FAQs

Why is the company called That’s Nice?

This is probably the most common question we are asked. At this stage, there are a few versions of the story around, but this is the main essence of it. When Nigel was a design student and people looked at his work, he made detailed observations on the things people would say. The most common phrase he noted was “That’s Nice.”

He stated that if he ever had a company, it would be called That’s Nice. It is one of the most commonly-used phrases in everyday English, and people often get embarrassed when they use it in our presence. Not that they should � we say it ourselves. Someone also wisely registered www.thatsnice.com early on.

How long have you been in business?

That’s Nice was incorporated in 1995. It has been located at its current New York headquarters since 1999.

Did the business start in the UK?

No. English management makes this a popular misconception. The business originated in New York in 1995 and has always been headquartered in the U.S.

How was the company logo developed?

The original logo for That’s Nice LLC was based on the American Typewriter font, with some exaggerated serifs. This reflected the influences of the United States in terms of the founders moving here post-college to work. Heavy quote marks were also incorporated as the name “That’s Nice” derived from a spoken phrase.

The current logo was developed in 2003 as part of a continual focus on moving the company forward and the desire to present “that’s nice” as a single word. The only way to achieve this was with a ligature between the S and N, which also visually balanced the logotype. As the basis for this much more advanced logo, we used Caslon 540, which is a beautiful timeless font designed in the 17th century by the first major British type founder, William Caslon.

Why is orange so prevalent in your brand?

The original colors for the company were blue and red. The blue represented Corporate America and the organizations we served, and the red represented us and the spice and creativity we brought to their marketing.

We later changed the warm color to orange due to internal preference, and subsequently dropped blue as the primary accent in favor of white. This placed a great emphasis on the orange, which coincided with the company sending out more and more promotions. As evidence of the success in this branding, if a client now receives a promotion that is predominantly orange, they typically know it’s ours before opening it.

For a while you also used paisley as part of your brand but now you’ve switched to flowers. Why?

Having worked with the large-scale flat orange for a while, we wanted to add texture to it. Our luxury home products clients interpret trend in their product development and this is a similar focus. The paisley was interesting as a trend, now our aesthetic is more organic. In the bigger picture, we recommend that clients never rest on their laurels, always review everything’s relevance and success, and continually push their presentation forward. This is a prime example where it is something we do ourselves.

Speaking of flowers, how does the issue of sustainability affect That’s Nice?

Environmental sustainability is a major topic for everyone these days, and we find that all of our clients are focused on this important consideration. Many have goals or mandates on the subject and we support their efforts by integrating green approaches and materials into their marketing.

Our move to a new office provided opportunities to intensify what we do ourselves. For example, all shelving in our office is made from recycled plastics, the flooring is reclaimed hardwood, and our move was completed with plastic boxes that were then recycled for storage - eliminating cardboard waste.

The move to the new office in 2008 was a significant step. What does it mean for the company and for clients?

The office has not only doubled in size to provide the space we needed following significant expansion in 2007-08, but it has also enabled us to bring services we provide fully in-house, like photography for example. The whole environment is more conducive for staff, and it’s important that we can attract a high standard of talent. That is one of the key reasons why we are in New York City, as it is a focal point for talented creative and business people.

For clients, it means that it’s easy to get to us and for us to get to them. New York is a hub for almost anywhere worldwide, not to mention a major business center, one of the key showroom locations in the U.S. luxury home products market and close to many of the materials science companies in New Jersey.

Why are there no walls in your office?

Both our previous office and the new one were designed with no walls and virtually no barriers. Even the principals sit in the main space and we only separate areas for meetings, photography, storage, and utilities. The reason is simply because the best creative process relies on collaboration. Our entire staff shares ideas and observations, working as one as much as possible. It is unplanned collaboration that fosters the highest creativity and this brings value to clients.

So you doubled the office space. How many staff does That’s Nice have?

This fluctuates of course, being an agency, and has been growing consistently for the last two years. We have 35 regular full-time and part-time staff in the office, and an additional temporary support team of 10-15 each month. Any freelancers we use have been with That’s Nice for 5+ years typically, so they are as familiar with our clients as the full-timers.

You specialize in luxury home products and materials science. How did you become involved in these two very diverse markets?

These two market groups account for around 85% of our business. However, there is roughly an even split between the two. Our origins in both markets stem back to opportunities that came by way of people who had faith in our ability. Materials science dates back to 1997 and luxury home products to 1996.

We don’t participate in markets without becoming heavily involved in them. This includes visiting shows, reading publications, and forging relationships to ensure we can bring proactive value to clients. As our exposure in these markets has increased and our work has become widely known, it has naturally resulted in more opportunities.

There are in fact many similarities and common factors shared in these markets. Clients in both have similar supply chains and manufacturing processes. They have highly knowledgeable customers and the sale is technical. Consequently, there are many levels of resource management required and most clients need extensive marketing support.

How much repeat business do you retain?

Of the clients that maintain an active marketing program, we retain over 80% each year. And we’ve been able to increase our client base by 30-50% overall each year, which gives a sense of our growth. Many of our new clients come through previous contacts that have moved on to other companies. That is a good position to be in, and hopefully says something about the service and value we provide.

Do you work with clients that compete in the same market?

We don’t take on a client that is a direct competitor to an existing client obviously. However, with the nature of our specialization in two broad areas, we do take on multiple clients within those fields. Serving markets like pharmaceutical supply, we are used to working under confidentiality agreements and all of our work is done with an integrity-based commitment to non-disclosure. Proprietary or sensitive results of our strategy work and client knowledge are not shared with any other company, let alone competitors.

Your clients are literally spread across the United States and many countries in Europe and Asia. How do you manage these relationships?

We use all resources and assets at our disposal to serve the global operations of our clients. Some members of our team travel a lot, and as mentioned earlier, New York is a perfect hub. Communications including email, FTP file transfer, PDFs, and conference calls mean we can cover a very high proportion of hours in many time zones. Client contact occurs between 4 am and 12 midnight EST on any business day.

We have tried and trusted relationships with vendors worldwide, enabling assured management of trade show commitments on other continents. We also have strategic partnerships with agencies in Europe and Asia, which have been in place since 2000, and are another valuable asset we are able to offer.

You seem to retain a lot of knowledge in the markets you serve. Is that an intentional focus?

Absolutely. We never wanted to be and never have been an agency that sits back and waits to hear what a client needs. We believe that if we can be a proactive partner, understanding as much as possible about the client’s situation and the general market conditions, we can plan the marketing strategy together, as well as execute tactics. This nearly always works out to the client’s benefit. We also continually research the competitive environment for both current customers and new prospects. All of this represents an intrinsic part of our business model.

We have a strong presence in the markets we serve, with visibility on the circuit, continual research and awareness of conditions, and ongoing relationships with the press. This presence is a big factor in the work we continually get in these markets, as it means we are always directly and indirectly marketing That’s Nice through our endeavors.

So you visit your clients’ trade shows?

It’s a big part of what we do. In the materials science category especially, the rhythm of marketing is based around the annual cycle of trade shows. Booth design and management is a specialty of ours, and we encourage clients to launch new branding and marketing to coincide with shows, where there is a high level of industry focus. Whether we have clients participating or not, we typically visit the major shows in the markets we serve to conduct research, meet the global media for that sector, and also to market ourselves. If a client is exhibiting, we will be there to fully manage or at least support their presence.

What about trade associations?

Trade associations are important to each market, like publications, depending on their size and how operationally relevant they are. They are often fundamental to the market � running trade events and representing the interests of member companies. They are responsible for technical conferences, and these or white paper submissions from the market are what result in changes within the sector. There is value in That’s Nice maintaining relationships with these organizations.

How important are the publications in each market?

The major trade publications are typically very important. Metaphorically, they are the glue that binds many aspects of the market � manufacturers, distributors, customers, agencies, trade associations, and events. They provide news, generated by market and constituent companies, and also offer editorial coverage and advertising opportunities to those companies.

With this in mind, and because our clients usually engage in editorial and advertising activities, we pursue and maintain very strong relationships with the trade press in the markets we serve. We subscribe to around 150-200 weekly and monthly publications relating to our clients’ horizontal and vertical markets.

What is your approach to client relationships and the project process?

We don’t engage in work for a client without knowing or thoroughly researching the market, the audience, and other influential factors. We also like to forge a close relationship with each client, so we fully understand the company culture and operational capabilities. Whether this analysis is formal in terms of strategy or on our own initiative, it serves the client in terms of better results.

The project process begins with a brief or challenge from a client. We build an estimate, which outlines the scope of work, budget, and projected timeline. Once the project begins, the process depends on whether there is strategy or changes in creative direction involved, or if it is a straightforward tactical need.

Any new creative will be presented in the form of mood boards, which convey the aesthetic of contributory factors such as colors, type treatment, charts and icons, image usage, and layout. These are presented as PDFs, and the agreed process for rounds of review begins.

When creative is completed, we ask for a written sign-off, which can be in the form of an email or a signature on a hard proof. When providing full service for many of our clients, we then continue to manage the project through the printing process, fabrication, or publishing � so our ultimate delivery is the finished product. Finally, we review the project and process against criteria for success.

What software do you use and does your client need it?

We maintain a very high standard of equipment in our office, with most staff members using a state-of-the-art computer and the latest updates of all relevant software. In 2008, following our move, we invested in a completely new server system, a new custom job management program, and revision of all server, file organization, and on/off site backup processes.

We have a combination of Macintosh and PC platforms, linked to a Mac server environment. This is primarily because we have to test websites on all platforms and common browser configurations.

Our business software and generic systems are compatible with those that clients typically use. However, there is no need for clients to have the specialized software we use, as we present work on a uniform platform (PDF or through a web browser) and hand off approved projects in the desired format directly to a printer, fabricator, or publication. If we hand off media such as DVDs or USB sticks to clients, these will be thoroughly tested in advance.

How does a client know they are investing wisely in their marketing activities?

We encourage any company to do whatever is feasible to measure the effectiveness of their marketing activity. We do this as a matter of course for our clients, but sometimes the organization will make it part of the formal process. It is important information for us to know because we discourage clients from just following traditional marketing paths and doing the same things year after year.

Money should be invested in what works and spread across an array of multi-faceted tactics if possible, so their customers receive as many levels of communication as possible. We also change the marketing each year based on what has worked and what has not been so effective.

There are numerous ways to try to measure performance and return on investment (ROI). The feasibility of these sometimes depends on whether a company can allocate budget to them. A third-party service is also sometimes recommended so the agency is not justifying its own value.

How is the agency structured?

Larger clients will typically come into contact with at least four members of our team � one in each operational section � plus however many more are needed to accomplish goals and objectives.The four core members of the team come from senior management, account management, creative, and copy. We like to work in close collaboration with clients, much like an in-house department, so we encourage a lot of contact with our team.

What does full service mean?

As a full service agency, That’s Nice can provide all of the services required by clients to market their company. These could be one-offs or fully-integrated tactics with us managing all projects from original strategic planning through to full deployment or implementation. This enables clients to completely outsource with us if desired. The divisions that facilitate this capability are strategy, creative, interactive, printing, photography, media, and premiums.

What are the benefits of the long-term planning you advocate over a short-term reactionary approach?

Marketing should relate directly to business objectives and is a combination of shorter-term goals focusing on the 12 months ahead, and long-term planning covering several years. Plans should be continually reviewed and adapted. Long-term planning generally results in a more visionary direction, better use of budgets, measurable performance, and a better foundation for the future.

What do you mean by integrated marketing?

This is one of our favorite phrases and it relates somewhat to the previous answer. Integrated marketing is typically possible only as a result of planning, and relates to many tactics working together on various levels to achieve a result greater than the sum of the parts. Companies now have to reach and influence multiple decision-makers to achieve sales and they must do so in increasingly competitive conditions.

So industry research and knowledge of the audience is key, along with a marketing plan that integrates multiple tactics and targets manyaudience members. Technologies and lifestyles are changing, so people are receiving information in different ways. This has a big impact on media like advertising and direct mail, where we must consider trends like product placement and content for iPods and PDAs.

How do you handle the differences between B2B and consumer marketing?

B2B marketing is typically more technical and focused on problem solving, even though there may be pull-through related to the consumer. It depends how many steps the product is removed from the end user. The messaging and tactics convey performance specifications or technical characteristics. There is often more knowledge of the audience, so messaging can be very focused. And the market generally deals with different issues, such as raw materials, supply chain, and their own marketing.

Consumer marketing is driven by lifestyles and trends which change quickly and are harder to define. It relies more on capturing the audience’s imagination and can be highly competitive with the volume of information everybody handles each day. Companies are competing for people’s attention, so marketing has to be memorable and instantly identify that the product or service meets a need.

What are the common marketing mistakes you see companies making?

One of the most common mistakes we see is a company doing the same thing year in and year out without thought as to whether it is working or not. Or worse yet, doing nothing at all. We’ve seen companies put internal effort and dollars into building a website, then not touch it for five years. A website is a forum that is cost-effective to update. Nobody will use it if it remains static after a few visits. Almost every market experiences fast changes these days, so companies should work internally or with an agency to continually analyze, plan, and spend dollars wisely.

So what are the fundamentals of successful marketing according to That’s Nice?

Decades ago, marketing was about having a product and finding people who wanted to buy it. Now it is about finding or anticipating needs in the market, developing products or services that meet those needs, and being first-to-market or connecting most effectively with the audience.

So you have to know the market and target audience. You can never know too much, and you should have an open mind to rapid changes. It is a constant learning process. Then you have to find the most effective ways of connecting with your audience and building equity in your brand and product or service � which usually means multi-faceted communication. Unless you are definitively the cheapest or the best, most value propositions are built around a relationship with the customer.

Do you market That’s Nice using approaches you recommend to clients?

We do. It is rare that we encourage a client to do something that we don’t do ourselves in some form. We couldn’t expect a company to hire us to manage marketing for them if we didn’t market ourselves effectively. We spend a lot of our own time, money, and effort as a company on many different avenues to promote our capabilities and realize our business goals. Our identity and brand are constantly reviewed and new ways to expand our horizons are explored, although we consistently ensure that we maintain high standards in our core competencies.

So what does the future hold for That’s Nice?

We’ve enjoyed the growth and development that has been achieved in the last three years, so we want to continue on that path. There is a constant focus at That’s Nice to deliver very high quality service in what we do for clients, while also continually expanding services or adding new ones that complement our existing offering to bring additional value.

We have seen a lot of benefit in moving to our new office in 2008, and the acquisition and custom design of this space was a significant step. We’d like to design our own building one day. An inspiration for this is Frank Gehry’s glass building designed for the InterActiveCorp headquarters on 18th Street at the West Side Highway in New York City.

What is Nice Gift? How did it come about?

Nice Gift LLC is a subsidiary of That’s Nice that was formerly a division for corporate premiums. Since 2007, it has been a distinct entity offering a wide range of memorable gifts and premiums at www.nicegift.com.

The Nice Gift concept originated years ago, when That’s Nice began sourcing giveaway products from around the world for clients. We also used branded premiums extensively to promote our company.

As a division, corporate premiums became incapable of growing further and was hampering the attention required by the rest of the company. So we spun off Nice Gift as a subsidiary and it has grown tenfold in its first two years. The objective is for Nice Gift to become the leading authority on corporate gifts and premiums in B2B markets.

What inspires That’s Nice and are there people or interests that are a significant influence on the company?

Creative inspiration is drawn from all aspects of life, and this is why it is important that our staff is diverse in background and skills. Each person brings personal inspiration into the team environment.

In terms of influences, That’s Nice has grown and developed over the years as a result of project opportunities and expanding client needs, but there are some individuals throughout our history who have made a notable difference. These people have given us our first project, or have shown faith in the company’s capability to take on new projects that were a stretch, or have been a consistent advocate and have furthered our success with one client or multiple companies.