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Communications Strategy Group (CSG)

5.0 (11)
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Education & Learning
3 reviewers
33%
PROJECT COST
$10K+per project5 reviewers | 45%
RETAINER COST
$5K+per month7 reviewers | 64%
Julia Hutchins avatar
Julia HutchinsCEO
Overall Rating
5.0
Communication
5.0
Responsiveness
5.0
Accuracy of Timeline
Not rated
Expertise
4.9
Value for Money
5.0
Accuracy of Cost Estimates
Not rated
CSG is one of the smartest, adaptable, and strategic communication companies I have ever worked with. They provided a clear framework for talking about our differentiators, which is not always easy in health care, and were incredibly creative and effective at driving visibility and free media. They were also a huge help in training key staff on messaging and public speaking. But, the reason I am taking the time to write this review is because of how CSG came through for us in a crisis. They were literally in the trenches with us and masterfully reoriented our thinking from defense to offense. This shift changed the way the incident was reported publicly and, almost more importantly, provided the words employees needed to feel proud instead of ashamed. It was transformational. I continue to seek out new ways to engage CSG.April 15, 2020

https://wearecsg.com

Denver, CO

Founded 2004

11-50 Employees

Strategic content marketing and PR agency

The Communications Strategy Group provides strategic marketing services, including public relations, content marketing, digital marketing, brand communications, corporate communications, social media, website development and design for Fortune 500 companies. The Communications Strategy Group services industries such as financial services, healthcare, wellness, education, technology, sustainability, aerospace, and consumer industries. The Communications Strategy Group is a strategic marketing partner that helps brands achieve their marketing goals by bringing their brand story to life through thought-provoking content. They specialize in working with established brands that have complex problems that need to be solved using big-picture thinking and sophisticated strategies

Expertise

Services Offered
Branding|Content Marketing|Creative|Digital Marketing|Email Marketing|Graphic Design|Public Relations (PR)|SEO|Social Media Marketing|Web Development
Industries Served
Finance & Accounting | Education & Learning | Health & Medicine | Hospitality, Dining, Event & Travel | IT & Software Development | Public, Non Profit & Religious Organizations | Utilities

Costs

Project CostProjects Starting at:
$10K each
5 reviewers reported project cost for this provider
Less than $1K
$1K - $2.5K
$2.5K - $5K
$5K - $10K
$10K+
45%
No cost reported
55%
Retainer CostRetainers Starting at:
$5K monthly
8 reviewers reported retainer cost for this provider
$250 - $500
$500 - $1K
$1K - $2K
$2K - $5K
9%
$5K+
64%
No cost reported
27%

Communications Strategy Group (CSG) Reviews

Overall Rating

5.0

11 Reviews

Expertise
4.9
Value for Money
5.0
Accuracy of Cost Estimates
Not rated
Communication
5.0
Responsiveness
5.0
Accuracy of Timeline
Not rated

11 reviews

Recommended
Julia Hutchins avatar
Julia Hutchins
CEO
Hospital & Health Care, Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
April 15, 2020
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: Unspecified
Retainer: $5,000+ monthly
Overall Experience: CSG is one of the smartest, adaptable, and strategic communication companies I have ever worked with. They provided a clear framework for talking about our differentiators, which is not always easy in health care, and were incredibly creative and effective at driving visibility and free media. They were also a huge help in training key staff on messaging and public speaking. But, the reason I am taking the time to write this review is because of how CSG came through for us in a crisis. They were literally in the trenches with us and masterfully reoriented our thinking from defense to offense. This shift changed the way the incident was reported publicly and, almost more importantly, provided the words employees needed to feel proud instead of ashamed. It was transformational. I continue to seek out new ways to engage CSG.
Other Contributing Factors: Location, Industry Focus, Reputation, Technical Expertise, Variety Of Services Offered
Sam Iles avatar
Sam Iles
Head of US Marketing & PR
Accounting, Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
April 9, 2020
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: $10,000+
Retainer: $2,000-$5,000 monthly
Overall Experience: CSG continue to be an excellent partner for all our PR efforts. Their knowledge of our business, and ability to translate our objectives to tangible media results and output was exceptional, even more so considering they did it in a very short space of time. They remain continually very flexible to changing business needs and are extremely responsive to our requirements. CSG managed to gain tailored and targeted coverage in industry leading publications and are an absolute delight to work with. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for a PR agency.
Other Contributing Factors: Cost, Reputation, Industry Focus, Portfolio
Howard Mandel avatar
Howard Mandel
EVP/GM
Education Management, Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
November 26, 2019
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: Unspecified
Retainer: Confidential
Overall Experience: CSG was my PR Agency when I was at a company eLearners.com (ultimately changed to Education Dynamics). CSG was a true partner in that they help develop and implement strategies to position my company as a leader in the EDU industry. I ran the Sales, Client Services and Business Development of the organization. In the 6 years working with CSG, my company went from sales of $5 million to sales of $165 million in 4 and half years of the 6 we worked together. I attribute half of our success to CSG and their leadership of Steven Shapiro to being a key factor in our growth. I have recommended their organization to several of my clients and peers who have hired and engaged in services with them and have been overwhelmingly pleased.
Other Contributing Factors: Variety Of Services Offered, Industry Focus
Chris Mackey
VP General Manager, Innovation Labs
Education Management, Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
September 30, 2020
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: $10,000+
Retainer: $5,000+ monthly
Overall Experience: We found that working with CSG was like having an extra set of hands for everything we wanted to get done related to branding, demand generation, marketing strategy, graphic design, and more. From the nuts and bolts of executing a campaign to goals and new ways to think about the market, Steven kept things moving. What I’ve really appreciated during the difficult times of the pandemic is that, even with some belt tightening, Steven and the entire CSG team have been there for us. I really don’t think there is such a thing as a “transactional relationship” when it comes to the CSG team. They been there for us, through thick and thin, with valuable insights, ideas, and contributing every step of the way to growing our business.
Other Contributing Factors: Variety Of Services Offered, Specific Service Offering, Portfolio, Industry Focus, Technical Expertise, Reputation
Gordon Banks
President of Marketing
Accounting, 1001-5000 employees
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
June 2, 2021
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: $10,000+
Retainer: $5,000+ monthly
Overall Experience: As the President of Marketing for a large regional US Bank the team and I worked closely with CSG to implement and execute various PR and other communication programs. We consistently achieved or exceeded the established strategic objects over the 3+ years I was directly involved with CSG. The team at CSG remains topnotch and is comprised of a professional, fun and authentic group of individuals who continuously brought forth ideas and concepts to keep the organization's strategy fresh. Their drive and initiative, combined with the internal PR personnel of the bank ensured our communications and programs were timely, appropriate and well positioned.
Other Contributing Factors: Variety Of Services Offered, Cost, Reputation, Location
R M
CMO
Accounting, Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
December 2, 2019
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: $10,000+
Retainer: $5,000+ monthly
Overall Experience: CSG provided our company with a strategic roadmap for PR and pushed our company to think bigger for bigger results. I was incredibly impressed by their knowledge, out-of-the-box thinking, strategic mindset, and results. After guiding our company through positioning and messaging, they then developed an end-to-end PR strategy which garnered results from both key trade publications and national publications such as Wall Street Journal. Their efforts drove significant inbound requests for more information, and positioned the company's data scientists and executives as thought leaders in the industry.
Other Contributing Factors: Specific Service Offering, Industry Focus, Portfolio, Reputation, Variety Of Services Offered
Ron Zwerin
EVP Marketing and Brand
Non-Profit Organization Management, Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
June 2, 2021
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: $10,000+
Retainer: $5,000+ monthly
Overall Experience: Working with CSG is like having a long-trusted friend who always gives you good advice and is with you in good times and bad. So many times I have worked with an agency that is more interested in staying within the confines of the scope of the contract and anything outside that scope requires a new contract or retainer fee schedule. It feels transactional. Not with the people at CSG. They are consistently curious and they have a growth mindset and literally want to help -- and they won't nickle and dime you. They genuinely care about your success. And that is refreshing.
Other Contributing Factors: Industry Focus, Technical Expertise, Variety Of Services Offered
Jeremy Stephan
Head of Global Sales Operations
Information Technology and Services, Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
November 26, 2019
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: Unspecified
Retainer: $5,000+ monthly
Overall Experience: I have hired CSG two times over the last three years, and if they were not good at what they do, then I would not have hired them the 2nd time. From the CEO down, they are thoughtful, ask the tough questions, are sound strategists and can execute equally as well. If in the position to hire them again, there would be no question about it.
Other Contributing Factors: Portfolio, Specific Service Offering, Reputation, Variety Of Services Offered
Briana Ochiltree avatar
Briana Ochiltree
Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
March 18, 2022
Cost Per Project: Unspecified
Overall Experience: I have been working CSG since 2019 as my PR agency of record. They have handled a variety of items for me such as inbound media requests, proactive media pitching, byline writing and media monitoring.
Marc Stith
Marketing Director
Education Management, Unspecified
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
December 3, 2019
Frequency: Ongoing Service
Cost Per Project: Confidential
Retainer: $5,000+ monthly
Overall Experience: CSG has proven time and again to be a huge asset and valuable partner for us. We think of them as an extension of our MarComm team.
Other Contributing Factors: Specific Service Offering, Location, Industry Focus
Jaime McGavin
PCL Constructors Inc
1001-5000 employees
Overall Rating
5.0
Reviewer Source
Source: UpCity
February 17, 2021
Cost Per Project: Unspecified
Overall Experience: The value of their work and their flexibility with the process was excellent, this was a differentiator compared to other consultants we have worked with. CSG really took a proactive approach to understand PCL and our business while at the same time challenging us to approach things differently.

Media

Locations

Headquarters:
Denver, CO