Catchword

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As the co-owner of an interior design and construction company, I take part in strategic planning and oversee the design team. We create beautiful designs for residential and commercial upgrades and new construction.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We hired them to help us brand our new establishment in Tampa. We are expanding to a 20,000-square-foot design center in the coming year.

What were your goals for this project?

Our biggest challenge was developing a name that suited our multi-trade design and installation core business model. We needed something that sounded high-end but not pretentious; professional but not intimidating. It had to be easy to understand but not too simplistic.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We went through a number of branding agencies over the course of several months. Eventually, we were referred to Catchword through our interior designer. We chose them because they had a defined, result-driven approach to name development and branding. They also had an incredible portfolio of many brand and product names, which we recognized and liked.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with a series of scoping calls and a questionnaire to help them gain a strong understanding of our business model, goals, the target market for the design center, and much more. From this, they selected several hundred words and proposed 75 names that they felt best suited what we covered in our original scoping sessions. They offered more names a week later. After more refinement, clarification, and surveying, we made our final choice.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with a partner of the firm, who was also our primary contact point. This simplified the process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are very satisfied with our ultimate selection. Since we have examined every angle, we feel confident that the name truly represents the image and branding we want to promote.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The process was highly organized. They were very responsive and hit each target on the original timeline we agreed to. When issues arose, they were proactive in rescheduling or reaching a solution quickly so we could stay on target.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We were impressed by Mark’s (Partner, Catchword Branding) approach and personal attention to our project. It was evident that he worked as hard as possible to ensure we were satisfied each step of the way.

Are there any areas for improvement?

None. They were true professionals who undoubtedly set the standard for this type of work.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Key Creative is an independent naming agency in Germany. I’m the managing director.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

I have a constant business challenge to create names that work on a global scale and are suited for the American markets.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I’ve worked with them for several tasks. They create and find names specially adapted to global and American needs. They also provide creative input for my European projects. I don’t give the whole project to Catchword. Rather, I do the project for my clients, and then I integrate Catchword into my process. They usually supply me with strategy insights and creative input, especially with name creations. In the later stage of the project, they help me select names according to cultural and linguistic criteria. They’ve had creative input on about 15 projects so far.

What is the team composition?

I mainly work with Maria [Principal & Executive Creative Director, Catchword].

How did you come to work with Catchword?

I worked with Catchword in the previous agency I worked for. When I founded my own agency, I addressed their founder at that time to see if she wanted to team up with me. We met in London and set up a partnership. It continued with Laurel [Strategist, Catchword] and then Maria.

How much have you invested with them?

Less than $500,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2005 and the work is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Last year I put them in touch with a client of mine who had a cultural research issue for the U.S. market. They worked together and the project was completed within one week and was very successful. They’re my best partner.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

They’re very good. They have ideas about how we can do a task, we agree on how we do it, and then everything is fulfilled in a very reliable manner. They have a good concept and strategy. I can always rely on them to do something on time.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They have an extremely good understanding of what I tell them, and not every person or agency does understand me. They have a great way of digging into your thoughts and getting to what you want. I can rely on them 100%. With the cultural stuff, I didn’t know how to go about it and neither did the client. We only knew we had a problem. Catchword immediately came up with a very good solution.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could work in the same time zone as I am. Other than that, they work really well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Italian partner of Global Naming Network (GNN), which is an international group specializing in brand naming and verbal branding. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

I had to create the name of a product that would be targeting U.S. markets primarily. I needed a qualified naming partner in the U.S. who knew the market well and had experience in name creation, linguistics, and social behaviors and trends connected to colloquial language use.

What were your goals for this project?

I needed to come up with a short list of names that could be pronounced easily and appreciated by young people.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

GNN highly recommended Catchword because of their skills in this industry.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Catchword created a list of names according to my brief that summarized all the documents for the project. From my end, I handled the creative process in two consecutive steps. After my client validated the results, I focused on specific word roots and gave Catchword a more concentrated brief.

What was the team composition?

Two people worked on name creation, and two others performed linguistic checks on the list of names.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Catchword provided concrete suggestions and cautions about names, words, and linguistic roots that may suit a non-American but do not work well for other English-speaking groups because of possible mispronunciations. The team also helped me consider the impact of different words on ethnic minorities who may have interpreted certain names in a negative way.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Since I was in a hurry, we had to coordinate deadlines precisely despite the time difference.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I appreciate their expertise in linguistics, deep knowledge of phonetic rules and exceptions, awareness of differences among ethnic minorities, and language pronunciation and usage capabilities.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Sometimes, Skype conferences could not be arranged due to the short time period and because of our time difference. However, this was partly caused on my side.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm head of branding, marketing, and innovation for a group of insurance companies.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Catchword?

We needed to name a new fintech company and a new family of digital products.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to generate and secure names that aligned with our brand and business strategy. They needed to be differentiated and ownable.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We were referred to Catchword.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Catchword received our brand strategy and naming brief. They distilled it into a very focused internal brief. They generated hundreds of names and ran preliminary trademark searches. Lastly, they presented final recommendations with a rationale for each.

What was the team composition?

The team had a cross-disciplinary team of creative business thinkers. We view names as critical business assets. For us, it's not just a creative wordsmithing exercise, we are truly concerned about the outcome and finding names for our clients that wow them as much as their customers, and that are available as trademarks that they can use and protect.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Naming is likely the trickiest sub-discipline in branding, where a lot of money and time can be spent with little results. Catchword delivered high-quality naming recommendations that merged our strategic and creative objectives and allowed us to stay on track with the launch of our new company and family of products.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The work was very effective and efficient, with a limited number of high-quality interactions. It was a pleasure to work with them. Overall, they are fast working, energetic, and enthusiastic. They are responsive, and a pleasure to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Catchword was a pleasure to work with from the start. The key things that impressed me were: their incisive and thoughtful discovery phase where they sought to understand in detail the market, business, and brand context and understand the naming territories we were open to pursuing, their speed and ability to turn around high-quality work in a short time frame,  the team's intellect, enthusiasm and professionalism, and the naming deliverables meeting our expectations from a strategic and creative standpoint to help activate our brand strategy.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Absolutely nothing. I look forward to engaging Catchword in other branding projects and get exposed to their broader capabilities.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We're Enlisted Design, an agency based out of Oakland, California. We’re primarily focused on brand and product development, as well as packaging design.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

We partner with Catchword to develop naming for clients who have an international focus. They're absolute specialists at what they do.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

With naming, it's very important to clearly articulate the process to the client. Catchword excels here, conducting several detailed rounds of interviews to ensure they understand the client’s brand and provide a sense of transparency.

They help us navigate a complex consumer space by guaranteeing our names are ownable from both a legal and mindshare perspective.

What is the team dynamic?

I usually work directly with their client services director, Kristen Pembroke, as my primary point of contact. I've also worked with Leena Mehta [Project Director, Catchword].

How did you come to work with Catchword?

They have an excellent reputation. We both work in the Bay Area, and we initially contacted them because of their proximity to our offices. After our first meeting, we were thrilled to know a quality naming agency worked so close to us. It's possible to do naming remotely, but face-to-face contact is always valuable.

They're also lovely people. It can be difficult to collaborate with some agencies because of high egos and proprietary thinking, but Catchword is grounded, professional, and values working as a team.

How much have you invested with them?

Between $50,000–100,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We first started working together in November, 2016 and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We’re currently working on our second project together and we’ve had nothing but success. Partnering with Catchword guarantees an effective solution for our client.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

While Catchword is a creative agency, their organizational skill is one of their greatest strengths. They’re consistently transparent about scheduling and provide detailed notes after meetings. This clarity of structure helps ensure the project moves at an efficient pace.

What did you find most impressive about them?

With naming, most agencies tend to specialize. Catchword, however, has a core team that relies on an extended network, enabling them to provide service with a greater breadth. They’re able to adapt and tailor resolutions to the job at hand.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I honestly can't think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential clients of Catchword?

For anyone working with a naming agency, you really have to trust and follow the process. It's the only way to reach a resolution.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the chief strategy officer at Enhancv. I take on projects with a huge impact on the company such as our pricing research and strategy, introducing Jobs-To-Be-Done and Kanban as best practices, evaluating our current brand perception and creating our repositioning and rebranding strategy.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

After our brand perception survey, we identified a number of problems with our name and the perception of the brand among our own users. We decided to do a complete rebranding, starting with the name. This effort will be followed by a complete rebranding and is a critical part of our repositioning efforts.

Our goals were to reposition our brand and change the perception about our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We provided a detailed brief with objectives, criteria, how we are perceived and where we want to be positioned (along with data from the brand perception survey). We gave Catchword a history of the company, an explanation of our products, and basically everything they could think of.

First, we had an intro call where we both presented ourselves. The second call went more into depth of the brief - think about it as a debrief. Catchword really appreciated the detailed brief and dug into it seriously, unlike many other agencies.

Once we selected Catchword as our provider, we started with a discovery conversation on what type of name we were looking for, including the way it has been composed - whether we wanted a made-up word or a real word or a mix, etc. Then we had the first round of names where we spotted a lot of great names. Its purpose was more to get a feel of what we relate to or not. The second round of names was even more on brief. Then we shortlisted the names to ones that our team liked.

We then did a comprehensive legal screening of those names. After that, we did a linguistic and cultural screening. At the end, we did an exploration of the domains. Now, we are filing for trademark registration. The next step will be for Catchword to create a tagline for us.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked directly with Mark [Skoultchi, Principal, Catchword] on the naming. We didn't interact with the rest of his creative team. I liked that because he's the unique combination of a creative and business mind. Leena [Mehta, Project Manager, Catchword] is a cultural and linguistic expert and we worked directly with her on that component of the naming process.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

I evaluated the naming agencies on the market. I reached out to eight agencies in the US and Europe. I had calls with seven of them. At the end, I had two shortlisted and picked Catchword as they were a culture fit for us. We appreciated the way they talked, formed pricing, and the way they managed our anxiety that we might end up not finding a name.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They created 2,000+ names. Of those, they had shortlisted about 50 in the first round and about 70 in the second round. Our group of decision makers (three co-founders, our Creative Director, and me) liked 15 of those. Then we shortlisted five that went for full legal evaluation. Then we picked two names for cultural and linguistic screening. This week we are filing one of those names, plus a variation of it for trademark registration in the US. Now they are working on a tagline for us.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

We stuck to the timing they had presented with no delays and that was due to the smooth and effective communication we had.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The patience and respect they had towards us was the most impressive part of working with Catchword. They valued our business. We felt appreciated and heard. That's how they succeeded in meeting our business needs.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Blair Hall Advisors, LLC is a private wealth management firm. I am the managing partner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

As we were forming, we needed to choose the name of the firm.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We did a “beginning-to-end” naming project to pick the name of our firm.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked primarily with one member of the creative team, and a few other team members contributed behind the scenes.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

I’d known of Catchword’s work and reputation for many years. The creative director/head of the firm, Maria Cypher, went to the same business school as I did. We were a year apart and her reputation among my classmates and hers was outstanding.

How much have you invested with them?

Our project cost in the low tens of thousands of dollars.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project was nicely quick, taking just several weeks to complete.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

The result was our firm name. We have been incredibly happy with it. The name has a good “story,” a nice “feel,” and we like how it looks and sounds. It has supported our fast, high-quality growth.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was excellent. Whatever tools were used were behind the scenes and did not impose on us at all.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are among the very best business partners we have ever worked with. Catchword is extremely committed to quality, energetic, responsive, thoughtful, original, and diligent. The engagement was exactly what we were hoping for and more. We even looked at about 400 different names in our small project.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I have no constructive criticism at all. Catchword should just continue doing things as they have been.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of innovation for a large, privately-held, processed meat brand. We are in the process of introducing a new snack.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

We developed an innovative, meat-based snack product. It’s currently still in development and I’m not at liberty to discuss details, but I can say that the product line will be an alternative to other protein snacks and convenient snack options. We engaged with Catchword to develop a range of name options for it.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We asked them to create a new brand name. Catchword went through a wonderful process which got us a fast, high-quality list of alternative names. We were happy with the results, and have been able to take a number of them to tests.

We had multiple meetings, and Catchword was meticulous in setting up an initial one for understanding the scope of the project. They asked a lot of good questions and had at least 2 follow-up conversations where they gave us advice on how to interpret the results. Catchword also helped me pick which ones should be tested.

We worked with Mark [Principal & Project Lead, Catchword] primarily, but there was a whole team in the backend. They offered to provide other marketing services, but we didn’t need anything else.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

I looked at a number of agencies online. Out of all the options, Catchword’s process best matched what we were looking for. They were also responsive, and more importantly, were a branding-focused agency, not just doing naming work as a sideline.

How much have you invested with Catchword?

The cost of their work was in the lower end of $10,000 to $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with Catchword in May 2017. The project took two weeks to complete.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We have identified approximately 40 great names to test with our consumers. The amount and quality of creative work developed by the Catchword team have just completely exceeded our expectations. When we made the decision to hire a naming agency, we expected to discover some new and creative name ideas that we couldn’t conceive internally, but we never thought we’d complete this process with scores of unique, exciting, and clever brand names for our product line. Put simply, the Catchword team has blown us away.

We have actually gone through 3 rounds of testing with a Nielsen testing program in order to narrow options down to a final name. Out of that, we’ve received several very good scores.

What did you find most impressive about Catchword?

Catchword was extremely accommodating, developing a customized process to address our constrained timeline. Working in a way that I understand is unconventional for them, they completed 2 quick rounds of naming work in just over a week and walked us through their preferred ideas providing expert perspective and rationale for their recommendations. They were extremely responsive, a pleasure to work with, and clearly dedicated to the success of our project.

Mark has remained available to us and is willing to provide additional thoughts and guidance as we take the new name down the path. He has gone above and beyond what the contract called for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Thermostat is a brand design consultancy. Our expertise is in emotive brand identity and package design for start-ups to industry leaders. We help our clients craft brand stories and bring them to life in retail, online, work, and home settings. We create market shifts and brand advocates.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

Catchword and Thermostat teamed up to create a new brand for a leading e-commerce company that was looking to launch a new service and offering. Initially, the company would do so under the parent brand, and then eventually the brand would live on its own. The new brand was meant to be more lifestyle focused, targeting a higher net worth shopper. This shopper wanted to find deals on exciting products for themselves or for giving and sharing with friends. At the same time, the brand still had to be fun, exciting, and relevant to many.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When Catchword presented the names for this company, there were many good options. A few stood out and the client had a hard time deciding which ones to move forward with into the final stage. Catchword helped them through this process so that they made a strategic decision, instead of having a beauty contest. The resulting name was great and opened up so much opportunity for the identity. It was simple, unique, yet familiar. The name helped us create a story and visual cues that led to a fun and exciting identity.

Throughout the project, Catchword worked with the client with their brand naming process. They kept us updated and involved, and we received relevant information. Therefore, we had a seamless transition when they finished their work and it became our turn to create the identity. It was as if we were one company.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have worked with Catchword on other projects. They have always been key in starting the foundation for building a strong brand identity through their creative brand naming and strategy work.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We have worked with Catchword on a few projects. We are always amazed at the brand names they come up with and the strategic thinking behind them. Every experience with their Oakland or New York office has been a pleasure. They are a great group of people to work with. While working with Catchword on these projects, we have also learned a lot about the legal and registration hurdles that a brand must go through. They also handle those concerns.

What did you find most impressive about Catchword?  

The projects we have worked on with Catchword names have always been a great springboard for our work. Catchword comes up with names that are emotive, thoughtful, and surprising, which make us excited to work on these brands.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Prudent Pedal is a strategic marketing consultancy that provides counsel to medium and large professional services firms. We engaged Catchword to develop a naming strategy and platform name for a large financial services client of ours.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Catchword?

Our client was rolling out a risk management platform that combines the industry’s largest risk information database, deep analytics, fully integrated applications, industry leading collaboration tools, and a revolutionary information network. The challenge was twofold: first, to develop a future-proof strategy for naming the platform and its component parts and, second, develop a dynamic, actionable brand name that pairs well with the company name, a lockup with the corporate moniker being the likely brand architecture.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Catchword led Prudent Pedal and our client’s senior executives through an extremely thorough and exciting name exploration that included a thoughtful naming strategy phase, two rounds of extensive name development, and multiple presentations of work product. It was a truly inspired and stimulating process that combined solid naming strategy and creative ideation, ultimately providing our client with a wide range of original, unexpected platform name ideas.

How did you come to work with Catchword?

I only work with professional services firms through referrals. A friend of mine came to work at our company and he had worked with Catchword when he worked at McDonald's. He recommended them hands down. I called Mark Skoultchi when I was with Genworth Financial and I immediately liked him. He was straightforward and laid out a process that was very clear and succinct. What I really liked about him and why I chose to work with him was because he asked great questions and tried to understand what I was trying to achieve as a CMO instead of just giving me the answers. He was very deliberate in understanding our business and did that before we even signed a contract. I subscribe to the idea of "how you sell me is how you serve" and he was definitely that way.

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted two months. Catchword was every bit as good as I thought they would be.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The name was not something we set out to measure. It was much more qualitative in that we needed to determine if we liked it, if it was different and catchy, and if it fit into our brand architecture. That was the way we evaluated what was presented.

How did Catchword perform from a project management standpoint?

They were excellent. Mark did a phenomenal job. They lay out the process really well and you get exactly what you would expect. This project was exceptionally well managed because even though it was a larger project, Mark jumped right in and understood how I was working with the client. He was a great partner in that regard. The client was a big organization and there were questions around who the players were and how the name was going to fit in with the corporate side of things. Mark factored that into the project management about building consensus and managing downside risk. It was really good. He was on time and on budget. I don't have any complaints.

What did you find most impressive about Catchword?

I would highly recommend Catchword to any company needing brand name development services of either a strategic or creative nature. Their process is the ideal combination of smart naming strategy and tremendous creativity. And, their unique approach to name ideation (which they call “Quantitative Creativity”) leads to literally thousands of name options, from which they present you with only the most outstanding names from their generation. It practically guarantees that the names you review with them will be unique, interesting, eye-opening and compelling. And, they really take the time to understand their client’s business, including its market, customers, product portfolio, and overall business and branding objectives for the brand. Because of this, the names they come up with are not just super interesting, clever and “creative”, they’re truly suitable–names that really make sense for your brand.

Lastly, their team is a complete pleasure to work with. They're friendly, easy-going, collaborative, and very client-centric. They seem to really care about the project outcome and their client’s satisfaction with the work, including the process and the resulting name ideas.

Are there any areas Catchword could improve?

I've never met Mark in person. All of our work has been over the phone but I've formulated such a great relationship over the phone that I have no hesitancy whatsoever to recommend them. I tell people that even though he's located in New York, they don't have to worry about that. It's flawless. There's no need to worry about the expense of travel and other agency fees. Mark just gets it done from his office which is really cool.