The Challenge

Creative Brief

Emplify began in 2011 as a mobile app company called Bluebridge Digital. They were born from a single statistic: smartphones had outsold PCs for the first time ever. From there, they rocketed quickly into the largest provider of destination apps in the world. As they grew, they created an internal app to engage their own employees—and that app launched a movement.

In early 2016, two key things happened: they decided to pivot the company toward employee engagement apps, and Wiley Publishing asked them to write a book about it. But when you’re already busy envisioning, creating, and selling a new product, redirecting a company and refining a manuscript can be hefty processes, so they drafted Creative Quarterback to help get them over the finish line.

Return to Portfolio

The Solution

Creative Approach

First, Bluebridge needed a new company name that reflected their new direction. Plus, they wanted to make sure employees were involved and invested in the process as well as in the new identity. We stepped in to lead a team-wide naming strategy session, complete with creative brainstorming exercises, group discussions, and a host of ideas of our own, until we together landed on Emplify.

Then they handed us a very promising, fresh book draft, and we took charge of all things editing, flow, figures, formatting, citations, and proofing. Authors and full-time executives Todd and Santiago got to meet their publisher’s deadlines (order your copy here) without sacrificing their leadership roles and their sanity.

Return to Portfolio

Thanks to you both for facilitating our company naming process. It was incredibly well received by the team. It still has buzz around the office.

Todd Richardson, Emplify

I was impressed by your thoughtfulness and ideation facilitation approach and thought the session went very well.

Santiago Jaramillo, Emplify

I was very pleased with the light nature of the revisions! Great work in submitting a super clean manuscript.

Todd Richardson, Emplify

We couldn’t have finished this book (or stayed sane) without your team.

Todd Richardson, Emplify

Creative Direction

We may not know the ins and outs of app development (or football), but we do know creative. So we were able to guide Emplify through the big picture processes of renaming the business, consolidating manuscript ideas, and honing book flow.

In the Weeds

Preparing a manuscript requires hundreds of nitty-gritty tasks, and authors Todd and Santiago needed to focus on broader goals. Our team managed everything from publisher edits to formatting, graphics to citations, and all the quadruple-checking in between, so Emplify could do what they do best—create mobile apps that engage employees.

Ahead of the Curve(balls)

Time was of the essence for Emplify both as they pivoted the company and as they finalized the book. They needed to focus on stepping strongly into a new market niche, and Creative Quarterback had exactly the type of nimble model they needed to meet twists and turns with speed and agility.

Order the Book

TACKLE YOUR CREATIVE WISH LIST

If you’re tired of pinching pennies to afford traditional agencies or cobbling together one-off contractors who never speak to each other, it’s time to try Creative Quarterback.

SUBMIT KICKOFF QUESTIONNAIRE