Catchword

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the brand director for a global networking company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

We needed them to help us develop a product naming framework that would do two things: make the current product set more clear and coherent and send us to sort of a better place for the future product roadmap.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The first stage was figuring out where we were. Our product portfolio included a couple of different kinds of software as well as a hardware portfolio. They figured out the status of those items and where our current corporate transformation projects were headed in the future.

Then, they figured out where we wanted to end up and the most practical way to get there over time. A lot of it was shoulder-to-shoulder, joining us at an internal meeting or doing interviews with key stakeholders internally. We did various rounds of testing along the way. Either they executed it specifically, or we worked together on the design and then used our vendors or research tools.

What is the team composition?

We usually worked with two or three team members and had a main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

We did a Google search for the best naming companies in the US and they hit multiple top 10 lists. We went from there and narrowed it down to Catchword.

How much have you invested with them?

We expect to spend around $75000–$100000 per year.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in September 2018 and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Some of our products are in the market, which is a good sign that we’ve reached an internal alignment. We wouldn’t launch without external validation. We’ve received positive feedback from analysts.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management is very good and we’ve never had any issues. We communicated through email and had recurring team update meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They immediately assimilate into solving the problems our team is facing. They also maintain a balance between strategy and practicality. Product naming is difficult because you want to be 100 percent strategically on point, but you can never exactly do what you want to do because of tons of different constraints.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s helpful to think of them less as a product partner and more of a strategic partner. I wish we’d embedded them within our team more from the start. We found the idea of a discrete project was not the right approach. It’s better to embed them so they can help answer questions of future development and strategy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of GoSpotCheck. We’re a SaaS company that’s building a mobile application for mobile workers to capture data, complete tasks, and have access to a real-time reporting engine.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

Our name is very literal and tactical regarding our core product. We’re now expanding our product suite, and we wanted a parent identity that would incorporate all of our offerings and give us room to evolve.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Catchword led a purely naming project. They walked us through an elegant and easy-to-understand process and informed us of the expectations involved in each step. The team’s thorough approach assured us that we were in good hands.

We then had a working session every 1-2 weeks depending on where we were in the project. The first two sessions were spent getting to know our company. Catchword went through an enormous amount of materials, including presentations, investor letters, customer testimonials, sales decks, videos, and product demos. They then interviewed our founders to understand what makes our people tick. 

After that, they went through an iterative and well-defined process in each meeting. Catchword’s team presented a selection of names and the explanation, emotive sentiment, and branding opportunity behind each. We narrowed hundreds of names down to the best 20 from each batch, and we then further whittled it to a final selection. There was plenty of time for feedback at each step.

What is the team composition?

We interacted with two client-facing employees. They were there for every call and served as our points of contact. One owned the communication and day-to-day while the other became the creative lead. I’m not sure how many people worked behind the scenes on our project.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

We did an extensive search for a partner because we had a well-defined problem. We used an internal scoring system that examined an agency’s track record with similar projects and similar clients to us, their aesthetics and sensibilities, and our interactions with their employees. After considering a broad spectrum of organizations, we landed on Catchword. Their team showed a high level of expertise, responsiveness, and professionalism in every interaction. They’ve also worked with high-growth technology companies like us. These factors pushed us to select them.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $25,000–$50,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together March–June 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We have yet to implement the names for internal reasons, but we’re happy with the choices we landed on. We went in with high expectations, and Catchword’s work far exceeded them. Our collaboration was smooth as well; the team was easy to work with, responsive, and highly organized from start to finish. We couldn’t be happier with how the project went.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

We’ve worked with many outside agencies over the years, and it’s tough to find one that nails project management. Catchword stood out because they laid out the timeline in advance and stuck to it for every deadline. Communicative and deliberate, they supplied notes and agreed-upon dates after each meeting. We always knew when something was expected on our end, and we never felt that the team wasted our time. We track the project internally using Asana, but we mainly coordinated with Catchword using email and our calendar.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Catchword demonstrated incredible expertise in naming. Every name they offered had a story behind it. They walked us through the meaning behind each suggestion as well as the branding and marketing opportunities within. It was incredible well-thought out, which impressed me.

Are there any areas they could improve?

This is one of the easier and more impressive projects I’ve been a part of over the years. Catchword is highly professional and approachable. I can’t think of anything negative to say about them.

Any advice for potential customers?

Catchword is fantastic at listening. Share as much as you can about your business, vision, and goals, and they will be more effective at their jobs.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

SportsEngine is the leading provider of youth sports technology and sport relationship management solutions, serving millions of coaches, parents, athletes, clubs, and leagues. I lead the marketing, design, and content teams.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We hired Catchword for naming a new product.

What were your goals for this project?

In 2018, we expanded our capabilities to serve a broader customer base in youth sports, specifically software to serve studio and classroom-based sports. Working with a compressed schedule, we needed a new name for the product launch.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I worked with Catchword at my previous company when I put them in charge of renaming a product lineup. I had a fantastic experience. During the RFP process, I also found them to be an overall excellent value.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We provided Catchword with an overall brief that outlined the market dynamics and our overall objectives. After grasping the market and landscape, they began the process of producing a detailed consultation on various naming approaches, finding the pros and cons of each. From there, their team conducted an extensive audit of potential names and shortlists of recommendations. Catchword worked closely with our executive and research teams, even hosting focus groups, to iterate back and forth until landing on a desired course of action.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with a client manager who brought in team members and experts as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had a fantastic experience working with Catchword. We met sales goals, and the market response was positive.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow between our teams was excellent. Catchword was responsive and deadline-driven.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Catchword is knowledgeable and cost-effective, offering outstanding customer service. They’re adaptable in how they tailor their scope of work, depending on what internal resources are available.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I highly recommend Catchword. Our experience was fantastic.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the co-founder that helped run Method for around 18 years. Method is a firm that does a range of work involving branding in product and service design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

We hired Catchword many times to work with our clients and had also pitched projects with them. One time, we utilized their team to work on a naming project for a Netflix competitor under Canada’s largest telecommunications provider.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

In most of these projects, we’ve done a mix of product innovation work where we figure out what the product is, how it works, what features it has, and what’s the brand and naming behind it. After that, we figure out details like UX/UI. We frequently brought Catchword in as a partner for the naming components. For the telecommunications provider, we needed naming for a product that would be international and work across a range of languages.

Catchword creates a structure around their naming process. Naming can be subjective. It’s hard to get people to agree and respond in a way that goes beyond what they like and dislike. They don’t only give a list of words but provide a justification behind each one and how they tie back to agreed-upon strategic goals.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with between two to five people. There may have been times where others were contributing that I wasn’t aware of. I’ve dealt with the same points of contact. Catchword has had a stable staff for 15 years.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

After being in the business long enough, people know the key players. I probably found out about Catchword through a mix of word of mouth and someone referring them. I’ve always found their pricing reasonable and their process impeccable. They’ve worked on large-scale complex naming projects, and with clients internationally. They’re a mid-sized company with big company skills and expertise.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our engagement with Catchword began in 2013.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All the naming we’ve done with them has tested quite well. Clients and our internal teams end up with a lot of satisfaction. Catchword makes engagements fun and productive while maintaining direction. Other consultants can circle around and around because it’s hard for people to find the best criteria for deciding. They’re a pleasure to work with and are always exude a high-level of professionalism.

Catchword systematically structures their process by coming up with a number of creative options. Every time I’ve worked with them, their team has created hundreds, if not thousands, of names and always delivers contextualized options to clients. They’ve done hugely successful naming projects for big and small companies. We’ve never left an engagement with them without feeling fantastic about their work.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management style is excellent. We’ve always communicated through phone and email. When we’ve needed them to try our internal tools, their team has used Basecamp, Slack, and Smartsheet.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Catchword can produce a large volume of high-quality and creative names that are well-validated. It’s a highly collaborative and creative process that’s well-grounded in strategy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. There’s nothing I would ask them to do differently.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would advise anyone doing naming work to be clear about what goals they have and what success looks like for their projects.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner and CEO of Elmundo Consulting. We work in branding, as well as with naming, logos, and evaluations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword Branding?

They’re our longtime partner for large global projects. We’re naming experts ourselves, but markets differ from each other, which can lead to issues, so we needed help on some projects, as well as consulting services.

They’re quite specialized, and they have a talented creative team. I work in many different countries, and we have creative teams in Europe as well, but Catchword’s output has always been the best.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve gone to Catchword for brand and name evaluations, as well as marketing matters. We sometimes focus on quantity and ask them for an output of 100–200 names.

At the beginning of a global branding project, I typically have a discussion with the client, then bring in Catchword for creative work. I give them a creative brief, always working over the phone. After I provide any relevant additional information, and they work on the project on their end. We have to do multiple evaluations during a naming project, for legal and negative linguistic checks. The end client ultimately decides on the final shortlist.

What is the team composition?

Maria (Principal and Creative Director, Catchword Branding) and Laurel (Strategist, Catchword Branding) are our main contacts. There have been some changes to the team over the 10–15 years since we started working with Catchword, but we’re always in touch with one person. I believe there are 5–6 people working for us.

How did you come to work with Catchword Branding?

I wanted to work with a US company to bring a more American point of view. They have high-quality output and have never disappointed me. In comparison, I work with several other agencies in Europe and the US, and sometimes we have nothing to present to the client.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Catchword in 2005.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our clients have been very satisfied with the names, and I’m also satisfied with Catchword’s output. I will be continuing to work with them on branding projects. We couldn’t have got to where we are without them.

How did Catchword Branding perform from a project management standpoint?

They deliver quickly, sometimes in 2–3 days, and are never late. Occasionally, we’ve worked with multiple timelines, and they’re always reliable. I really appreciate their commitment to time and quality. They never surprised me in a bad way and it’s a pleasure to work with them.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their creativity is the most impressive. They’re a really good agency with a lot of expertise.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

It’s really worth it to work with them. They always have a surprising view, and we’ve never been disappointed.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the CEO of a company developing an integrated solution for the optimization of oil and gas wells based on IoT edge devices. They run artificial intelligent software based on a physics model.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

Before we received too much press, we needed to find a suitable name for our business that would be usable/pronounceable in various languages. We also wanted to avoid names with negative connotations or trademark availability issues.

What were your goals for this project?

We set out to find a short, memorable name with a tone that fit our services.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We conducted interviews with a few agencies. Catchword was reasonable and presented a straightforward budget. They also had many reviews on Clutch. In discussions with Mark (Principal, Catchword), we saw they had a good understanding of the international trade market.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

To start, Catchword asked us to describe our company's objective in detail to better understand our future clients and the overall image we wanted to convey. They came back with a detailed set of notes summarizing their findings. Then, they proposed a first set of names, presenting them during an interactive session to give us the reasoning behind each. From that list, we selected a dozen to do more research on to identify possible conflicts.

What came out as viable options didn’t strike us as right for our company. Mark agreed to make another selection with more precise guidelines as to what we were looking for. We liked the new list more and a selected half a dozen for our IP lawyer to conduct a detailed international trademark screening on. We then chose from among the four remaining candidates.

What was the team composition?

We solely interfaced with Mark, who was our only contact with the creative and research teams.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

All our employees have endorsed that name, and we feel proud of it. While the second round increased the time to find a name and delayed other internal activities (corporate image development, UX design) we’re very appreciative of Catchword’s willingness to find a name we felt really comfortable with. We plan on using them again to brand our products as they come out.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Mark is great to work with and knows how to filter ideas between the client's team and his experts.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their willingness to go the extra mile to make sure we were totally satisfied was outstanding.

Are there any areas for improvement?

I wouldn’t change a thing about what they did. They demonstrated they were willing to work with a start-up and did a great job.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the leadership content lead for the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

Our name is a bit of a mouthful, so we wanted to rebrand our company and also come up with a different name for our training initiative. We wanted it to reflect the agency and leadership of our participants, portraying them as experienced learners and not empty vessels.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had lengthy conversations with Catchword to explore new directions and avenues that would provide more clarity and understanding around our organization and services. We sent them an email describing what kind of traits we wanted associated with our name, then we had a detailed discussion around the ideas, philosophy, and feelings we wanted for the rebrand. They listened and asked great questions that made us consider numerous alternatives and identify high-level themes for the company.

After that, they then created a presentation that highlighted the top names and connected them to our local context, possible taglines, and preliminary trademark and website research. They also provided a longer list of alternative names if we didn’t like the top ones they’d chosen. That gave us a good feel for the different brand attributes that would come with each option.

Beyond the name, they also sent a massive list of different terminology we could use to describe our training program. They provided words like “leadership journey,” “residency,” and “touch points” that we can use instead of “training” to better reflect what we hope our end clients will get out of our service. We frequently consult that list whenever we need to describe the program.

What is the team composition?

We worked with two people, one of which was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

They came highly recommended by a close colleague. We looked at their profile and had a positive initial exchange, so we hired them.

What is the status of this engagement?

The partnership lasted from November 2018–March 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our team is extremely happy with the list of names and new terminology. We have a final selection process for the end of May to determine our official new name.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

We had a few face-to-face meetings and video conferences, but we mainly communicated over email. Their PowerPoint was detailed and self-explanatory, and Catchword followed up to make sure we understood everything. They consistently offered help and were willing to navigate us through their findings as many times as we needed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re a wonderful team of great listeners who are creative and have an efficient workflow. They have lots of experience and provide incredible insights into the branding process. Instead of coming in with preconceived notions, they listened to what we wanted and took it to the next level.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have any suggestions for how they could improve.

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

Trust them because they know what they're doing.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a US Brand Manager at PwC. I manage naming and messaging efforts across all parts of the business to ensure the way we go to market is cohesive, consistent, and strategic.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We engage Catchword primarily for descriptive naming projects, including B2B offerings for different parts of the business. I also work with them to create naming POVs to help reinforce our methods when deciding on names at PwC.

What were your goals for this project?

During naming projects, we hope to present names that meet our creative guidelines and sound appealing to stakeholders and their clients. For the naming POVs, we hope to rally people around the importance of descriptive naming through compelling explanations and real-world examples.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

The engagement with Catchword began before I joined the team, so I am unsure of the selection process.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

For every naming project, Catchword joins the briefing calls with the stakeholders, and they ask a variety of questions that help them understand the strategic and creative parameters of the name. Their team spends 1–2 weeks generating names, which they send to us in an Excel file. Our team shortlists the ones we like, and Catchword screens those names for direct internal or external conflicts. Once we have a list of names to present, Catchword pulls the names into a presentation, complete with a recap of the initial briefing call as well as the strategic rationale for each name. Depending on the project, they may also join the presentation call and present the names themselves. Sometimes, a second round is required, and they'll run the second round of generation as well.

What was the team composition?

Mark (Principal/Project Lead, Catchword) and Laurel (Senior Strategist, Catchword) are our main points of contact. They work with a team that helps with name generation, but I haven’t met any of those members.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Success is demonstrated when our clients are excited by the descriptive naming options that Catchword generates. This is often the case when it comes to our presentations.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Catchword is very communicative throughout the process, so we always feel comfortable and confident that the projects are moving along smoothly on their end. They're quick to get in touch if they have any questions along the way, which ensures alignment between our teams and prevents any last-minute confusion. We've never had an issue with deadlines, as they're almost always able to flex and work with our timelines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

What stands out the most is their ability to turn descriptive naming into something that our stakeholders can get excited about. They also create extensive lists of names after having thoroughly explored all angles of an offering's possible name.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, they’ve been very successful so far.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I’m the VP of Product for a startup diagnostics company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We hired Catchword to help our company rebrand and create a new name.

What were your goals for this project?

We set out to find a new name that reflected our company's mission, aspirations, and values.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I identified five potential vendors after sorting through personal referrals and Clutch reviews. Based on the vendor’s previous healthcare experience, naming process, quote, and apparent chemistry with my company, I chose Catchword.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with an introductory call with one of their principals. I described our objectives for the project in great detail and provided the team with context about the nature of our company, what we were trying to achieve in the market, and additional information about our market landscape/competitors.

That was followed up by a formal project kick-off call where we explored the boundaries of what we were interested in. Three weeks later, the company presented a set of 10 names they liked most, along with 70 additional names they thought we might want to consider. There was also some follow-up work to determine trademark availability and explore certain naming themes more deeply.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with their principal/project lead daily. This person was supported by 3–4 additional professionals.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Catchword came up with a name that everyone on my team loved. The name came with high risk from a trademark standpoint, but we worked with our legal team and Catchword to find variants that kept the spirit of the name intact while reducing the risk of infringing on existing trademarks. It was an excellent outcome, and we’re moving forward with that name as the foundation of our rebranding effort.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was highly effective. It was clear that Catchword had done this countless times before, yet the process felt tailored to our needs and the branding considerations specific to the healthcare industry.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I found it very easy to work with the Catchword team. Their responsiveness to our feedback and requests was exceptional. Additionally, the creativity they showed in the breadth and depth of naming candidates was excellent.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No, not that I experienced. I’ll definitely work with the Catchword team again.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and creative director of Independent Design Agency. We primarily work with B2B and nonprofit clients in a range of industries.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

One of our clients hired us to create a brand, and they hired Catchword to create a name for the same business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Catchword created hundreds of names throughout the process. They worked to produce ideas from scratch. The potential names fell into various categories that related to our branding efforts. Once the client narrowed down their selection to the best options, Catchword did the legal trademark searches to clear the choices for the final selection.

What is the team composition?

Mark (Principal, Catchword) was the lead on the project.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

The client partnered us together for the engagement, so we didn’t have a part in the selection process. We had heard of Catchword because they have a good reputation in the industry.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from April–June 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The client was thrilled with the name Catchword produced. The options were all terrific and aligned with the direction our branding efforts were going. The name was easy to create logos and other materials around, so we were delighted with the work they did.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

They were great. Having a set schedule and specific deadlines made the project run smoothly. They delivered everything on time. Although some projects between naming and branding companies can feel separate, they included us in the process and kept us informed.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Catchword showed a broad understanding of branding which is essential during naming efforts. They made the collaboration run efficiently and provided our client with a seamless experience. Their services brought value to the project as a whole.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Off the top of my head, I can’t think of anything for them to improve.