Igor Naming Agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner of Innovative Process Solutions. We located in the heart of Silicon Valley. We provide sales and consulting services centered around IoT and high tech solutions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

We are currently involved in an IoT Covid tracing product.

What were your goals for this project?

We need a branding that will resonate with our target market and be differentiated in a crowed space.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

I have know Igor and their work in Silicon Valley for many years. They have an excellent reputation for coming through when many other options have been tried. Many customers believe they can brand their own products. Igor gets the call when other attempts have failed. 

Their long-standing reputation is reflected in their branding guide and used in many college syllabuses.  They are consistently being interviewed by large media sources for opinions and thoughts on subjects.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We rely on their methodology. It data dives into the competition and target market. They then distill down a brand that fits.

What was the team composition?

CEO, Marketing & Sales.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The current project is in stealth mode

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Their methodology touches both our company members and target market subject, matter experts.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The tendency for companies to name products that follow a suite of numbers and letters, because it is logical and nonmemorable. Through their methodology, you think you can predict what the name will be. To our surprise, the branding was pleasantly unexpected.

Are there any areas for improvement?

The areas for improvement would have to be on our side of the sense. Too many opinions and stated factoids slow down the Igor process.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the president of a branding agency that helps brands ignite new product categories and spark omni-channel engagement.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

A long-standing big box retail client of ours was launching their own brand of beer. We hired Igor to name the new brand.

What were your goals for this project?

A name that carved out some new territory in the category, was memorable, easy to pronounce and didn’t imply a particular style of beer.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We screened several agencies and decided that Igor’s portfolio and approach best reflected the type of outcome we were looking for.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They took our brand strategy documents and created parameters for a few different types of names to explore in parallel. For the client they developed a set of criteria for evaluating names and presented several rounds of potential names, refining the naming strategy after each round.

What was the team composition?

Founder Steve Manning was our main point of contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client was impressed with the names they produced. The final name they chose was met enthusiastically internally, but even better, the product is a big seller. Win-win.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They worked very efficiently and productively with our team.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their level of expertise and insight into naming and how consumers process names is unmatched.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None that I can think of. Their level of expertise and insight into naming and how consumers process names is unmatched.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

My position is EVP/Sales at an indie & foreign film streaming service

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

We hired Igor to name a new streaming service to distribute our Indie and Foreign films.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a name that captured the spirit of both Indie and Foreign films, resonated with a global audience and set us apart from other streaming and movie channels

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

They had solid, high level experience in entertainment and the founder of Igor had worked in both television and independent film before moving into the naming business.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We sent them a deck detailing our new streaming service, which we discussed with Igor on our first Zoom. They followed up with a comprehensive survey of existing streaming services and movie channels, mapping out the types of names our competitors are using. Igor produced three different positioning strategies and presented multiple rounds of names in line with those strategies.

What was the team composition?

The founder, a trademark attorney and a couple of support people.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re thrilled with the name they came up, can’t wait for the big reveal at launch.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Highly effective workflow.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their passion for and knowledge of naming. They produced names that were original, interesting, and on strategy

Are there any areas for improvement?

None. Perfect experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Owner of Bright Seed Co, a brand and marketing strategy company. We combine passion and creativity with the sensibilities of process innovation to help create focused, confident brands. We are a nimble and knowledgeable partner working to deliver meaningful and manageable brand and marketing strategies in both the B2B and D2C environments.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

A global Outdoor Clothing client needed to name five different product lines

What were your goals for this project?

As a keeper of the brand and manager of the process, I needed Igor to produce names for each product line that were available to trademark worldwide, that were on strategy and that were approved by our client.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We chose Igor based on their portfolio and their chemistry with us during agency vetting.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

There were several meetings with the brand managers of each product line in order to understand product benefits, differentiators, target audiences and brand personality. Igor produced on target names and those that passed global trademark searches.

What was the team composition?

We dealt directly with Igor’s founder, Steve Manning. A creative named Carl was in the initial meeting at the client’s HQ.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The brand managers for all five product lines were all impressed with the names Igor provided. They also had positive feedback on the working relationship.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was fully collaborative. Igor delivered new rounds of names incredibly fast when the client’s changing strategy and schedule required it.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were impressed with the high-quality names Igor presented that were available for global trademark registration. Clothing is the most crowded trademark category. 

Are there any areas for improvement?

There aren’t. I plan to use Igor for any future naming projects without question.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a radio producer at a global broadcast service provides working across traditional and digital platforms to supply television and radio clients with worldwide coverage and managed services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

We hired Igor to develop a name for a humorous current events radio show and podcast in Europe.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a name with a comedic twist that conveyed the essence of European current events.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We'd heard of Igor and included them in the bidding process with two other agencies. We felt their portfolio best reflected the type of name we were looking for.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We sent Igor some demos for the show and had a call where we described the content and the tone of the show in detail. They created several positioning strategies to explore and then produced rounds of names every week for 3 or 4 weeks.

What was the team composition?

Steve Manning lead all of the presentations and there was email back and forth with their support staff.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yes, everyone involved was excited with name we chose, "Continental Drift". The show debuts next month!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was seamless. The Igor team was very easy to work with, their energy and enthusiasm was contagious.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed by the number of names they presented that were original, on target and that passed trademark.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There aren't any areas for improvement! We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the process and the names they produced.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP of Business Development for a Lottery company. We develop mobile applications, systems, and games for government Lotteries around the world.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

We needed to find a different name for a new scratch card game that would be easily marketable in all of the Americas.

What were your goals for this project?

Our main goal was to find an innovative name that would be approved by government officials throughout Latin America.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

Igor had already done a number of very high profile projects in the Gaming Industry and they were recommended to us by some of our contacts in Las Vegas.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We had an initial meeting to get them familiarize with our company and our customers, followed by an audit of all the existing lottery game names so that we could understand where the opportunities were to differentiate ourselves.

Igor produced a name positioning document and 3 runs of names that had been prescript for TM availability in the countries where we operate.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with the Founder as well as a few naming specialists and their trademark attorney.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The names that were brought to us were all met with enthusiasm by both our company employees and the Government officials whose approval we needed. The names have also been very effective with our players.The

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had fantastic back and forth communication and the chemistry between Igor and our team was excellent.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Igor was able to quickly understand the complexities involved in the gaming industry and making sure our name would meet the requirements of the government officials in various countries.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are not

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director for Travel Productions company. We create travel video programs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

We hired Igor to name a new television show about Ancestry Travel / DNA Vacations /Heritage Trips

What were your goals for this project?

Everyone form Ancestery.com to cruise line Cunard to travel tour companies are offering travel packages where people follow their roots back to the ancestral homeland. And there are numerous TV shows about tracing your roots, so we needed a name that would really stand out and cut through all the noise and buzz around the topic.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We selected Igor because of the 5 naming agencies we spoke with Igor had the most relevant experience. They've named five TV shows/networks and a travel company.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Initially we laid out the tone, attitude and purpose of our show and walked them through a pilot episode we shot. Igor did a survey of all the ancestry and travel related programs on the market so that we could understand our options while looking for a name that "popped"! Igor delivered a creative and positioning brief and then presented several rounds of names.

What was the team composition?

The meetings were driven by the CEO of Igor(Steve) and a team of creative naming specialists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The Igor team delivered exactly what we were looking for. The name is clever, memorable, it stands out and makes everyone who hears it smile!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was great. The team was smart, fun and kept things focused. Sometimes I'd get and idea and call Steve on his cell. He always made time for me, even when I called him on a Saturday.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was impressed with their knowledge of both the television and travel world's and their creative ability to to create a ton of great names.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No areas for improvement. The work was top notch, on time and the experience was a delight.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We provide consumer, corporate and nonprofit communication strategies and solutions. Delivering a comprehensive range of services, including brand and mission development, audience identification, content planning and oversight, website and social media, editorial, and design.

Clients range from Fortune 50 organizations to start-ups and small businesses, including American Express, Starbucks, U.S. Bank, Sprint, LesConcierges, High Desert Flower, Teradata, Oracle, NCR, AARP, Morgan Stanley, Cartelligent, the Pearson Foundation and the Ford Motor Company, among others.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

Our client was an automobile manufacturer who needed a name for their line of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV).

What were your goals for this project?

The name needed to work with every existing car and truck model the client produces, and it needed to be able to stand alone and be heroed. It needed to pass trademark worldwide, be easily pronounceable in major languages and not have any offensive cultural connotations in any of their markets.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We solicited proposals from a dozen agencies, interviewed three, and selected Igor based upon their portfolio, experience with global trademark issues and their enthusiasm.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Igor generated positioning strategies, competitive analysis, several rounds of names, international trademark, and language connotation checks.

What was the team composition?

The Igor team consisted of principal Steve Manning, a couple of creatives, a language specialist and a trademark attorney

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The decision makers on the client side were thoroughly impressed, their expectations were exceeded.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was fluid, crisp and on point.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The range and quality of the names they presented. Also their ability to navigate worldwide trademark issues.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I can't imagine any.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Principal Consultant at Keith Dunlap Creative Consultation. Keith Dunlap Creative Consultation is an independent research and analysis business. I founded this enterprise to help others do good in the world and achieve their dreams. Creative Consultation focuses first and foremost on grant research and writing for non-profits and providing expertise to small business entrepreneurs who need assistance in writing a business plan and other aspects of the start-up process.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

To name and position a food truck franchise that's launching first throughout New England and Long Island.

What were your goals for this project?

To find a great name, positioning, and messaging for a food truck franchise that was hatched as a response to the pandemic.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

I'm an attorney and found Igor through my contacts with trademark attorneys in NYC. We also found other naming agencies online. We vetted four agencies. Igor's portfolio and the personalities of the principles won us over.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We had a kickoff meeting where I and the startup founders communicated our visIon for a name, which was to be fun, hopeful original, and perhaps be a nod to the pandemic. Igor created several different positioning possibilities that together we honed into one. They then presented a round of names to us, once a week for three weeks.

What was the team composition?

One of Igor's co-founders was in every meeting, as were one or two people from their creative staff.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We were taken aback by the quantity and quality of the original, on strategy names they delivered. There were so many great name options it was hard to pick just one!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow and synergy between myself, my startup client, and Igor was flawless.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

How they over-delivered. They presented far more names than we contracted for and countless great name choices.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are not! Great experience.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We make a unique consumer tech product and I am the CEO

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Igor Naming Agency?

We needed a unique name for our unique product that could define the product category and help us dominate.

What were your goals for this project?

Sticky, interesting, unique name that helps us dominate

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

Based on my interviews, reference checks, and their portfolio Igor and their CEO Steve stood out. If you are looking for a placid name that will survive a big company naming committee, Igor is not your firm. If you are looking for the status quo and/or a yes-man, they are not for you. If you are looking to dominate and make an impact, they could be for you. They strive for enigmatic names. Virgin, Google, Slack, Hotwire, Whoop etc. are all examples of names that have been highly successful but would obviously be rejected by a committee approach.

I suggest having a small, open-minded group with a final decision maker for this process.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We worked closely over 4+ iterations to review names based on different approaches and from our feedback on previous rounds. We ended up with at least 30 names that were better (in terms of ability to help dominate) than our current product and winnowed based on Steve's and our group's feedback.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with Steve. He was highly engaged during our product and we learned a lot from him about naming and branding in our category.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We ended up with a series of awesome names and great experience that we can carry forward for turning the name into a successful product/company.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We had weekly meetings and no communication issues.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They challenge convention and moved our thinking forward on the naming process. Conventional wisdom is that you want a name that everyone thinks is awesome but that is really dumb because it is not done in context and your goal shouldn't be necessary to please everyone (and those names are probably already taken and have a huge mindshare around them anyway) but to be sticky/interesting/unique.

I appreciate that Steve is willing to challenge conventional wisdom since we are looking to move our company forward and that takes people pushing your thinking and challenging assumptions.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Steve definitely tells you what he thinks. If you don't like having open conversations, you may not have as successful an experience. I think Igor is the best fit for you if you are willing to rock your boat a bit (and if you're not willing to change your thinking, why are you considering a name/name change anyway?)