Napoleon Takes Manhattan with Simian

Test advertising leader, The Napoleon Group, turns to Simian to enhance collaboration, boost productivity and extend sales reach/em.

For The Napoleon GroupThe Napoleon Group, New York, the Simian media management platform has become an integral part of virtually everything it does. The company uses Simian’s Custom Branded Microsite Generator™ to create client presentations and manage projects as they move from concept through production and post, as well as the cataloging and management of their vast storehouse of media files, which includes, not only audio and video files, but also storyboards, animatics, and hybrid media. The company’s sales team utilizes Simian to deliver marketing media and Real Time Analytics™ to manage and meet their goals.

“Simian is fluid and easy,” says Napoleon Group President Doug Miller. “We use it to post work for our clients, making it easy for them to monitor their projects at different stages, and view related elements and assets. We can show them anything from a wire frame to a color treatment or rough cuts and even samples of our work. It works very well for us.”

The Napoleon Group has been producing test advertising for the biggest ad agencies in New York and elsewhere for more than 30 years, and has successfully responded to the innumerable changes that have affected the industry over that time. A few years ago, the weak economy caused advertising budgets to tighten just as the test advertising business was expanding from a traditional 2D model to other models such as 3D. In addition, advertising was quickly spreading from television and radio to the web and mobile. Agencies were clamoring for more advanced and diverse products at a lower cost.

The Napoleon Group responded by upping its game. “We analyzed and revamped our pipelines to produce a broader range of products,” recalls Miller. “We reformulated everything about the way we do business and we’ve come back stronger than ever.”

The company invested in new technology and highly skilled workers that have enabled it to boost productivity while constraining costs. It also added production resources, including a new state-of-the-art shooting stage, limiting its reliance on outside vendors. As a result, it has not only been able to more than hold its own in New York’s rough-and-tumble advertising community, it has expanded its reach to agencies across the United States and Europe.

As part of its modernization, The Napoleon Group adopted Simian as its sole media management platform two years ago. This integration has helped the company achieve further improvements in production efficiency. Simian’s project management tools have proven a great way for designers, producers and artists to create, share and build ideas. It’s also facilitated faster and closer collaboration with clients.

Miller explains that as the company moved into 3D production and diversified the types of test advertising it produces, its repository of media assets quickly grew. “We were having a difficult time managing media,” he says. “Simian has allowed us to manage media content through several departments with seamless integration. Our whole team has been impressed with the frequent upgrades, product customization and Simian’s constant attention to our company’s needs.”

Miller adds that Simian is constantly being upgraded, so that it keeps pace as The Napoleon Group’s needs evolve. “Simian has responded quickly, they have integrity and they keep the product at a consistently high level,” he observes.

Simian, says Miller, is one reason that The Napoleon Group is well positioned to continue to prosper and grow. “Simian allows us to focus on the needs of our clients and the quality of our products, rather than the logistics of media delivery,” Miller says, adding, “We’re really proud of what we’ve accomplished. We’ve got a great group of people and we’ve taken some big chances, and it’s paying off.”

About Simian
Simian™ takes the business of managing digital media to the next level with an innovative workflow and ideation platform designed by industry leaders for industry leaders. Simian’s streamlined, yet highly flexible platform has set the industry standard for online media sharing and workflow solutions for creative companies.
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