River + Wolf

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and creative director of a fashion business that specializes in handbags and jewelry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

I was looking for a new name and didn’t like any of the options I was coming up with on my own.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

To start, I provided product details to show them the creative soul of the company, and they responded with a brief that highlighted their first steps. I also filled out a questionnaire for them detailing some of the names I’d already come up with, as well as some personal information about myself.

After a few days, they came back with a great list of possible names. After refining it to a shortlist, they used their in-house counsel to run a copyright screen to see which names were available compared to my competitors in the fashion industry. In terms of the legal steps, I only asked them to do a preliminary search, as I wanted to have my internal IP lawyer do a deeper analysis.

Finally, Margaret (Founder) sat down with me and had a conversation about my chosen name after running a risk assessment on it. In terms of the legal steps, I only asked them to do a preliminary search, as I wanted to have my internal IP lawyer do a deeper analysis. She also had me run through a quick description of the company based on the name to see if it worked. It was a bit like going on a podcast and giving an introduction for my company. Finally, I chose my ultimate selection and moved forward.

They also gave me a lot of branding advice along the way. As part of the naming process, Margaret made sure I thought about how the name would go with the visual look of the brand. I come from an engineering background, and I mix a lot of engineering elements into my designs. I was also a literature major in school, however, so I wanted to mix those styles. Margaret was very comprehensive in terms of which names would represent that combination best.

What is the team composition?

I only interacted with Margaret, who acts as the firm’s creative director.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

They had great reviews, and I really liked Margaret (Founder) when I talked to her.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–July 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I can’t disclose the name yet, as we’re waiting on the legal steps, but River + Wolf was extremely organized.

I don’t have the full specifics yet, as I’m about to register a domain name and trademark, but I have run some qualitative experiments with my friends and family, as well as my IP lawyer, and they’ve all yielded positive reviews. My lawyer confirmed that, if I liked the name, I should go full steam ahead with it. The other people in my life like how the name reflects my interests, specifically the intersection between engineering and art. The name is very clever, and I’m very happy with the results.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

Margaret doubled as our project manager. She was incredibly responsive, answering our questions within a few hours with comprehensive discussions.

In the beginning, they laid out all the steps for me, including the timelines we were looking at. Everything went according to plan. I especially liked how they added a buffer in case some resources weren’t available.

We had a phone call at the beginning, and then we worked mostly through email. There was a final presentation over Zoom for an hour or two.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were incredibly kind and helpful. I was very impressed with their speed of work and the quality of their results.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. I was very impressed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the director and CEO of a video game and software company. We produces both tabletop and video games that focus on quality and novel experiences for hardcore gamers. We develops software tools that effectively convert ideas to content for game creators. We provides consulting services for small-to-medium-sized companies to enhance their knowledge base and improve workforce productivity.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf, and what were your goals?

We are about to ship our first product, which is a video game. We'd like to re-evaluate our company name before we debut. Our goal is either verify our current name is a good name or have a new name that meets all the requirements.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found 15 compines online after ccomparing reviews and ratings. We contact the best 10 of them and have their proposal. We went with our vendor because of their professionalism, communication skills and costs.

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

Steps: To start, they interviewed key members of our team to know what our company is. This includes our products, our target audience and our company values etc. Then they gather the requirement of our ideas of a good name. This includes the meaning, presence, and sounds etc. Once they had a firm understanding of our company and requirements, they created a naming breif document which contains the detailed infomrmation and their insights with it.

Then they run a name creation process to create new names base on the naming brief document. When the process is done, they present us the new names in three categories. They carefully walk through each name, introduce its idea, background, and how it can meet our requirement. After that, they also provide additional support on trademark screening, logo design and trademark related legal issues. Deliverables: 40 new names which meet our requirements in different aspects.

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

We worked directly with their chief creative director. Their naming specialists also support different stages of the work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because of the project, we get several new names that we think fits our company. In addition, we have a clear mind that our current name is also good enough. In order to avoid the risk, we decided to postpone the name chaning process after shipping our first product.

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

We set up a zoom meeting if we needed. We mainly communicated over emails. They replied email very fast. Everytime when we have questions, they can always answer them in a fast and effeciency way. They finish works in our expected timeline.

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

Their chief creative director is very knowledgeable, professional, thoughtful, and enthusiastic. She reply our email in a very fast and detailed manner. Our questions were always answered very detailed. The most impressive part is that their creative director does not only give straightforward advice but is also reasonable. At the beginning, she point out several negative points to our current name. But after we explain the ideas behind it, she accepted it and understood why we took this name.

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

We think they are doing very well!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior associate at a wealth management firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

We wanted to break free from traditional company names and devise a new name that represents our brand better.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had an initial call with River + Wolf to ask about their naming and branding process and work with their team on finalizing our project scope. After two weeks, they called back to present the list of potential company names that they came up with — they explained the meaning and branding impact behind each name to guide us in choosing the right name for our team. River + Wolf then offered to help us with trademarking after we selected the best name option, but our board of directors decided to handle that phase.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Margaret.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

We found them on Google while searching for potential naming firms to onboard for this project. Apart from topping the search results, they also had an appealing website and areas of service. We then reached out to Margaret and immediately liked her responsive and transparent nature.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $15,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The entire process took place in September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

River + Wolf generated insightful, fresh, and striking ideas and delivered a promising list of company names. Their exemplary presentation skills also highlighted their trusted expertise, which our boss particularly appreciated. 

Overall, we were impressed with what their team delivered, and our clients shared positive feedback about our new name — we’re also hoping to reach a wider audience and leave more positive impressions in the future.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

River + Wolf had seamless project management skills that expedited the entire process. Margaret communicates each phase clearly and sets realistic timelines. I encountered a minor technical issue when she emailed the final presentation, but it wasn’t a factor that impeded the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

River + Wolf had the passion, knowledge, and creativity needed to make a naming project work — I understood through their work why a lot of companies with naming and branding needs continue to approach them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t encounter any areas for improvement throughout the process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have an open mind and trust their team to deliver the results you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Yazara. We’re a technology and software development company. We develop payment solutions to turn mobile devices into point-of-sale devices. Our software is mostly for banks, financial institutions, and that type of industry.

The company was founded initially in Turkey, and we received some investment from some US companies. The new ownership decided to do a spinoff with the better part of the company, and now our headquarters are in New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

We wanted to create a new and attractive identity that leveraged the history of the previous company. We’d hired another agency in Turkey to provide a name, but they weren’t successful. We went through five rounds without getting anything we liked.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially focused on naming. River + Wolf provided 10–20 names in the first round, and we could’ve perfectly stayed with 4–5. Then, we continued with branding. We hired two other companies — one is the trademark attorney, and the other is the designer. We just completed the brand identity and logo.

For the name, we wanted something that included the word “pay” because our mother company had it. They did 50% of the names following that direction and 50% more creatively.

What is the team composition?

Most of our interactions were with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative), but another person worked with her.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

We just browsed through some review sites. We were looking for a small agency that cared about what we did and could get more involved.

We called River + Wolf, and Margaret answered. She was very engaged and enthusiastic from the beginning. He asked us about the company, and she seemed genuinely interested in helping us.

Then, they sent us a quote. We had a limited budget and staff, so I was going to have a hard time getting it approved by the board. However, they were very empathetic and cut off a bit of the pricing. With that, I was able to get the budget approved quickly, and we started to work.

How much have you invested with them?

The naming engagement was around $20,000–$25,000, and there was some extra for the logo.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between July–August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just finished the brand identity, and we were extremely happy with their work. We actually registered two names. We didn’t know what we’d do with it, but we liked it.

Also, we thought the name evolution was incredible. They came up with a way to put our Turkish background into it. The team identified the name for cash register in Turkish and took the first part to make it sound Turkish and Arab. In the end, we went in their direction because the abstract name was stronger and more appealing.

Everybody that has heard the name has provided positive comments, even Turkish people. They’ve said that the name makes sense and it sounds fresh, intriguing, and cool.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

They were on top of it. There weren’t any delays, and we would’ve finished even faster if it was up to them. We juggled a lot of things, but it was on our side. Margaret responded to emails at 10:00 o’clock on a Friday, so I don’t think anybody can do better than that.

We mostly communicated through emails and phone calls. We talked a lot with Margaret, so we just got on the phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They got what we needed. We talked several times about what we were looking for, and they certainly got it right. Their combination of creativity and experience was impressive, and they were able to capture what we wanted and turn it into an outstanding name. Not only did they deliver, but they probably over-delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Margaret can be tough about delays or missing something she expected us to provide, but that’s just her personality. It’s what needed to be done at that point. We honestly didn’t have any complaints or issues at all.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get closer, explain your business and what you want, and communicate well with them. They were thankful for our personal relationship, and I think we got good results thanks to our interaction with Margaret. She got to know a bit of me, the company, and our goals and ambitions, which got her excited about what we were building.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at a family-owned bakery. We’ve been in the business for 25 years, and we distribute our goods among major retailers across North America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

We needed a brand name for a product category that we were launching.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

River + Wolf helped us come up with a list of names to choose from for our product category’s brand name. We kicked off the engagement with a brainstorming phase wherein we discussed our project goals, identified the requirements, and provided their team with some background information about the brand and what we aimed to represent.

Upon gathering their findings and concepts from the initial phase, we came up with an initial list of names and started utilizing these along with the brand scope document to examine them from a consumer’s perspective. We then came up with additional names and included them in the list.

Once we were satisfied with the number of potential brand names we collated, we proceeded with the screening process. We originally planned to narrow down the list further but didn’t progress with the succeeding stage as we already liked what we came up with.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Margaret (Founder) and a project coordinator.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

One of our board members who worked with Margaret in the past recommended River + Wolf to us. We liked the team’s pricing and experience in brand naming, so hiring them was an easy decision to make.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from April–June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While River + Wolf’s work for us was completed, we’re now in the process of trademarking, so there aren’t a lot of quantitative results to share yet. We did consumer feedback research, and their team’s name suggestions secured four out of the top five slots. From these results alone, we could definitely say that their efforts were well received. The external members of our leadership team also thought that River + Wolf’s work would help elevate our products.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

River + Wolf had a concise work approach — they met all our deadlines and remained receptive to our feedback. We saw their genuine interest in our project through their extra efforts during the brainstorming sessions, and that was enough to conclude that their team exceeded our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The initial brief they generated was an integral part of the project’s success. They were really good at kicking off our project with a precise scope and equally precise solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I worked with other naming agencies before, and I could say that River + Wolf was the easiest team to work with. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Identify your goals well — you have to make sure that these are well aligned with what your stakeholders want because naming a brand or a product is an integral business strategy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications manager for the Partnership for Working Families. We’re a national network of labor and community coalitions around the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

During our rebrand, we hit a roadblock in the naming process. We brought on River + Wolf to help us find our name.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an initial consultation, and their team created a naming questionnaire for us. Once we returned the questionnaire, River + Wolf generated 23 potential names. Their team then presented the names. They checked each of the names for an exact match and guided us through the process of ranking them into different tiers. Their team did more research and made recommendations according to trademark and IP (intellectual property) risk levels.

We later asked them for additional advice. They continued to support us by checking an additional name and giving insight into it.

What is the team composition?

We communicated with Margaret (Founder) and one of River + Wolf's attorneys.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

Our IP attorney referred us to a few different naming agencies. One company wasn’t taking new clients. Another agency didn’t fit. I asked in a Facebook group if any people had experience working with women-owned agencies or agencies owned by people of color. Someone recommended River + Wolf.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2021, and Margaret gave the presentation in March. We closed the contract but then asked her for additional advice in April 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had been working with a rebranding agency for the past year, so we gave them clear criteria and priorities. River + Wolf went above and beyond our expectations. Our rebranding committee felt that the options and information their team gave us were comprehensive.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly communicated over the phone and by email. Margret also met with us on Zoom a number of times. We asked if they would be able to do this whole process in two weeks, so it was a quick turnaround. Their team streamlined the process and was very knowledgeable. They were also responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The fact that the agency’s founder was the main person on our account set them apart. Margaret was interested in our mission and supportive of our work. As a nonprofit, it was important that we found a partner that was excited about our mission.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to call or email with follow-up questions because their team is responsive. Margaret was helpful in getting us unstuck at certain points.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a maternity undergarments company. It’s currently registered as White Peony Intimates.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

We worked with River + Wolf to rename the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the project with a questionnaire that went through my background, the company’s background, and my vision for the company’s future. Their team then provided various names and conducted a presentation with a name index. From there, we organized my top 15 names into groups: the top five, the middle five, and the bottom five. We then narrowed the options to my top five names. Then, their team did a preliminary screening for those names within my industry. We actually went through two rounds of preliminary screenings because I changed my mind halfway through the first round. They then put me in touch with their patent lawyer.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact at River + Wolf was Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative).

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

I did a lot of research and referred to Clutch. I met with about 5–6 different agencies but Margaret stood out. She understood my brand and vision through and through. We connected on a different level and as a maternity undergarments brand, I valued having a team of women.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $15,000–$25,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

River + Wolf sent me the questionnaire in January 2021 and the engagement ended in February 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although we haven’t launched yet, I sent the naming deck to colleagues, friends, and family. All the feedback has been extremely positive. From the beginning of our partnership, Margaret understood my brand. She understood what I wanted and presented many great options, which made it hard to choose a name.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

We mainly communicated via Zoom calls. There was also a lot of email correspondence.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can’t emphasize enough the quality of River + Wolf’s storytelling abilities. Margaret also personalized the process, which made it even more pleasant. For example, she recognized that I was a visual person. When I was reviewing my top 10 names, she recommended that I create a mood board to determine which names I liked more or less. That exercise changed my perspective and opinions about the names. Margaret understands people and their needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s honestly nothing River + Wolf should change. It was such a pleasant experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would highly recommend River + Wolf. They take the time to sit down and learn about your brand and your vision for it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a spirits company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf?

Naming of a new beverage product

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking for a premium yet playful and unique name for a new product

SOLUTION

How did you select River + Wolf?

We selected River + Wolf because we felt they were both creative and willing to work closely within our project parameters and quick turnaround time

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We had an initial discovery call during which they asked us a number of questions to fully understand the details of our product as well as our broader goals.

After reviewing the proposed project scope and timeline, they also asked questions to understand what our internal approval process would look like.

Our scope included two rounds of naming as well as initial TM searches to understand the risk level of proposed names.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with one of the principles of the company

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We concluded the project with two very strong name options, both well received by our stakeholders.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was very clear, and each step of the process included an in-person (zoom) session to review the results together. We were very impressed by how quickly their team was able to work in order to meet our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The research they did in order to explore various routes for naming options was apparent. The team is also highly creative, with a gift in creating beautiful names and words out of different elements of language.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were very happy with the entire process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing specialist at FLEx Lighting. We make low-power displays that are viewable in all lighting conditions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

There is another company with a very similar name. Although we provide different products, we are in similar industries, so to someone unfamiliar with our specific industry, it could be confusing. We also want a name that more accurately described the brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They sent us a form to fill out, which probably took us a few hours to complete because we wanted to send them the right information. Once they received that, they took control of the project. They presented a bucket of names and we narrowed it down to our top 6­–7. After that, they did some legal research and came back with a risk assessment, which helped us narrow down the list even further.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative), and she managed the rest of the team on our project.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

I searched for top naming agencies on Google. I came across Clutch and found River + Wolf along with a few other companies. I visited a few sites that were listed and reached out to them directly. Margaret got back to me quickly, and I could tell that she has a lot of experience.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2020 and just made our final naming decision in November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of our investors has worked with naming companies in the past, so she was involved with the process and was very impressed with how they operated.

I also shared our top four names with our sales director and she thought any of them could be a good fit. River + Wolf really hit the nail on the head and provided us with the quality names we were looking for.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

The project was much easier than I anticipated. They were very responsive and I never had to worry about hearing back from them. It was a smooth and easy process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were, by far, more responsive than any other service provider I’ve worked with. Margaret has a great personality and was wonderful to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they need to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to get as much information as you can by asking questions. They also might not know much about your business when you first begin, so you should share as much as you can. That will help them provide an appropriate name for your business.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Untrodden is a travel company built to use immersive experience to connect the world back to nature, doing so in a way that empowers and benefits the local communities. I am cofounder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf?

We hired River and Wolf for a renaming project.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to come up with a new name for Untrodden.

SOLUTION

How did you select River + Wolf?

We did a deep market search, interviewing more than a dozen naming agencies.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

She really drew the name out of us, taking time to deeply understand our goals and intentions... not only understanding our aspirations for the name, but also for our company.

Not only did the process help us come to a name, but it also deepened our understanding of what it is that we are trying to build. She came up with hundreds of wonderful names, and shepherded us through the process of selecting the perfect name for our company.

What was the team composition?

Margaret took it all on. We worked with her closely from A-Z. In the end, she had trademark lawyers and front end designers on deck to help us through the next steps of the journey.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our new name is Earthtones! We believe this is the perfect brand for our company, and are unified behind it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow could not have been more efficient. Margaret was always willing to be flexible around timing and scheduling, and was kind yet efficient and action-oriented.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

She, by far, had the most soul of any naming agency we interviewed. Throughout the process, we felt empowered and heard. I couldn't be more impressed or satisfied with the process.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope! It was flawless... she's a pro.