Lexicon Branding

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP of Product

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We hired Lexicon to help us with brand architecture strategy and the naming of our first product.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I interviewed 5-10 naming companies and my conversation with David Placek stood out as the most insightful about what we were attempting to do.

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

They did an onboarding and interview of our creative executive team members followed by multiple rounds of names generated. Then they supported us through the twisty, windy, sometimes emotional process of selecting a name.

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

We worked with a creative team, maybe 5 folks from Lexicon or so, including David.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They came up with multiple great, compelling names, and completely shifted our internal approach to brand architecture.

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

Timely communication. In a few key moments they hopped on the phone with us almost immediately with advice.

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

At Mahana we are pioneering a new space and Lexicon was the right partner to think about how our name/brand would set us up for success. We were all impressed by the depth of insight into the science of naming from really, every angle. Lexicon knew both consumer tech and healthcare/pharma industry strategies. They are well-versed in the science of sound, linguistics, and international naming strategy, to name a few things that were helpful. They were also great at bringing forward relevant historical examples of successes and failures in naming and brand architecture. We couldn't have worked with anyone better on this project.

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

Not a thing.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the US CEO and Founder of a purpose transformation consulting firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

We needed help with branding for our clients.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Typically, when an organization is going through a rebrand or naming a new product, we work with Lexicon to create a name. The team does everything from creating a shortlist of 100 names to basic trademark and legal searches.

Then, they create another shortlist based on the legal service findings. The team does a lot of cultural and linguistic checks, too; these are particularly important if the brand is going to be outside of the US.

Most recently, we’re working with them on a project in the biotech space. Before that, they worked on a new name for a cannabinoid ingredient.

What is the team composition?

We always work with David (President & Founder) and his team.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

Our founder has worked with David for over 25 years.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the last four years, we’ve spent $150,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The biotech project began in January 2021, and our work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The projects that they’ve worked on in the past have done really well in the market. The cannabinoid ingredient was very commercially successful. The Lexicon Branding team is collaborative and they really understand the linguistic challenges around naming.

 Since the market has gotten more crowded, coming up with a truly distinctive name is more and more difficult. The team has a number of useful tools that they use to help ideation. They’re really a delight to work with.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate on an ongoing basis using email and meetings. Typically, we handle project management from our end since our team works on key messaging and verbal identity. Lexicon is really great to work with in terms of meeting deadlines and collaborating.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’ve been in business for a very long time and have built up an amazing book of experience. Their team has named things like Febreze and Swiffer. They have a lot of unique experience that they bring to the table.

The team has also built out its linguistic capabilities. David has worked with universities to create a lot of proprietary ways to look at linguistics, which makes them unique in the marketplace.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My advice is to be very open to ideas and conversation. They’re really collaborative and work as part of the team. They excel at explaining what goes into a brand.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a partner at Brandpie, a brand consultancy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon?

We occasionally have to come up with company and product names for our clients. We regularly use Lexicon to help us with that portion of the project.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

So far, they’ve helped us come up with names for two biotech companies, a sustainability product, and an educational software product.

Typically, we reach out to them once we know we have a naming project coming up. For each project we’ve worked on together, we did all of the discovery work and handed it over to them. We also introduce them to the client as well so they can communicate directly.

In the first phase of the project, they come up with more than 100 names for the product or company. They will do preliminary legal checks on those names to see if there are any trademarks or competitors using similar names. That usually narrows down the options. Then we present a shortlist of 30–40 names to our client, who then selects a handful of names.

After that, Lexicon goes through a second round of name development and comes up with another 50–100 options. Once again, they conduct cursory legal checks on those names before presenting them to the client again.

Typically, this is when the client proceeds to conduct full legal checks on 10–12 names. It can take up to six weeks to get through the legal process depending on how many companies the trademark needs to be registered in. Many of the names will be rejected because of legal reasons, leaving us with 3–4 names for the client to choose from.  

What is the team composition?

We work directly with 3–4 people, but there’s an entire team od language specialists that we don’t get to meet.

How did you come to work with Lexicon?

My business partner had a preexisting relationship with them.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about $120,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working with them for 4–5 years. We probably started working with them in June 2016 and have been working with them ever since.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They’re great partners and their work is fantastic. We’ve used them again and again. We completely trust them.

How did Lexicon perform from a project management standpoint?

We communicate with them through video chat, email, and phone calls.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their linguistic expertise is incredibly sophisticated. They know what works, what resonates across cultures, and what names will be memorable around the world. They’re incredibly creative.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything they could do to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to the advice that Lexicon offers. They’re the world’s leading specialists in naming.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Founder of Brandpie. We specialise in purpose driven transformation using culture change and brand to deliver powerful change programs.

We work in Healthcare, Pharma, Technology, Oil and Gas, Financial Services and Professional Services/Consulting. Our clients include EY, Capgemini, Astra Zeneca, TCS, Genomatica, Amyris and many others. We work with large complex international organisations and fast growth starts up/entrepreneurs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Lexicon Branding?

We have worked with Lexicon on several occasions and we partner with them on complex naming projects. They always deliver and are great to work with. We've worked with them on the creation of Watermark for Quad Partners and many others over the years. My working relationship with David Placek goes back 25 years.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal on every project is the same. To create a name for the company that is useable, culturally acceptable and protectable. Every name has to be simple distinctive and memorable.

SOLUTION

How did you select Lexicon Branding?

I've know David Placek the founder for over 25 years and when it comes to naming he is the expert. So we wouldn't;t go anywhere else other than Lexicon

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Lexicon will take on the responsibility for getting to a name. This includes

• Development of naming territories
• Producing a long list of names
• Refining to short list
• initial searches and clearances
• Presentation of short list to clien
• Development of second round of names based on client feed back
• Presentation of selected short list to client
• Selection of final 5 names for detailed legal searches and cultural checks (using their global network)
• Selection of final name

What was the team composition?

We have always worked directly with David Placek and a small creative team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Every project we have done together has been successful and the client has been delighted with the outcome

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

My team love working with the team at Lexicon as they are real experts at what they do.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to create simple, distinctive and memorable names, whilst navigating an increasingly complex and crowded legal/trademark landscape.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None I can identify

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I lead marketing for a public technology company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

Following our merger with another company in our space, we made the decision to rebrand the company. As part of that rebrand, we wanted to rename our company too.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lexicon focused on the naming process. Their team also educated us on the art of naming, which was important.

They kicked off the process by meeting with our CEO, one of my team leads, and me. Their team took a deep dive into our strategy, what we wanted, what we didn’t want, and our competitive set. The conversation was informative for both of us.

From there, we went through two phases. In the first round, their team came to us with 20 names to review. We then made a shortlist of what we liked and didn’t like. Based on that feedback, they came back with another round of about 20 names.

In the next stage, we had a solid list of names that their linguistic team reviewed to make sure they would perform well in global markets. We narrowed the list to 2–3 names and through our own legal exploration, decided on one.

What is the team composition?

Our day to day contact involved David (Founder) and 1–2 other team members. It was great because we had the attention of an experienced member of the industry.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

Our design agency recommended Lexicon, and we knew them by their reputation. David’s responsible for some of the most iconic brands of the past 30 years.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started the project in March 2020 and finalized it in May 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re extremely happy with their work, and it was money well spent. The response was phenomenal. We heard that the name’s strong, different, and conveys our energy following the merger from employees and clients.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

At every stage of the process, Lexicon was clear and efficient. They were extremely accessible. Their team was communicative and organized, so it was easy to work with them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lexicon made a special effort to help us understand the process. Their team took us behind the curtain, allowing us to understand the complexity of a name. When we raised questions, we never felt bothersome. They wanted to understand the problem we needed to solve, so their approach wasn’t one size fits all. Lexicon is an industry leader.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, it was great.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Like all agency partnerships, you get out of it what you put into it. Invest in the strategy and the background to inform the output. Have an open mind. David said that the right name isn’t obvious, which we found to be true.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and sole proprietor of Cris Tina Spillett Consulting. I’m an independent consultant that works for Fortune 500 to small startup companies, helping them to innovate in any way, shape, or form.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

I was working with a Fortune 100 company, and they needed somebody to assist them with building a brand for their new, innovative line of products for electric vehicles. That starts with naming the product and setting up the brand strategy to help differentiate the product from anything else on the market, or that would be coming on the market, just to give them a clear cutting edge from the beginning. We needed an iconic name for this new line of products so that people would recognize it instantly. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Our client company gave the background of what they were hoping to achieve with the new line of products from a technical standpoint, such as what they wanted their brand to be and how they wanted their product to appear differentiated to consumers globally.

Lexicon came up with names that could be trademarked globally and that would have relevance to the consumers. They also provided a narrative that would go along with the brand names and help set this new line of products apart.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with the president and about four team members. This included a project manager, who acted as a liaison and helped get the partnership set up. There were also creative resources who came up with the brand name, strategy, and narrative. On the client’s end, there was a core team of four people, which extended to a broader executive team of about 15.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

I was previously employed by other large companies, such as Clorox, that had worked with Lexicon. I hadn’t worked with them directly, but I knew of them and their reputation. I reached out to them, and they didn’t shut me down just because I was an independent consultant. We arranged the project from there. 

How much have you invested with them?

It was around $200,000–$220,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in August or September 2019, and it was completed at the beginning of July 2020. It could’ve gone a lot faster, but it got delayed on my client’s end, never because of Lexicon.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were helpful as far as giving us an idea of what pushes the needle on names and how they fit around the globe with various cultures. The client company wouldn’t have had the capability of knowing what does and doesn’t bode well. They basically told us how differentiated we should be and whether the brand has the capability of going into the avenues that the client was hoping the new product line would go into. 

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

Lexicon was extremely responsive, and turnaround was quick. They outlined the next steps and inputs needed so that they could be successful and ensure that the project was moving forward at all times.

In terms of incorporating my ideas and those of my client, they were extremely adaptable. They were adept at incorporating feedback from my client’s management. They also incorporated individual ideas if they were a good fit, or they shut them down if they weren’t. They were really good at making sure things didn’t get distracted from a creative or strategic standpoint, while at the same time delivering above and beyond to make sure that everybody felt heard and the right ideas were incorporated.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re able to distill brand essence and what’s going to matter to consumers globally in a very succinct manner. What they delivered was simple and logical, whereas it would’ve taken my client decades and a lot of work. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t know that they could’ve done anything better.

Any advice for potential customers?

Distill in your mind what you want from a company like Lexicon. Lexicon is really easy to work with compared to a lot of companies because they help you through the thought process of being able to work with them successfully, versus other companies where you have to have your thoughts completely distilled ahead of time in order for them to deliver a product. Make sure the entire team has input and be ready to have all decision-makers be incorporated in the thought process part upfront so that you don’t have to go back later.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We provide technology-enabled HR services for small to medium-sized businesses, and I’m the VP of marketing communications. We’re actually two companies that a private equity firm merged. Even though we’re one entity, we still operate as two companies. The entity in California’s ThinkHR and then the one in Portland, Oregon’s called Mammoth HR.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

We needed to unite the companies under a new identity and brand to reintroduce ourselves to the world. We wanted the relaunch to show highlight our additional capabilities and innovation. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lexicon was a strategic partner that helped us to think about naming from all different viewpoints. Their team focused on helping us with the naming process, which was strategic as a result of their process.

Following the trademark search, we ended up with seven names to consider, which was unusual. To help us decide, they created a rubric that fueled the conversation. We didn’t just go with the name that scored the most points. We talked about why certain names scored better than others.

What is the team composition?

I primarily interacted with two people, but the broader team included three.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

Our CEO made the decision, and I believe he found Lexicon through a recommendation by our private equity firm.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000 on this project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We signed the contract in January 2020, and the project wrapped up about 4–5 weeks ago.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t relaunched the name yet, so everything’s confidential. We had a committee of 7–8 people across departments who were part of the decision-making process.  

In my experience with naming, it’s a complex process. Lexicon helped us to navigate the legal and emotional components of naming. Their team helped us to understand our biases and get out of our own way. Their team went beyond their initial scope when we ended up with more names than expected. The rubric helped us to methodically think through all of our potential names.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We used email and video calls to communicate. Their communication was clear and timely. They always followed up with the right details, attachments, and answers to our questions.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their depth of expertise is incomparable. They’ve done this work for so long and for so many different industries, so they know how to direct their clients through the process. They have extensive experience with bigger brands but didn't treat us differently.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise anyone to approach the engagement with an open mind. When they told us about how household names almost didn’t make it because someone hated it, they proved that we didn't necessarily know what we liked.  

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I lead the environmental education program at the Pisces Foundation, a charitable foundation that funds environmental organizations so they can quickly advance towards their goals.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

Our goal was to create messaging and slogans to promote various field programs, which educate children by taking them outdoors. We wanted to make a call to action (CTA) that could apply to any program without diluting their messaging.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had onboarding conversations where we talked about the state of our field programs. After carefully listening to us talk about our industry, they went and conducted desk research and landscape analysis to understand our field of work. After my colleagues and I validated some of their ideas, they launched into the creative process of generating solutions.

Before coming up with the final product, I’d say that there were about 10–11 rounds and iterations. Each time, they brought in a broader group of leaders to make sure that the messaging resonated with the organization. They winnowed down the options to 3–4, which were presented to a broader group of people.

What is the team composition?

I maintained a primary point of contact but worked directly with 3 people. I know that there was a bigger team behind them.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

I’d worked with Lexicon before at a different job. They’d won the bid in that instance, and I’d loved the work that they did. Since they were so successful in that previous engagement, I decided to reach out to them again.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The collaboration lasted between July­­­–October 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

There were two phenomenal outcomes for us. We had two main audiences in mind; these are the outdoor and education organizations that work primarily with people of color (POC) and the group of other philanthropic institutions that similarly operate in the health and wellness space.

Our social media analysis indicates that there’s been tremendous campaign uptake with the first group. In regards to the second group, we’ve been able to hold two successful meetings with other funders in that space. We’ll be moving towards co-funding strategies like ours, which is huge for us.

The process felt very collaborative; it wasn’t like we were removed from their work, because they made sure that we understood the reasoning behind their decisions.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. Noora (Project Manager, Lexicon Branding) was my project manager, and she was always available—even at odd times of the day when I was traveling. They were responsive to feedback and made sure we understood the logic behind their work.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They really went out of their way to understand our issues. Their level of dedication truly differentiated them from other branding firms that I’ve worked with. They do their homework, and it shows.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t have any critical feedback at all. They were outstanding.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend time with them at the beginning of the project so that they deeply understand the issue. Commit the time to do that, because it’ll end up helping you in the long run.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director for editorial at Walmart.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

My team is responsible for all of Walmart’s copy. We’ve started getting involved in the naming process. I engaged with Lexicon Branding to assist with the naming of two key initiatives that we had coming up.

We were trying to gain more control and make it more of a discipline within our organization. Our naming constructs have to be clear and telegraphic because we want to simplify the way we present our products and services to customers. While researching, we found that people wanted clarity over cleverness. We wanted all of our names to fit those guidelines and feel like a family within our portfolio.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lexicon Branding offered the package deal. Our marketing partners submitted the brief, and we kicked off the work to their team. Outside of basic reviews, we had three to four rounds of naming with Lexicon Branding. When we show a name, we picked around five recommendations that get presented.

We went through internal reviews with our CMO and CCO, before sending the marketing reports up to a myriad of VPs. Once all of their thoughts are aligned, the names go up to the CEO because they’re more significant initiatives. Lexicon Branding also offered their legal services.

What is the team composition?

David (President & Founder, Lexicon Branding) has an internal team, but I directly engaged with five of his team members.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

My boss had a previous relationship with Lexicon Branding. I believe he’s worked with them at different companies.

How much have you invested with them?

For each project, we spent around $25,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Lexicon Branding from March–July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

At Walmart, there are many seats at the table. We hired Lexicon Branding because of that. We needed that firepower to deliver a successful name. If it helps, we look at success with a benchmark of 80%. If a name perfectly describes the product or service, 80% is where it should be. It was encouraging that all of Lexicon Branding’s work hit the 70–85% range.

I enjoyed working with Lexicon Branding because they looked at the project in the context of other languages. We have a large Latino customer base, so they looked at names that would resonate with them and our general market.

The programs will be launched next summer. Our internal testing team has presented them to some customers, and we’ve found that they resonate well.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

The team at Lexicon Branding is wonderful to work with. They’re on top of their work and remain clear about budgets. Their timeliness is also noteworthy. Lexicon Branding delivered everything on time. In fact, there were a few times they commented on how long the timeline was and said that we needed to shorten it. They were extremely accommodating.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lexicon Branding is full of some of the best in the industry. Their specialty is in naming. They’re word nerds from start to finish.

Are there any areas they could improve?

My leadership wants work done as quickly as possible. I know that David is proactive and wants to deliver a quality product. If he feels that his team can’t provide the quality of work in the timeframe my leadership wants, then there will probably be some pushback. That’s my only recommendation, though; having a quicker turnaround.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Provide them with a reliable brief and timely feedback. Their team tends to have a lot of opinions. Giving them direction in the beginning about what you need will benefit the first round.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a strategic marketing manager for a heavy equipment company. We build farm, construction, and road-building equipment. We also have a line of consumer products, like lawnmowers, small tractors, and other turf equipment. I lead a group that focuses on industrial design language and styling, as well as naming, numbering, and branding.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

We have hired Lexicon Branding to help us come up with names that will positively impact our products in a host of different markets.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lexicon Branding has named 2–3 features or products that span multiple markets, cultures, and languages. They begin their process by working with our product experts to garner a thorough understanding of what the product is, what its benefits are, and what its value proposition to the customer is. They also determine what we’re trying to accomplish with the product and what the right markets are. 

They then go through the creative process. They’ll come up with as many names as necessary; I’ve seen them develop 600–700 names. Then, they begin the vetting process. They review different things with our product experts. Their linguist team reviews and vets the list of names. For example, if the focus is Portuguese, we need to see if the word has any negative connotations based on the associations of letters and syllables in the Portuguese language. We also need to determine which name will be more memorable for native speakers.

Once the linguist team does a first pass vetting, the team continues to boil the process down. They usually do some quantitative and then qualitative market research to gauge reactions to the names in different markets around the world. The linguists will then engage again and look at words very deeply to study them for how memorable they are. In one language, we might be able to remember a word more readily than in another language. 

Legal is another avenue that they pursue. Lexicon Branding has lawyers on staff, and their legal personnel works with ours. We do trademark searches to find out if the name infringes anywhere in the world, and we determine how risky an infringement would be. At the end of the day, we pick the top three names.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with a small team from Lexicon Branding. They are more of a boutique agency, with David (Founder & President, Lexicon Branding) being the driving force. Typically, we have a project manager, and they work with 2–3 creative people. Lexicon Branding has a lawyer that is a major point of contact. They also have someone that coordinates, organizes, and facilitates the market research.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

Another outside vendor that we use pretty frequently was working on a project for us. They didn’t quite have the naming expertise we needed, but they had worked with Lexicon Branding in previous roles and introduced us to each other. It became clear that Lexicon Branding specialized in this area. We have brought them on for a total of 3–4 projects.

How much have you invested in them?

My company has spent a little over $200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working with them in 2015, and they completed the last project in July 2019. We work with them on a project basis. They are not a day-to-day supplier for us, but we maintain a close relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t used anything that we’ve developed with Lexicon Branding yet, but this doesn’t have anything to do with Lexicon Branding’s creative process, rigor, or attention to detail. We have always been more of a B2B company in an industrialized market, and taking on a B2C mentality in regard to industrialized equipment has been something that we are a little cautious about doing. I don’t think anyone would say that Lexicon Branding is anything other than very professional and very good at what they do.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

I have a good enough relationship with them. We email a lot. We also have some phone calls and many conference calls. We may have 3–4 Lexicon Branding team members and as many as 20 of our people on the phone in different states and countries. We share materials back and forth through platforms like Skype.

What did you find most impressive about them?

One of the unique things about them is that they have a team of 85–90 linguists from around the world. Typically, they’re college professors. We’ve found their work to be pretty impressive. They study individual letters and syllables and consider how certain associations in different languages impact how the human brain remembers things. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t think so. Our organization needs to develop a culture where we utilize this stuff more, and we’re not there just yet.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They’re very good about helping you understand some of the sociology behind naming and how it can move people. At one point in time, they provided training for several of our product line marketing people to help them understand, with a lot of examples from other industries and companies, how developing a name can increase total revenue, share price, and other things. Go into it with an open mind, and they will help your organization.