Success Story - Medium Rare

Challenges

As a client services company, Medium Rare must not only deliver content that engages and delights customers but also provide a seamless process that makes its clients’ lives easier.

Managing hundreds of publications and digital projects each year, the team knew that optimizing processes would deliver benefits to both the business and clients.

• Siloed working and lack of transparency
• Software systems that didn’t integrate
• Double-handling of information and data input
• Time wasted tracking down assets
• Managing complex asset usage rights
• Challenges in collaborating with multiple stakeholders

Before WoodWing, the agency was using multiple software systems with minimal integration. With staff working in silos, across different clients and projects, managers and colleagues needed regular updates on project status. And, thanks to the pandemic and staff working remotely, keeping up-to-date was no longer as simple as shouting across the office.

Valuable time was lost reviewing and reporting on progress, and there was duplication of work and admin keeping different systems up-to-date.

Access to assets wasn’t optimized, so staff often had to track down images and video for projects, querying usage rights and version history with colleagues. Receiving and sending assets to external parties was an old-fashioned process, using Dropbox and FTP to share images and artwork between users. This all added up to processes that were slower than they needed to be, meaning longer production schedules and reduced agility when responding to client requests.

“Every time you can't find something or you've got to send an email or ask somebody, that's time wasted. It's a death of a thousand cuts, and it adds up”, says Owen Greenwell, Operations Director at Medium Rare Content Agency.

Evaluation

Medium Rare brought on an in-house workflow and IT expert, Owen Greenwell.

Owen’s 25-years’ experience in IT in the publishing industry, followed by several years as a WoodWing Solution Partner, meant he was already aware of WoodWing’s suite of software solutions and the benefits they bring to a business.

So when the agency decided to review and improve its software systems from project inception to completion, Owen was excited to explore a partnership with WoodWing.

We don't know what the next channel is going to be. But making sure your assets are futureproofed, you have the right metadata, you’ve got somewhere that's easy to share, and you’ve partnered with a company who's prepared to think about how to make content work in these new platforms as they come in – that's the most important thing for me.

 

Karla Courtney, Digital Director, Medium Rare Content Agency

Implementation

Medium Rare has created a best-in-breed software stack that’s bespoke to its clients’ needs.

The agency now has a seamless workflow from project brief to delivery, combining:

• WoodWing Assets for asset management
• WoodWing Studio for multi-channel content creation
• Adobe Creative Suite for layout and design
• Wrike for project management

This stack offers integrated and automated workflows across multiple systems, complete transparency within the organization, and a standardized working environment for all staff.

Operations Director Owen explains this set-up makes the creation process faster and better – staff have quicker access to creative files, can see project status and actions at a glance, and work across multiple projects and clients within the same intuitive software ecosystem.

Real-time updates are synced across the stack, which means that regardless of which software staff work most in, everyone knows a project’s status at a glance. This saves valuable time in meetings, says Owen, as there’s no need to discuss project status anymore.

WoodWing’s ability to integrate with other software was a key part of the purchase decision, says Owen. By combining multiple solutions to create a more effective workflow, the agency can deliver better outcomes. “Ultimately, we’re a client services company. So everything we do has to be for the benefit of the client.”

Not only do clients benefit from faster turnaround times and improved outputs, but WoodWing’s tools and integrations also create a more modern and dynamic experience for clients.

“The days of emailing PDFs are over", says Owen. With WoodWing Studio, the agency can obtain client review and approval online, before creating final files for print or online publication. This makes the process quicker and easier for time-poor clients as well as agency staff.

Implementing WoodWing’s solutions has also delivered business growth for Medium Rare, by anchoring its creative practice in processes that improve delivery and build client confidence. This supports client acquisition and expands the services it can offer to clients.

At the end of the day, what it's enabling us to do is focus on writing amazing stories, getting amazing photos and videos, and then getting it all out there quickly.

 

Karla Courtney, Digital Director, Medium Rare Content Agency

Results & Benefits

• Seamless integration of asset management, project management, and content creation tools to deliver end-to-end efficiencies
• Elimination of repetitive tasks, saving time and money, and freeing up time for creativity
• More sophisticated client workflow assists in attracting and retaining business
• More dynamic client experiences and faster response times
• Greater project transparency and oversight
• Easier project administration (including faster project setup time, content use tracking, and client billing)
• Consistent experience for staff, whether they work onsite or remotely, as employees or contractors