A Quick Chat About Our Partnership With Fiscalini Cheese

Wondering what it’s like to work with TIV Branding? Rather than telling you in our own words, we thought it would be fun to let one of our clients tell you. So, Britta Foster, our Marketing Strategy Director, sat down with Laura Genasci, co-owner of Fiscalini Cheese Company.Britta: How long have we actually been working together, Laura? And can you remember how it all started?Laura: It feels like it’s been forever. In a good way though! I think we first approached you guys about helping us with a re-brand. We realized that over the years we had created a variety of products with very little consistency in the look and feel. Once we jumped in we also realized that we needed to update our logo at the same time. I think it was the beginning of 2015.Britta: You are right, the rebrand was our first project. We came in and updated the logo and most importantly we worked together to create a brand architecture.Laura: Yes! You guys did a great job of holding onto our logo’s existing equity while at the same time freshening up the look. That was also when we developed the idea of the Signature Line of cheeses and the Artisan Line of cheeses.Britta: I remember we all instantly fell in love with the blue for the Artisan line. It was such a disruptive color for the cheese case. You and I took samples to a local grocery store to look at it on the shelf and it was a clear winner. Then we came up with the more upscale packaging for your three premium cheeses. I remember we added your cheesemaker’s signature to the packaging in the same way estate bottled wine often bears the winemaker’s signature.Laura: Exactly. Our focus was on really building up our Signature line and communicating the value proposition so that our pricing structure would make sense to consumers. We also worked closely with you to create sales materials to support the launch of the new packaging - case inserts and a new point of sale materials. As we worked on the packaging you guys really immersed yourself in our business. Remember meeting with my dad?Britta: How could I forget? I loved sitting and hearing the story of your company. Honestly, it’s a 100-year-old story that most people would kill to have. As a marketer, I loved the challenge of trying to figure out how to really tell the story. I think that was about the same time that we worked with you and your team to define your core values. We spent a lot of time talking through what defined you and then figuring out how to represent that information graphically and in simple sentences.Laura: Once we had our voice and our values everything else really started to fall into place. You guys tackled our website, which we are refreshing again with you right now. It’s never-ending, isn’t it? That’s why I am so grateful for our partnership. Just when we get something figured out it seems like something else changes. We have learned we must be nimble and your support has allowed us to be just that.Britta: I couldn’t agree more. One thing I have learned over the years is the value of building a true partnership. As we got to know more and more about your business we could react quickly to both your internal needs and your customers’ requests.Laura: Over the years we have had some really fun projects. Everything from the Ag Hall of Fame video, to our brochure, to our tradeshow and demo materials, to our new sales folder.Britta: I love how that folder turned out! What about the infographic? That took a lot of back and forth but in the end, I think it captures the complexity of your business and communicates it in a simple, effective graphic.Laura: Getting that one done was certainly a collaborative process and a lot of fun. Plus, it really did turn out great.Britta: We have also been able to apply the packaging architecture we created to your limited-edition products. I think we have done a good job of holding true to the brand architecture while also making them eye-catching and unique.Laura: Most recently you guys took on our social media efforts. Initially, you helped us develop a content strategy and, with our input, you created the content and posted it. Then you started training me to do more!Britta: Absolutely! For some of our clients it makes sense for us to continue to be totally in charge of social media but for many, we evolve into more of a hybrid approach. Today, Beau, on our team, provides us a framework for Facebook and Instagram then you and I work together to create the content. You’ve gotten really good at shooting photos with your iPhone and I love writing the copy. Lucky for us, Beau still manages loading it all up so that it gets posted each month.Laura: True, we love Beau! I think the transition to us brainstorming content together and then me actually capturing the images made so much sense. After all, I am on the farm and in the cheese plant every day. That being said, I am grateful that you guys provide content buckets and that you and I work together to brainstorm ideas.Britta: We are a great team! Really at the end of the day isn’t that the key?Laura: Definitely! Our partnership has really shifted and grown over the years. I’ve learned how to offer my feedback and input but at the same time to trust you and the team. After all, you guys are the branding and marketing experts.Britta: And you are the Fiscalini expert, so we couldn’t do it without each other.