Disruptive Advertising

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the marketing director of The Adventures Group, a holding company focused on adventure tours. We have operations in Los Cabos, Mexico; Cancun, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and the Bahamas.  

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We wanted to increase our number of online sales, which accounted for about 10% of our total volume. We hired Disruptive Advertising to manage our PPC and social media marketing (SMM) campaigns in an effort to bring that figure closer to 20% in the next two years.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had not refreshed our Google Ads in 5–6 years, so that was Disruptive Advertising’s first task. We gave them access to our account and had them review how well 900 ads were performing for two of our destinations: Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos. Our monthly budget was spread out among all locations, but we needed to measure the average conversion rate and make week-by-week comparisons. We eliminated the underperforming ads and reduced Puerto Vallarta’s ads from almost 400 to about 60.

By the time we started with Disruptive Advertising, we had paused all of our social media spend because we weren’t converting at all. In our first month together, we asked them to examine our history. In the second month, we started focusing on Puerto Vallarta. They proposed a high-tier strategy—branding ads—and a strategy for low tiers—namely, retargeting ads for users who had already visited the website.  

What is the team composition?

Derek (Senior Account Strategist, Disruptive Advertising) is our account manager and conversion rate optimization (CRO) manager. He is supported by Jacob (Marketing Consultant, Disruptive Advertising) and Katie (Senior Marketing Consultant, Disruptive Advertising), who manage our Google Ads and social media strategies, respectively. 

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

We presented a brief to three agencies, and Disruptive Advertising won our business pretty easily. They demonstrated a strong understanding of how to maximize the effectiveness of Google and Facebook ads and track user behavior on those platforms.

They made a quick audit illustrating what opportunities were available to us, and we were convinced they were the right partner for us. They’ve done nothing but validate our decision to hire them.

How much have you invested with them?

Our monthly fee is $10,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our work together began in September 2018 and remains ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re already starting to see valuable results and improvements in our conversion rates. We moved our conversion rate from 11.6% to 14–18% by the second month working together. After six months of working together, our metrics show exponential growth in the return on ad spend for Google Ads and Facebook ads.

We’re convinced that Disruptive Advertising’s approach succeeds because they pay attention to how each audience interacts on the different platforms.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

They are quick to respond to any issues we identify—for example, an ad for the wrong tour. But their team takes immediate action, which is what we want from our partners. We can all make mistakes, but a vendor’s approach to them and their reaction time is what shows their true involvement and level of care.

They send agendas the day before our weekly meetings where we discuss key results from Google Ads, Facebook ads, and our CRO efforts. When we’re outside of meetings, their team is very responsive through Basecamp.

They make it seem like we’re their only client. Our business can be challenging to work with, but Disruptive Advertising exhibits a genuine concern about our success. They’ve been tremendous about promoting teamwork between our groups. They hear our ideas, but they’re not afraid to make their own recommendations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We appreciate their attention to detail at every level of our engagement. Further, they’re an analytically minded team. They don’t react based on feelings or emotions. Everything starts with a hypothesis, and they do A/B testing or A/B/C testing on every ad we launch. We’re assured by their processes that every step we’re taking is the best one.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Disruptive Advertising’s specialty is in paid marketing, but I’d love to see them expand into other areas. If they grew to include SEO, content creation, or email marketing, we’d be more than happy to grow with them. We use other companies for those services now, but we don’t have the same level of confidence and trust in them that we have with Disruptive Advertising.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

I’d advise future clients to have confidence in Disruptive Advertising. They’re experts in their field, and it’s important to listen to them. We also found it valuable to be an involved client. Disruptive Advertising can’t be expected to know all of a company’s details about a product or service without a little help. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of Chocolak, an online retailer that sells chocolates from EU chocolatiers to customers abroad.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Disruptive Advertising?

We needed Facebook advertising to improve our sales numbers.

What were your goals for this project?

We initially aimed to break even, although they told us they could triple our results.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We selected them based on their reviews on Clutch and other online review sites.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They said they would develop Facebook campaigns, tailor our audience, and develop multiple advertising copies as part of strategy testing for optimization. They didn’t do the multiple copies that they promised for testing and only rotated audiences. They didn’t create the slideshow nor the video we asked them for, despite the success of those strategies we’d seen in attempts before this engagement.

What was the team composition?

We first had a call with Jon (VP of Vertical Sales, Disruptive Advertising) who secured our contract. After that, we had contact with CalDon (Marketing Coordinator).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They targeted a large audience—at least 75 million, sometimes over 100 million—using pay-per-click advertising. They charged a rate of $10, which they said was a low cost. We saw a lot of traffic, but it was unqualified. We decided to cancel the engagement after 60 days.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We found CalDon knowledgeable, but we thought he struggled with the campaign. Disruptive Advertising should have provided a mentor to assess the campaign or help CalDon. I sent Jon multiple emails asking for an assessment after 30 days, which we’d agreed upon previously. I didn’t get a response until CalDon told me that Jon had resigned. After 60 days, I requested a complete hold on the project. CalDon joined me on a call with Brad (Senior Team Lead, Disruptive Advertising). They suggested Google Ads and that we do SEO internally. Brad suggested we hire a consultant to determine which platform to use and told me to call them again when we’d reached 10,000 users from SEO.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I thought they had the potential to work well with a larger brand.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They should improve their process and suggest different methods and strategies before starting the engagement. They should also improve their attitude toward clients.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP of J.W. Entertainment Jumping World, a family entertainment center. We have 10 locations across three states and are still expanding. We promote premium entertainment for the whole family.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Disruptive Advertising?

As we continued to grow, we needed to increase our digital advertising. We couldn't keep up with marketing trends or effectively spend our marketing dollars. We needed to take the next step without turning away from operations and expansions.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to improve our brand awareness in Texas, where we have most of our locations. We wanted to increase our sales in two more states, Tennesee and Georgia, before expanding into further locations.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our team researched and developed a list of three providers. We chose Disruptive Advertising because of their fast responses to our questions or concerns, plus their knowledge of every topic we asked about. We love that they only focus on PPC, unlike other marketing agencies that implement every type of marketing without becoming an expert on any single one.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Disruptive Advertising handles all our digital advertising, including Google and Facebook ads. They develop content and maximize our daily budget.

What was the team composition?

We work directly with two account managers: one for Facebook and another for Google. We don't work directly with graphic designers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The quality of our advertising has definitely increased. We've exponentially reduced our cost per click rates and are incredibly happy with the amount of progress we've made.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We're on weekly email chains and have a call every other week. We communicate enough to feel comfortable, but not so much that it takes time away from other marketing operations and ventures.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We absolutely love collaborating with them. They are honest about every decision and willing to listen to suggestions. They have experts in every field in case our account manager is unaware of a situation.

Are there any areas for improvement?

It's too soon to tell.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the managing partner of a commercial litigation law firm focusing on real estate, business, probate, estate planning, and family law.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Disruptive Advertising?

We have a robust internet marketing presence, spearheaded by an SEO campaign, but we found that we needed a stronger presence to augment the SEO. We hired Disruptive Advertising to manager our PPC and Google Ads campaigns. They monitor, administer, and plan all elements of those initiatives.

What were your goals for this project?

Overall, we hoped to bring in new clients to the firm.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our SEO vendor recommended Disruptive Advertising.

Describe the project in detail.

We already had an active Google Ads campaign, so we did not need to start a new one from scratch. We turned over control of that account to Disruptive Advertising. They took the pre-existing content and revised it to be more effective. Their team also shuttered the numerous websites we used to split-test the incoming new clients. They replaced them with their own, more elegant system that could distinguish better which ads were working and which were not.

What was the team composition?

We had an initial sales contact, but since then we’ve worked with Ashlynn (Marketing Strategist, Disruptive Advertising) and one other person.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and the impact of the engagement?

We have calculated that we receive between $15,000–$25,000 in retainer deposits from new clients as a result of Disruptive Advertising’s efforts.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

There were some growing pains as our teams got used to each other, but we’ve sorted those out. They are responsive, polite, and prompt. Whenever we encounter issues, they are quick to resolve them. They are transparent in their abilities, and they do not try to manipulate our expectations.

What impresses you about Disruptive Advertising?

They are strong when it comes to the most important aspects of digital and online marketing, which, to me, are client communications and responsiveness. I rarely have to wait very long for them to respond to a question. They provide incredibly detailed reports that they keep for our campaigns so that we are always in the know.

They are also a good value. Though they are managing a $12,000–$15,000 marketing budget, they cost a fraction of that.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, we haven’t experienced anything negative beyond what one would expect with most vendors. There is nothing worrisome.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a marketing associate for a SaaS company. We provide solutions for inventory management.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Disruptive Advertising?

We wanted to find a new agency to manage our PPC campaigns. We engaged Disruptive Advertising as a partner.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to improve our impression share and boost our conversion rates. We also wanted to optimize and find new processes to achieve these goals.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We ran an extensive vetting process. After evaluating five agencies and their service offerings, Disruptive Advertising stood out to us as the clear winner. They brought a depth of experience to their range of services at an excellent value. They also made it straightforward as possible to meet various members of the team and understand their workflow.

Describe the project in detail.

In our first few meetings, we defined our short- and long-term goals, setting expectations for the whole team. We provided their team with the necessary data to conduct analyses and develop a 3-month rolling strategy. After identifying crucial areas for improvement, Disruptive Advertising used A/B testing to determine the best way to run our campaigns. They then made significant changes to the account to accommodate a new strategic direction. One key strategy has been correcting the demographics of ad targeting options.  

Disruptive Advertising currently focuses on smaller optimizations and larger account initiative to keep our ROI high. We’re looking into new avenues to boost lead generation and conversion rates, such as landing pages and social media marketing. Disruptive Advertising creates new landing pages and suggests ways to improve existing pages.

What was the team composition?

Jacob S. (Marketing Consultant, Disruptive Advertising) serves as our account manager and primary point of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and impact of the engagement?

We saw a huge improvement in the quality of our PPC campaigns within the first few months. As a result, our lead volume and quality improved drastically. Disruptive Advertising manages our account and analytics very well. Their flexible and data-driven approach has proven crucial to our overall success. We’re pleased with our collaboration so far.

How did the Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

The team has managed a smooth collaboration since the beginning. Jacob takes the time to send agendas and run our weekly meetings productively. We appreciate his responsiveness and quick turnaround time of top-notch work.

What impresses you about Disruptive Advertising?

Their technical expertise and efficiency stand out the most to us. Jacob frequently goes above and beyond our requests to bring success to our accounts. He regularly reaches out to other team members in Disruptive Advertising to gain their feedback and insights into best practices. He’ll then bring those suggestions to our meeting, where he’ll also remain open to our new ideas.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Their analytics reporting could go deeper and provide a more extensive view of how Disruptive Advertising’s changes have affected the overall account. We’ve brought this up in meetings, and Disruptive Advertising is working on it. Based on their in-depth knowledge and resources, I’m confident that we’ll see even better results soon.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the brand manager at FamilyLife, a nonprofit ministry dedicated to building healthier marriages and families.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Disruptive Advertising?

We hired Disruptive Advertising to serve as our ad buying and optimization partner.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to increase exposure and engagement across all digital channels while simultaneously decreasing our cost per acquisition.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Disruptive Advertising offers all of the services we were looking for. They have an impressive proprietary dashboard to help clients see their trends, spend, and optimization of campaigns over time. They also offered a competitive price and reasonable terms.

Describe the project in detail.

We partnered with Disruptive Advertising to promote our marriage events and resources through social media and Google advertisements. We collaborate to create strategies, monitor conversions and optimization, and allocate our available funds across our various channels.

What was the team composition?

Our team includes a project manager, ad buying specialists for both Google and Facebook, and conversion rate optimization experts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any statistics or metrics that speak to the quality of their work and the impact of the engagement?

Disruptive Advertising has managed to decrease our CPA dramatically. Their team is committed to our brand’s continued optimization and suggesting new strategies to grow our digital footprint. Further, they continue to run website tests that have shown extraordinary results—one in particular saw a 170% improvement in conversion rate. We are excited to continue working with this team of talented individuals who care about our success.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

They’ve been great so far. We have weekly calls with their team to discuss strategy and goals. I touch base with two of their teams: one focused on digital buying and optimization, and one focused on testing and optimizing our site.

What impresses you about Disruptive Advertising?

They provide an ideal amount of resources and time to each project and brand.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We experienced a miscommunication regarding management fees after the contract was signed. At the same time, we were transferred from a relationship with a salesperson to one with the tactical team, which created a bit of a disconnect that I felt could be managed better. Disruptive Advertising also had to replace a few team members for various reasons, which meant allocating new people and training them on our brand strategy. These all created headaches, but partnering with Disruptive Advertising has proven to be the best decision for our business.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing and communications director for Mighty Oaks Foundation. We’re a nonprofit organization that helps veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We were accepted into the Google AdWords Grant Program. As a result, Google gives our organization a $10,000 stipend each month. However, we’re required to maintain a high-level of AdWords performance if we want to stay in the program. Despite being a large organization, we needed professional assistance to achieve the program’s mandated results.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Disruptive Advertising provides full-service management of our Google Ads campaign. We participate in each campaign’s creation so that they feel unique and accessible within our brand. Besides our involvement in the ideation process, their team handles every aspect of this marketing effort. That includes dashboard reporting and creating secondary offsite landing pages. Those sites are single-page entities designed solely for conversions.

What is the team composition?

We interact with a project manager and several other resources.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

I conducted a thorough search and interviewed 10–15 different companies. Disruptive Advertising’s skill level stood head and shoulders above the rest.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $138,000 thus far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We hired them in September 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Their efforts have increased donor support and the number of recipients on our mailing list. They’ve also expanded our overall website traffic. Disruptive Advertising ensures that our platform maintains a 5% click-through rate.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a biweekly call that’s scheduled indefinitely. But I often speak with them every couple of days. They’re incredibly communicative.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re one of the best all-around agencies in the marketing industry. The value that Disruptive Advertising provides through excellent communication cannot be understated. They report data proactively and go above and beyond their assigned responsibilities. Expert-level strategy implementation is their greatest attribute.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t have any complaints. Everything has been great thus far.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Give Disruptive Advertising all the information required for them to do the job. Participate in all of the discussions that they ask for, and the results will be fantastic.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the digital marketing coordinator at Uvalle Law Firm, a personal injury law firm. Along with the marketing director, we handle everything from traditional media (TV and radio) to the website and social media advertising.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We needed help to stay visible in the crowded San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston markets. We want to be on the top of people's mind so they think of us if they’re ever in an accident. We also wanted to show up at the top of the Google search results when people are searching online for an attorney.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Disruptive Advertising manages our Google Analytics and Google Ads. They set up campaigns and provide reports. They track how many leads come in according to various ads we run, and measure leads from the website from different phone numbers.

What is the team composition?

We work with Ashlynn (marketing strategist, Disruptive Advertising).

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

I can't answer that because I've only been here a month. The firm was working with Disruptive Advertising before I came on board.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're now better able to rack in detail where our leads are coming from. Having that part of our digital strategy handled helps us a lot, especially for a small marketing team. Disruptive Advertising saves us a lot of time and pain by putting the data together together for us every week.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

Ashlynn is very responsive and reliable. She stays on top of everything. She's taught me a lot of new things in Google Analytics. I like that she's solution oriented. Any time we have a change or an issue or a question, she quickly follows up by finding a solution for us.

We have weekly calls and also communicate by email. Ashlynn has access to our Google account. She goes in and reads the data and gives us a recap on our calls. During the call, we’ll all log in to the platform and review the data together. She also makes a Google Sheet that shows what phone calls came in from each ad.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their organization sets them apart. Before each call, Ashlynn creates an agenda of what we're going to cover so we know what to expect. She also follows up with a recap after each call. She lets us know what she’s working on and will have an answer to our questions by the following week.

Are there any areas they could improve?

At the moment I can’t think of any problems or criticism. We make a lot of changes on our side, such as pausing our Google Ads campaigns, which means they don't have as much time to measure leads or conversions. That's not on them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Always ask any questions or concerns you have. Disruptive Advertising will do whatever they can to find an answer for you and achieve your advertising goals.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of marketing at a machinery company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

I had been managing all PPC advertising myself, but I knew there was room for improvement. I hired Disruptive Advertising to coordinate our paid online advertising.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We rely on Disruptive Advertising to coordinate Google Product Listing Ads through our e-commerce website. They perform similar services with Bing.

Disruptive Advertising has also provided a variety of new landing pages, improving the quality of my weakest online element. They A/B test every week to determine which converts at a higher rate.

What is the team composition?

Jeff (Legal Senior Team Lead, Disruptive Advertising) has been our point of contact from the beginning. He has a few people helping him in different areas periodically.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

They demonstrated an apparent systematic approach and a way to improve our ROI.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $150,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement began in July 2017 and remains ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our cost per lead is about 25% of what it cost us before engaging with Disruptive Advertising. We also generate far more leads as a result of their work. The difference in how these ads are performing is incredible.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

We have weekly phone calls and email correspondence with Jeff to review our progress and make plans for the upcoming week. They’re remarkably customer-service oriented. They will respond to emails and phone calls any time seven days a week.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I feel like I am in good hands. They’re knowledgeable in their space, and I'm confident in their skills. Their team is engaged with the project. Disruptive Advertising has proven to be reliable in creating landing pages and designing new ads.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They offer some copywriting services, but it’s not very strong. We came to that conclusion together, and they recognize it as an area they’ll try to improve in this year.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have your operational metrics in order. Before taking on a project like this, you must understand what your lead cost is, what your conversion cost is, and what your ROI is per lead so that you can know if they’re doing good work for you.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the SEO and SEM Manager at Madison Reed, a hair coloring brand.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Disruptive Advertising?

We needed an outside vendor to help us capture more of the market with our paid search, increasing brand awareness and volume of sales.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They improved the results of our paid search. Our main sales focus is hair color, so I started by asking them to optimize that category, improving efficiency and achieving growth. We’ve used Google Analytics and Google Ads to track our success, as well as Looker, which we rely on even more than analytics.

What is the team composition?

I work with Aaron (Marketing Consultant, Disruptive Advertising) and Jenae (Marketing Consultant). Jenae handles the shopping exclusively, which Aaron handles most of the rest of the account except for the campaigns I manage.

How did you come to work with Disruptive Advertising?

I got in touch after researching them online. I decided to contract with them after the initial discussions impressed me.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $7,500 per month for management and ad fees. The management fee is 5%-10% of the ad spend.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in July 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re on track to hit 1,300 hair color conversions this month. Our previous vendor was unable to top 700. Year over year, we’re achieving about 40% positive growth.

How did Disruptive Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

They work in an organized and detail-oriented style. They’ve been quick to respond to my emails and to give me a call when asked. I’ve set goals for them and they create weekly reports based on those goals.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They set up a keyword strategy which is optimized for reach, conversions, and efficiency. Organization and fundamental structure is their strength.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I’d like to see even more proactive suggestions from them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Clients should engage them on a weekly basis or every other day.