Yulu Public Relations Inc.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Communications Manager for the BC Women’s Health Foundation, the only non-profit in BC dedicated to advancing the full spectrum of women’s health. Our four pillars are:

1. capital + equipment
2. research + innovation
3. education + awareness
4. advocacy

I oversee our communications campaigns and earned media.

For what projects/services did your company hire Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

We were looking for a PR firm to launch our Unmasking Gender Inequity report series, examining the unique impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s health. We knew we didn’t have the internal capacity to pull off the reach we wanted to achieve.

We looked to Yulu for their strong background in Impact Communications, specifically harnessing their expertise in communications planning, strategic comms, media relations, influencer relations, digital ad buys, and social media campaigns.

What were your goals for this project?

Our three primary goals with this campaign were to

1. Educate and increase awareness
2. Be seen as a thought leader and advocate
3. Attract sponsorship and increase funding. We wanted to present our campaign in a way that was easy to digest and thought-provoking.

We wanted to leave people with a “wow” moment, and be able to take away tangible knowledge to share with their networks. We want to be positioned as a voice that stands up against inequities in women’s health.

How did you select Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

We had wanted to work with Yulu for some time, but were waiting for the right opportunity. We had admired their cancer ampaign from afar, really appreciating how it was provocative with purpose.

When it came time to choose between 3 agencies for our Unmasking Gender Inequity campaign, Yulu was the clear choice. They offered such clear solutions right off the bat, even in our introductory call. They were adaptable, and very quickly felt like an extension of our internal team.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After our discovery meeting to discuss our organizational strategy + our specific goals for this launch, the Yulu team came back to us with solutions.

For Phase 1 this included communications planning, strategic comms, a full media relations plan, and the #WeSeeYou social media campaign which included digital ad buys and influencer relations.

Our timeline did not allow for internal stakeholder interviews, so the Yulu team was forced to get up to speed very quickly on our needs.

Materials developed included Communications Strategy + Launch Plan, all Media Materials (targeted pitches, news release, media list, key messages, media briefs), and Social Media Campaign materials (outreach list, ad buy briefs, over 5 ambassador toolkits).

They also met with our two expert spokespersons, and our Pillar Partner, Pacific Blue Cross’ agency of record, Edelman – to ensure all communications efforts were aligned.

What was the team composition?

We were grateful to have their CEO + Chief Impact Strategist attend our kick-off meeting. From there, our day-to-day involved working closely with their Director of Environmental Communications, Consultant, and Account Manager. Their Senior Operations Manager was our main point of contact for account admin.

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

Our metrics were incredible.

• 32 news stories across BC, for an estimated reach of 65M
• Over 87k impressions on social media
• 68 Influencer posts on social media, resulting in over 189k impressions
• Our first feature in a podcast garnering international exposure
• Adrian Dix mention during the BC COVID update, 1.5m impressions
• Over 2k visits to unmaskgenerinequity.ca in the first two weeks
• 8.4% clickthrough rate on our eblast (compared with our 0.8% average)
• 92% increase in mask sale revenue two weeks post-launch, compared to sales two weeks prior

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was incredibly well-managed, especially given the tight turnarounds. They were remarkably responsive and proactive in their updates.

We had fast-paced weekly status meetings accompanied by quick check-in’s throughout the week. Their organizational tools kept us on track. They were always adaptable & ready to course correct if anything wasn’t landing.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Quite simply, the caliber. We have worked with many vendors and agencies, and have never been so consistently impressed by every, single, deliverable. We really trusted their instincts.

They weren’t afraid to encourage us to dig deeper on certain decisions. Their ability to marry the technical elements of campaign execution, with the art of crafting messaging that would really resonate & “cut through the clutter” was remarkable.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly no. The biggest learning was actually for our Foundation team, to simply offer longer lead times in the future. If I have to rack my brain, I’d say we might pick a different hashtag, since #WeSeeYou was used rather frequently before our campaign. But that’s such minor learning. We were so happy with the results, and the entire process.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the VP of marketing and PR for Moleaer. We’re an environmental technology company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

We’re a startup with a new technology that people may not understand. We needed to grow awareness of this technology and its benefits. We also wanted to drive demand and new customers.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Primarily, we hired Yulu PR to be our PR agency of record. They help us with media relations, thought leadership, and awards submissions to gain publicity. However, their team has gone beyond that initial scope. They helped with branding too. For example, their team developed brand guidelines.

What is the team composition?

We work with three different team members and an intern. We communicate with an account director, an account manager, and one of their executives.

How did you come to work with Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

We hired them because Yulu PR’s an environmental and social impact agency with a great track record. A member of our board of directors referred them to us. She previously worked with them and had a great experience.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the partnership in February 2020, and it’s ongoing.

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

Yulu PR helped increase our web traffic by more than 40%, which led to a big bump in weekly leads. In Q2 alone, their team got us over 30 media hits and secured high-profile media coverage for us. Even though we’re a small startup, they got us published in Forbes within the first 3–4 months of our engagement. Their team also got us exposure throughout different industry niche publications. We’ve been very happy.

How did Yulu Public Relations Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

As a startup, we have a lot of projects to manage. They help us to keep organized and on task. Their team manages a plethora of different tasks that we send their way. As we’re small, we usually communicate by email. They’re collaborative, so we work on creative ways to achieve our goals.

What did you find most impressive about them?

It’s easy to work with them. Their team’s humble and down to earth. When I thanked the Forbes editor, he mentioned that our account manager was one of the best. They’re diligent but not annoying. Their team has a breadth of experience from high-level A-list PR to niche B2B services.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I’ve been happy with Yulu PR. It’s a newer relationship, and we feel that they’ve gone above and beyond.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Talk about your goals and keep Yulu PR up to date. Communicate and collaborate with them.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) is the umbrella organization connecting the network of 191 community foundations across Canada. Community foundations work locally to help guide volunteer efforts and financial support to where it will have the greatest impact. CFC was founded to support and connect community foundations working across Canada. As a national leadership organization, we also act as a convenor, thought leader and partner to help make our communities stronger, more resilient and sustainable.

I am the Manager, Strategic Initiatives at CFC, and am responsible for a variety of programming. Responsibilities include managing the national and international Vital Signs program, social finance initiatives, various event planning, and other initiatives as they emerge.

For what projects/services did your company hire Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

CFC, the Toronto Foundation, and Vancouver Foundation together identified an opportunity with the June 2019 Women Deliver conference to create and lead a stream of donor-focused programming. The three partners decided to host a three-hour pre-conference session, as well as a lounge in the exhibition hall dedicated to donors and philanthropists for the duration of the conference, which would host activation moments and small workshops. While the three partners had access to speakers, hosts, and content, we were seeking a firm to assist with the planning and logistics for our programming.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals for the event were to foster conversation and learning opportunities for donors attending Women Deliver. We wanted donors to feel challenged to consider their power and consider ways they may use and shift their power to foster greater gender equality. We also wanted to demonstrate leadership, as the community foundation network has been engaging more deeply in this work to promote gender equality in philanthropy both in Canada and globally.

How did you select this vendor?

We released an RFP to a list of recommended event planners known to the three partners and their teams (including Yulu PR and 5–6 others). We had detailed conversations with four of the firms and reviewed proposals from three. Yulu PR's team stood out throughout the process. I had a phone call with the team, during which they asked all the right questions to get a better sense of our goals and the work that would be involved for their team.

The proposal submitted by Yulu PR thereafter was smart, professional, appealing, and accurately reflected the work and ethos behind the project we were planning. It was clear that Yulu had an accurate understanding of what we were trying to create and could deliver the results we were seeking. The proposal also referenced their previous work that was highly relevant to the work we do as community foundations. It was obvious that they were well-aligned to our work and would deliver a professional and impressive service. I put forward the recommendation that we hire Yulu PR to the other planning partners and we moved forward with that decision.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We hired Yulu PR as an event planner. The three partners provided Yulu PR with guidelines around content, a list of contacts to reach out to, and light strategy. Yulu PR was responsible for design, coordination, and implementation—to make our dream become a reality. Due to the nature of the events and the venue, we were unable to have a social media or marketing strategy, but Yulu PR was prepared to assist with this as well. Specifically, they managed:

• Budget and payments
• Agenda and flow
• Coordination with local vendors, the venue staff, speakers, and hosts
• Catering for the pre-conference lunch
• Scheduling and reserving facilitators and live music
• Room and lounge set up and decor
• Registration desk for the pre-conference event
• Coordination of staff and volunteers for events and lounge
• Other logistical support

What was the team composition?

We were regularly working with 2–3 staff from Yulu PR's team, with two primary contacts working with us on an ongoing and regular basis.

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

We do not have specific metrics to measure the success of our events, other than the fact that the pre-conference session was sold out, with standing room only for last-minute additions. The donor lounge was also a success, with great attendance at the activation moments and throughout the conference. We received tons of positive feedback from our participants and guests.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The team at Yulu PR was fantastic to communicate with. The team was very understanding, collaborative, and easy to work with. It felt like they were incredibly familiar with our business and understood exactly what we were looking for at all times. They responded to feedback and to our requests very well. Yulu PR and I established weekly calls, where we discussed all updates and plans for the next week. On a biweekly basis, we were joined by the other two partners where we discussed the bigger picture strategy. The Yulu PR team always followed up to our calls with a to-do list and clear indication of the division of responsibilities, with deadlines.

We worked in a shared Google Drive document created by Yulu PR which housed a workback plan, project overview, budget, agendas, coordination details for table hosts and facilitators, volunteer schedules, contact details, and more. Everything we needed was located in one place that was regularly updated and maintained by the Yulu PR team. From a project management perspective, the Yulu PR team managed the workflow, timeline, deadlines and expectations extremely well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were unique because they would come up with creative ideas and, with approval, ran with them. The team responded to feedback and to our requests very well. The events they created were seamless, tasteful, and well-run. During the events, the team was confident, calm, and collected, which allowed the partners to play a hosting role and engage with the attendees and event.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The Yulu PR team was fabulous to work with. I can honestly not suggest any areas in need of improvement. From creative thinking, time management, budget management, leadership, tact, and design, we were very satisfied with every element of their work and will certainly use them again if we can.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a culture communications specialist at a consumer packaged goods company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

We were launching our first social innovation marketing initiative to support social entrepreneurs across the US. We needed an agency with expertise in the social innovation space to help us with our PR campaign and marketing strategy.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yulu Public Relations Inc. led the PR campaign for our two-year social innovation project. They divided the PR campaign into three sections. First, they introduced our initiative to the US audience. Then, they announced the main programming that we would be doing. Finally, over eighteen months, they maintained our presence in the social innovation space and secured the support of our key ambassadors, or the participating social entrepreneurs that we worked with.

They delivered all of our press materials. My team created the content, but Yulu Public Relations Inc. advised us on what type of content would generate value from a press perspective. They then released and marketed this content. Their team provided press strategy advice to our participants and created materials for them.

Yulu Public Relations Inc. also provided market research on the media landscape. They garnered insights on the consumer base and what other brands were doing in terms of content production and distribution in the social innovation space. We used this research to refine our strategy.

The social innovation project concluded in fall 2018, but they continue to help us with our PR and marketing strategies.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact is Melissa (Founder and Chief Social Impact Strategist, Yulu Public Relations Inc.). Depending on the work we’re doing, she brings in different personnel.  

How did you come to work with Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

Someone else in the PR space recommended Yulu Public Relations Inc. They were PR experts with experience in the social innovation space, which is what we needed. After a few discussions, we brought them on fulltime.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together in January 2017, and our partnership is ongoing.

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

Yulu Public Relations Inc. increased our social media impressions, particularly in the social innovation and culture media spaces. They also improved the quality of the media coverage that we got.

How did Yulu Public Relations Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management is exceptional. My team finds their expertise to be extremely valuable. Their attentiveness to the account is strong, and they communicate well. We primarily engage via phone and email. During the social innovation project, we had consistent check-ins to go over weekly and monthly updates. We also received live updates over shared documents.

What did you find most impressive about them?

According to our key metrics, they surpassed everything. Their biggest value is their exceptional expertise in PR, specifically in the social innovation space. They created very strong press strategies that were informed by a lot of variables, such as our initiatives, social media, content marketing, where our emphasis was, and whether our scope or local or national. I’ve worked with other PR agencies that don’t take all of this into consideration. They’re not only experts in PR but also marketing, whereas other agencies focus only on press. Across the board, we’re pleased with the results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’ve adapted to all of our challenges well. There’s nothing that they need to improve on that we haven’t already addressed. They act on feedback immediately, which is a rarity.

Any advice for potential customers?

Objectives should be clear and concise. The more information they have regarding the marketing strategy, the better they’ll tailor the press strategy. If you’re looking to enter the social innovation space, consider Yulu Public Relations Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing manager at Call It Spring, a footwear, handbags, and accessories company that is part of the ALDO group. We have over 400 stores globally, with 160 in North America.

What challenge were you trying to address with Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

In 2018, we made the internal decision to go fully vegan, meaning that our entire product collection is free from animal skins, feathers, furs, hairs, wool fibers, shells, silk, and any other animal-based processes and components. Given the magnitude of this decision, we needed to determine what this meant for Call It Spring as a brand, and how it would impact our overall brand purpose, positioning, and communications with our customers (both current and prospective). 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yulu Public Relations Inc. has helped us build our holistic brand purpose strategy from the ground up. They conducted stakeholder interviews and then worked with my team on key messaging development and brand positioning. Their team provided benchmarking reports to show what other companies in our space were doing.

They also handle all aspects of PR, including press releases, backgrounders, media training, outreach, and more. They provided the necessary framework for our internal teams to begin formulating their respective marketing and communication plans. In this regard, they’ve taken on a consultancy role. Internal teams work with them to ensure everything brand-related is coming together.

The next step in this brand journey will be building out and communicating our brand promise, beyond the vegan product offering. We also have sustainability initiatives coming later this year that we will need to communicate as part of this larger promise. 

What is the team composition?

My team works with Melissa (Founder and Chief Social Impact Strategist, Yulu Public Relations Inc.) and Heather (Director of Corporate PR, Yulu Public Relations Inc.). We also work with Orna (Account Manager, Yulu Public Relations Inc.) on a daily basis.

How did you come to work with Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

We heard about Yulu Public Relations Inc. through a word-of-mouth reference. My team explored their website and had some exploratory conversations with them. Yulu Public Relations Inc. works with companies that they believe in, so it was a nice validation that they wanted to embark on our social journey.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with Yulu Public Relations Inc. in January 2019, and we hope to continue the partnership when our one-year retainer ends.

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

We don’t have any metrics or KPIs yet because the campaign just launched on May 27, 2019. My team plans to pursue robust research on all of our marketing efforts, inclusive of PR outreach, to see how this launch and communication strategy will impact brand awareness and consideration. However, we have received positive qualitative feedback thus far. Several internal stakeholders, from the VP level up to CEO, have seen Yulu Public Relations Inc.’s work, and they have nothing but amazing things to say about them, and see them as true experts in the field.

We hope to continue our partnership with Yulu Public Relations Inc. because they have become an integral part of our team and our social impact efforts.  

How did Yulu Public Relations Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve adopted some of their project management practices and applied them to our other agency partnerships. For instance, they handle day-to-day communications and follow-ups very well, which keeps my team and their team on track. They also send monthly recaps that detail what they’ve worked on and what they’re working on next, providing my team with an astute overview. They’ve made themselves very accessible to us. Whenever we call to check on the project, they’re responsive. And as well, they are always willing and able to jump in on ad-hoc requests, even under tight timelines.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Yulu Public Relations Inc. are social impact experts. They have significant experience working with various organizations to help formulate what the basis of their social impact should be, and we have a lot of trust in what they do. They’ve been incredibly helpful in guiding the conversation for us both internally and externally. We were lucky to find a communication agency that specializes in this niche area.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t so far. We’ve only been working with them since January, and everything has gone smoothly. I wouldn’t change anything at this point.

Any advice for potential customers?

Trust in Yulu Public Relations Inc.’s process and their expertise. Remain open to their suggestions to garner the strongest results. They push clients to make sure they’re committed.

Introduce your business and what you do there. 

I’m co-founder and director of operations for Farafena. We’re a social enterprise that sells African superfood as a means to have an impact with women farmers in Mali and Malawi.

What challenge were you trying to address with Yulu Public Relations Inc.? 

We needed help getting the word out in regard to our mission and our products.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

Yulu Public Relations Inc. provided PR services as well as social media management. They held a number of initial meetings when they first came on board to determine what our strategy should look like. We talked about different avenues that we wanted to pursue via campaigns. They developed angles to pitch to outlets that might be interested in us. They scheduled interviews with our founder at various publications. They also produced a lot of written content. With social media, they helped us determine who we should target. Then they drafted and scheduled posts on a monthly basis.

What is the team composition? 

We worked with two members of their team. One person handled more of the day-to-day requests, but we were in touch with both. 

How did you come to work with Yulu Public Relations Inc.? 

I wasn't part of the selection process. They were introduced to us by a marketing company we worked with at the time. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $100,000 CAD (approximately $74,500 USD).

What is the status of this engagement? 

The project took place between February 2018–January 2019.

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

Yulu Public Relations Inc. successfully produced media coverage in a number of outlets. They got us published in articles or in recorded interviews. The exposure definitely helped get the word out about the company and our products. Their pitches not only were good at getting interest at the time, but we’ll be able to continue using them going forward. The main reason we aren't working with them anymore is primarily due to us cutting costs. 

How did Yulu Public Relations Inc. perform from a project management standpoint? 

The Yulu Public Relations Inc. team was extremely professional and competent. Communication was quite frequent. We spoke many times a week, primarily by phone and email. I’d refer them to anyone interested in working with them. 

What did you find most impressive about them? 

They're strong writers who are very good at creating content. Yulu Public Relations Inc. is also excellent at pitching media. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

It’s helpful to have an idea of the direction you want to take ahead of time. Yulu Public Relations Inc. can help develop that plan or guide you in a new direction if needed.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I was the former head of strategic growth at a mission-driven creative agency called enso. I oversaw all growth functions, including business development, marketing, and special ventures.

For what projects/services did your company hire Yulu Public Relations Inc.?

After five years of steady organic growth with little media exposure, we hired Yulu Public Relations to help expand our brand narrative, putting enso in front of a broader audience on a bigger stage.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were twofold: we wanted more brand awareness within the marketing and social impact circles, and we wanted to show that people could use creativity to advance positive change.

How did you select this vendor?

We met with a number of PR firms that specialized in social impact communications and serviced creative agencies. However, we found that none of them understood the intersection between those fields. In contrast, Yulu Public Relations demonstrated a clear understanding of these concepts from the first conversation, so we went with them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They embarked on a three-month strategic planning process, interviewing enso employees, stakeholders, and decision makers. This process also included a benchmarking report, where they conducted research on industry peers to gauge their positioning and strategic direction. They then executed curated media relations pushes for various campaigns such as the Literacy Summit, the Brand World Value Index, and #PasstheERA in addition to working on general profile pieces for us and our clients.

What was the team composition?

I worked closely with Melissa Orozco (Founder and Creative Director, Yulu Public Relations) and Clare Hamilton-Eddy (Managing Director, Yulu Public Relations). They directly led our projects but also had support from various members of their team.

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

Their media relations efforts for our campaigns resulted in more than 40 media hits in the first three months of engagement, securing media coverage in reputable outlets such as Fast Company, Mashable, The Drum, Business Insider, and Adweek.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The results speak for themselves. We had more press in five months of working with Yulu Public Relations than we did in our first five years.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciate the people. They’re a rare combination of smart and heart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They're going to need to prepare for future growth as the market catches up to them regarding impact relations.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the VP of marketing for Merchant Advance Capital. We are a small business lender headquartered in Vancouver.

What challenge were you trying to address with Yulu Public Relations?

We didn’t have someone on our internal staff that was getting our story told, so we sought PR expertise from an external firm to focus on press and publicity.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Yulu PR has a great combination of the right contacts and a unique perspective to make a story more interesting. They have a local media contact list that made it easy for them to get us stories early on. They had a lot of really unique angles and ideas that helped us get landed in local media.

What is the team composition?

I worked with their founder, managing director, director of client services, and an account manager.

How did you come to work with Yulu Public Relations?

We found them through an online search of local agencies in Vancouver. We hit it off really well and I felt they understood our story. They offered some interesting ideas on how to get things going right away which was a huge indicator to me that they were the right firm to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $190,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from January 2016­–January 2018.

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

After hiring them we found ourselves in a lot of local publications right away. They produced some of our best articles, which gained us a ton of new business partnerships. As a result of their work, we have been mentioned in some of the highest caliber national publications. When people tell me they have heard of us, I attribute it to Yulu.

How did Yulu Public Relations perform from a project management standpoint?

They were really good. I worked with a few different people at Yulu and each one had their own style, but everyone was always engaged and attentive. We communicated over email, but if I had to call them after working hours they always answered and were clearly happy to be working with us. They would also put together monthly review statements for us that were very helpful and professional.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very focused on social impact and how that ties into the communications space, which is something no one else in Vancouver is doing. The fact they are trying to wield their power for good in the local, national, and even international community is really impressive to me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

As wonderful as I believe their community engagement is, we couldn’t always find an alignment between that and what my business needed in order to grow. This was more of a misalignment between our brands and not a reflection of their agency. In the financial sector, it is sometimes hard to have the same social objective they do.