Lexicon Branding

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior brand manager at a silicon manufacturer. I focus on processors and products that we sell to the client market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

My company hired Lexicon Branding to create some naming options for a product and then test those options in the US and China.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We gave Lexicon Branding territories that we wanted them to focus on, and then they worked within their proprietary processes to create and ideate names. We had a few cycles of ideation review, during which we provided feedback. To test the names, they did a quantitative survey as well as qualitative interviews with our target audience.

What is the team composition?

We regularly interfaced with at least four individuals, and I think there was a broader team working behind them on the project. Our main point of contact was Mark (Creative & Account Associate, Lexicon Branding). We also worked with David (Founder & President, Lexicon Branding).

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

We’ve had a standing relationship for years.

How much have you invested with them?

For this project, my company spent between $500,000–$1 million.

What is the status of this engagement?

This project lasted from February–July 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We worked with multiple agencies on this project, and I’d say Lexicon Branding was by far our biggest partner. They provided the highest quality work in terms of both ideation and improvement in ideation over the multiple reviews that we had. The testing was comprehensive and drove a lot of decision-making around this project.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

Lexicon Branding was very thorough and open. We challenged them several times, and they met those challenges by going back and going in a different direction of ideation or doing a more thorough synthesizing of the analysis and the quantitative results. They really were our key strategic partner on this project.

In terms of communication, we had an open relationship with them. I could always call Mark or David, and they would take my call. We also emailed or had in-person meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed by the sophistication of their approach and the tools that they employed to test and review the naming options. They’re unparalleled as a naming partner.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any.

Any advice for potential customers?

You get out of an agency what you put into it, so the burden is on the client to know what they’re trying to do. If you have a clear vision, I can really see Lexicon Branding being a great asset in bringing that vision to life from a naming standpoint.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and creative director of Studio Hinrichs, a design agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

We needed a partner to help with our naming projects.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve worked with them for several years on multiple projects. We work with each other’s clients and it works amazingly well. Often times we’ll recommend them to a client of ours saying that the client really needs to have help with understanding the value of a name. 

At the same time, Lexicon Branding often comes to us and says they have a client they’ve developed a name for but they really need the input of graphic design as an integral part of what the branding experience is like.

They would interview the client and find out as much background about them as possible, including what their goals are, and what the kind of attitude they want to have as the brand goes forward. In some cases, there are clients who are completely new startup companies and want to create a new brand while still sounding like a brand that’s been around for a while. At the same time, we also have companies that have outlived their brand or want to have a fresh look.

I’m always impressed with the background he comes up with. Besides the legal side of what he does, they go through and check the availability of names not only in the US but around the world so that by the time they go through the list, they may have started with hundreds of names and narrow them down to 10-15 viable names to work with. Then they come to us and show us the names and ask us how they might be interpreted typographically.

Then we go into helping them with either just setting the name in five different typefaces and look at the character changes when you bring different character types and different typefaces to it and how that changes its personality. We work a lot with them in trying to do that. Just like they do in testing whether a word sounds right, we do the same thing in how it looks.

What is the team composition?

My primary relationship is with David (President & Founder, Lexicon Branding). It’s a bit of peer-to-peer kind of thing, in that we speak a lot of the same language. I also have met many members of his team in the process. Usually, when there’s a presentation being made and all of his team is together, they all contribute to it, but David is the main point of contact for me and my clients as well.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

Oftentimes clients would come to us either with trendy names or something we thought isn’t appropriate for them and that they should talk to someone who is going to help them value their name and come up with a strong solution for them.

We worked with several naming firms at that point, but we found that when we asked for recommendations, Lexicon Branding was always in the mix. We had a chance to work with them and it was a slam dunk. It was such a perfect relationship that we continued working together.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent around $500,000 over the course of our work together.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2004 and the partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

David has a special way of being able to understand all of it, have an overview of how it works, and be able to zero in on appropriate names for a client.

Everyone that I’ve worked for with David not only feels they’ve gotten a solid step toward where they’re going, but that our contribution to it then makes the final result a strong individual brand.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re an outstanding company. They’re very methodical in the way that they deal with and understand what their client needs are. They really do their best to communicate to their clients how they can be most effective in what they’re doing.

They’ve been extremely good at not just giving them a trendy name, but really doing some solid research and being able to give really effective information.

In some cases, if we have a client who’s worked with us for a few years and is developing a new product, their relationship would initially be with us. We would then bring David and his team in and would introduce them and have joint meetings. At some point, they work directly with our client, present findings on that, and together we develop a visual brand for them.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They do all the research. They have the legal background to be able to say whether a name is going to last for a period of time and be usable around the world. They have a very holistic understanding of how a brand is developed. That’s what separates them from anyone else. They’re so solid and responsible in the way they do things.

Their team isn't in it for the short-term, they’re in it to do high-quality work over a long period of time. It’s hard to find companies today that are that interested in their clients and not only in themselves. David and his team are really interested in building the right kind of relationship and the right branding for the clients that they work with. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I’d have them improve. They’re very good at setting up the relationship with their clients if they bring us in. They set the stage for us to do better work for them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the former SVP of marketing for Braze.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

We needed help renaming our consumer engagement platform. The linguistics component of our name was a major consideration because we needed it to work on a global scale.

At the time, we were a startup entering into our next phase of growth; nonetheless, we still had a couple of hundred employees. We needed a firm that could conduct research and then articulate to our entire leadership team and organization why the name they selected fit our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lexicon Branding helped us rename our company to Braze. They researched the market, the consumer, and our company. They also did comprehensive evaluations of several different languages to ensure we chose a name that corresponded to our goals.

The Lexicon Branding team, and in particular David (Founder & President, Lexicon Branding), had a very clear-cut, five-part process. First, they took the time to understand our business and goals. They interviewed various people on our leadership team, during which they posed a variety of questions so that they could hone in on the role the name would play in the organization. They asked what areas we wanted to look at from a linguistics perspective.

Then, we entered a creative exploratory phase. Lexicon Branding researched and then presented names to us in two rounds. This was a collaborative process, as our input influenced the second round of names that they proposed.  

Our leadership team agreed on a few of the names, and we created a rating system. We went back to David with our top names and asked him to do more linguistics analysis and research so that we could pick the name that best represented the goals laid out in phase one. The information and research they delivered drove our final decision.

What is the team composition?

We engaged with an intimate team and worked directly with David. He had a very specific way of creating small teams that worked well together, which I found to be really fascinating. There were a handful of creative development experts. Other experienced leaders ran the linguistics analysis and consumer research. We could tell that they were experts of their particular segments, which was really valuable.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

I had never taken on a rename project before. While searching for agencies, Lexicon Branding came up in my research and that of board members. Some of our VCs had worked with Lexicon Branding on other renames.

After spending a lot of time looking at agencies, we ultimately chose Lexicon Branding because we knew what to expect from them. We liked that they deployed a very specific process. David and his team had substantial experience, and we felt it was important to work with a team we could learn and receive guidance from. They were realistic and pragmatic.

How much have you invested in them?

My company spent over $100,000. The project included several different components.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with Lexicon Branding from June–November 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The rename process was rapid. We had to go through a robust legal and trademark screening and get a domain name, but everything came together.

Since the rename, we’ve gained a lot of recognition in the market. Familiarity amongst our decisionmakers and buyers went up 22.5% in just 18 months.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a really great experience working with the Lexicon Branding team on every aspect of the project. They were really thorough and consistent, and they hit all the deadlines. We were pleasantly surprised by how adept the project manager was. The research and information that they provided was wonderful because it allowed us to show our organization why we chose the name and how it met our goals.

We appreciated receiving two rounds of names rather than just one, as this allowed us to ruminate and think about this very important decision. I felt that their clear process was very valuable. We knew exactly what to expect and when to expect it. Depending on where we were in the project, we communicated via e-mail or in-person. Our executives frequently travel all over the world, and Lexicon Branding accommodated us by making the beginning phases of the rename very fluid.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The thing I found most impressive about Lexicon Branding was their knowledge of what it really takes to rename a company. This might sound simplistic, but if you really start to investigate what goes into a name, you’d be surprised by how little knowledge there is out there. Lexicon Branding brought a really unique value proposition to the table that other naming companies didn’t.

Their knowledge, combined with their execution and process, was above and beyond what I expected going into this. I now set the bar this high with other companies I work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The sooner you work with Lexicon Branding on a project like this, the better your company will be in the long-run. It’s a clear-cut process, and they’re easy to work with. Be sure to spend time on the linguistics analysis and research phase. I think that companies are often so focused on finding a name that they disregard important factors, like whether the name works in different countries linguistically or aligns with internal goals. Having such thought-out and well-researched documentation helped us tremendously.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for the strategy and innovation consulting arm of a global creative network. As global director of business operations, I work with some of our largest clients across many different industries. I also run our worldwide operations as they relate to marketing and business development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

I bring Lexicon’s top-notch expertise and services into a project when I’m working with a company that wants to innovate new products. I’ve also hired them to work with companies that are going through a major evolution or brand refresh and are looking for a name that best represents their new value proposition.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we’re working together on a project, Lexicon partners very closely with our consulting team. We operate using an open-source model, and I always have members of Lexicon on the phone when we reach the naming round of a partnership.

First, we’ll do an initial review of the names together, and then the naming team will present to the client. Lexicon usually presents their own work to our clients based off of strategies that we’ve co-conceived. This shows our client that Lexicon understands the strategic process that goes into each name.

What is the team composition?

One of the things that I love about working with Lexicon is that I don’t always know who is involved. I work directly with David (Founder & President, Lexicon Branding), and there are typically two to four other people from their end.

Depending on the project, the team could be anywhere from one to five people. We also frequently tap into their network of global experts to make sure that the name or names resonate with markets around the world.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

Initially, I connected with Lexicon through senior executives at my firm. I also spoke with some of our ancillary partners in other creative fields who had great success working with them. We first reached out to David and his team when we had the opportunity to work on a rebrand for Diet Coke.

The process for the Diet Coke project worked so seamlessly that we decided to bring David in for all of our high-profile naming projects. We’ve worked together in the insurance space, the food and beverage space, and for automotive industry clients. Many of these projects focus on unique, category-defining products or new companies that want to carve out space in their market.

When we find new clients, I always have Lexicon in my back pocket as a premier naming company. I rely on them because of their strategic thinking, their excellent process, and the final deliverables they create.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent over a million dollars with Lexicon.

What is the status of this engagement?

I first started working with them in March 2016, and we’ve retained them as an ongoing partner.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've had great success working with Lexicon, and our client feedback has been tremendous. Many of their names have been brought to market across multiple projects and categories. For example, as I mentioned previously, we worked together on a successful rebrand of Diet Coke, where we made the product more relevant to millennials. We also implemented a series of product innovations that live under the Diet Coke master brand. It was a complex, multi-tiered project, and they were a crucial part of the engagement.

Additionally, on a personal-professional level, I’ve always found that David and the entire Lexicon team bring a rare level of sophistication and strategy to their thinking. This resonates with us as a partner and our end clients as well.

Lexicon also helps us sell our own branding strategies. The way that they present names, as well as their naming process, is so convincing and transparent that it generally leads to a tremendous amount of buy-in. I look forward to continued work with them.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

I would give them an A-plus for project management, delivery, and communication. We communicate primarily through e-mail, and their team is agile in terms of meeting our needs.

I could ask David or another member of his team to be in a meeting three days from now, and they would be on a plane. They’re always going to show up, no matter the time or the place, and that gives me great confidence in partnering with them time and again. Even when the client comes back with questions or concerns, or they want an extra round of names, Lexicon is always willing to meet those needs.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lexicon does an incredible job of contextualizing and explaining the background of why they chose a specific name or naming process. David is always involved, which ensures a high level of quality in terms of performance and presentation. Many of our senior executive clients appreciate his knowledge and how accessible he is.

David also has a comprehensive array of tools to get people to understand names. For instance, he might create business cards for clients so that they can play with different name choices while they’re in an airport. He provides names in context, which is extremely important. Whether it’s cerebrally or in a physical form, his understanding of what people need during a name change is impressive.

In a world where everything is digital, they take a more old-fashioned, tried-and-true approach. Lexicon often brings the human touch, which is vital to the naming process and brand strategy overall. At the end of the day, we're trying to shift the hearts and minds of consumers across all touchpoints in their experiences with a brand. Having a partner who understands that people are behind companies and brands adds to our capabilities in terms of strategy and naming.

Aside from the process, the deliverables—both the strategy and the names—are also incredibly impressive. Lexicon is famous for creating hugely impactful names, like BlackBerry and Sonos, and they work across many different industries. Their core competency is naming, but I use that term broadly. Lexicon also provides the context, strategic thinking, and language to bring those names to life.

They’re also renowned for their people, who are smart and savvy enough to know how to develop brands that are reflective of their clients and agency partners. Their team understands different stakeholders and how to sell them on their ideas to create buy-in and implement a name change.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I see an opportunity for growth. Everyone wants more and more Lexicon, which leads me to suggest that they should find ways to expand their practice. I love that they are extremely niche and that David is only one phone call away, but they need to scale their organization.

There’s so much opportunity in the market for companies that integrate naming and brand strategy. Because of this, Lexicon’s services are going to become more important as more people have the technology at their disposal to create brands. We need companies to direct the field, and Lexicon has work to do infrastructure-wise to build themselves out from a resource perspective.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Leverage Lexicon for as much support as you can. They can help even beyond the name itself. Immerse yourself in the naming process, because Lexicon is excellent not only at generating names but also at understanding the strategy behind them.

You can learn a lot from Lexicon about the coming together of strategy and naming, because they've mastered nomenclature system development, specifically language and tonality. Their team can also create the kind of voice that can propel your company forward. Use Lexicon for more than just names.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an independent marketing and communications consultant. I was consulting with a startup in the energy space when I worked with Lexicon Branding.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

The startup I worked for had an existing name, but it was a technical-oriented name appropriate to an R&D space. As they prepared to rebrand and move to a commercial product launch, they were looking for a name that could be more broadly appealing, memorable, or distinctive. They are selling their product to a broad range of businesses, which requires a different name.  

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lexicon Branding developed a new name for the startup. They performed significant research into the market to find the optimal solution and had discussions with me and the startup to decide how they wanted the name to look. Since we were in the energy space, we wanted to see how the name would look in press releases or on the side of a truck.

Initially, there was a list of hundreds of names. We winnowed those down to 3–4 options over several rounds. They did not do any logo design or other marketing work. As soon as we had a shortlist of options, they secured URLs for us. They also handled the trademarking and legal ramifications of the process. We also chose not to do any focus group testing, although Lexicon Branding offers that service. After the process, Lexicon Branding referred us to a recommended logo designer.

What is the team composition?

There were 4–5 Lexicon Branding team members from different aspects of the company. We primarily worked with just 1–2 people to keep it easy on lines of communications. There were linguists involved in the naming process and account people focused on market research.   

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

People in the tech industry and Silicon Valley have all heard of Lexicon Branding. They’re one of the earliest, most prominent, and most successful naming companies. Other clients have used them to great satisfaction in creating many household words like Pentium and Swiffer. We also looked at 2–3 other local naming companies. After we met with them and got proposals, we eventually chose Lexicon Branding.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested $50,000–$75,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from February–May 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The startup is in stealth mode, so we can’t claim any metrics yet. However, Lexicon Branding was successful at setting up internal conversations with the team to make sure everyone was comfortable with the name change. Not that many people have experience with this concept, but it’s very important for employees to identify with the name and brand of their employer. They garnered instant respect with the technical team by showing case samples and offering a data-oriented approach. Their credibility and experience really helped guide us.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They generally stayed one step ahead of us. Their team gave us specific and clear processes. On matters of budget, they were very clear and answered all questions. The scheduling they laid out was right on the money. It worked like clockwork for us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Everything in the process from account management to planning ahead was a great experience. My client was happy, and I was really happy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s nothing I have to say.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

As with any vendor, you need to be upfront.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of a consumer beauty brand trying to disrupt traditional consumer product categories within skincare and cleansing for younger women. We have created a collection of eight products, which are being launched via an online subscription model/ direct to consumer.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

We are a startup, so we brought in Lexicon Branding to help with both the creative and legal aspects of our brand name. Our industry is really saturated, which makes filing a trademark that doesn’t infringe on another company’s intellectual property, really difficult.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lexicon Branding is unique because they had both a legal and creative team working on our project. We had already spent 6 months brainstorming internally between 200-300 brand names—and trying to clear many of them unsuccessfully (which is expensive) prior to reaching out to Lexicon. We were really unclear on how to deliver a name that that would successfully achieve a global trademark. Protecting the IPR for me was essential. Unlike another creative agency I worked with, Lexicon actually checked trademark registers to determine what names would be available prior to presenting any creative solutions.  

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with David (Founder, Lexicon Branding) throughout the engagement. I also know he had a trademark counsel and team of creatives and linguists working on his team.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

I was working with another creative agency and a trademark attorney, but they were constantly at odds with each other. Every time the creative agency presented a name, the attorney would say it wasn’t doable. It became really frustrating. I needed to bring in an agency, like Lexicon Branding, that had more experience specifically with naming and would also consider the legal complexities from the very beginning.

How much have you invested with them?

We worked together from February-December 2018.

What is the status of this engagement?

We spent about $30,000 with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched yet so I am unable to share tangible business metrics yet, but I am really happy with our brand name. A brand name is like a one-word poem, and they are poets. Their process helped us distill exactly what we wanted and they proposed a creative name that would market to our target audience and set us apart from our competitors. We have received excellent feedback from our focus groups and creative agencies working with us that the name is highly differentiated and sets us apart.

Their legal team was really thorough, which was exactly what we needed. Unfortunately, receiving a cease and desist letter or being sued as a young company can be potentially disastrous and is a frighteningly all too common issue. Many companies face these challenges because they haven’t cleared their IP on the name upfront before producing their products. Most importantly, the cosmetics industry is rife with copycats and fakes/ replicas, so being able to own and defend your brand name/ IPR is everything.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. They clearly communicated the scope of the engagement and I was really impressed by how detailed they were and how strategic their approach was. Throughout the project, we knew when interviews would happen and what they did with our research.

They also knew that we couldn’t afford to fly them to our headquarters, so they presented their options when they were already in our area. I felt like we had some great chemistry and that they truly understood our potential demographic and what we were trying to disrupt.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They aren’t a typical consulting agency. They have a very strategic approach, think about the big picture and are extremely creative. Their ability to listen and ask questions differentiated them from their competitors. Throughout the project, they valued our consumer research and put our company first, rather than pushing their own agenda, which again I found pretty common with some creative agencies

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would have been happy to be more involved in the process, but if I am being honest, I probably wouldn’t have added much value. We still got a really great brand name and I didn’t have to be there for every meeting.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be really clear about what space in the market you want to own and exactly how you intend to differentiate yourself from competitors. Be prepared to answer the question of what exact benefit or feature that your brand or product will deliver, will be unlike any other competitors, avoiding clichés. This sharpens the brief and engagement. Come prepared with examples of what names you like, but also what names you don’t like and why.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president of sales and marketing at Click Diagnostics, a late-stage medical device startup.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

As my startup prepared for commercialization, we realized that the name Click Diagnostics had some trademark risks because another company in our industry had a similar name. Although many of my team members were attached to this name, we needed to rename the organization.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Lexicon Branding helped us rename our startup. At the beginning of the process, they learned about our company and history, our culture and values, and our market and customer. They also thoroughly explained their three-step naming process. They used the concept of a vessel to help my team understand how critical this process is; a name becomes a vessel that sustains a company’s essence and its future.

The team presented 30-40 names to us, and we would go through each one and discuss the general build and thought process behind the strategy. After we provided feedback, they would go back and do it again, leveraging the names we liked along with the feedback we provided to pursue good directions or explore new ones. They did this process three times for us.

Once we had this grouping of names, we down-selected until we had roughly 10 or so names.  From there, we went back to Lexicon for further discussion and they then recommended doing some consumer testing.

What is the team composition?

We worked with David and 3–4 other team members in the inspiration and launch meetings. We had 1–2 point people. Much of their team was composed of linguistic specialists.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

A successful marketing executive that I know recommended Lexicon Branding. He told me about his experience with them and the unique process that they deployed to create a name. My team considered four vendors, and Lexicon had the most impressive portfolio. David’s introductory presentation made it clear that they were the best in class.

How much have you invested with them?

My company spent $50,000-$100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in late 2018 until 2019. The project lasted three months.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’ve only launched the name internally, but my company is pleased with the name. Despite the attachment many of my team members felt to our original name, the new one is catching on. Lexicon Branding did a great job explaining how they arrived at this name. Having data galvanized my team.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was fantastic. Lexicon Branding presented their process and the timelines upfront and didn’t deviate; they met all of their deadlines. They were available for ad hoc meetings when we wanted follow-ups or one-on-ones with just the CEO. They were agile and nimble but abided by their process.

When we asked for another iteration at the end of the project, they extended the engagement to empower us to make the right decision. We communicated via phone, screen share, video chat, and several in-person events. We had 10-20 calls with David throughout the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Lexicon Branding’s creative process and naming expertise allowed them to deliver great services. They’re holistic in their approach to educating clients on the process, bringing them into the project, and then completing the work. The depth of their knowledge surrounding words, letters, and linguistics was unbelievable.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of any. When you work with a vendor like Lexicon Branding, you can follow their direction and trust the process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend a good amount of time on the project initiation process where different stakeholders from your company discuss and engage with the folks from Lexicon.  Make sure you paint the picture of your company, your products, your culture, and your vision for the future.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the VP of global marketing and sales development at Galvanize, a governance, risk management, and compliance software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We selected David (Founder, Lexicon Branding) and his team for a comprehensive corporate- and product-level architecture rebrand. Lexicon specifically focused on naming both our company and our product platform.

What were your goals for this project?

Our primary goal was to create a corporate and product branding architecture that aligned with our growth trajectory and vision for taking our products to market.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We executed a fairly formal RFP based on word of mouth referrals from colleagues, private equity partners, and industry analysts. Lexicon quickly rose from the broader group based on successful projects at organizations we’re connected to and could speak with about their experience. Ultimately, it was Lexicon's strong portfolio and obvious expertise in the specialized art/science of name development that led us to select them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The Lexicon team had two main deliverables: the selection of a new corporate brand name and guiding the selection of a new product platform brand name. We began with a workshop to understand what we were solving for, which involved feedback from our CEO and rebrand council (representatives from marketing, product, design, and our board.) From there, the team developed two rounds of corporate/product names and guided us through an evaluation of each in a workshop setting. Lexicon facilitated internal discussion, following an excellent methodology throughout.

What was the team composition?

David led the project personally and was always present at workshops, facilitating the discussion around recommended brand names. He was supported by a remarkably specialized team, including a linguist, trademark specialists, market research specialists, and a creative team.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We selected a new name and product platform name, which are highly differentiated in our market; they’re excellent vessels into which we can pour meaning. The decision came on time, without any cost overruns. This allowed us to progress to broader messaging and visual brand development with another partner.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

David's confidence and obvious experience were infectious, and, I believe, led to a very positive experience for our team. Everyone was delighted with the result. The process was not just painless, but pleasurable.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They guided us smoothly through what, certainly, could have been a very contentious and divisive process. They were very effective at maintaining momentum and making decisions but hey didn’t make decisions for us or allow us to be a passenger in the project. Really, they’re gifted facilitators that go well beyond the art of name development.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I struggle to find room for obvious improvement given our experience and the result, although the name we wound up selecting wasn’t as clear from a trademark perspective as we'd have liked. Some deeper research on that one and a handful of others would have been valuable. Having said that, our group rallied around the chosen name and simply had to have it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founding principal of a marketing and brand strategy consultancy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Lexicon Branding?

We hired Lexicon to develop brand names for our clients’ companies, products, and product lines.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

My company has worked with Lexicon Branding on several client projects, the deliverable of which is to create a marketable brand name. Lexicon Branding provides creative, linguistic, and research services. We initially hired Lexicon Branding to help one of our clients name a major B2B initiative that they were launching. Our client had attempted to name the brand internally and with another naming firm, but senior-level executives weren’t satisfied. Lexicon Branding proposed a name that passed my client’s qualitative tests and met their objectives. The name also cleared linguistically in about a dozen languages and researched well against my client’s target market.

Since then, we’ve hired Lexicon Branding to fulfill our clients’ naming needs. Their holistic approach to name development encompasses creativity and a thorough evaluation of the effectiveness of the name pre-launch. They deploy three basic tests to see how a name will perform in the market. First, they test structural linguistics, or how the combination of letters sounds. Structuring linguistics is a science, since the way letters look and sound evoke different senses. For instance, if we hear a hard “k” sound, it will alert us to something. Combinations of consonants and vowels and the order that they go in can make some words more memorable than others.

Then, because my clients are international, Lexicon Branding must test the viability of all names against multiple languages. Their linguists evaluate names and determine if there are any hidden meanings, connotations, or historical references that could cause issues.

Finally, Lexicon Branding tests a bank of words against the brand or product’s target audience. They determine not only whether people like the name or not, but also what the name evokes and whether it reinforces the brand’s characteristics.

What is the team composition?

We always work with David (Founder & President, Lexicon Branding). Depending on the scope of the project, he assigns 2–3 creative teams, each made up of two people. Not everyone assigned to the project is visible to my team. I work with a product research manager and someone who oversees both the structural and linguistic analyses. Lexicon Branding has 70–80 linguists on staff.

How did you come to work with Lexicon Branding?

A colleague recommended them; he told me that Lexicon Branding was the gold standard for branding development.

How much have you invested with them?

Lexicon Branding’s rates have gone up over the last decade. The last three projects I’ve worked with them on featured their full list of services and cost around $175,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I hired Lexicon in 2008, and our work together is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The names they develop illuminate a company’s background and help brands stand out in the market. The first client that I hired Lexicon Branding to work with now has a global, billion-dollar brand. Another client of ours that Lexicon Branding worked with is on a similar trajectory. The global website that Lexicon Branding recently named has launched very successfully and is likely to become one of the best-known sites in their category.

How did Lexicon Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

David is a highly skilled professional who understands not just naming but also culture and business. I’ve never questioned whether David commends my clients’ attention and respect; he is a subject-matter expert who speaks with authority. Over the years we’ve worked together, he’s built a great team that also works well with clients.

Our projects often have very tight timelines. We use email to set up milestone presentations and meetings. For final presentations, we have phone calls and in-person meetings, since names are subjective and necessitate live discussion. Then, during linguistic and audience analyses, most of the presentations are via video conferencing.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Developing brand names is their specialty. Lexicon Branding develops brand names that win in the marketplace and become part of our cultural vocabulary. Recommending a naming firm that has named such well-known brands goes a long way in acquiring my clients’ confidence.

Lexicon Branding also provides end-to-end solutions. When we hire Lexicon Branding, we know they’ll deliver a thoroughly vetted name. Their names pass through multiple analysis filters and undergo preliminary trademark clearance. I’ve never had a client review a name from Lexicon Branding and tell me that it wasn’t going to work for trademark reasons. Lexicon Branding also ensures that our clients’ executive boards accept and understand the name, how it got developed, and why they’re recommending it.

Having Lexicon Branding’s linguistic analysis expertise is very appealing. For the most recent name that we did through Lexicon Branding, they vetted it in seventeen languages. Researching whether a name will work with an audience is different than testing an advertisement, concept, or packaging. The investment made in that name is going to last longer and have more application, and it needs to work differently. Lexicon Branding understands this. I’ve never experienced another naming firm with their combination of skill and expertise.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I don’t. I wish that every firm I’ve facilitated on behalf of a client worked as well as Lexicon Branding has.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

First, clients should be clear about their expectations. I’ve seen many clients rush into the naming stage, but it’s important to develop strategy and positioning and understand the brand before trying to name it.

Second, a company’s most senior-level executives should work with Lexicon Branding on naming their product or brand. Other than product technology, nothing that a company invests in will last longer than a brand name. Logos, packaging, and advertisements can get redesigned, but a name is long-term.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a new tech company that has just launched its first two products after a couple of years of development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

When approaching our product launch, we were still using our internal/stealth name. We needed a trademark registration and two naming recommendations for our emerging product portfolio.

What were your goals for this project?

To come away with an available trademark registration to use as our name. We wanted a distinctive name that could tell our brand's story.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We heard of Lexicon from one of our investors who had worked with them. We requested a proposal via their online form and decided to move forward with them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We met with the Lexicon team in their offices to explain more about our company and our vision for the brand name. They took our information and worked for about four weeks, before sharing about 20 potential names with us over a video-conference call. We gave them feedback on what we liked and what we wanted to see more of, and they worked for another 4 weeks.

In the second workshop, they presented another 15 names. These had been preliminarily screened by their trademark department and examined in foreign languages to make sure there were no obvious problems. They worked with us to select our favorites, using their research methodology, then we submitted the top names to our own counsel for a full screening and registration.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with David (President and Creative Director, Lexicon Branding). The team was also staffed with a project manager, trademark attorney, linguist, and other creatives.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Since working with Lexicon, we’ve been able to launch our new brand name and begin selling our products online. I’d call that a success.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was very effective. We were able to call our project manager or the president whenever we needed to, and they were also very responsive via email. As we developed our goals for the names, we were able to communicate that with their team and shape the creative process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was most impressed by the quality of the work and their understanding of our objectives. They really took time to understand our company, values, and personality. They presented names that originally we would not have been open to, but their thoughtfulness expanded the possibilities for our brand.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I would have liked more support in the URL acquisition phase of re-branding. They don't do negotiations in-house, so we were referred to another firm.