a federal agency working on a Canada-wide initiative for a new program that has not yet been rolled out.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yield Branding?

We need to develop a new brand for our new organization, and we wanted to have a forward-looking brand that all the employees could be really proud of.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The branding work included a new logo, brand guidelines, and a brand story. Then, we established a visual identity system to communicate those three things. 

They helped develop the things that stand behind the brand — the sum total of perceptions that our stakeholders have about our organization. 

They also conducted a survey of the employees to ask questions about which values they thought the organization should include. Their work included about 20 interviews with key internal and external stakeholders.

Later on, we worked with them again on a project connected to the work we were doing around our vision, mission, and values. They helped create a specific deck for meetings with our board and senior leaders.

What is the team composition?

Ted (President, Yield Branding) and Brad (CEO, Yield Branding) were the key players, and Josie (Senior Account Supervisor, Yield Branding) was our account manager. I really only dealt with those three. We had the same graphics specialist throughout the whole project.

How did you come to work with Yield Branding?

We hired a consultant to give advice on who should be invited to participate in a contest to select a vendor. The consultant helped select four groups that bid on the project. 

We selected Yield Branding for a number of reasons. They had good experience dealing with financial services, and they’d dealt with government agencies. Also, they had performed branding and logo work combined with survey services. Their presentation was very good, and they had a competitive price.

How much have you invested with them?

For the first project, the total value of the contract was probably about $205,000. For the second engagement, we invested about $17,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

They worked from December of 2017 through December of 2018. The second project took place from July to August of 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

 

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

We haven’t rolled it out to employees yet. However, we’ve gotten very positive feedback from government officials, our board of directors, and senior leadership. They had positive feedback about both the experience and the end result.

They were also quite creative. They helped us hone in on the essence of our brand. A big part of that was the excellent research they set up and conducted with the employees who would be coming on board.

How did Yield Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They had a thorough, professional process for project management. First, they presented a plan about how brand development would proceed. As they started to execute, they were on-time and on-budget. We asked for a couple of extra items and they were able to work with us on those. 

Overall, their account management and billing were very good. They would send a summary each month, which we could discuss before they invoiced us. 

We communicated through face-to-face meetings, telephone, and email on a day-to-day basis. They used a secure portal to showcase information and receive feedback. For example, board members could look at things and comment back. This was very, very helpful for gathering feedback (e.g. looking at drafts of the logo). 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their thorough, professional approach and unique insights about our brand stood out.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, everything was done well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They are good listeners. So, make sure you’ve got your key stakeholders in place for them to talk to. A large part of their process is conducting 15–20 stakeholder interviews. They’ll be able to gather valuable insights if they’ve had a chance to interview the right people. 

You should also work really closely with them to make sure you're comfortable with the project timeline. If you tell them what you want to do and when you want it done, they will get it done.

 

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 4.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Branding for Medical Professionals Insurance Firm

"They remain mindful of their client’s clients—the end users—and what they need."

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4.5

Quality: 
4.5
Schedule: 
4.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
$200,000 to $999,999
 
2014 - 2017
Project summary: 

Yield Branding led an insurance company’s branding initiative, an effort that included crafting a marketing strategy and developing a new logo and new designs for all collateral.

The Reviewer
 
201-500 Employees
 
Ontario, Canada
Bruce Palmer
Chief of Member Services, Ontario Medical Association
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

An improved brand produced a higher read rate and open rate of digital materials and helped convince customers to purchase additional coverage. Yield Branding strives to provide relevant and long-lasting solutions. Despite some occasional scope creep, they stayed true to their cost estimates.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chief of member services for the Ontario Medical Association. I also serve as the CEO of OMA Insurance, a subsidiary of ours. The Ontario Medical Association is the professional association of all doctors in Ontario. We look after their professional and personal interests by providing them with a range of services including insurance, discount programs, and practice management training.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yield Branding?

Our OMA Insurance subsidiary lacked an identity. We evolved a lot in the five years prior to starting with Yield Branding, and we anticipated even more changes in the coming five years. We engaged with Yield Branding to create an identity and a value proposition to our customers. We hoped that the brand would be consistent with the larger parent organization but also be different enough from the parent organization to survive as a standalone identity.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yield Branding ushered us through their genesis process, which allowed them to meet with our stakeholders and our clients to determine the current state of our brand. Following that, they helped us build our brand pyramid that outlined our overall brand promise and how we’d represent that internally to our employees and externally to our business partners and our clients.

Once the identity was created, Yield Branding designed a new logo and a new design for all of our materials and collateral. While we separately developed a website, Yield Branding helped us determine the tone of our online presence.

What is the team composition?

Our primary contacts were Brad (Founder/Chief Brand Strategist, Yield Branding) and Ted (President, Yield Branding).

How did you come to work with Yield Branding?

I worked with them at a past job, and I was impressed by the quality of their work and their understanding of what we were trying to accomplish. We conducted an RFP process, and we invited three finalists for an interview and a presentation. We selected Yield Branding through that process.

How much have you invested with them?

Over several years, we spent around $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in 2014, and the bulk of the work was complete within 12–15 months. We worked with them on a retainer for another two or three years. During our time working together, we developed our internal marketing department, so we no longer have them on a retainer basis, but we’ll still work with them on a project-by-project basis if it falls a little beyond the scope of our capabilities.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

It’s difficult to determine how much of our success is attributed to this work, but I can highlight that 79% of our members have one or more insurance product through our offerings. We also know that our material gets read because we have a higher open rate, and I receive positive anecdotal feedback. We also had no website before, and now we experience thousands of online visitors a month.

How did Yield Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

Whenever we missed a deadline, it was likely because the approval process took longer on our end because we were unsure of what we wanted. But we held regular meetings to update the project plan and stay on task. Because of our occasional indecisiveness, they sometimes put more time and effort into specific tasks, but they still honored their original cost estimates.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I appreciate their approach to understand what we’re trying to accomplish. They remain mindful of their client’s clients—the end users—and what they need. The insurance industry can sometimes be full of jargon, and we were a bit too insular at times, so Yield Branding helped us break down our information into language that our customers could easily understand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re not a huge international shop, so if that’s what people look for, they can deliver really well within their marketplace. That’s not a big issue for us, but I suspect it could be for other people. Further, when we branched into the digital strategy, we relied on a different firm. Yield Branding has clear creative strengths, but they’re not as strong technologically.

4.5
Overall Score They have high-quality people, and they work hard to understand their clients.
  • 4.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    Every now and then, as a small shop, they’d get busy and end up being a few days late.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    I’m very happy with what we received for what we paid.
  • 4.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They provided great materials.
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer
    I already recommend them. I have no hesitation recommending them.

Branding for Global Relief & Development Organization

“The value proposition Yield developed has resonated very well with our targeted audience.”

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4.0

Quality: 
4.0
Schedule: 
3.0
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
$50,000 to $199,999
 
July - Nov. 2018
Project summary: 

Yield provides ongoing branding and messaging services, including the creation of a value proposition and promotional planning.

The Reviewer
 
10,000+ Employees
 
Ontario, Canada
Cheryl Hotchkiss
VP of Public Engagement, World Vision Canada
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Yield developed a robust brand value proposition that's already been well received by targeted audiences thus far. Communicative and timely, working with their team is relatively seamless. They also bring a complementary level of research and passion to the table.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the VP of public engagement for World Vision Canada, an advocacy and relief global organization that works to improve the well-being of children living in poverty in about 100 countries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yield Branding?

We engaged Yield to help develop our brand familiarity to help increase donations and contributions that support our work. We needed help defining our brand value proposition and any supporting messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yield developed a brand value proposition and initial brand messaging architecture, along with a promotional plan. After doing a deep dive into our brand health and all the research we'd already done, they provided an assessment of our challenges. They then led an exercise that helped us clarify what we wanted to express from a customer-facing perspective and presented recommendations based on their research.

From there, they developed some creatives based on our cause and supported us in working with an external service provider to test the concept. A 24-month promotional plan was developed to attract new audiences and ensure interest and support was maintained from existing audiences.

What is the team composition?

We primarily work with Ted (President, Yield Branding) and Brad (Founder, Chief Brand Strategist, Yield Branding), as well as a designer and writer.

How did you come to work with Yield Branding?

We researched companies in Canada and considered a few different companies through an RFI process. We liked that Yield had a clear mission, was affordable, and smaller in size so they could give us more personalized attention. As a nonprofit, we also appreciated their experience in the financial sector, providing insight into how people feel about their money.

How much have you invested with them?

We'll invest $150,000–$200,000 by the time we're done.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working in July 2018, wrapped up most of the work in November, and continue to work with them on other projects.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The value proposition Yield developed has resonated very well with our targeted audience, performing well from the initial research we've conducted.

How did Yield Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They maintain a clear channel of communication, and delivered on their promises within set timeframes. There were just a few times we had to follow up on next steps due to a lack of clarity.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Ted and Brad complement each other very well. Brad is very creative, energetic, and passionate, while Ted brings a lot of rigor, research, and customer service to the table.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. They work hard to understand the needs of the client.

4.0
Overall Score We have a very good partnership with them overall.
  • 3.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
    There were a few instances in which timelines could've been clearer.
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They provide a great value for the investment.
  • 4.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
    They deliver high quality work.
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Branding & PR for General Merchandise Corporation

"They've been challenging, but in all the right ways."

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5.0

Quality: 
5.0
Schedule: 
4.5
Cost: 
5.0
Willing to refer: 
5.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Jan. 2016 - Ongoing
Project summary: 

Yield Branding assisted with branding and PR efforts, creating a whole new strategy for a brand within only eight weeks and a very tight budget. They’re an ongoing partner for work on other brands.

The Reviewer
 
1,001-5,000 Employees
 
Ontario, Canada
Former VP of Marketing, General Merchandise Corporation
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

Their diligent team is an overall great creative partner that pushes in the right way, provides useful ideas, and works transparently. Yield Branding’s customer-centric approach produces solid results for every brand they work on. They also provide guidance on where to allocate resources.

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former vice president of marketing at Giant Tiger stores, a major Canadian food, fashion, and general merchandise retailer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yield Branding?

I was recruited to the organization to help elevate the business. I was assigned a limited budget, resources, and time, and was going up against massive, established competitors whose budget largely exceeded mine.

I needed a strong agency partner that was nimble, entrepreneurial, and that could not only help me to deliver the vision that I was building within the organization for what the brand could be but also help deliver and execute that under some very tight constraints.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They assisted with our branding, advertising campaign, media strategy, customer research, and PR efforts. By the time the management team at our company bought into the vision and strategy we created, we had very little time to execute—under eight weeks. It was a brand-new campaign, and a completely new approach for the business, with its first time ever on television. It truly was one of the most exciting, challenging, and insane experiences I’ve ever had, and Yield Branding was an outstanding partner throughout.

As we received feedback from my business partners and our executive team, we needed to adapt and implement it quickly, which Yield Branding did with excellence. They knew that our competitive marketplace would be watching our every move, so there was no place for error considering our timeline and budget constraints.

What is the team composition?

I worked with their president, Ted Nation, and CEO, Brad Usherwood, as well as with their senior team.

How did you come to work with Yield Branding?

I had known Yield Branding from the past and brought them into the RFP process along with many other agencies. We went through a test case scenario with all of them and chose Yield Branding as a result.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2016 and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All in all, I’m very proud of not only what Yield Branding put forth, but also of my own team that supported the initiative. We gave women what they wanted in a simple way that resonated with them, which stood out over our competition. Yield Branding was amazing and pushed us hard, which is exactly what one would want from a creative partner. They were honest, had integrity and brilliant ideas, and were able to execute within our timeline and budget, which was short of a miracle.

We have a lot of fun working together. When both sides can be honest and challenging, great ideas and insights come out. It’s always about being customer-centric and never losing sight of that. Yield Branding keeps us very grounded in that.

The strongest metric would be that we achieved the two billion corporate sales revenue mark. We successfully launched or rebranded 15 brands with Yield Branding’s partnership in under three years. All these projects have been very successful, and those businesses continue to thrive and grow.

How did Yield Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They were very aware of our time and budget constraints, and we had an excellent understanding that if anything was to go above, that it needed approval first. They were effective in tracking, monitoring, and helping us make choices. They also helped us understand the financial repercussions of some of our decisions and would tell us where they thought our money could have a greater impact. Their insight and guidance have been valuable. They’re also very financially responsible, which is hard to find in other agency partners.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They went over and above to research our marketplace, at their own cost, to bring that insight to us when we had gaps in our understanding. That level of investment, curiosity, and passion for our business really made me feel that they were not just an agency we hired, but rather a partner in our success. They've been challenging, but in all the right ways, having the confidence to tell us where we can do better and how.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They don’t have in-house media, but they did introduce us to a media planning agency that they worked closely with. It isn’t a one-stop-shop situation for us in this sense.

5.0
Overall Score
  • 4.5 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 5.0 Cost
    Value / within estimates
    They were outstanding and offer incredible value compared to what we paid.
  • 5.0 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 5.0 NPS
    Willing to refer

Brand Awareness for Asset Management Firm

"The Yield Branding team has a comprehensive process that works for them, and they molded it to fit our needs."

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4.0

Quality: 
3.5
Schedule: 
5.0
Cost: 
3.5
Willing to refer: 
4.0
The Project
 
Confidential
 
Dec. 2014 – Sept. 2015
Project summary: 

Yield Branding performed a brand overhaul for an established firm. They created a new set of marketing materials, including a logo, website, and business vision to improve global reach.

The Reviewer
 
51-200 Employees
 
Toronto, Canada
Director of Sales & Marketing, Asset Management Firm
 
Verified
The Review
Feedback summary: 

The updated branding contributed to an increase in business and overall assets. The Yield Branding team’s thorough approach allowed for flawless communication and implementation. Their expertise and collaborative nature led to a continued engagement after the branding project was completed.  

A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of sales and marketing for an asset management firm based in Canada. We manage hedgefund strategies on behalf of institutional and high net-worth clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Yield Branding?

We were trying to bring more awareness to our company and further define our brand. We hadn’t put much thought into direct marketing and finding potential clients, so we wanted a team to do a full brand review for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yield Branding began by having extensive meetings with our team and tried to understand our business visions and goals. We had a “brown-paper” session in which we brainstormed ideas and generated suggestions. From there, they created materials for us that included a new logo, website, and other marketing collateral. The team helped us find strategies to enhance the global perception of our company.

What is the team composition?

We worked primarily with Ted (President & Partner, Yield Branding) and Brad (Founder, Yield Branding).

How did you come to work with Yield Branding?

We followed a referral and interviewed Yield Branding for the project. We chose them because of the strong interest they took with our ideas. They didn’t try to sell us on an approach they've used with other clients. Instead, their team took the time to understand our business and gave us a personalized offer.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working on the branding review in December 2014, and we wrapped that project up in September 2015. We’re still working with them on other tasks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Around a year and a half into working with Yield Branding, we saw our assets under management double. Additionally, we’ve added a significant number of new clients since beginning our work together.

How did Yield Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They excelled at managing workflow, following guidelines, and keeping us updated on progress.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The Yield Branding team has a comprehensive process that works for them, and they molded it to fit our needs. They took the time to understand our business and treated the new client acquisition phase similar to our company's approach.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

There is nothing I can think of for them to improve.

4.0
Overall Score
  • 5.0 Scheduling
    ON TIME / DEADLINES
  • 3.5 Cost
    Value / within estimates
  • 3.5 Quality
    Service & deliverables
  • 4.0 NPS
    Willing to refer