House of Who, Inc.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I worked at HP for 30 years before retiring in November 2019. As a Marketing Specialist within the company’s Personal Systems division, I was responsible for developing a unified approach to marketing strategies and initiatives. As a previous HP Naming Manager, I also managed and oversaw the naming process for multitudes of products and offerings. 

I worked side by side with House of Who and The Naming Group to update naming systems and generate new names for products within the Personal Systems portfolio. 

What challenge were you trying to address with the vendor?

House of Who and The Naming Group came on board to help HP on many projects that required strategy and name generation. In particular, they worked in the Personal Systems division, which I headed, to develop architecture recommendations and names for products such as laptops, security software, and workforces solutions. 

Working with House of Who and The Naming Group was invaluable for creating coherency around our complex portfolios of products. They were able to help us think through logistics and creative conundrums that we’re often just too busy and mired in to manage or see clearly. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Every project that we’ve brought to House of Who and The Naming Group required powerful strategy and amazing creative--and they always delivered on each one.

In particular, their emphasis on following a process of developing criteria for each project ensured a successful outcome every time. In turn, our teams have come to rely on them for a proven, consistent approach when we’ve been pressed for time or creative, or unsure about how to move forward.

Any time we’ve partnered with House of Who and The Naming Group, we first reached out with a call or email to share project details. A SOW was drafted and finalized before launching a formal meeting with our teams. 

Once they would gather all the initial project information and feedback from us, they’d develop and review with us criteria to shape their strategic and creative explorations.

Then they’d come back to us with their findings which usually includes strategic thinking, an analysis of relevant competitors, and a naming presentation. Their exact deliverables always reflected the unique needs of each project as well as each team they’d work with. They are ideal partners for our large company with its myriad needs.

What is the team composition?

Together, House of Who and The Naming Group are a small team of key players that are deeply experienced at every level of the brand process from account and project management to strategic and creative generation. They always work efficiently and collaboratively. 

How did you come to work with the vendor?

We first started working with House of Who because of our connection with The Naming Group. Together, these two agencies deliver a focused and strong process for both strategy and naming.

How much have you invested with them?

We worked together over two years and they continue to work with HP.

What is the status of this engagement?

Ongoing.

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

House of Who and The Naming Group really supported our teams to think outside the box by evaluating names through a specific set of criteria rather than our own personal processes or biases.

This encouraged us to think bigger and more creatively, ultimately bringing us to fresh names that better aligned with HP’s direction. 

How did the vendor perform from a project management standpoint?

Our projects always followed accelerated timelines, yet House of Who and The Naming Group consistently delivered on time with an abundance of clear communication, efficiency, and teamwork between their agencies and our company. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

House of Who and The Naming Group excel at getting inside the workings of the offerings and the minds of the customers to be able to more effectively communicate at a brand level.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Virtually all global brands have complex offerings that require a high level of strategic insight to manage. And HP is no different. When we work with outside agencies at a strategic and creative level, it’s essential that our partners understand the complexities of what we offer to be able to successfully do their jobs. 

Having House of Who and The Naming Group more deeply embedded in the workings of our portfolios can only help them make even stronger recommendations for naming systems and brand names in the future.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Claire Lachance, CEO

For what projects/services did your company hire House of Who, Inc.?

IONS was in need of a major refresh of our brand. Specific areas addressed include: Brand Strategy/Platform, Creative Strategy, Visual Brand Identity, Brand Personality, Verbal Identity & Voice, Messaging, Copywriting, Campaign Ideation.

What were your goals for this project?

Refresh the IONS brand to bring it up to date, appeal to new and current audiences alike, and set us up for greater mission impact and financial sustainability.

How did you select this vendor?

Competitive selection process involving multiple branding and communications agencies

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Item 1: Strategy Refinement Sprint Refine elements of the brand strategy platform. Work in close collaboration to quickly and accurately capture the essence and transform learnings into direction for creative expression, both verbal and visual. Item 2: Verbal Platform, Messaging, and Content Crystallize the verbal platform, capturing unique tone of voice, story, and messaging so current and future content creators for IONS can communicate confidently. Item 3: Design Support Refine visual identity and give direction for expression on the web. Using the existing visual identity and guidelines, House of Who made strategic design recommendations for visually expressing the IONS look and feel with both the refined strategy and messaging in mind, as well as the upcoming 50th anniversary for IONS. Campaign ideation and fundraising messaging review Lead a brainstorming workshop for campaign concept and copy ideation; create copywriting; review fundraising messaging; live brainstorm on strategy, create revised messaging, taglines, copy, concepts.

What was the team composition?

We worked with the House of Who founder, a lead strategist / creative director, a project manager, a designer, and a writer, depending on the phase of work. The IONS team included the CEO, Director of Development and Communications, key departmental leaders, and selected member of the IONS Board of Directors.

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

The branding strategy resulting from the House of Who engagement led to the following outcomes: 1. Complete overhaul and update of IONS visual brand, which was immediately incorporated into our new website and marketing materials. 2. New and fully "current" verbal platform, including key messages, tone, story, and more. 3. Staff and Board excitement for and alignment for IONS new branding and messaging. 4. Very enthusiastic response from IONS donors, partners, and other constituents. 5. Multiple and ongoing uses of the deliverables and tools developed by the House of Who.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was consistently professional, timely, collaborative, and fun. A key success factor was the very well-defined process and timeline, which made it efficient and effective for specific stakeholders to engage at the right time. In addition, the tools and summary presentations provided by the House of Who facilitated efficient feedback cycles.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Most impressive to our team was the ability of the House of Who to understand IONS work and our "essence" very quickly. This was not an easy task as IONS mission and core programs are unique and can be challenging to explain to newcomers. The House of Who Team was also gifted at translating "internal speak" to "external speak"--which has proven to be very useful. In addition, the team was consistently positive, professional, can-do, and committed to pushing our comfort zones.

Are there any areas for improvement?

As with all entities, there are always room for continued improvement. With the House of Who, there were no major areas of deficiency.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm a Product Marketing Manager in a Fortune 100 tech company

For what projects/services did your company hire House of Who, Inc.?

We engaged House of Who to strategize and build the brand architecture & nomenclature, naming for a new product category

What were your goals for this project?

• Think through and present recommendations on architecture, strategy and creative options for a new hardware product line
• Develop product and feature naming strategy

How did you select this vendor?

House of Who is a pre-approved vendor. We chose to work with them because of their proven ability to think creatively, strategically, and work quickly in prior projects with HoW.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Item 1: Brand Nomenclature House of Who reviewed the comprehensive brand architecture and nomenclature systems, taking into account wider brand considerations for the umbrella masterbrand. The process included Kickoff, Research, Strategy, Nomenclature and Naming example phases.

Item 2: Product & Feature Naming Based upon the nomenclature structure determined in the first item, House of Who explored new names and modifiers. The process included Kickoff, Communication Objective Definition, Product Naming Brief & Creative Naming.

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with the executive creative director/founder and a lead naming strategist, supported by a project manager and a lead namer/writer.

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

House of Who's strategy and product/feature naming strategy is being incorporated into our product launches for 2020+. The first step was actually executed with a product launch in 2019

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The House of Who team was a pleasure to work with -- thorough, thoughtful, and ingest and incorporate feedback well.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The whole team is clearly passionate and seasoned in what they do. I can always count on them for solid, strategic guidance. They're able to flex different creative muscles in order to solve really complex naming briefs.

Are there any areas for improvement?

n/a

Please describe your company and your position there.

SDL provides software and services for human understanding, helping 90 of the top 100 brands create, translate, and deliver content to their global customers. I am currently a Senior Director of Portfolio Marketing and was the Brand Manager during my interactions with House of Who.

For what projects/services did your company hire House of Who, Inc.?

We hired House of Who for a variety of Branding services: Brand Strategy, Brand Architecture & Nomenclature, Naming, Creative Strategy, Brand Personality, Visual Brand Identity, Verbal Identity & Voice, Guidelines, Copywriting, Consulting & Creative work.

What were your goals for this project?

SDL has some amazing clients, and they know we do great work--but many others didn't know our name. Further, the company went through significant changes at the end of 2015. In many ways, we weren't the same company we'd been for many years. Our goal was to rebrand in order to bring out the power of what we stood for and reintroduce ourselves to the world.

Goals: Elevate the SDL Brand. Prevent “commoditization” of our products and services. Help our brand stand out and be differentiated in the marketplace. Create an ownable positioning. Create a brand the CEO could be proud of with a great story to tell. Reflect that new positioning through voice, visuals and story.

How did you select this vendor?

I had worked with Shannon previously on a naming project, so I suggested her company to our CMO. Along with 2 other vendors selected by her, we were able to quickly determine that House of Who had the right mix of can-do attitude, competitive pricing, and sheer talent to deliver the results we wanted. The selection process was tightly controlled by myself, our head of Content Marketing, and our CMO. We all agreed unanimously that they were the best choice for the job.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

• I. Asterisk Naming Workshop ($875) • Work session for “mascot” naming/development; training for new brand voice; socialization ideation
• II. SDL Connect event copywriting ($5,250) • Copywriting for Connect article
• III. Annual report essay copywriting ($2,000)
• IV. Monthly retainer ($23,650) • Various brand related tasks, including brand consultation, content creative, writing
• V. Translation management naming ($29,282.50) • Trados, Tridion sibling • Full rush naming process for 1 coined platform name and 2 descriptive product names.
• VI. Rebrand ($91,000)

PHASE 1: Brand Audit & Strategic Rebrand documentation

1.  Editorial review*
2. Brand strategy platform creation*
3. Brand architecture/nomenclature audit*
4. Visual brand / identity design audit and recommendations*
5. Brand personality [to be part of retainer scope]

PHASE 2: Core Verbal & Visual assets

1. Visual Identity refresh [audit completed above]
2. Verbal identity refresh (brand voice creation)
3.  Full naming process for 1 product - @ $20k each

PHASE 3: Guidelines & other assets creation

1. Verbal guidelines
2.  Visual guidelines*
3.  Additional guidelines

What was the team composition?

We worked directly with a lead strategist and creative director on all aspects of the project, supported by a project manager, two designers, and a namer/writer.

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

Shannon and team always stressed their willingness to adapt their process to our business requirements. More importantly, they helped us focus on what truly mattered for such an important endeavor: finding our truth. It may sound a little corny, but brands live and die by getting this right. We knew we needed to restate who we were in a new and compelling way. HoW helped remind us what that truth was.

They worked with us to develop a complete messaging framework, a new logo, and even a naming nomenclature for new offerings that aligned with our new brand. As a result of their work, I can honestly say our brand has had a much greater impact and continues to resonate with our customers.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

House of Who was always receptive to our feedback and understood the subtleties of working with many different stakeholders within our organization. They knew when to dive deep versus when to keep things simple. Their communication was so effective that often times I was able to take their presentations to me and simply share them internally to a wider audience with little editing on my part.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to adapt quickly to our ever-changing needs, combined with a constant supply of creative energy. I knew I could count on them to help solve any problems we faced during the company rebrand.

Are there any areas for improvement?

No areas for improvement come to mind. I only wish they could help more companies realize their true brand potential.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Ashleigh Wilson, Founder & CEO

For what projects/services did your company hire House of Who, Inc.?

Brand Strategy.

What were your goals for this project?

I had a vision. I knew I needed an authentic brand, and I wanted to “do it right.” I was looking for branding and marketing that appeals to the customers in a way that isn’t too analytical. I had a sales strategy. I had a simple logo and tagline. I had somebody who can create the website. What I didn’t have is how to describe/ package that...the content of simplifying it into something that’s palatable and meaningful.

How did you select this vendor?

I found them searching online. I knew, based on their authentic & creative brand, that they would be able to help me find my authentic brand. Reviewing their website ‘I just knew’.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Item 1: Essential Brand Platform Deliverables: 1 Brand Platform Document (35-75 pages, PDF/PPT), including: Core Brand Strategy Mission Vision Brand Values Competitor Audit Analysis (up to 5) Whitespace 2x2 Analysis Value Proposition Differentiation Customer Personas Brand Pillars Brand Positioning Statement Brand Rallying Cry Creative Strategy Brand Archetype Brand Personality Brand Voice Verbal Brand Core Message Supporting Messages Brand Story Elevator Pitch Best Practices Brand Guidelines Document

What was the team composition?

Strategist = Ciana Wilson; Creative Director = Shannon DeJong; Project Manager = Liz Rhoades

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

It helped us move forward in building our team and creating our website.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was a seamless workflow. House of Who picked up the heavy lifting and ensured we were all trained and ready to integrate.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their ability to see me as a visionary, yet give the brand and company a life outside of my vision.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Team was exceptional. I wouldnt change a thing.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the VP of global brands and programs at a large telecommunications company. I oversee our global marketing campaigns, digital properties, events, content, and the brand.

For what projects/services did your company hire House of Who, Inc.?

We had an incredibly complex portfolio of products with little naming consistency.

What were your goals for this project?

To untangle our range of products, solutions, and various names from across our entire global portfolio of hardware and software. We needed a consistent system, differentiated from the market, and that was easy to use now and as we grow.

How did you select this vendor?

I was introduced to Shannon (Founder & CEO, House of Who, Inc.) by a mutual contact, and was immediately struck by her team’s ability to quickly grasp complex systems. We felt an affinity with them right away and appreciated that the company is woman-founded and owned.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

They sorted through our entire product portfolio and began by revising our current system, which was broken. After that, they set up a strategy for name selection and a system for us to use in the future when new products and services require names.

What was the team composition?

Shannon worked on the project, as well as two or three strategists.

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

They delivered—actually over-delivered—for us. The team worked through a complex process when a number of challenges came their way. We now have a naming system that brings consistency and cohesion to our existing portfolio and empowers us to effortlessly name new products and services as they come online.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It was excellent. They’re extremely responsive, thoughtful, and committed, which makes them easy to work with.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

There's incredible intelligence and firepower among their team. Many of our partners struggle to understand our business, but House of Who absorbed concepts extremely quickly. They asked questions we'd never even considered and opened our eyes to solutions we’d never have landed on otherwise.

Are there any areas for improvement?

There’s nothing; I love their name and logo.