Through experience and working with many clients, we have developed an orderly and efficient agency workflow system. To promote a better understanding of how we schedule, assemble and deliver all the programs and projects you request, this section of the “WHOA! Book” details our internal procedures and how they impact the flow of communications between client and agency. When you request creative from Verb Strategy & Creative, we develop a timetable detailing key dates for all steps from the project kick-off meeting through to delivery. This is called the “critical path”, and in an ongoing effort to deliver on time and on budget, we are committed to meeting critical path deadlines. However, we also look to you to ensure that key dates for asset delivery and approvals are met as well. We often work under very tight time frames to meet deadlines— as such, we must work together to ensure that important dates are respected and met on both sides. The following is a high-level sample of a critical path for developing a corporate identity project: A sample client has requested a delivery date of August 25th. » Project request arrives at agency » Project proposal is sent to client » Proposal is approved by client
6/01 6/03 6/04
Research Phase » » » » » » »
Client completes the project questionnaire Research report is acquired Agency drafts the project brief Agency develops project mood board Kick-off meeting with client Client approves the project brief Client approves the project schedule/final adjustments are made
6/08 6/08 6/14 6/14 6/15 6/15 6/15
Concept Development Phase » » » » » » » » » » »
Internal idea generation meeting is held Creative research & sketching is performed Internal review of initial concepts & direction Client-ready concepts are prepared Presentation of initial concepts Client approves of a conceptual direction & provides feedback Verb studio applies clients comments & further refines concepts Internal review of refined concepts Development of brand applications Presentation of refined concept & applications Client approves creative
6/16 6/25 7/02 7/07 7/08 7/09 7/14 7/15 7/22 7/23 7/23
Pre-Production Phase » Creative layouts are finalized
7/28
» Internal approval of creative designs & copy » Client approves creative layouts & copy » Creative is formatted for production (printing)
7/29 7/30 8/04
Production Phase » Production & Delivery » Project is delivered to client
8/20 8/23
The list of tasks identified in the sample project should provide you with a mile-high view of the steps that we take, to deliver a consistent quality output and though it does not do an accurate job of demonstrating how much effort and resources are involved in making a “logo” a reality. Even a two-day delay can place the project delivery in jeopardy. Design is subjective, and as a result, can fail to satisfy all of the participants involved in its creation at any point in the process. So while we might hit the ball out of the park on our very first try with one project, it may also take us 100-hundred hours to satisfy on the very next. Note that the workflow does not take into consideration the hours and sometimes days spent by our studio searching for the perfect image or creating a custom typeface; nor does it speak to the delays that often occur between client and agency when we are waiting for copy content or imagery. Thus, what the path outlines is perhaps an ideal execution. How You Can Help Us Work More Efficiently » To avoid surprises… Be present. Attend meetings, photoshoots, press runs, etc. » Provide directional comments—there is no need to write copy or re-design layouts—that is why you hired us! » Review copy/layout(s) to ensure that work is strategically on-target and that your facts and figures are accurately represented. » Provide your marketing and legal comments and approvals on schedule. Providing all copy and layout comments at once will save time and money, and avert errors that occur when information is transmitted to the agency piecemeal rather than in an organized, controlled fashion. Changes Cost Time and Money Changes occur, of course, they do. They are a fact of life in the advertising and marketing business, and we at Verb acknowledge this. However, when changes are permitted to flow in an uncontrolled manner through the progress of any given project, they can contribute to the propensity for “Murphy’s Law” to kick in: Anything that can go wrong, will. As your agency, now responsible for producing your advertising and marketing materials, we ask that you assist us in avoiding errors and mistakes by accepting
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Creative Development Critical Path Workflow
