Catchword

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the founder and CEO of a global cloud infrastructure company.

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

Even after 20 years as a market leading infrastructure company, our business continues to evolve, both in terms of the solutions we provide and the markets we serve. While our company name has served us well for over two decades, it has its limitations and drawbacks, of which we’ve always been aware. In particular, it speaks to a technology space we’ve outgrown, and is comprised of a word that carry potentially negative meaning in certain languages. For these reasons, we made the difficult decision to change our name, and we engaged Catchword to help us with the initiative.

How did you select this vendor?

After doing a lot of online research and identifying a select number of highly ranked and regarded branding agencies we conducted interviews, got to know the various agencies and their approaches to brand development, and ultimately made the decision to work with Catchword. In addition to feeling very confident in their process, experience, and ability to do a great job, we felt a really strong personal connection to their team.

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

Catchword carried out a full brand renaming project for us. This included an initial “discovery” phase to understand our business, the markets we serve, our various customers, and our corporate culture. One of the things that impressed us the most was how deeply and genuinely they cared to get to know us and the aspects of our business that distinguish us as a solutions provider, as much as an employer. The conversations were designed to unearth deeper learnings and insights about our organization and what makes us “tick,” in order to better position and truly differentiate our company going forward and vis-a-vis our competitors.

After the discovery phase was complete, their team conducted several rounds of name generation during which we, together, reviewed scores of names that were supported by their team’s rationale. Another thing that really impressed us was the breadth of their creative work, which spanned a range of messaging territories and metaphoric categories, including a dedicated exploration of historic people, places, events specific to our country and where we’re headquartered. Without giving away too much about their process, they were really intent to discover and recommend names that not only speak to our business, but that resonate with us, personally, and on deeper emotional level.

Finally, they conducted trademark prescreening on all of our preferred names and made recommendations for which names to pursue and which to eliminate. And this was yet another aspect of their process that we understand to be different from other agencies in their space (having actually been down the road of working with another firm on renaming in the past). Again, I prefer not to reveal too much about their unique way of working, but they have an approach to trademark prescreening, the vetting of names for conflicts, that’s different, smarter, and more reliable than other agencies we’ve worked with.

Ultimately, we felt much more confident that their assessment of risk would align more precisely with our own attorney’s assessment of risk.

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

Catchword is pretty sizable for a branding agency with a focus on name development—I think around 15 people, including account directors, strategists, creative namers, linguists, screeners, and others. However, we worked directly with one of the agency’s partners and a senior strategist. They were our primary points of contact throughout the engagement, but there was a creative lead and several creative personnel as well project managers and screening folk carrying out a range of work behind the scenes.

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

Currently, we have several new company names in full legal review that we’re absolutely thrilled with! So, while we’re not over the finish just yet, we’re very close, and extremely grateful to Catchword for their stewardship and helping us get to this point. As their team knows, we’ve truly enjoyed this partnership and working with them on this initiative. It’s a hard, often emotional process getting to a new company name, and having the right partner in place is extremely important. Not only did Catchword do a stellar job developing great names and escorting us through this challenging process, they really cared about us and proved to be a partner in the truest sense of the word.

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

The best way to describe their project management style is extremely smooth. Communication was regular and timely but not unnecessary—reaching out, soliciting input, and providing updates when appropriate. They make use of Float, a project tracking software that provides visibility into the process and where they are at every step so we always knew where they/we were in the context of the whole project and what was coming up ahead. We always felt in the loop without feeling burdened by the process.

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

Well, I suppose I’ve answered this question elsewhere in my responses but, honestly, everything. It was great engagement. From the level of thought and dedication they demonstrated, to the depth and cleverness of their name ideas and the closeness we felt with their team, it’s hard to imagine another collaboration going as well. They have a reputation in the industry as the best at what they do and they certainly backed it up. We’d recommend them without reservation.

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

Nothing. Really well done, guys!

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Director of Marketing at Shapeways, a leader in advanced 3D printing solutions. Over time, the company has evolved its focus, from a B2C 3D printing resource for individuals and small businesses to a full-fledged, enterprise-level B2B 3D manufacturing provider.

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

We engaged Catchword to develop a name for our digital manufacturing platform, a SaaS solution for our enterprise customers. In addition to a name for the SaaS brand, we engaged Catchword to help develop a strategy for how to name each of the different components (what we call “pillars”) of the brand, including a product to help our clients manage orders and pricing, one for fulfillment, and a third to assist with supply chain management.

How did you select this vendor?

We identified 6 companies for our naming project. After initial discussions, we narrowed it down to 3 that presented their process and experiences. We selected Catchword from the final three.

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

Catchword ran a full program, including a deep dive into our organization, our history, and our evolution into a B2B manufacturing provider. They examined our portfolio of products and services, assessed the competitive landscape, and provided guidance on name positioning and strategy with an eye toward distinguishing our SaaS from both a naming and branding perspective.

It was a considerable amount of up-front discovery work followed by stakeholder interviews and briefing meetings to level set and align on directions for the naming work. In terms of the creative work, they created what I believe was over a thousand names for the SaaS brand and conducted trademark prescreening on the names.

I especially appreciated the way they presented their work, in a graphical, marketing context that really helped us envision how exciting the names would be as brands

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

My understanding is that the team included a range of both account and creative personnel, but our day to day contact was with Mark Skoultchi, one of the agency’s partners. Mark and I connected well during the RFP phase of the engagement and I found him to be a great partner, collaborator, and steward throughout the process.

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

We launched Otto in October 2021 and it has gone great! The process and outcome really exceeded our expectations. Things played out even better than I could’ve hoped. Amazingly, we have several names for the SaaS that have garnered enthusiastic support from our executive team and passed legal muster.

I’ve been part of brand naming projects in the past, I know how challenging they can be (especially in the technology space, which of course is a very crowded business space), and to have so many well-liked, available name options at the end of this process is truly exciting and a real testament to Catchword, their team, and the work they do.

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

Workflow was smooth and seamless. Catchword is a highly responsive, dedicated, very personable team. They’re a wonderful group of people, excellent communicators, and extremely easy to work with. We got along great, both professionally and personally. They were very responsive to any questions we had along the way and helped us in every step of the process.

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

At every step, Catchword impressed me. From their initial deep dive into our organization to the killer creative they delivered, their team exceeded expectations and validated our decision to hire them. Top-notch naming agency.

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

Not at all. 100% happy.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m a Senior Vice President at a leading, integrated healthcare and senior living strategy, architecture, engineering and construction firm.

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

We approached Catchword with a range of challenges. Firstly, we were in need of a holistic, company-wide naming strategy, including a recommendation for what inward– and outward– facing components of our organization should receive proprietary names, and what those names should be. In addition, we needed a brand name for an important new healthcare analytics platform.

How did you select this vendor?

We did a fairly exhaustive search online, interviewed numerous agencies, and were ultimately most impressed by Catchword, their extensive experience in naming strategy and name development, and their portfolio of clients. In addition, and importantly, we felt the strongest personal connection to their team of people. Culturally, they felt like a very good fit—personable, authentic, relatable, etc. We trusted they’d do a really good job for us, and that they’d care about the engagement, devote the time and energy to it that we knew it required.

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

We’ve been working with Catchword since December of 2020 (so, about a year). They’ve led us through a two-pronged process of company naming strategy and platform name development including extensive stakeholder interviews, name and naming strategy development, strategy refinements, and final recommendations. They’ve served as an extension of our team as we’ve together explored and made decisions around what to name within our firm and how to name those things.

An overarching objective of the project was to understand how to use names and naming to reinforce our positioning and unique way of working, and to develop names that serve that purpose. They’ve been close and trusted partners throughout the process, which, as I mentioned, has been the better part of a year.

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

We worked directly with Mark Skoultchi (Partner) and Erin Milnes (Director), though most of our dealings were with Mark. There was also a range of brand and naming strategists and creative namers that helped define and build out the naming strategy and develop the platform names.

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

While the project isn’t entirely over yet (and our new names are not public), already our team (and in particular our key stakeholders), are thrilled to have gained so much clarity and alignment around what to name in our organization! In addition, landing on such a great, legally-cleared, platform brand name, and seeing it come to life through design, has been extremely exciting, and we can’t wait to begin marketing the product and talking about the name.

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

I can’t imagine a project going more smoothly. Catchword was incredibly responsive, on-time with their deliverables, highly communicative, and extremely easy to work with. A++ for project management.

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

It’s hard to say what was most impressive about Catchword. I suppose if I had to pick just one thing, I’d say their strategic business and branding acumen. They’re extremely smart, not just in the business of naming (though, of course, they excel in that space), but in their understanding of brand and business strategy more generally. They’re very sophisticated thinkers and problem-solvers, not just creative wordsmiths and language folk (though the names they imagined for our offerings and our analytics platform were extremely clever and along the lines of what you’d expect from a creative house!).

They attacked a fairly unusual and somewhat undefined naming and branding challenge (the “strategy” piece of our two-pronged engagement) with real strategic and creative energy and thought. And they were very articulate in explaining their reasoning along the way and getting us on board with their recommendations.

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

I really can’t think of any!

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Senior Branding Manager at a tech-enabled auto refinancing company that helps drivers find better rates and reduce their monthly car payments. We’ve developed a secure, online platform that allows customers to easily pay off old lenders and even retitle their vehicles.

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

For a few reasons, our company has decided to change its name. The primary reason, however, is that our current name suggests a more limited scope of services than we now (and into the future) plan to offer. The name is limiting—we need one that better reflects who we are, the offerings we provide, and is flexible enough to accommodate our growth and evolving service areas.

How did you select this vendor?

We conducted a thorough search of naming and branding agencies, held interviews, spoke with numerous firms, and ultimately felt most comfortable and personally aligned with Catchword.

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

Catchword conducted a full naming process including a deep dive discovery phase, multiple rounds of name creation and name reviews with our team, trademark and domain prescreening, and follow on counsel to help narrow the list to a shorter number for full trademark evaluation and domain negotiation/acquisition. All told, the project lasted about two months and was extremely smooth from start to finish.

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

We worked directly with Mark Skoultchi, one of the agency’s partners, though there were a number of other people including several creatives, screeners, and support personnel contributing to the project. I would guess five or six people worked on and contributed to the project.

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

I can say without hesitation that Catchword did an outstanding job on this project! Their guidance throughout the project, the creative name ideas they came up, their personable management style, all of it contributed to an extremely positive outcome—namely, multiple finalist names that cleared our lawyer’s review and that everyone on our team agrees reflects who we are as a company and will be extremely fun to market.

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

I don’t want to divulge specific processes or tools Catchword uses that their team might consider proprietary, but I am comfortable saying that we really just totally enjoyed working with Catchword! They were extremely client-focused, highly responsive, often very strategic, and always super personable.

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

Catchword is impressive on many levels, but if I had to choose just one I’d say their creativity and, in particular, the actual names they come up with! So many of the names made us smile, both because they were so personable and relatable (a quality we were going for in our new name) and also because of how surprising they were—i.e., they were ideas that we wouldn’t (and didn’t!) think of ourselves! And, at the end of the day, I think that’s what we were most hoping to get out of this sort of engagement—strong creative thinking and unexpected, smile-inducing names.

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

Nothing that I can think of. It was a great collaboration.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Associate Director of Product Marketing & Strategy at a Fortune 500 diagnostics and therapeutics company.

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

Historically, our company has been focused on the B2B market. Recently, we identified an opportunity to develop a B2C platform and product offering and we hired Catchword to assist with name development. The project also involved positioning work to define messaging for the brand, as well as logo, identity, and packaging design.

How did you select this vendor?

Found three companies online. Spoke with each and Catchword's overall value proposition was best for us.

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

Catchword spearheaded name development and participated in the positioning and logo development phases of the process.

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

Our main point of contact was with Mark Skoultchi, one of the firm’s partners, but there were numerous people who contributed to the project behind the scenes, including various strategists and creative associates.

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

Our attorneys have cleared multiple names, all of which we like. Having been a part of naming projects in the past, I know how challenging they are, and what a great outcome it is to have so many name options to choose from following legal review. In addition, our final selected name has received overwhelming support internally, among not just our core brand team but our executive team as well. Already a huge hit, which bodes very well for the brand as we look to finalize the identity and roll out the product.

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

Mark and his team were wonderful. They were extremely responsive, highly knowledgeable, great partners and counselors throughout the project. Timelines were kept, nothing slipped, couldn’t have gone more smoothly.

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

Catchword impressed across the board. From their strategic counsel, to the outstanding, creative names they recommended, we are satisfied. They combine unparalleled branding and naming expertise with high-level creative thinking and super smooth project management, and we wouldn’t hesitate to hire their team again.

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

None

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of a FinTech company empowering wage-earners with sub-prime credit to access fair credit and manage their money more effectively.

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

For legal reasons, we’re in the position of having to change our company name. As such, we engaged Catchword to develop a new brand name for our company.

How did you select this vendor?

We did a thorough evaluation of all the top naming agencies, interviewed each, and ultimately felt the strongest fit with Catchword. In particular, we appreciated their portfolio, how rich it is in company naming and renaming experience (especially among B2B businesses), and their process, which does a great job of balancing creativity and rigor. In addition, we connected well on a personal level with Mark, one of the agency’s partners, and Beth G., one of their creative directors.

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

Catchword ran a full naming program, including a thorough audit of our business, stakeholder interviews, multiple rounds of name generation and review, and trademark prescreening. We were extremely impressed with how efficient the process was, how the team managed to accomplish so much in just six weeks.

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

We worked with directly with Mark and Beth though other team members contributed to the project, including other creatives and screeners.

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

The process was an enormous success and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome! Ultimately, we submitted five names to our attorneys for comprehensive trademark evaluation and were thrilled when our most favored name cleared their review!

Having been through naming exercises before, knowing the challenges they present, my team and I could really appreciate how spectacular an outcome this was and is. Everyone’s smitten with the new name, excited to begin marketing it, talking about it, and building our brand around it.

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

Mark and Beth were wonderful partners and stewards and the process moved forward very smoothly.

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

We enjoyed every aspect of working with Catchword but I suppose what impressed me the most was the way their name ideas mapped so well to our intended messaging, and how clever the creative work was. There was this sense that the names could only have been created for us and our business.

It really felt extremely tailored to our platform, the benefits it provides to our customers, and our intended communication for the brand. On top of that, I guess we were all equally impressed by their level of expertise, how strategic and smart they were throughout the process. They’re truly experts in this field and it’s apparent when you’re working with them.

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

None

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a brnd consultnat serving in a global branding director role with a well established semiconductor company in Silicon Valley.

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

We needed to develop a unique and trademarkable name for an upcoming product launch, one that is core to the business. Our goal was to develop a name that worked with the other names already in the product portfolio and with the company masterbrand, and also signal a different line and type of product. It needed to be unique and defensible, and work globally.

How did you select this vendor?

I've worked with Catchword on a number of prior projects and know how good and reliable they are. We did look at other companies in the purchasing process as is the practice at this large enterprise company, so while they were the preferred vendor by me, they had the meet the criteria of the purchasing department as well. They submitted a proposal as well as examples of past work, and it was clear that they were a great value as well as a great solution.

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

The project started with interviews with individuals and groups of individuals to understand the overall goals of the naming proecss and what success would look like. From there, Catchword developed a brief that captured the main themes, concepts and the constraints that needed to be considered when developing and choosing the final name. The team reviewed the brief, confirmed and approved it and from there, Catchword started to develop the first round of names generating hundreds to consider.

They presented a first round of names from the list of those that had been screened lightly for viability, and reviewed and received feedback as to what worked, what were not quite right and to understand what direction they should focus on in the second round of name generation. They took the feedback, confirmed the focused direction and generated a second round of names focusing even further into the main themes. These names were vetted in a Google search and assessed to match the overll objectives before presenting for final review.

The team then reviewed and identified our top picks to take to our legal team and put through a final search, realizing that until they have gone through our legal search, we would not be able to identify final candidates that could be trademarked. Catchword provided an excellent range of name candidates focused on our objectives which allowed us to find one that met all criteria and through legal search.

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

Two people directly. One of the co-founders and a project lead. There were many people behind the scenes that also were instrumental in developing the list of names.

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

In addition to wanting a needing a global name that would be unique and defensible from a trademarking standpoint, we wanted something short and simple that could hold meaning and be an empty vessel to place marketing onto for narrative. Since there is no way to assure that a name will pass legal searches and the registration process, you need a number of names. Catchword generated a number of candidates that gave us a range as well as the security of having options if during the registration process a name received too much opposition for it to be used.

Catchword was also incredibly patient with the team in helping to understand the naming process and how to open their minds to options. Engineers are often very literal and have a hard time seeing the potential in the names. Catchword steered the team to stay open and consider what we chose and what served as an excellent brand name.

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

We scheduled inperson and onsite meetings based on the avaialbility of the team to come together for the R1 and R2 reviews as well as the download session. Catchword provided review decks for the creative brief as well as the follow on for the name review rounds for the team to review and comment on. I served as the clearinghouse, gathering the feedback, and sent the instructions and decks that I passed along having received them in emails. Meetings were established based on our schedules and needs and Catchword was extrenely responsive and flexible in meeting our timing. They hit each deadline that they provided based on the projected timing from the start.

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

The combination of decades of experience in naming that they bring to each project, to both guide the group in how to establish the parameters and themes that would generate the best results, as well as the coaching and mentoring that also was needed to help those that are not familair with the naming process to be able to get the most out of the experience. I also appreciate the background of key individuals, with linguistic and marketing backgrounds that add to the capabilities and insights.

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

They were thoroughly professional and delivered on everything that we asked and expected and even more.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the Vice President of Marketing at a fintech company that provides a platform for financial professionals.

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

Our current name served us well for the better part of a decade, but given our product pivot and growth plans, our current name is restrictive. Additionally, we’ve learned that the name has certain pronunciation issues. For these reasons, we engaged Catchword for a renaming. Our goal was to identify a new company name that better aligns with our changing business model and evolved positioning. Also, to identify a name with more intuitive and predictable pronunciation.

How did you select this vendor?

Catchword was recommended to us, but we still conducted a thorough review of top naming agencies and spoke with several firms. In the end, we felt the strongest fit with Catchword and their approach to the process.

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

Catchword did a ton of work for us, including a deep dive into our business to understand the nature of our technology and the customers we serve, multiple rounds of name generation including the development of literally thousands of names (from which we together reviewed probably a couple hundred), prescreening work to vet names for trademark and/or marketing conflicts, and domain name counseling.

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

We worked with directly with Mark Skoultchi, one of the agency’s partners

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

We’re currently in the final stages of the process, about to select a name, but I’m comfortable saying the process was an enormous success, and we’re thrilled we engaged Catchword to help us with this initiative. At the end of the creative phase, we had literally 50+ names on our shortlist for domain investigation and potential negotiation. We never imagined we’d warm to so many names, which is in large part due to the approach Catchword took the creative work, digging in deep and exploring highly unique, unexpected words and metaphors for concepts rich in meaning to our team and our company’s history.

The names were often seemingly abstract but actually remarkably meaningful given what we do, how we distinguish ourselves, and how we plan to talk about ourselves going forward. We were truly impressed with the level and depth of thought that clearly went into the creative work.

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

The workflow was great. Mark was an excellent partner throughout the process, highly responsive, a great strategic counselor, and ultimately a friend. We felt a strong personal connection with him, and he did a great job of keeping us informed throughout.

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

Even before we hired Catchword, we were aware of their reputation in the space, including their leadership position here on Clutch. We had high expectations and they fully delivered. While it’s hard to pinpoint just one thing that impressed us most, if we had to choose, we’d probably say the depth and richness of the creative work. One after another, the names were just so interesting, meaningful, and compelling. Exactly what you hope for (but may not always get!) when you work with a dedicated naming agency.

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

No. We'd hire them again!

Please describe your company and your position there.

I run a domain name buyer brokerage. We help clients acquire their dream domain names. The best domain names are already owned by third-parties, so our job is to track down those owners and convince them to sell the domain for within our client's budget and timeline.

We collaborate with Catchword during the naming shortlisting process so that our shared client ends up with their new name and the matching .com domain name.

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

Catchword and Name Ninja shared a common client that was going through a renaming process. Catchword led the naming strategy and creation process, and Name Ninja was responsible for providing intel on the domain name side of things and with brokering the acquisition of the target domain name.

How did you select this vendor?

Name Ninja's client, shared in common with Catchword, chose Catchword, however Name Ninja often recommends Catchword to clients or potential clients who are seeking a world-class naming and branding agency. Name Ninja has collaborated with Catchword and shared clients on many naming and re-branding projects over the last 6 years.

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

Catchword took our common client through their proprietary name and brand development process. Name Ninja took the list of shortlisted names and researched the acquire-ability of the .com domains that matched those names. This research then lead to a further shortlisting of the names and finally to a name being chosen and a domain being acquired.

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

We worked with one of the partners at Catchword, and of course we worked with the VP of marketing of the common (shared) client.

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

Catchword helped the client develop a list of nearly 100 potential new brand names. Name Ninja (representing the domain name side of the equation) and Catchword (representing the naming and branding side of the equation) then helped the client narrow down their selection until a final choice was made.

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

Catchword and Name Ninja were involved at different stages of the overall project with the shared client, but communication with Catchword is always quick and professional. Every shared client we have worked on a project with Catchword has always spoken highly of their experience working with Catchword. They are total professionals.

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

Catchword has deep expertise when it comes to naming, and they also have exceptional taste in regards to what constitutes a world-leading brand name. I have always respected Catchword's integrity and expertise.

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

This most recent project ran very smoothly, and I cannot recall any concerns related to Catchword.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at a company that provides technology, data and analytics to multiple industries

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

Our company recently launched a product that needed to be named. We engaged with Catchword to brand that solution. Our main objective was to expand the list of name options we had for the solution, and quickly.

In addition, it was imperative that names be vetted for availability as trademarks. We were looking for a responsive, nimble team of seasoned naming professionals that could streamline the process, turn around great creative ideas, and get us to a name decision in short order. Catchword was very helpful - and very responsive - with this project.

How did you select this vendor?

We conducted an internet search of top naming agencies and selected Catchword after reviewing their website and interviewing the company. In addition to its impressive portfolio of naming work and reputation in the industry, we really enjoyed our conversation with the Catchword team. Not only were they clear in explaining our options, but they were extremely personable and willing to develop a process that addressed our needs, customizing their typical way of working in order to meet our very tight timeline.

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

In order to meet our needs, Catchword used a process called a Creative Blast. they reviewed information we sent to them, asked us some questions, and then developed a creative brief for the project based on this information - which was pretty spot on. They then provided one large round of name ideation.

The ideation was substantial, covering an enormous range of messaging directions and name styles, and the delivered work was fantastic. Our immediate reaction was “wow, there are so many great options here!” They also conducted trademark prescreening work on our preferred names, assigning a risk profile to each name, which was extremely clear and helpful in making decisions about which names to submit to our attorneys and pursue further.

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

We worked directly with Mark, one of the agency’s partners. He was very responsive, personable, easy to work with, and a great guide throughout the process, keeping us informed about progress and up to date on the next steps, deliverables, etc.

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

While we haven’t made the name public yet, I can say that Catchword did a fantastic job on the project. They came up with so many different, interesting, and viable names for the product, and served a vital role in getting us to a decision on a final name for the solution. We wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again

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

As I mentioned, Mark and the Catchword team were great to work with. The workflow was smooth, no hiccups, we always felt in the loop, aware of the next steps, etc. They’re highly experienced in managing naming projects and it shows.

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

I suppose I found both the process and the names themselves most impressive. Working with their team was easy, and the name ideas they came up with and shared were clever, surprising, and on-point. It was exactly what we were hoping to get out of an engagement with a naming partner.

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

Nothing. They have a great process, great people, and great creative work.