Raj Patel and the HomeState team brought a decent level of enthusiasm to the project, but the experience had its ups and downs. While they were generally responsive, there were several moments during the planning phase when approvals and supply confirmations came in later than expected, which put a strain on the precise timing needed for the taco pop-up setup. The clarity of communication was sometimes muddled, which left me having to guess some of the creative direction for the countertop signage and QR assets. In execution, the client was professional enough, and the overall initiative was promising. However, some aspects felt under-prepared, such as the daily unique password generation and marketing materials that didn't fully align with the punchy, innovative vibe the pop-up needed. The engagement on the field was average, and while I could trust them to honor the basics, I believe there's room for improvement in thorough planning and timely approvals. Overall, I’d give this effort a 3-star review.

I had significant challenges working with Raj Patel and the HomeState team during the 'Backpack Arcade Beacon Blitz' campaign. Throughout the week-long engagement, I encountered numerous delays with deliverables, including last-minute changes to the silent video requirement and incomplete talking points that didn't capture the brand’s unique appeal. Their lack of clear communication and insufficient preparation for in-person activation made it difficult to effectively engage the target audience, resulting in low-quality interactions despite my best efforts. Furthermore, the reporting process suffered as they failed to provide timely feedback and missed a few critical deadlines for updating promotional incentives. This added confusion and disrupted the flow of my scheduled activations at arcade bars, ultimately undermining the overall campaign performance. The approach simply lacked the professionalism, enthusiasm, and creativity needed for a successful collaboration, which is why I feel a 2-star review is warranted.

Working with HomeState was a nightmare from start to finish. They delayed approvals and submitted last-minute changes to the video content, resulting in a frantic and unprofessional pre-launch. Despite outlining clear deliverables and timelines, their lack of responsiveness and vague creative directives left me scrambling every night to adapt on the fly. Their disorganization compromised the integrity of the project, forcing me to handle issues that should have been managed by their brand team. Furthermore, their enthusiasm for the project was nonexistent – it seemed like they weren’t invested in the success of the campaign. They failed to provide key details such as proper legal disclaimers or confirmations on creative content, and their communications were sporadic at best. It was evident that the needed thoroughness and preparation were sorely lacking, leading to a disappointing experience overall.

Working with Raj Patel on the HomeState beer drop was a challenging experience. Although the vision behind the campaign was creative, the project suffered from inconsistent communication and delays. Key materials, including the brand artwork and QR/coupon code details, were provided much later than agreed, which disrupted the timeline for brewing and labeling. Raj’s approach to timeliness and thoroughness left much to be desired, forcing me to juggle additional adjustments on a tight schedule. In terms of professionalism, the lack of clear guidance and prompt responses from Raj led to several missteps. The enthusiasm expected from a brand manager was noticeably missing, and the overall management of the campaign’s details felt disorganized. While the project eventually reached completion, the challenges encountered warranted a 2-star rating from my perspective.