Catchword

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

The company is Plantronics, Inc. We’re a global communication solutions company, specializing in headsets and other consumer electronics as well as the pertinent software.

What is your role and responsibilities, please?

I’m the corporate brand manager. I’ve been with the company for six years. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Catchword?

We initially retained them (and they are still on a monthly retainer with us), to help us and consult us on all matters of naming. A particular project they've worked with us on is over the last two years we’ve been creating and implementing a new naming strategy and process that could be implemented across the company. So Catchword has been our agency of record helping with that, among other things.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

It’s been mostly naming, but Laurel Sutton, the representative that I work with, has also been instrumental in setting up nomenclature documents and any kind of documentation pertaining to naming. Currently, they are working on a glossary for us, with marketing and proprietary terms. But, I’ve enlisted her to help us with a lot of different consumer-facing content, so they've done a lot of proofreading and general editing as well. However, mostly the focus has been on naming and naming strategy.

What was your process for selecting Catchword to work with?

Many of our higher ranking officers here at Plantronics in the marketing division came from Cisco. Along with them came some preferred agencies, and Catchword was one of them. So our senior director of brand management had been working with Catchword for over a decade, so there’s a very deep and embedded relationship of trust and confidence.

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

Unfortunately, I cannot divulge that information. They are on a monthly retainer. If we have larger creative projects, they typically bid on them and have proven to be highly competitive.

Can you tell me what the timeline of the engagement was?

I don’t have the precise date, but it’s about two years, plus or minus. At Cisco, our senior director of global branding worked with them for at least a decade.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Do you have any stats, or metrics, or general feedback to show the success of the project?

I would consider them to be a highly valued partner. Their work is prompt, it’s of good quality, and it’s very creative when we request it to be creative. They tend to over-deliver, which is great from a client’s perspective. I would say we have a very close, trusting, and collaborative relationship.

Is there one project you could describe where the services that were provided really stood out as exceptional work?

That’s another area where I feel it’s very proprietary information, so I wouldn’t want any of this project information to be publicized. I can tell you that the breadth and width of their work is extensive. They have helped with our attempt to "globalize" names, they have helped with creative naming exercises, as well as with what I consider more disciplinary projects such devising a naming process for our country. 

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

Unlike some other consultancies we’ve worked with in the past, Catchword seems to be highly respected and liked by all our internal collaborators across our various divisions. Everyone is very happy with the work. I think they’re distinguished by a culture that very much akin to ours, very human-focused and very friendly. We’re a premium company, from a product perspective, so I would say they are the equivalent of that in their industry.

I really have nothing but good things to say about them. They seem to be able to scale with great ease from tactical to strategic projects.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

No, not really. We expect our vendors to be able and expert providers for us. If there was any work that was substandard or needed to be critiqued beyond the normal development process, we would not retain them. We have pretty high standards.

BACKGROUND

Please provide a description of your company. 

I own a gourmet dessert company. We're a start-up and our primary product is a traditional Japenese dessert that we've remade and are bringing to the American market. Our primary customers are high-end restaurants and large hospitality groups in cities like LA, Miami, New York, and Las Vegas. Currently, we're trying to move into the e-commerce space by opening up an online store for our product, the long-term goal is to sell through retail channels and specialty foods stores.

What is your role and responsibilities, please?

I'm the founder.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of Catchword's naming services?

Catchword assisted us in the process of naming our latest dessert product. Unfortunately, for competitive reasons because it's still a new product, I can't at this time reveal what we chose.

What was your process for selecting Catchword to work with?

We spent a long time brainstorming a name for ourselves. We had various meetings, we had long lists, and we also met with various branding agencies. We were interested in working with a firm that had a track record, a formula, a top-down approach. After interviewing various branding firms and naming firms, we felt Catchword was the right company to go with.

What were you looking for in the name when you started working with them?

For a product like ours, the name is everything. There were a lot of different things we were trying to balance. Because our dessert is an Asian-American fusion product, we were trying to balance both of those cultures when choosing a name. Our product has aspects of a traditional Japenese dessert, but we also wanted to give it a modern facelift. Another thing was we had to ensure that the product would be approachable and familiar to an American audience.

Suffice to say, a lot of nuance and expertise was needed in our naming process, and we didn't have it on our own.

Please provide a brief description of their process.

The great thing about them is that they have a top-down approach, which meant that they looked at all the needs we had for this product; and the parameters we wanted in terms of naming. They wanted to look at who our target market was, all the things a branding agency might want to look at, our sales channels as well as our price points, and our flavor list. They outlined everything for us in what they call a naming brief. The brief was good enough to be a branding marketing plan itself. I felt that, beyond just getting a naming company, I was able to get something I could pass along to other companies to get a sense of what our long-term goals and our branding aspect were. 

Can you provide a ballpark dollar figure for the size of the work that they’ve done for you?

Unfortunately, that information is confidential. However, speaking to the cost, I can say they were very competitive and were willing to work with a bootstrapped startup whose budget was obviously limited.

What was the timeline of the project?

It was rather quick. From the time we signed the agreement to choosing the actual name was probably six to eight weeks.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Is there anything unique about them that really makes them stand out, compared to other companies?

They knew every aspect of words, in reference to grammar, synonyms, and antonyms. They must have PHDs in English! Mark, in particular, had a keen knowledge of what would work, and also what might hurt us in the future if we picked a word that didn’t translate well into other languages. The Catchword team is as knowledgeable as they come, very responsible, and very linear. They have the ability to stay focused and keep the client focused as well.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

At times it seemed like they were rushing the process, but looking back I think that was primarily them trying to keep us on task, which is a difficult thing to do at a startup. I'm very pleased with the results of the project.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Founder and CEO of Greenfinch

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Greenfinch combines the best of traditional Western medical practices with innovative functional and lifestyle medicine, personalized to the patient.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Catchword to accomplish?

I engaged Catchword to create a new company name and visual identity. I’d had a bad experience with another branding firm prior to hiring Catchword and also had worked with a research firm to help lay the foundation for the brand. Having worked with these two other firms, I had a good idea of what I wanted Catchword to accomplish and what I wanted in a creative partner.

SOLUTION

How did you find Catchword?

• Online Search
• Referral
• Clutch Site

Why did you select Catchword over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Catchword were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The naming process involved their background and competitive review, a kickoff work session, a very well-written and comprehensive creative brief, two huge rounds of creative with presentations, and prescreening of finalist names. The quantity and quality of names presented was quite amazing. The visual identity process included the development of many logo concepts, presentations and refinements, followed by the creation of a style guide with color palette, typography, and executions. 

I want to add that the presentations were so much fun, and I literally loved everything they showed me. I often had a hard time making a decision because I loved all the options so much, and I leaned on them to guide me to the right decisions. This is a good problem to have!

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

A name I love: Greenfinch. It’s so distinctive in the space. To me, it says good health, freedom, taking flight. So many good associations. A beautiful wordmark. I love what they did with the white space in the “g”. I’m excited to reveal it to the world. A lasting friendship. :-)

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Their project management style is to go above and beyond with everything: responsiveness, creativity, strategy, helping with decision-making, making sure you know where you are in the process, helping with things you didn’t even know you needed help with. Everything was delivered on time, and every email was answered immediately.

What was your primary form of communication with Catchword?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The creativity and beauty of their work Super kind, generous, fun people. Their willingness to go above and beyond on everything was impressive.

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

No, they are the best! And wonderful people. I wish I had more naming and design projects so we could keep working together.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We're a leading provider of B2B SaaS for the enterprise.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We hired Catchword to assist with a product naming initiative.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to develop a name for our product that best represented the differentiated value it provided to users.

SOLUTION

How did you select Catchword?

I've worked with Catchword on a number of naming projects in the past. They deliver every time.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Scope was to explore and find 5-8 potential names for our product that we could select and own (TM included).

What was the team composition?

I worked primarily with Laurel from Catchword. Other team members participated as well.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We've received nothing but positive feedback, internally and externally, since we launched it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The collaboration between our team and theirs was as close to perfect as I think you can get. Catchword really knows how to run a project with a group of stakeholders.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I was most impressed with their talented people, their process, and their ability to deliver on our goals.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing to critique. Really pleased overall.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I head business development and corporate strategy for a clinical stage biotech company developing new treatments for cancer. I lead a total rebrand effort for our company in 2019.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

New company name

What were your goals for this project?

We worked with Catchword to find a new name for our company.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Our consultant Tom Haan from 22Filmore recommended them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We worked with them over a few months to define the parameters for a new name, went through a few rounds of iteration, and helped select the top 5 names. They interacted with a subteam but also presented to our whole company on these top 5 names.

What was the team composition?

Laurel Sutton was the lead on the Catchword side.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We selected a name that Catchword generated (Ikena) for our company going forward. We successfully rebranded last week.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective. Catchword was responsive, creative and collaborative during the process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They truly understood the essence of what we wanted the new company name to be. They proposed a range of unique names that we would not have come up with on our own. Laurel's linguistics background was effective here in particular.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Very happy with the process and outcome. Would recommend them.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the principal of a digital design and brand strategy agency, 1185 Design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

For over 30 corporations, from startups to the Fortune 100 companies, we've worked with Catchword to create names that resonate across the technology sector.

What were your goals for this project?

We collaborated to name companies and products.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Some of the clients we worked with selected Catchword. In other situations, we recommended them.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They named many businesses and products. We worked with clients to thoroughly understand their business and bring their brands to life, beginning with their most fundamental and critical brand asset.

What was the team composition?

We worked with their senior strategist and three linguistic professionals. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had incredible success in every engagement. These brands have endured and continued to impact the technology sector. Each name informs the visual, digital, and strategic vision of its company.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was very effective. We've worked together for over 20 years and share our understanding and findings to create the ultimate name. 

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They are consummate professionals and exceptional at what they do.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, I can't think of anything. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the VP of partner marketing for automotiveMastermind. We are a SaaS company startup that develops behavior prediction analytics for the automotive industry.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what reason(s) did your company hire Catchword?

We wanted help developing a naming convention strategy framework for the company and its products and services.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to gain executive leadership consensus on the framework for naming now and in the future.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We did an internet search and explored several vendors. I really liked the case studies featured on the website.

Describe the project in detail.

We developed a naming convention and architecture.

What was the team composition?

I worked solely with Mark S. [Principal and Project Lead, Catchword], which was great.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Mark developed a fantastic presentation with a clear point of view. He presented their ideas very effectively to our executive team.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They have an excellent evolution and process.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They're very experienced and presented good ideas simply.