Catchword

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior account executive at Spire Agency, a B2B branding agency. We specialize in logo design, sales collateral, messaging, positioning, and other engagement. I’ve been with the company for four years.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

We needed a partner who specialized in naming for two different clients. One of our clients wanted a complete rebrand, and then the other one had several products that they wanted to brand with new names.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Catchword helped us with two different clients. One client had one naming engagement, and the other had three. We’ve worked with Catchword a total of four times.

For the client going through a full rebrand, Catchword helped us come up with several names in the clean, green energy space. We were able to select a name right away, so it was a very thorough but overall quick and successful process.

We went through a very similar process with our other client, although they were looking to name products rather than a company. At the start of each engagement, they completed a creative brief, which the client signed off on. Then, they presented two rounds of names, and the client narrowed down their favorites and selected one from there.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Laurel (Senior Strategist, Linguist & Co-Founder).

How did you come to work with Catchword?

We did a lot of research on Clutch, and Catchword was ranked at the top. We spoke to some of Catchword’s competitors as well, but we felt that they were the best fit for us. They were able to meet all of our needs and requests, and they were really great to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

Our total engagement was about $70,000. That breaks down to $33,000 for one client and $36,000 for the other.

What is the status of this engagement?

We initially had a three-month engagement from August–October 2019. Our engagement for our second client began in July 2020. That engagement consisted of three projects, each of which ranged from 1–3 months. The last project was completed in September 2020, but we continue to talk to Catchword on a regular basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

All of the feedback we received from our clients directly — as well as their competitors and prospects — was very, very positive. For the client who went through a rebrand, we’ve gotten a lot of great reviews that the name clearly conveys what they do and what space they play in. The name helped complete the rebrand and really set us up for the next level. Our clients were extremely pleased with Catchword’s work. 

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

Catchword was great to work with. We communicated via Zoom and email. We had calls as-needed, and then Catchword was present for any client presentations. We had no issues at all with communication; they were very responsive. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Catchword was super helpful and very well-received by our client, who loved working with them and all of the names they proposed. They provided great rationale and descriptions for each name.

They were very thorough, and their presentation style was wonderful. They were able to easily articulate the different names and meanings to the client in such a way that they could understand. They made it a really seamless and easy-to-understand process that everyone could get behind and understand, even those who hadn’t done a branding initiative before. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not at all.

Any advice for potential customers?

Catchword is absolutely worth whatever they cost. Our clients have been extremely pleased with them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Director of Product Marketing for a global technology company and online platform. We have both free and paid products for a variety of different users and buyers. I oversee product marketing for all lines of business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

Our organization has been transitioning from a free online platform to a SaaS company, and we engaged Catchword to develop a naming strategy and architecture for our growing portfolio of products and services, including making recommendations for where to use descriptive versus proprietary names in our portfolio.

In line with that work, Catchword was also engaged to develop several proprietary brand names for key products in our portfolio.

What were your goals for this project?

Ultimately, our goals were to better understand how best to organize the products in our portfolio (including the way they relate to one another), develop a future-proof naming strategy and architecture for our portfolio, and create strong, distinctive brand names for the products for which proprietary names were recommended.

In addition, we were looking for a recommendation for how to utilize our company name at the product level (e.g., as an overbrand or endorser brand), and a system of names for different “tiers” of one of our key products.

SOLUTION

How did you select Catchword?

We knew we needed to work with an agency - we needed a team with a depth of experience that could focus on the project. We evaluated 7-10 agencies. Our evaluation criteria had a few parts:

1. Their understanding of our business and the unique challenges we were facing
2. The clarity of their process to arrive at a strategy and names
3. Experience in the SaaS and technology space
4. The vast majority of the team worked for the agency directly (as opposed to being a group of freelancers).

Catchword met all these criteria and more. They were a standout from the first meeting and the evaluation committee all agreed they were the best fit.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Catchword provided both naming strategy/architecture and creative name development services to our organization. Phase 1 of their process involved an extensive discovery phase including materials review, an industry audit, and numerous stakeholder interviews.

That discovery work was followed up by a series of brainstorms and presentations of naming strategy and architecture options, refinements to our preferred strategy and architecture, and a recommendation for where to use to brands in our portfolio and where to use descriptive nomenclature.

Once we had gained internal consensus around a specific strategy and plan for product naming, Catchword engaged in the development of proprietary names for two different products in our portfolio, and an exploration of naming systems for our product “tiers.” All told, the engagement lasted approximately 4 months.

What was the team composition?

While we understand Catchword has a team of account, strategy, and creative personnel, we worked directly with one of the agency’s partners and a senior strategist. Both were excellent—smart, responsive, and very easy to work with. I was confident having them run discussions with senior level leaders in the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our project is nearing completion and already we’re extremely happy with the decision to work with Catchword. From the upfront research to inform their strategy recommendations to the name ideas they’ve developed for our products, they’ve demonstrated tremendous expertise, intelligence, and creativity.

With just a few small tweaks, their naming strategy recommendation was overwhelmingly supported by our core team, and the product name ideas they’ve developed have been very thoughtful, creative, and surprising (in a good way).

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was seamless. Our contacts were always available to us, extremely responsive, and excellent at keeping us apprised of their team’s progress, next steps, and when we could expect deliverables.

From the outset, they felt like an extension of our team, like colleagues we had worked with for years. Culturally speaking, we “clicked” with them, and it made for a really smooth, friendly, truly enjoyable collaboration.

They were also very quick and effective at digesting our input on the strategic work and turning around updated schematics for our review and approval.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Catchword really lived up to their reputation as one of the real leaders in naming. If I had to say what impressed me most, I suppose it would be their process. It really reflected years of experience doing this sort of work, thinking through naming strategy and architecture issues, and having a plan for how to address surprisingly complex naming related questions.

And the way the strategy piece informed the actual name development work they did was also very impressive. While it was two distinct phases of work, it felt very cohesive, and it was interesting how the learning’s in their phase 1 strategy work provided the foundation for their phase 2 name development work.

It all really just came together very well. I would have to say the process they used was especially impressive to me.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Global Marketing Director for a large digital customer experience and IT services provider.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We're a global company with offices in 20 different countries and over 50,000 team members around the world.

As we continue to grow both organically and via acquisitions, we decided to engage a naming firm to provide an outside perspective on our name, including the descriptor we use in combination with it, and make a recommendation for whether to retain our current name and descriptor or change one or both.

What were your goals for this project?

Our objective was to gain insight into the equity of our current name and the appropriateness of it given our expanding and shifting business. In addition, we were looking for a perspective on the potential for confusion with our parent company that goes by the same name but services a different market than we do.

Ultimately, we were looking for a recommendation on whether to keep our current name (and descriptor), change one or both to something else, and if so, creative help in developing name and/or descriptor options.

SOLUTION

How did you select Catchword?

Alternative agencies / partners were considered (shortlisted / found via internal recommendations and Google search). Catchword had an impressive list of other tech brands as clients and were extremely responsive and flexible in their approach. They were the perfect fit and best selection for our needs.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Catchword’s work involved a considerable amount of discovery, pouring over all relevant business, branding, and marketing documents we provided to them and speaking with approximately 25 senior executives, including the heads of our European, Central American, and Asian markets and folks in sales, operations, marketing, and other roles.

Based on their understanding of our objectives, they developed an extremely thoughtful and comprehensive questionnaire template which they customized for each stakeholder interview based on the executives’ role within the company.

It was clear they had done this sort of work before and had a plan for how to obtain the data they needed to make their recommendation. As their primary point of contact in the organization, I felt extremely comfortable with them and confident they were getting what they needed from our internal teams and that the process would advance smoothly. And it did.

After they completed their materials review and stakeholder interviews, they came back with a recommendation. The recommendation was extremely well supported and we engaged them to develop a range of new descriptors for our consideration.

That process included the creation of a set of parameters for descriptor exploration and the development of over 500 descriptor options, including real words, initialisms, and other constructs.

Frankly, it’s incredible how many different ways they came up with to speak to our business and help differentiate our company from our parent company. It was a really impressive combination of creativity and thoroughness.

What was the team composition?

Our day-to-day contacts were Mark Skoultchi, one of the agency’s partners, and Laurel Sutton, a senior strategist on their team. However, we know there were others who contributed to the project behind the scenes, including other strategic personnel and creative associates who developed the descriptor options.

It’s worth mentioning that we felt extremely comfortable working with Mark and Laurel. Both were extremely responsive, highly organized, insightful, and enjoyable to work with.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

While we haven’t made a final decision on a way forward yet, we feel Catchword added exactly the value we were looking for, and we’re extremely impressed with their process, the way they articulated and rationalized their recommendations, and the creative descriptor ideas they developed.

In the coming weeks we’ll be returning our attention to those descriptor options and most likely adopting one of Catchword's recommended solutions.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

As I mentioned, Mark and Laurel were great. From the outset, we felt extremely comfortable with both of them and confident they would lead the project effectively and smoothly.

They were quick to respond to email, always available for video calls (even on a moment’s notice), and excellent at keeping us up to date on their progress and next steps.

They also did a great job of providing drafts of their thinking and deliverables for review by me and our core team before sharing anything with the wider group, so we were always in the loop and had an opportunity to suggest changes if necessary.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Catchword really delivered on all fronts! They were a great strategic and creative partner, meticulous in their research and discovery, thoughtful and smart in developing their recommendations, and remarkably creative in imaging alternative descriptors for use with our company name.

Even though we realize Catchword has considerable experience thinking through naming strategy issues (it’s one of the key reasons we hired them), we suspect our situation (and our “ask”) was somewhat unique, even for them, and they did a wonderful job of addressing our challenge and presenting us with a well supported and extremely thoughtful set of recommendations.

In short, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to other companies (especially large, global companies with complex internal teams) looking for an agency to help with naming strategy issues.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Really nothing. They were great and exactly what we were looking for in a naming partner!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the global CMO for SecureAge Technology, a cyber-security company based in Singapore.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We have a long history of satisfied customers in Asia but have struggled with communicating the value of our products in other regions. We wanted to create an opportunity to talk about our approach to cyber-security in a way that is natural and simple.

What were your goals for this project?

Review our philosophy and products to decide how to best talk about what really matters. Identify new names and phrases to best convey those concepts to a global audience.

SOLUTION

How did you select Catchword?

We did some research on Clutch and other places and scheduled a very few conversations. I selected Catchword along with our COO based on two primary factors.

First, we wanted a partner who could deliver the goods - someone with a long history of working with companies in our industry and making them better. Second, we wanted a partner who was flexible enough to match our pace and experience level; we wanted to learn and grow along the way.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Catchword reviewed our entire product portfolio and recommended where we should focus our efforts. Catchword developed themes and names for these select areas and guided us in the trademark filing process in the many countries that we identified.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with two specialists from the beginning to the end. They were always attentive and available and consistent and went well beyond the scope of the work on numerous occasions because they saw that we needed it.

I managed the discussion along with our COO, involving our marketing team and passing over greater responsibility to them as we went.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We aligned on how to present our products to a global audience in a way that gave confidence to our internal stakeholders. Our leadership bought into the process and recognizes that this was time and effort well spent. We can't wait to reveal our work to the world in 2021.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We met with Catchword for multiple rounds over 7 months as described in their initial proposal - there were no surprises. We were slow to meet our commitments along the way and Catchword was patient and helpful every time we got stuck.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Although they were patient and helpful along the way, they were also firm when we needed it - there was no pandering to the client. Catchword joined and elevated our team to deliver what we need to improve our business.

I always looked forward to the briefings and presentations as the tone was just right and I learned something every time.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Senior Director at a manufacturing company located outside of New York City

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We are launching a new innovation and are looking at a name for the technology.

What were your goals for this project?

To develop a name that can be relevant across multiple categories and drive instant recognition at shelf of quality of the product inside the package.

SOLUTION

How did you select Catchword?

We RFP'd multiple agencies and were most impressed with their process.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They developed naming options for us around multiple platforms so we could see what would resonate best in the marketplace. They went very deep and ultimately we had over 1,200 names to vet to get to a strong short list to test.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with a partner of the agency. He was very attentive and made sure he addresses any questions or concerns we had and were happy with the ongoing work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

While the innovation hasn't launched yet, we tested a short list of 20 or so names and we were thrilled that we had many strong options and even more surprisingly, no losers at all.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was great! They were always very responsive and would adapt to our internal pace as needed at any given time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Everything. Their process was thorough and got to the core of what we were looking for. They were willing to explore additional avenues when that was requested by key executives. And they are just a great team that I would be excited to work with again.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No - They were fantastic just as they are.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My company is a medium-sized credit union. I am the Creative Services Manager in the marketing department.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We hired Catchword to help us identify what a new name for our company might be. Some of our recent data show that there is a lot of brand confusion in our area... we don't stand out from the crowd. Because of this, our team decided it was worth an exercise in Renaming.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to leave no stone unturned when it came to the possibilities of a rebranding project, which starts with a new name.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We identified several vendors through both word-of-mouth recommendations and online search/reviews. Some of our criteria included quality of business reviews, quantity of names, price range, and timeline. After having virtual meetings with the top 5 vendors, Catchword quickly rose to the top. Their personality, work/proposal, and confidence was a great match for the company I work for.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We used Catchwored primarily for name generation. Catchword provided a springboard document for our kick-off meeting. They used our research and data (cause we had it) to provide us with some parameters. We added a few more based on our company's preferences.

After that, they went to work, generating 100's of names (based on our proposal agreement). There were a couple of rounds of review, where Catchword went through their name options and we said yay or ney, until we came up with a shortlist. They then provided a paragraph rational on how the name options could come to life if we were to choose them.

Their team also did a preliminary trademark and google search, we found this to be extremely helpful, and also matched what our attorneys found. Catchword was a pleasure to work with.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with their partner, Mark. He handled everything from coordinating meetings, presenting options, and providing us with guidance and suggestions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We are currently (still) in the internal deliberation of our final two name options. Catchword did such a great job, we are now having difficulty deciding which name would be the better option to proceed with, as they both fit our needs while resonating with our members.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Catchword was very easy to work with. They were on schedule, and flexible to our changing needs, especially with "COVID happening" in the middle of our project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Company personality + quality/quantity of results = Impressive I can't stress enough the quality of work that Catchword has provided us so far. We will be hiring them for other future projects.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Honestly... Catchword has this process in the bag. It was a pleasure to work with them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the senior director of global product marketing of a job platform.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

We engaged Catchword to help with specific naming projects. We wanted to develop names for new products the company was launching and to set up a naming methodology for the organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first way we engage Catchword is in a typical consulting fashion. We had a few high-profile product launches coming up. We brought them up as an expert to run a few workshops with the relevant teams and advise us on how to strategically think through the naming project for a particular product area. After that, they delivered a few naming options for us.

Second, Catchword has helped us think through the general principles of creating a set of standardized guidelines within the company for naming any product in any area or department. This didn’t have any hard deliverables. It required them to help us think about the composition of our company and the practicalities, like how much operational lift a particular process could entail. They also helped us do competitive research, learning what other companies do to solve the same problems we’re facing.

What is the team composition?

We have one point of contact: Laurel (Strategist).

How did you come to work with Catchword?

Catchword was identified before I joined the project. I believe they went through a lightweight RFP process with the team that was overseeing the project previously. I met with them before we engaged, and they seemed smart, approachable, and easy to work with.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $50,000–$­100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in late 2019. They’re staying on with us for any naming engagements we may need.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Their work serves the purpose that we need. I’ve worked with several different naming groups, Catchword is a great partner because they work quickly, can clarify an abstract type of work, and are cost-effective. In fact, they’re better at keeping tabs on our spending than we are.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

They always meet deadlines without coming in early. We communicate over the phone, email, and video conferencing. They also can work with different groups across our organization. Because we have just a single point of contact, Catchword’s communication is streamlined. That contact can talk to several departments within our company at once. It’s nice to have continuity on their side.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I admire their practical way of working. Catchword is geared towards problem-solving for their clients. They also were able to quickly adapt to the way we work, so there was very little time spent onboarding.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing that would make Catchword even more perfect is if they were more proactive about suggesting strategic ideas. We haven’t asked them for that; I’d like them to offer it prompting. However, that’s really not an issue.

Any advice for potential customers?

Be very open and honest from the start about what you’re looking for. Laurel is extremely professional and unemotional, which lets us be very transparent with her. We have a really positive working relationship as a result.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and sole proprietor of a medical device company that is in the process of developing and manufacturing our first product. I am also a busy doctor with her own practice. After 15+ years, we have established a reputation for world class service and expert credentials throughout our industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We needed help with naming our consumer medical device. This was no ordinary naming project though, since this device will treat a condition that is often hidden by those who suffer from it. So it had to be memorable, yet subtle - friendly, yet clinical. The name had to convey efficacy without seeming intimidating. It had to flow seamlessly into branding, and inspire confidence. It had to be...a super-name. Doctors get used to being good at whatever they try. They are high achievers - which is how they got into medical school in the first place. But those smarts fail when it comes to specialized tasks like this. It would have been a classic physician fallacy for me to imagine I knew what I was doing when it came to marketing, branding, or NAMING my device. Catchword gently, but firmly, established their credibility in this project, and expertly brought us in for a soft landing on firm, solid, "naming" ground.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goals were to find a name that fulfilled our multiple and sometimes conflicting needs. This name would set the tone for our branding, for future product development, and for the marketing strategy. No small feat!

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We had the inside track to the owner of this business having met the owner before on several occasions - well before we ever considered that we might need such services. The reputation was impeccable. Previous customers were enthusiastic. There are few dedicated, experienced professional naming practitioners who are independent and discreet enough to handle almost any naming project - and CatchWord is the at the top of the pack.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with a review of the product. All aspects of current design and competitors products were reviewed. We talked about the hopes for the product, the design challenges, and the emotions we wanted to evoke with the name. There was an overview of how the process worked, a review of how we could contribute best, and a run-down of the expected deliverables including Round 1 and Round 2 name lists.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with Maria, the owner. She and I then conferred independently with our own teams, and reconvened meetings as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The final name list was short enough to be manageable and long enough to provide options. In the end this worked well since we ended up having IP issues with a few of our favorites, but she had provided additional versions of the same option which we then pivoted to incorporate. It was one of these options we eventually settled on.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Catchword was timely and responsive. Phone calls and emails were promptly returned. Meetings were easy to schedule and efficient. We typically used Zoom to meet.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

This way the names were categorized into specific emotive categories was impressive. They seemed to understand what we were going for in our product and be able to articulate it based on our clumsy efforts to explain. They are like distillers - taking the whole mix down to its most potent, key components.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I cannot identify any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Precision medicine company focused on genomic testing for cancer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We needed help in selecting a new corporate name for the company.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to select a name that reflected our team and values, while also differentiated us in a crowded market of competitors.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed several agencies and Catchword understood the issues we were facing the best. They didn't try to make the project bigger than we wanted i.e. many companies really wanted to do the messaging and not the naming work and focused their proposals on that. Their methodology fit well with our culture and timelines were very reasonable.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Discovery sessions with our team to define our brand elements, a round of name creation on their side resulting in several name possibilities, and several rounds of refinement on our side to get to final possible names.

What was the team composition?

I worked with a company Partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

While we are still working name possibilities through legal, we are very happy with the names Catchword provided to us. They reflect well on the company and the process was a very pleasant one.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our partner frequently checked in with us and we met weekly during the course of the project. He still checks in with us to see how we are doing moving through the legal process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their level of dedication to the success of their clients was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work for a large professional services organization on a brand strategy team. My role touches all things brand including naming strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We needed an agency that would become a true extension of team and welcome all size naming projects.

What were your goals for this project?

Create and sell in names that align with our organization's overall approach to naming, while meeting business needs.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Catchword came recommended. We had an initial get-to-know you conversation and piloted a few projects...the rest is history...

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

It all starts with writing the brief. Sometimes Catchword takes it direct from the business stakeholders, other times direct from my team and I to gain a true understanding of the criteria. We co-develop the recommendations and together present the work. Cathword takes the lead on building the presentations and prescreening names for legal conflict.

What was the team composition?

Mark (principal, Catchword) and Laurel (senior strategist, Catchword).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Always a fluid process working together, never afraid to ask questions or push our thinking, recommendations consistently creative and on brief, attention to detail is unmatched. We continue to receive very very very positive reactions from our internal stakeholders and names are in use!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Extremely!

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to stretch across industry and discipline set them apart.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None!