Igor Naming Agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Managing Partner at Mid-Atlantic Drones. We Leverage Drone Technology to Optimize the Construction Business. https://www.midatlanticdrones.com/

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed a name for an app that manages drone-based construction project data gathering. It will be used to track job progress, assess quality and safety status, create maps, measure dimensions, etc

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted a name that stood out and sounded like a powerful tool.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We sent RFPs to six agencies and selected Igor based upon two Zoom meetings with them, their portfolio of names and the high-level clients they had worked with

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The project lasted five weeks and consisted of a meeting with them each week. Initially there was a download meeting where we laid out the capabilities of our software and our goals for the project. In a second meeting Igor presented a document comparing the names of our competitors and laid out several potential naming strategies we might pursue and options for how we might position our product. From there a positioning brief was generated by Igor and 3 rounds of names followed.

What was the team composition?

The co-founder Steve Manning was in every meeting and we received interim follow up emails from a project manager and communicated directly with their trademark attorney via email.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Yes. The name of the new app is Atomica, which will launch in December. It captures everything we were looking for. It sounds powerful, futuristic, it's memorable and it's very different from anything our competitors are using as names.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was a breeze. Everything was on time, the meetings were efficient, productive, informative and surprisingly entertaining.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to communicate the complexities of naming, positioning, trademark law in a simple, friendly and fun way. And the way they were able to get all stakeholders on board with the new name.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are not areas for improvement. We were pleasantly surprised by the way they over delivered, going outside the scope of work to create contextual support for our top names.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm CEO at Perspective Partners, an employee benefits company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Igor to name our new employee benefits and perks app

What were your goals for this project?

Our competitors are Bennie and Alex, who have the biggest market share. We wanted a friendly, memorable user-friendly name that our competition had proven was so effective, but we wanted a name that was more effective than either Bennie or Alex. It was a high bar.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We were drawn to them based on their portfolio and shortlisted them with one other agency. After several conversations we decided Igor was the best fit.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Project scope included naming our new app and advising us on whether we should rename Perspective Partners(it's a mouthful that's often misheard as PROspective Partners or if the app name should also be the new name of Perspective Partners and naming our 3 offerings with the app / portal..

Igor's first meeting was a download from us, a competitive analysis they performed was presented and initial positioning and strategy directions for the name were agreed upon. They then presented 3 rounds of 20 names, all of which had been screened for trademark. Once we had finalized the app / portal name they named our three products

What was the team composition?

Igor founder Steve Manning was on every call, as he assured us he would be before we hired them. Additionally there was a brand strategist named Scott on every Zoom and we corresponded via email with their trademark attorney

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just received confirmation of our trademark filing this morning, so I'm happy to say that I can! Our new employee benefits & perks app/ portal is called PERKY.

Like competitors Bennie and Alex, Perky is short, memorable and has the friendly sound of a person's name. It's relevant like Bennie(benefits), Perky(perks) where Alex is random. What elevates it above Bennie is that Perky has another positive meaning, "an energetic, positive person".

As to renaming Perspective Partners, they advised a simple solution, to drop "Partners" and go forward as the much clearer "Perspective".

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was smooth. Everything was on time, they were flexible with our schedule and seamlessly reacted to our changing asks.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

How down to earth and knowledgable they are. They interfaced equal well with a wide variety of people on our side and made everyone on our team feel confident that we understood the range of name choices, the pros and cons and that we were making the right choice on the new name.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I'm thrilled with the name Perky! I have no question it was the best possible name and will be the best name in our business and outperform our competitors. They nailed it!

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-founder of Little Bee ice. We make all natural, locally sourced ice cream. Instead of sugar we use honey.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Igor to name our ice cream startup.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to have a name that was playful, simple, leant itself to a fun logo and demonstrated our commitment to local, organic ingredients. We also wanted it to appeal to kids.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We'd successfully worked with Igor in the past. In 2013 we hired them to name our first startup which was a brand of coffee. The name was Black Cat and we were impressed by Igor's legal team and their ability to secure the name for our use.

We launched Black Cat through a cafe of the same name, gradually widening our distribution until we were bought out by a national brand. The Black Cat name was so successful that we wanted a name for our ice cream startup that was of the same tone, construction and sensibility.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We had an initial meeting in which they reviewed our business plan, ice cream recipes, spoke about the niche we wanted to occupy, reviewed a competitive analysis they had created and agreed on some initial strategic directions to explore for the new name.

Igor then presented three rounds of names, once a week for three weeks. Once our name was in place they named some of our first flavors like Wild Blue(wild blueberry) and Professor Plum.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with one of the co-founders on the naming, who was sometimes joined by other Igor team members. Their trademark attorney worked directly with us to explain how we could secure legal rights to the name, as it was going to be a little tricky, but he got it done!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Little Bee ice cream was a hit from the start, quickly outgrowing or local roots. Our customers love our name and our ice cream!

The idea was to replicate the success we had with Igor and Black Cat coffee, and I'm happy to say they knocked it out of the park, twice!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was seamless. Every step of the process was mapped out in advance and delivered on time, with status reports from Igor after every meeting.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They have the ability to take a complex set of variables and boil them down into simple, clear and manageable ideas. They make brand naming understandable to the uninitiated. It takes the stress and mystery out of the process.

We were blown away by their understanding of trademark and by their ability to thread legal needles to get us the names we wanted,

Are there any areas for improvement?

I've hired them twice and gotten two great names for two startups. They take their work but not themselves seriously. Lots of fun to work with and I learned a lot each time. I wouldn't change a thing

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of a small IT Consulting organization that has been in operation since 1989. We've transitioned from building computers by scratch, to network design and implementation and now are moving towards managed IT services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking to re-brand our primary managed offering, to provide a name that clients would easily recognize as a managed IT service yet differentiate us from the general IT nerdy company.

What were your goals for this project?

A name that was available both for copyright as well as URL and met the requirement of differentiation from the crowd.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

We were looking for a company that understood technology naming as well as the power of a name to provide cognitive branding, allowing customers to understand the offering, brand and benefit just through the name.

Describe the project in detail.

We met with Steve Manning and discussed our vision for the brand, how Igor would help and discussed how we envisioned how our product would be received in the marketplace. Steve talked about branding, Igor's approach and how evocative names can change the reach of a product or service.

What was the team composition?

The team consisted of our director of sales, myself and Steve Manning from Igor.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had several meetings to discuss name options, provided by Igor and the pros and cons of each as they related to our product and image. Our Sales director was hot on a more evocative name that didn't have any IT connotations. Eventually we agreed that we could take a chance on the new naming and see how it reacted to the market. After the launch, and the release of the new service name I am happy to say, it has been received well by our customers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was smooth, most meetings being held via zoom or teams. Igor, via Steve, was accommodating and made time for us for any questions, including small ones.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We believe Igor's approach is unique in the naming or branding market.  Steve holds an encyclopedic knowledge of names, roots and meanings that helps you understand the reasoning behind the name and the evocative aspects that your customers will understand.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I think that Igor did a tremendous job.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

The company is a biotech startup founded in 2013 by three former Caltech PhD's. The company creates innovative safer alternative products for pest control in major arable crops with global applications. Philip Rollinson (now retired) held the position of Executive Vice President with Provivi from August 2016 to March 2020 responsible for sales and business development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

The first time that I engaged Igor was in the naming of a portfolio of new products for DuPont Crop Protection during the first decade of the century. They did an outstanding job as a result of their thorough understanding of customer values, product benefits and corporate branding standards. I had no hesitation therefore in asking Igor to work with our company in the creation of its brand architecture, brand name creation and establishing the process for registering the brand in selected global markets.

What were your goals for this project?

To develop an appropriate portfolio brand architecture To create brand names reflecting target market customer values To provide guidance regarding legal requirements for establishing the brands in key markets

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

As a result of previous very positive experience with Igor.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After an initial briefing, we had an in depth review of the products - what they do, how they work, the major impact of the products and the associate soft benefits. We then discussed the application of the products - target markets, customer needs, values and behaviours, sources of value for the customer. We had different customer groups in B2B and B2C which required a differentiated approach. And channel partners to consider which necessitated thorough understanding and documentation. The final deliverable was to create a brand architecture for the portfolio.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with Steve Manning the CEO.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Products are being launched now so it is still early to tell but brand recognition in key markets is already high.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Excellent weekly communication between myself and Steve Manning.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Igor is very creative. They communicate very well at all stages of the project. Steve Manning makes every effort to understand the needs of the client, the customer is and how to make impact through the brand. A very good experience and company to work with. Steve really cares that the name fits the product and that the customer will feel connected to it.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am President of Kent Displays. We manufacture consumer LCD writing tablets and other writing products under the brand name of Boogie Board. I am responsible for legal and financial operations of our company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Naming of a new product and new product line.

What were your goals for this project?

A typically simple great name that Igor has done for mus in the past (starting in 2009, this is the third major project handled expertly by Igor.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

For this latest project I asked for a quote and since it was the same price as the one we did with Igor several years previously we didn't need to get competitive quotes based on the price and the level of work we have received previously, for a small company (under $50 million in revenue) the time to search is valuable and not having that RFQ process helped speed up as well as preserve our precious time.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

A complete naming job. Brand positioning, competitive analysis, global trademark screening, multiple rounds of names narrowing to the final name.

What was the team composition?

Steve Manning and several support staff and analysts.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are launching the product next month with intial success looking great at our current pre-sale numbers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

was very good and very simple.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Clarity of roles and their translation of our desires to an end product that matches the positioning initially desired was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement?

no areas apparent.

UPDATED REVIEW

This review was updated by Keith Bellamy (Director of Manufacturing Engineering, Kent Displays) on October 19, 2020. New content is below:

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm Director of Mfg Engineering at Kent Displays Inc. Our core business is manufacturing and selling writable LCD screens to consumers.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Igor to name a new line of B2B and B2C products that's very different from our core business. Our new product line is face shields that provide protection from COVID to frontline workers and consumers.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed a name that conveyed a "Made in America' message, along with a sense of security and that perhaps reflected our location in the Midwest. Normally this type of project would be managed by our marketing department, but as a special project of our manufacturing side it was lead by myself an other engineers.

SOLUTION

How did you select Igor Naming Agency?

Igor was recommended by the marketing department of our core consumer LCD division. They've named several products for our company over the years.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Our first meeting was basically a download of information from us on the face shields, our target audiences and the messages we wanted a name to convey. Igor took that information and distilled it into both a brand positioning document and a name evaluation document.

This was followed by them presenting a round of names pre-screened for trademark availability each week for three weeks. They took our three finalist names put them into context in the form of ads to help us with our final decision.

What was the team composition?

Igor's founding partner was on every call, as was a creative member of their team. We communicated with at least one other team member and their trademark attorney via email.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The name we chose for our face shield is "Heartland", which works perfectly for our messaging of Made In America, made in the Midwest and also conveys a sense of security and humanity. The name has been a big hit with both our buyers and hospitals and with direct sales to consumers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Everything was on time and on schedule. They adjusted to our schedule and went above and beyond the deliverables we hired them to produce.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They were tasked with working with our engineering department, a group without any branding or marketing background and who tend to evaluate everything based upon science and math. Igor was able to quickly get this group up to speed on how naming and branding works and provided them with simple tools for evaluating names. They quickly made a group of engineers comfortable with a subject unfamiliar to them, allowing them to embrace the best name for our new product line.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There are no areas for improvement. This is the fifth naming project they've done for us and each time the process and result is better than we could have imagined.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

A tech startup running a website/app dedicated to productive discussion. I’m co-founder & CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

Renaming our product, which is also the name of our company.

What were your goals for this project?

Our old name was no longer fit for purpose—it was descriptively limiting and could be misheard—so we needed a new one that effectively represents our mission, while also being a name that our product can grow with.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We tried for months to find a new name by ourselves, without success. We went through hundreds of possibilities and it really started to feel like a better name might not exist.

Realizing that we can’t be the only ones with this problem, I researched best practices and discovered Igor’s public naming guide. It was an eye-opening read—there is so much to naming that I hadn’t considered.

I started an email conversation with Steve M. shortly after, and it wasn’t long before we decided to work together.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

There were a few possible naming directions discussed in our first meeting, and those were thoroughly explored and narrowed down until a clear winner was chosen from a final shortlist.

What was the team composition?

My sole contact was Steve.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The new name hasn’t yet been unveiled as I write this, but those we’ve shared it with privately immediately understood and appreciated the new brand direction. Personally, I couldn’t be happier with the new name. I shudder to think of what we might’ve settled for instead of hiring Igor.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. Regular email communication and weekly meetings with clear progress made each time.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The ability to understand our mission and distill feedback into actionable direction. They suggested names we wouldn’t have thought of and produced an end result that we’re delighted with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am VP, Creative Director for an ad agency near Philadelphia that specializes in pharmaceuticals and life sciences. I manage all content and design from both staff and outside vendors for our clients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to name a new biotech company, one whose first product was still in the testing phases. This product--and therefore the company--would be a gamechanger in multiple treatment categories

What were your goals for this project?

Goals:

1. NOT sound like every other biotech, most of which have "gen" as a prefix or suffix (we joked about calling it gengen).
2. Be memorable.
3. Feel groundbreaking and bold

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We started by ignoring the largest "pharma" naming agency because everything they do sounds exactly like their last job. We Googled naming agencies and were immediately struck by the uniqueness of Igor's name.

Reading their website made the connection between their philosophy and their unique name. The philosophy matched our goals and the examples of their work had us salivating to work with them and see what they'd come up with. They walk the walk

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

After the initial briefing to Igor, they created a Brand Positioning for Naming Brief, which summarized the goals and requirements, so that we were all on the same page and knew what target we had them aiming for.

Igor then performed and presented an exhaustive Competitive Analysis, giving both positive and negative feedback to competitive names. The creative work included 5 rounds of original Names, each round finessed/inspired from direction in review of the previous round. It was obvious that these names were created for this particular client and not taken out of some repository of names to be recycled.

When finalists were selected, Igor performed a Worldwide Trademark Screening and URL screening

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with Igor's president as our point of contact. We knew from this that we were important to Igor, not just another account. Along the way, at appropriate times, we also worked with Igor's Chief Strategy Officer, 2 Senior Brand Namers, and their Trademark Specialist

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our client was thrilled and we have branded the company with a name that is unique and unforgettable--making the company also memorable

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

This was the smoothest project I have ever worked on

What did you find most impressive about this company?

amazed at how quickly they got the gist of what we wanted to accomplish and what our client does. Rapidly turned around a greater than expected number of options. Any of the ones we didn't use are far better than most of what we see being used.

Are there any areas for improvement?

none. seriously.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a marketing agency, and I am the CEO and part of the strategy team. In some instances, I select business partners with expertise that builds on our internal team's experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

One of our clients in the health food category was launching a new product that required a name. While we are experts in branding and marketing services, naming is a unique skillset and we frequently look to outside consultants to work with us on these projects. We make it clear to our clients when external partners are involved.

What were your goals for this project?

Create a unique name that spoke to the characteristics of the product, while fitting-in with the family of brands.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We read a positioning paper that provided an overview of Igor's recommended best practices when naming. It cited examples of work that included competitors of theirs, so was truly as independent-minded of a review we could find. After speaking with a number of naming agencies, we found Igor's process was best aligned with our agency's approach.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

As part of their initial discovery, the team at Igor joined series of client calls to understand the history of the brand and the iconic role it played within the health-conscious community. Igor partnered with our strategy, account and creatives to create a timeline of deliverables, which was met to the day. They provided a large number of options and thoroughly explained the recommendation behind each to the agency first. We eliminated only 5% of the concepts based on account knowledge we had, and then had a presentation to the client where each was explained in detail.

What was the team composition?

VP Marketing; Brand Marketing ManagerThe team did not change throughout the 4-5 week process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client was extremely pleased with the end result. She brought the list down to 4 top choices and told us she's be thrilled with any of them - ultimately she selected the right name. We do not have visibility into further success metrics.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Igor was effectively integrated as part of our team during the entire process. They worked within our workflow and software requirements, met deadlines and delivered more than we had asked. They stayed on budget, and provided a positive experience for our client.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As mentioned previously, their naming document on best practices showcased their ability to effectively critique what makes a a name great. Industry expertise is vital when we select external partners, and Igor meets that requirement. The team stood behind their recommendations and when they disagreed with the agency or client, they supported the push-back with logic that overcame any objections. We feel they explained their point, and did not insist they were correct.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No. The team accommodated our schedule and never missed a deliverable or call.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a partner in an intellectual property law firm. We advise companies on, among other things, selection and clearance of trademarks.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We advised Igor and the client with naming and clearance. Igor created possible brands and themes for use in a multi-country entertainment service.

What were your goals for this project?

The entertainment service was rolling out a novel entertainment venue in multiple regions, including the U.S. and the European Union. The goal was to select a name that would have positive connotations consistent with the branding mission in every region, but also a name that would not create unacceptable business risk.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I have been familiar with Igor's work for over fifteen years and have been a professional colleague during this time.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Create a new brand name, draft a brand positioning brief, create and prescreen 45 names; U.S. trademark prescreening; *WIPO Protocol trademark prescreening; Google due diligence screening; Competitive Name Analysis. Coordinate communications with outside law firm to modify names and coordinate trademark filing process.

What was the team composition?

There was a four person team. I worked exclusively with the Chief Strategy Officer. He was assisted by three senior brand strategists.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The name created by Igor was selected by the client and is now the worldwide housemark of the company. The name is the primary element of the handles used across all major social media platforms. All venues being built out by the client now bear the name.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

There was continuous communication between Igor, the client, and us, using conventional tools (text, email, phone). All deadlines were met. Igor was particularly adept at handling expectations.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Igor has a deep understanding of the semantic, semiotic, linguistic. cultural, and legal aspects of naming.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Igor is passionate about creating a great name that the client will love. If the client is ready for persistent high-energy, then they will enjoy the ride.