Catchword

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Global Director of Marketing

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Olfactory and taste science used to improve the flavor and scent of foods, beverages, and chemicals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Catchword to accomplish?

• Name our product development service platform
• Name our product recommendation engine

SOLUTION

How did you find Catchword?

Referral

Why did you select Catchword over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The company has a two-tiered B2B solution offering. One is a B2B service and the other is a software product designed for B2B2C deployment. We needed names for both, for product launch, PR, and product marketing. Key deliverables were names that underwent initial screenings prior to delivery (i.e. deliverables were ready for copyright attorney reviews).

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• In-depth company, industry, and competitive analysis to learn our business deeply
• Round 1 and Round 2 Reviews
• Shortlist selected based on Google and IP filing statuses

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our leads were Mark and Maria and their teams and they were exceptional. I enjoyed this project immensely because not only were they a joy to work with, they were incredibly detailed, thoughtful, strong listeners, excellent note-takers, very organized, perceptive, attentive to critical details in our very niche market, and they could pivot direction after taking new information and client feedback into consideration.

They followed up our meetings with recap summaries and decks, confirmed next steps, and always delivered on time - often exceeding expectations with the number and quality of options presented. Their approach is so disciplined that I admired the process and credit it for helping me think through other key messaging opportunities as the company's marketing lead.

The Catchword team isn't one dimensional at all. They think with a marketing brain on a macro level and take everything into consideration - consumer experience, political environments, global name acceptability (if the product will be marketed globally, as was the case with ours), similarity to competitive product offerings, possible issues with perception or misunderstandings, etc.

It was fun because they presented a variety of naming options that ranged from compound words to those that played with alliteration, to some that were completely made up, to others that were quite direct/straightforward. They present possibilities if you don't know the direction that suits you best upfront. Always polite, responsive, professional, collaborative, and thoughtful partners, it was clear that they are branding experts.

On a more tailored, micro-level, they think about product experience, buyer vs. end-user perception (when these two differ, as was the case with our product), how the product would be used, how we wanted it to be perceived (value vs. differentiated, etc.), what we wanted to communicate (i.e. value props), and the deep dive they did into our company's very complicated technology meant that they incorporated technical and scientific terminology just as easily as some of the more imaginative names available to us.

Each review of concepts led with reflective explanatory summaries of why suggested names were deemed suitable for presentation. Maria and Mark are excellent communicators and capable project leaders who I felt confident working with. They are consultative partners that helped us consider options we wouldn't have thought of on our own and we were inspired as an organization by the naming solutions we chose in the end.

What was your primary form of communication with Catchword?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The depth of understanding our company/technology/industry/competitors/goals, desired outcomes for our consumers, product attributes, and long term objectives for the growth of these products. We considered whether they would standalone or lend themselves to inclusion in a portfolio (where naming extensions might be necessary).

The team's thoughtfulness, clever solutions, sense of humor, and the easy conversational style made working with them a breeze. I highly recommend Catchword to companies seeking brand and product naming support.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Catchword could have done differently?

I can't think of anything. The conversations were far more effective when discussed live (vs. simply reading them in a deck), so we always had vibrant conversations, the follow-up was solid, the timelines were consistently met, and we were always in the loop on where we were in the process. The team's process is straightforward and well-executed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for a publisher of children’s educational books and toys.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword, and what were your goals?

We were undertaking a rebrand of our largest division, in which we required a new positioning, name, and visual identity system–and all needed to be completed within about six months!

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We interviewed a small selection of agencies and, ultimately, selected Catchword because of the thoughtful, thorough, and strategic approach they took to formulating a plan for our project. We felt confident in their process and that they understood our needs and how to address them. In addition, they were super friendly, and relatable, and we knew we’d get along well with them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

As indicated above, Catchword conducted a complete rebranding program for our company. As such, the scope was comprehensive and included brand strategy/positioning, name development, and design. There were multiple phases and numerous steps, but to summarize, the process began with an exhaustive discovery phase that involved a materials review, approximately 30 stakeholder interviews, and an audit of our competitors, including their websites, brand messages, name styles, and design attributes.

Discovery lead to the creation of a set of brand pillars, messaging territories, and positioning options. Of course, there were presentations of work, refinements to the work, and ultimately a decision on a new positioning and brand story, which really captured the essence of our organization’s purpose and which served as a basis for the rest of Catchword’s work—specifically, naming and design.

The naming and design processes were similar in that they involved the establishment of a set of parameters for creative development and the creation of an enormous number of potential name and design solutions—close to 100 names and, ultimately, 20 design options. We ultimately landed on a name and design that we absolutely love and resonated immediately with our audiences.

Once the name and design were in place, Catchword codified it all in a style guide, which really doubles as the keys to our brand. It detailed everything from the derivation of our new name to our positioning (and accompanying elements) to logo usage, color palette, typography, and even some brand applications. It was really beautifully designed and well laid out, and we’re thrilled with that final deliverable.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We mostly worked with three project directors and brand strategists—i.e., the folks we saw on a regular basis—though we know a team of creatives and other personnel were working behind the scenes on both the naming and design.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Catchword was awesome! They were collaborative, personable, and experts and their creative deliverables were all outstanding. We’re thrilled to say we have an incredibly distinctive and memorable brand that reflects the heart of our mission and has been enthusiastically received by all of our stakeholders. Couldn’t ask for more!

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

From the beginning, Catchword made sure we understood the process and all of the many steps. At every meeting and presentation, we were walked through what to expect next and when. And, on a day to basis, they were incredibly responsive, rarely taking more than a few hours to reply to email and get back to us if we had a question. We always felt confident that the process was moving forward smoothly and that Catchword was on top of things.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Two things really stand out for me. First is the way they immersed themselves in and became passionate advocates for our business. From their upfront research and thoughtful (and thought-provoking!) interviews to their strategy recommendations and creative names and designs, they demonstrated tremendous experience and expertise.

Second, they’re just downright lovely people. We always looked forward to our meetings with them. It was like working with good friends, and that sort of rapport is nothing something easy to come by in relationships with agency partners.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

At this point, I’d be splitting hairs if I offered ideas for ways to do things differently. I really think their process is well-honed and guides clients in a way that is informative, collaborative, and fun, and I know they’re so adaptable that they flex it for every unique client type.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a Manager for an international footwear and apparel company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword, and what were your goals?

We engaged Catchword to assist with name development on two technology naming initiatives—one specific to apparel and one specific to footwear. Our goal was to identify a shortlist of powerful, trademarkable brand names for each technology that provides a springboard for storytelling about the technologies and fit comfortably within our existing (and extensive) portfolio of products.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Catchword was recommended by a colleague who had had a very positive experience working with the agency.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Catchword conducted a full naming program for both projects, including a deep discovery phase to understand the technologies, multiple rounds of name development and presentations of name candidates, and trademark prescreening.

In addition, and during the course of the projects, Catchword provided considerable naming strategy counsel not explicitly within the scope of the project but which we felt added enormous value as we endeavored to name these two technologies.

In particular, they took the time to really understand the complexities and nuances of our portfolio and provide thoughtful guidance and recommendations for how to approach the two initiatives. They didn’t just come up with great name candidates for the technologies, they really helped us think through the strategic challenges we were facing.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked directly with Mark S., one of the agency’s partners, Bruno B., one of the agency’s Senior Strategists, and Jaclyn H., another Strategist with the agency.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re extremely excited to have already made name decisions—a direct result of Catchword’s outstanding work on the project! In addition to the excellent strategic counsel their project team provided, their creative team nailed the name development, coming up with an enormous number of super creative, compelling names for both technologies. We honestly had a hard time narrowing down the list for trademark screening.

The originality of the names—ideas I feel certain we would not have thought to explore or imagined ourselves—really impressed us. All around, excellent work and a great outcome.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

In short, they were incredibly efficient, exceptionally responsive, highly collaborative, and fun to work with. They mostly use email for communication, Google Drive for file sharing, and Float for project timelines and management. In terms of personalities, they’re incredibly friendly, very easy-going, and client-focused.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What stands out to me is the combination of serious strategic acumen and creative chops. Frankly, it can be difficult to find partners that have real strategic branding expertise AND great creative ideas. Often, partners have one but not the other.

Catchword, on the other hand, delivers both. The provide really smart, strategic branding guidance and creative solutions consistent with their recommendations, for implementation.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I don’t think so. They were great, all around.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a Canadian company specializing in business and industry intelligence tools.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword, and what were your goals?

When we started our work with Catchword, we were at an interesting inflection point in our business’ growth trajectory. We had good success with one of our nascent products and our employees culturally rallied around and embraced that product brand as their corporate brand. Given our industry and the premium we place on company culture and employee experience, we wanted to create an umbrella brand whose primary purpose was to serve as an employee brand to unify our employees and more accurately imbue and reflect our company culture.

We wanted the 'citizen' names and 'population' names to be part of the design process as part of the culture focus. We challenged Catchword to come up with a company name that had a smooth transition to the name of a single employee and also a natural name for the collective movement of employees.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

A friend had heard of Catchword and I reached out because of that. We had a shortlist of 3 agencies and we liked Catchword's focus on naming and visual identity. The other agencies were trying to do too much other stuff. When we dug into Catchword's portfolio, we came to realize that there was this team of 15 to 20 people sitting in various offices coming up with a HUGE chunk of the big names out there in the business world. Our team was particularly impressed by the fact that Catchword renamed Elance to Upwork and also that they came up with eBay's Kijiji, which is household name across Canada.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

We did a comprehensive branding project with Catchword, and they got immersed in the details immediately. They conducted a thorough review of numerous documents and videos we sent them which sought to capture the bootstrapped and builder aspects of our culture. They also spoke with ~30 team members to gain an understanding not just of how our business works, but the DNA behind it all that makes us who we are.

They sent us a detailed set of key learnings which informed their naming brief (also capturing our style, messaging and tone preferences) and their understanding of our business was demonstrated in the two rounds of names we reviewed with them. Each presentation had names with supporting rationale to help us better contextualize each name and envision it as our own.

Once we agreed on our shortlist of names, Catchword conducted a preliminary trademark analysis to help us knock out any obvious conflicts ahead of submitting a final shortlist to our counsel. Once we selected our final name, Catchword assembled a design brief (akin to the naming brief) which described our style preferences. They presented a dozen logo concepts, did a couple of rounds of refinement and conducted a colour exploratory, at which point we settled on our final logo.

They developed our full colour palette, sourced accompanying typography and assembled a style guide for us to help guide the activation of our brand moving forward. They also went the extra mile and created extra brand exhibits for us (and all their accompanying design files) which gave our rebrand a huge boost off the ground.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We had three primary points of contact—account manager folk and strategists with whom we met regularly—and there were creative and design teams working in the background. One of the founders checked in regularly on the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We now have a brand that completely reflects who we are as a company, what we stand for, what we’re committed to, and in which our team is passionately invested. The various employees that met with Catchword shared only the most positive of feedback, and we on the executive team always looked forward to our meetings with our Catchword account folk. I have already strongly recommended them to an industry colleague and would not hesitate to do so again. I recently told a long time customer about our new name before we revealed it to the world and she cried out "that is SOOO you guys."

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Not only did Catchword deliver on time with every milestone, but they maintained a two-person coverage on our account at all times, so if there was a holiday in the US the non-US person would respond and be entirely in the know. It was a similar thing checking in with us regularly to ensure we knew where we were in the process and address any questions.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They just really understand naming and have it down to as close to a science as it could be. We were thoroughly impressed by their subject matter expertise, as well as the way that they passionately immersed themselves in learning and understanding our business and culture. The range of creativity in their names and designs was also particularly noteworthy, as they took deep dives within the messaging and visual territories that resonated most with our business. TTheir responsiveness, attention to detail, and commitment to doing and getting it right really stood out.  They’re also just really nice, good people so it was so easy to work with them!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The process was super smooth, the account management was excellent, and the deliverables were great. Any suggestions for improvement would be really nitpick-y. They went above and beyond to ensure our brand launch was a huge success and we were extremely happy with the engagement.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing of Denim, a factoring service for freight brokers and intermediaries. We provide a financial platform to connect payments across the logistics industry. We’re a remote-first company, so we have employees all around the globe.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

We were going through a rebranding process, so we had to rename and redesign our website. We split up the project because we wanted to shorten our timeline. However, we wanted to make sure that we got our name right, so we wanted to find a great branding and naming agency.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Catchword was responsible for our naming, basic brand guidelines, and website domain. After a couple of rounds of brainstorming and work on their end, they delivered a short list of names. We worked with our lawyers to find the best solution according to our executives’ wish list and strategic goals to represent ourselves in the marketplace. They understood our shortened timeline and delivered in eight weeks.

A few weeks before our engagement, we did a series of interviews with 4–5 of our clients, and they got that raw footage. Also, they interviewed our internal team. Then, Catchword worked with us extensively on 5–6 rounds of creative development workshops. We did a lot of creative exercises, brainstorming sessions, points of view, and characterizations of our brand to get people to think deeply about how we wanted to position ourselves in the next year, in five years, and long term. They did two massive rounds of developing 500 names, whittling them down, presenting them, taking feedback, and going back. All those processes led to a full view of what we wanted out of the rebrand, giving us vital criteria on how to evaluate our name in the end.

What is the team composition?

We worked with a project director and a senior strategist. They led a team of 6–8 people.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

Someone who specialized in matching agencies referred them along with other companies. We also investigated internally, so we made a list of reference agencies from our internal employees, friends, and network. Ultimately, we chose Catchword over four other agencies that we’d whittled down from the extensive list of 30.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent a little over $70,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from May–September 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

In just three months, they delivered a brand name that made us very happy. Overall, it was a successful project. 

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was excellent. They were very responsive, especially over email. We also could schedule meetings any time we needed to. We used Google Meet for video calls, but everything else was on documents.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their process and expertise were outstanding. They were masters of their space.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, they were superb.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Engage and take their directions and exercises seriously. They have excellent insights, so trust the process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief impact officer for a K–12 non-profit organization that provides professional learning tools for educators in the form of books, magazines, blogs, and live and virtual digital professional development content.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

We’re building a brand-new digital content delivery platform for professional learning. It’s state of the art, and we wanted to be sure that we had a unique name so we could stand out in a very crowded market. The name had to communicate what the product would provide, as well as make sure we could stand above the noise within the market.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

First, they engaged us to get an idea of the organization and learn exactly what we were looking to do. We spent a great deal of time on discovery, where we provided numerous documents about our business and different marketing analyses we’d done. After these initial conversations, they came back to us with a very strong SOW and included a deeper dive into our product itself. They also spent a great deal of time interviewing our different stakeholders to understand their perception of our market and product. Post these interviews, we all spent a lot of time on the documentation. They came back with guidelines for naming our product based on the interviews and research they did. We all reviewed the guidelines, and we edited them before they started the naming process.

They did a first round of name options for us to review, and we chose our favorites. The first round of names was about 1200 long, and they narrowed it down by about 50 after each screening. After analyzing our choices and seeing what they had in common, Catchword came back with a second round of insights. We took our top ten choices from rounds one and two each and then did a loose trademark screening. Catchword’s team provided us a lot of coaching along the way, which was great, as no one in our organization had a lot of experience naming products.

What is the team composition?

Mark (Principal) led a team of four people.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

I researched them online and read through some comments and reviews about them. Their available work online impressed me as well. When I reached out, they responded immediately and very personably. I didn’t even want to ask anyone else, as they were so impressive.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost was around $40,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from February–June 2022. We have several potential projects in the works for them, and we’ve already recommended them to some other organizations.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I rave about their team, including to their competitors. They were an absolute joy to work with. They exceeded our expectations in every area and made sure that we had fun while we were doing it. I couldn’t have been more pleased with their process or end product.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

They met every deadline and communicated well. Catchword was very professional. We always knew what the plan was, what the timeline was, and what the deliverables were going to be.

We didn’t use any product management tools, as it was a pretty simple engagement. It didn’t require anything beyond limited tools. Since we were working in a small group we primarily communicated via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were personable and listened to us throughout, hitting all our deadlines and communicating constantly. This was most probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with a vendor.

Their attention to detail and ability to proactively listen to us as the customer stood out the most. There are usually a lot of miscommunications when you work with vendors, but not with Catchword.

Also, I was very impressed with their credentials, portfolio, and level of creativity. They worked with joy throughout, and you can’t always say that about vendors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

For the limited engagement we had, I don’t believe there’s anything they could have done better.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You need to be very clear about your expectations and completely communicate both things that you want and things you don’t want. Additionally, you have to meet their deadlines, as it will let them do their job better. Having tight timelines will help as well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the GM.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword, and what were your goals?

We renamed the company. The goals were to select a name and develop the logo and brand assets to go along with the new brand name.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We started with a list of 8 from a mix of recommendations and Google searches, narrowed down to those who fit our ask for this project, did deeper diligence with the final 3 and ultimately selected Catchword.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

The project consisted of 4 phases:

1. Discovery (interviews, company mission, competitive analysis, industry review, etc.)
2. Positioning (development of brand pillars and brand story), 
3. Name Development (two rounds of names presented and reviewed),
4. Visual Identity Development (logo, typography, colors, brand book/style guide).

At each phase there were meetings to present and deliverables were always packaged up in a very professional manner.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

2 - Both with the titles of Project Director and Senior Strategist

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We selected a new name and trademark!

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

The timelines were all as we were told. It was clear what phase we were at and what the next steps were at each step. The deliverables often include presentations that do a fantastic job of summarizing the topic(s) covered. There is clearly a lot of branding expertise and processes that have been fully optimized through experience. They were pros!

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was impressed with the quality of deliverables and the processes they went through to help us get to the end result!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Mostly learnings for us on how we could have set expectations earlier to be more helpful. We went in open but in reality had certain things we wanted to avoid.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m Senior Vice President of a global 20+ year old healthcare business process solutions company. I have a wide range of responsibilities including business development and expansion, promoting operational efficiencies, and business strategy.

In this case, I was tasked with spearheading the naming of our business, after it spun off from a larger digital CX and BPO organization.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword, and what were your goals?

As mentioned, our business spun off from a larger organization and we needed a new business/company name. We engaged Catchword to develop the new company name.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Catchword came recommended by an existing client of Catchword. They have stellar reputation.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

We’ve been working with Catchword since the start of 2022 preparing for and executing on a robust name development process including a deep dive into our business, extensive stakeholder interviews, the development of positioning themes for brand naming, iterative name ideation, presentations of work product to senior management, trademark and domain screening, and the creation of brand narratives for each of our three finalist names.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

e worked very closely with Mark Skoultchi, an agency Partner, and Beth Gerber, one of the firm’s Creative Directors. In addition, other strategists, namers, and screeners were involved. I believe the Catchword project team included seven or eight agency personnel.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

e’re currently in a great position, our attorneys having recently green-lighted three of our favorite names! We realize what an incredible outcome this is because clearing brand names in the healthcare and technology trademark classes is extremely hard. To have several name options all endorsed by counsel is a real triumph for both Catchword and our team.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Mark and Beth were fantastic. I can’t stress enough how responsive, knowledgeable, creative, engaged, and genuinely interested in our project and the outcome they were. Things moved forward very smoothly, and they’re wonderful people to work with.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

From start to finish this was a really well run naming program and many aspects of the engagement impressed me, including the level of communication and expertise their team demonstrated, the quality of the name ideas they shared (some really creative, out of the box thinking), and their commitment to our success. We would hire them again without reservation.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

There's nothing they need to improve on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Vice President of Commercial Marketing for a global veterinary lab and diagnostics company where our goal is to elevate the pet-care industry through quality products and services that drive better patient outcomes.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword, and what were your goals?

In order to maintain our presence and reputation as a leading innovator in the industry, we always need to be looking ahead when it comes to the development of new diagnostic tools and applications. Given our fast-moving pipeline of multiple new offerings, we engaged Catchword to help us think strategically when it came to creating and selecting the names for these products.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

After speaking to a few naming agencies we found primarily via online research, we selected Catchword based on their track record of naming experience and success across virtually every industry. During our intro calls, it was easy to see their energy and passion for what they do, and they truly bring that to every meeting.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Catchword has helped us with several brand naming projects. Each project included initial discovery to learn about the offering, competitors and market space in general. The discovery phase would conclude with the creation of a Naming Brief, which outlined all the jointly-agreed parameters for, including specific messaging to explore and avoid, name types, tonality, etc.

Based on that brief, Catchword would then create and present two rounds of pre-screened creative work, which gave us an opportunity, not only to see an incredibly broad selection of names ranging from more direct to the more metaphorical, but also to pivot and lean more heavily into the kinds of ideas that were resonating more strongly with our team.

After going through the two rounds, Catchword would then conduct some deeper-dive due diligence on our shortlisted names to ensure we wouldn’t be burdening our own legal counsel with anything that was clearly unavailable or problematic. The entire process, from start-to-finish, was incredibly smooth and well-managed.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Mark (Partner) and Bruno (Director) were our primary contacts through all our naming projects. Mark and Bruno were in every call and meeting and were supported by a clearly talented team of creatives. They are a great duo to have on your project -- they bring so much enthusiasm and energy to their work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We're not completely finished with the engagement and some of the names (all great), haven't been revealed, so stay tuned for specifics. However, early feedback from customers and our internal teams has all been very positive -- people feel like the names fit perfectly with our well-established corporate brand, while also sending signals about what the product does.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They were always positive and upbeat, and treated us as people, as opposed to just another client. They would consistently check in, they kept us updated on where we were in the process and what was expected of us to keep things moving, and they were flexible when something came up, when we needed to reschedule meetings, or even speed up certain aspects of the process. Their professionalism and personalities shone through at every interaction.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They're able to make the naming process both, a creative and educational exercise all at once. They did a wonderful job of explaining the thinking behind the names they presented to us, and it was here that their passion for what they do really shone through as well, and it was clear that they love what they do. We also very much appreciated how they were able to bring some fun and levity to every meeting. It almost felt like a nice little break in the workday, all while getting done what we needed in order to keep moving forward while staying on schedule. I'll be sorry when we have nothing left to name!

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No. Nothing. They were great -- in fact, we were so impressed, we expanded our engagement with the team substantially over what we initially had planned to do. And, we will use them for any naming work that comes up in the future -- can't imagine working with any other team!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're an e-commerce technology company. I am the founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword, and what were your goals?

We have created a software tool for e-commerce companies and needed help developing the name and brand of the tool.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I've worked with other leading firms previously on other projects and have always wanted to try Catchword. I searched them online, did some research, and then had some intro calls.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Catchword provided strategic counsel related to brand naming and extensive name ideation. They served both a strategic and creative role in this brand development process. In addition, they provided trademark prescreening services including recommendations for names to pursue and names to eliminate from consideration.

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked directly with Mark, Partner, and Beth, Creative Director. However, there were other team members that contributed to the project, including other namers, strategists, and screeners.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Catchword did a fantastic job of imagining many truly exciting and compelling names for our new valuation tool. At this point, as difficult as it was, we’ve narrowed the choices to a few, trademark cleared names and are negotiating for the domains, after which we’ll make a final name selection.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They are great. We would jump onto a Zoom meeting and discuss materials they provided prior to. Things moved very quickly.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Ultimately, the genuinely thoughtful consideration and thinking around our brand and what it should communicate, combined with the outstanding creative name ideas they developed is what impressed me the most.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Nothing. We'll continue to use them again.