Our Creative Matters® Process

To serve our clients, we have to get to know them. The more we know, the better we can work together to understand the strengths, pain points, and everything in between. We want to know everything we can, such as key competitors and marketing indicators, projects, and any preconceptions, so we can hone in on the strategic sweet spot of where we want to be.

After discovery, we employ the right combination of research tools at our disposal (you wouldn’t use a hammer to saw a piece of wood, after all). This can be internal audits, competitive analysis, interviews, focus groups, and quantitative/qualitative research. We also collaborate with research partners for national samplings and "specialty" industries.

We are endlessly curious and always trying to learn more. It’s important, though, to not just ask a lot of questions, but to ask the right ones. We use our auditing process to zero in on answers to strategic questions about specific end goals, target audience(s), and what successful communication looks like.

There is huge value in digging into the data. Processing key information gathered from the Discovery, Research, and Audit steps paint a full picture to help us to fine-tune solidify scope and format, and suggest additional avenues while factoring in time and budget.

We are constantly asking ourselves “Is there a better way of doing this?” By properly identifying the problem from feedback and research, we put our minds together to prioritize and identify strategic connections and the right solutions to implement.

The creative process calls for some exploration. We have a culture that strongly believes in creating a judgment-free space to sort through as many ideas as possible. This includes everything from the simple to the outlandish. The more, the better – because you never know which one could spark the right solution.

Ideas are meant to be shared, not hoarded (just like your favorite dessert). By sharing and connecting with our strategic partners and clients, we are able to take a closer look at the project needs and how those tie back to the client’s goals. From there, we can perfect the recipe.

The journey from the start of a project to its end is hardly ever linear. With input and data collected, we factor that in with all the insights gathered to develop the best course of action. This means accounting for different scenarios or situations so the creative solution meets and exceeds the end goals.

This is where we roll up our sleeves and get to work building out the best designs that help elevate our client based on all of the information we have compiled. We tinker, iterate, and refine until we are left with the best solution. This can include (but is not limited to) Brand Strategy, Print, Web, Digital, Social, Video, Packaging, and Environmental.

Who would we be if we just finished the design and left you to your own devices? That's not how we roll. Instead, we do everything to set up, train, and manage the means of distribution so each project can have impact it deserves. We want to be a partner – able to consult on solidifying aspects of the solution from both an internal and external perspective.

We know there are always nerves and sweaty palms associated with launches. We work to put your mind at ease, expertly targeting the solutions to the desired audience(s), whether internally or externally. We also don’t need to be comedians to recognize that timing is everything. So, we predetermine the ideal launch time period for that audience.

We are constantly seeing where we can tweak and make improvements to better serve our clients. When projects are done, they’re not really done. There is always ample opportunity to assess what went well and how our efforts can be improved based on feedback, data, and audits. This information helps us work toward refining key messaging or implementation.