River + Wolf

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the head of brand for a jewelry company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

We were launching a new brand and needed help coming up with a set of ideas. We also needed help screening them from a legal perspective because we were thinking of launching a brand that would be global and remarkable across all those different regions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

River + Wolf helped us come up with names. We gave them a brief regarding the brand positioning and the objectives we wanted to achieve. We told them the 3–4 areas we wanted the brand to be in, and they used that as a starting point to iterate names.

We had three different phases of work. They came back with several propositions, and we gave feedback on what was going in the right direction. We then had a second and third round of feedback.

What is the team composition?

Margaret, the founder and CCO, was our only contact. I know there was a team working with her, but we only worked with her.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

Some colleagues in the US team referred them to me. I had also been looking at specialist naming companies across the web and came across them. They were well-established, and we wanted an agency that specialized in naming. We didn't want a global agency that did many other things and naming on the side.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from November 2024 to January 2025.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We did some quantitative testing with four names in the US. We used a company that looked at emotional responses and had a methodology to help us pick the best name. We got great results with the names. Some of the names we put into testing were coming from them because this is a very strategic project, and some of them had surfaced before on the market, and it was interesting for us to put in again.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered the work on time and budget. We were on a tight schedule, so we didn’t have time to use any project management tools. We used emails and Teams. We appreciated that they were super reactive and client-focused. We went very fast, and they understood the brief and got going. They were quite flexible as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were very creative. They responded to the brief and listened to the client. They didn't go off on a tangent and find names outside of what we needed. They understood what would crack the solution for us and looked into those particular areas.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. We had an outstanding collaboration. As I said, what was really important for me was that there was super flexible, super fast, they really understood the brief and came back with things that were on the brief, and they were very proactive and went over and beyond what we'd asked. Sometimes, they would come back with ideas that we would be interested in. They were quite iterative, very proactive, and went over the scope of work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They did a really good job. Margaret is very cultured, so she can think broadly about different things.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm an executive of Innovative Conscious Trading.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

We needed help with naming our brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had 4–5 sessions with  River + Wolf and exchanged countless emails. The process went through three major stages. In the last stage, they provided several of names, and we chose from them. After that, we moved on to the final stage, where we picked a name from all the names they suggested.

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with Margaret. We also worked with at least three other people along the process.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

We found them through Clutch.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $10,000–$49,999.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together in December 2024.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

River + Wolf did an outstanding job. They even overdelivered. Their work was a 10 out of 10.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

Everything was appropriately structured, and they met all the deadlines. We mainly communicated through emails and used Asana, but they were also very quick on the phone. They opened up all their channels for us.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review?

Margaret was outstanding and exceptionally talented.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their passion was impressive. They loved what they were doing. They went out of their way to help us understand every step of the project. The communication was incredibly excellent. Margaret specifically was a game changer; she was an exceptional talent and knew what she was doing. River + Wolf's work was fantastic.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I wouldn't change anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Do your due diligence before working with them. Think about many names in advance and how you feel about those names. Think about how they apply to the brand positioning. That could make it easier for you to tackle the project. Take that extra step to tell River + Wolf what you want.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of a medical technology company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Our company designs and develops advanced intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) systems for calcific artery disease.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire River + Wolf to accomplish?

• Propose names for both our electric and laser IVL systems.

SOLUTION

How did you find River + Wolf?

Online Search

Why did you select River + Wolf over others?

• High ratings
• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost

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

Objective: To develop unique, memorable, and appropriate names for two distinct IVL (Intravascular Lithotripsy) systems, along with a PowerPoint presentation showcasing potential naming options.

Deliverables:
 1. Naming Research and Development
 • Conduct thorough market research on existing IVL systems and adjacent competitors
 • Analyze industry trends and naming conventions in medical technology
 2. Name Generation
 • Create a minimum of 10 unique name options for each IVL system
 • Ensure names are: distinctive and memorable, reflective of the systems’ functions and benefits, legally available and trademark-friendly, culturally appropriate for global markets.
 3. Name Screening
 • Conduct preliminary trademark screening
 • Perform linguistic checks to avoid negative connotations in major languages
 4. PowerPoint Presentation
 • Design a comprehensive PowerPoint deck featuring: project overview and naming strategy, top 10-15 name options for each IVL system, rationale and creative story behind each name

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Stakeholder Satisfaction
Qualitative Feedback:
• Collect anecdotal evidence through informal conversations with stakeholders
• Gather testimonials or success stories from key stakeholders
Stakeholder Advocacy:
• Observe whether stakeholders proactively promote the new IVL system names
• Note instances of stakeholders defending or explaining the naming choices to others

Trademark and Legal
Legal Team Confidence:
• Gauge the legal team’s comfort level with the chosen names
• Evaluate the legal team’s perception of potential future challenges
Brand Integrity:
• Evaluate how well the new names align with the company’s overall brand strategy
• Observe whether the names contribute to a cohesive brand identity

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

River + Wolf demonstrated a reliable approach to project management and their performance met our basic expectations.

Timeliness:
River + Wolf adhered to the agreed-upon timeline and communicated appropriately.

Responsiveness:
The team at River + Wolf was responsive to our needs and inquiries. They typically acknowledged our messages within one business day and were readily available for discussions and clarifications.

Adaptability:
They made efforts to incorporate our feedback into subsequent iterations of the naming options. 

Communication:
Their communication was generally clear and professional. Regular project updates were provided and their team was open to scheduling additional calls when necessary to discuss complex aspects of the project.

Overall, River + Wolf’s project management was competent and got the job done. They delivered a solid naming project that met our primary objectives.

What was your primary form of communication with River + Wolf?

Email or Messaging App

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

What stood out most about River + Wolf was their founder's hands-on involvement and deep passion for naming. Additionally, River + Wolf’s responsiveness, clear communication, and ability to meet deadlines while remaining flexible to client needs made them stand out as a reliable and effective naming partner.

Are there any areas for improvement or something River + Wolf could have done differently?

While River + Wolf delivered solid name options for our IVL systems, the range of creative territories explored could have been broader. While the names provided were good, they didn’t push boundaries or offer truly unexpected options that might have led to more distinctive choices. A deeper dive into our technologies or the exploration of unique capabilities related to our IVL systems might have yielded more compelling results.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Brand manager

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

The leader in Cognac, our brand has shone around the world with its exceptional know-how for more than 250 years. Built on the founder's spirit of conquest, the brand is present in more than 160 countries. Based in the heart of the Charente region, our brand is also a steadfast pillar of the regional economy. The House’s success and longevity are rooted in the excellence of its cognacs, each of which is born of a unique process of transmission of know-how from generation to generation. The first spirits house to be certified ISO 14001, our brand unites its capacity for innovation and the support of all of its partners to protect this exceptional area. As a crown jewel of the LVMH Group, our brand is a major contributor to French international trade, with 99% of production sold in export, and a worldwide ambassador for the French art de vivre.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire River + Wolf to accomplish?

• Naming - new beverage innovation

SOLUTION

How did you find River + Wolf?

Referral

Why did you select River + Wolf over others?

• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from River + Wolf were assigned to this project?

1 Employee

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

Name development and identical match screening on a new beverage innovation

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We are moving forward on our project with R&W's naming propositions - approved by our different legal teams.

We did a consumer test - the positive result demonstrated that the naming propositions the agency provided are great & relevant.  

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

We had the pleasure of working with Margaret. She carefully understood our request and our issues before proposing a quote that is very in line with our needs. We had a very tight timing and the agency was very flexible in its availability and delivery timing to respond quickly & adequately to our demand. 

Margaret is someone strongly committed and deep-dived all the topics we had. Both our companies share common values such as searching for excellence (with meticulous attention to detail & making sure we fully understand each element of the work delivered), creativity & innovation. I highly recommend Margaret with whom we were able to exchange to better understand the topic of naming, its issues and way of working. River & Wolf has provided us support on the project beyond our expectations.

What was your primary form of communication with River + Wolf?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

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

The very good and fine understanding of our needs and issues. All the experience was great & even after the project 

Are there any areas for improvement or something River + Wolf could have done differently?

With french naming propositions we could be even more relevant - Maybe if we had more time on the project, R&W could have consulted a transcreation consultant so we would have deep-dive french naming propositions.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a marketing teammate at Maison Ferrand, a fine spirits company that produces cognac, gin, and rum.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

We were evolving as a company and wanted to rebrand our business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

River + Wolf provided renaming services for us. The team helped us rename our existing brand, which had been on the shelves for 25 years in 120 countries. Our brand had very distinct packaging and labeling for our bottles, and River + Wolf’s team created something that could be very true to that and our DNA as a brand.

What was the team composition? 

We mainly worked with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative).

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

We found River + Wolf via Google and Clutch.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2023–2024

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Getting a name in the spirits categories is difficult because there are so many brands, but River + Wolf took that challenge and found a name that we liked that was true to our brand's DNA and passed through legal compliance.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

River + Wolf's team is responsive and proactive. Margaret came up with alternative material even when we didn't ask for it — she never stopped, and we enjoyed working with her.

Are there any employees from the service provider's team that you would like to give a shout-out to in this review? 

Margaret is a tenacious and lovely person who did a lot of research for this project. I had never met someone as consumed with finding a great name as her. She was creative and fantastic to work with.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We worked with around 10 agencies worldwide, but River + Wolf's team provided more names than anyone — Margaret must've given us around 17 different potential names for our company. It was crazy.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn't think they could improve anything — they exceeded my expectations.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be prepared for their determination.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Global Brand Manager of Versuni (previously known as Philips Domestic Appliances)

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We discover, design and deliver premium home appliances, as a house of consumer brands globally.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire River + Wolf to accomplish?

• Create a new company name
• Create the story / new verbal identity for the new name

SOLUTION

How did you find River + Wolf?

Clutch Site

Why did you select River + Wolf over others?

• Pricing first our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Other

What was the size of River + Wolf’s team?

2-5 Employees

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

The team of River+Wolf worked so hard and dedicated on finding and creating the name for our company, and then extending it to the full verbal identity including name story in different formats, video script to present our new name, copy for brand guidelines and website.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

• Number of potential names
• Legal & cultural checks
• Delivering well in time and having few options available for the client

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

The team of River+Wolf, headed by wonderful Margaret, has been very well on track by first accepting the project with challenging deadlines, and then delivering on time. They were eager to go one step ahead proposing extra valuable services and input, having clear deadlines set and respective review rounds and clarifications along the way.

What was your primary form of communication with River + Wolf?

Virtual Meeting, Email or Messaging App

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

We were impressed with the team's dedication, knowledge, and involvement, especially Margaret Wolfson, into the project. This is admirable how much one person can do and move things around for the client. We do also appreciate a lot the valuable extra input from the River+Wolf team - those things that we might not have taken into account first, but were knowledgeably guided for by Margaret and the team.

In addition, the team has been very open to take on new requests and discuss the changes that were coming in.

Are there any areas for improvement or something River + Wolf could have done differently?

Maybe just a suggestion - if there is a possibility to have a special platform/ location to have all the working files and deliverables together, so to rely less on the email for the last version tracking - might be good for the process as well.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Our company provides software consulting services to businesses of all sizes. We specialize in high quality product development and building high-scale, lovable user experiences. My role is Co-founder and Managing Partner.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf, and what were your goals?

As our business scaled we needed to level up our brand. The start of that journey was a new name. We engaged with River + Wolf to take us through a process to develop and choose a new name for our company.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found a handful of companies online and quickly narrowed them down based on initial conversations. It was immediately apparent River + Wolf was the right choice based on a fantastic working relationship right away and the deep naming insights provided.

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

They took us through a very well-thought-out process of gathering information about us, developing name options, and guiding us through exercises to narrow down our choices. The process was very clear every step of the way. After narrowing down our options from several dozen to a handful of top choices, they made a seamless handoff to a very experienced trademark attorney to secure the name.

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

We worked almost exclusively with Margaret, the Founder and Chief Creative. She was an excellent partner through the entire process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While we are still building out the rest of our brand, the name we chose is something the entire company is very pleased with. Additionally, it has led to some really excited overall brand direction we are finding a lot of promise in.

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

We had regular, weekly check-ins to ensure we were aligned on progress. Things that could be handled async were done over email with very quick replies. Main presentations were done on a video call. Additionally any time an ad-hoc face-to-face was needed, they were happy to accommodate.

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

The most impressive thing to me was the thought put in to every name option presented. We did not receive simple name options, we received names each with a story behind it. This allowed us to dive deep into our choices and really understand what it would be like to have that name. I also thought it was impressive how much the team truly knew about naming and how they incorporated that into the process.

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

Nothing significant comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the senior marketing manager at an impact fund services company. We offer fund administration, fund management and impact advisory services in community development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf, and what were your goals?

We are updating the branding for our organization and our current name was no longer serving us since we expanded our product offerings. After a few unsuccessful attempts at finding a new company name with the help of agencies, we were put in touch with River and Wolf to help us through the process.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Lisa Singer at Namebase recommended River + Wolf for the assignment. After an initial meeting with Margaret, I knew she was the person to get the job done.

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

To start, River + Wolf conducted a discovery meeting to understand our business and goals for the new brand . Since we had already been engaged with a branding agency, we were able to hand off that research to download River + Wolf on the findings. River + Wolf did a thorough review of the information we sent and also gathered their own findings from meetings and emails.

The scope was for an abbreviated naming process that was based off of a core phrase that we liked. River + Wolf offered to present a percentage of names outside of this phrase as well. They presented a large variety of names to our company and there were many that we liked. With their guidance we were able to do an initial IP screening with an attorney to help us narrow down the final choices.

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

Margaret- Founder/Chief Creative There may have been more people involved but because this was an expedited project, we only interfaced with Margaret.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Because of the project and having a name selected, we are on track to complete our rebranding project. We now have a name that is expressive of what we do and is inspirational to our future goals.

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

Communication was regular and efficient. We received emails in a timely manner and the scheduling of calls was very easy. At our initial meeting a timeline was proposed and agreed upon and it was followed without incident.

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

From the start, they understood what we needed and how to get us there. The expertise and track record in company naming was impressive and made us feel like we were in the right hands. The creativity and thoughtfulness behind the names was above and beyond anything we had seen before (this was our third naming vendor). Margaret was able to pick up on the complex offerings of our business right away which made the process run smoothly.

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

I do not have any areas of improvement. They were so accommodating with the budget and project timing that we feel very fortunate to have had their expertise to complete the project.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of strategy and development at a surgical robotics company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?

We hired them to come up with a name for our new product.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Initially, we had a discovery meeting with River + Wolf to figure out exactly what type of product they had to name; we also provided them with a product overview. From there, they started with the naming process, identifying some high-level traits that we were looking for. They eventually presented us with some name options, including a rationale for each one, to choose from.

What is the team composition?

We only worked with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative).

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

Before I joined the company, they had already worked with us on a previous project. We chose to work with them again based on their process, creativity, and familiarity with our company.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $20,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together on this project from August–September 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

With River + Wolf’s help, we were able to come up with a name and establish a personality for our product. This enabled us to jumpstart conversations around future marketing projects.

How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?

They delivered everything on time and stayed within budget. For communication, we used Zoom.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We really liked working directly with Margaret — she was very accessible, creative, and clearly good at naming brands.

Are there any areas they could improve on?

No, we were satisfied with their work and process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to go in with an open mind and trust the process that they utilize.