River + Wolf is a New York City based naming agency with clients around the globe. But whether working with clients in the United States, or in the UK, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, or Latin America, our goal is always the same: to develop extraordinary company, product, and service names. We work in all industries, including healthcare innovation, personal care, food and beverage, apparel, education, and technology, to mention a few. River + Wolf also provides total branding packages for our naming clients, from strategy and name development to design.
River + Wolf ranks in the Clutch Leader's Matrix for a reason: not only have we been widely quoted or featured in media such as AdAge, NBC, the New York Times, Crains, The Next Web, and Fast Company, but we do whatever it takes to provide are clients with the best possible names and best possible service experience, from strategy and name development to trademarking, global linguistic checks, and, if needed, design and taglines. Clients includes: Medical Micro Instruments, Bangkok Bank, Target, HeinzKraft, Calvin Klein, Starbucks, Coca Cola, Ghostery, Sephora, The Frank Mason Group, Unilever, Auberge Resorts, and Burt's Bees--and that's just for starters. Our combination of professionalism and true caring for our clients--whether Fortune 500s or start-ups--sets us apart from all other agencies. But don't take our word for it. Read our reviews.
Gold Verified
$10,000+
$200 - $300 / hr
2 - 9
Founded 2014
1 Language that we service
English
1 Timezone that we service
EST
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Average Review Rating
5.0
Total Reviews
68
Most Common Project Size
$10,000 to $49,000
Average Referral Rating
5.0
/5
Focus
No data have been added yet...
Locations (1)
276 Fifth Avenue, Suite 305 New York, New York 10001New York, NY,
United States10001
212-222-5111
"Overall, it was a pleasure working with their team."
Jun 28, 2023
Assistant Manager, Ginseng Company
Anonymous
Wellness & Fitness
Seoul, South Korea
1,001-5,000 Employees
Online Review
Verified
A ginseng company hired River + Wolf for their branding services. The team helped the client develop a new brand name for the US market and reviewed their product lineup naming hierarchy.
With River + Wolf's help, the client was able to come up with a good number of name candidates for their new brand and product lineup. The team was punctual with their work and took the time to understand the business and requirements to produce name options that aligned with the client's goals.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and position.
I am the Assistant Manager of a consumer products & services company
Describe what your company does in a single sentence.
Manufacturer and Sales distributor of health supplement products (Ginseng oriented)
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What specific goals or objectives did you hire River + Wolf to accomplish?
To develop a new brand name for US market
To review our product line-up naming hierarchy
SOLUTION
How did you find River + Wolf?
Clutch Site
Why did you select River + Wolf over others?
High ratings
Great culture fit
Good value for cost
Company values aligned
How many teammates from River + Wolf were assigned to this project?
2-5 Employees
Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.
The scope includes:
Brand name development (list of names, naming concept and strategy)
Preliminary search of naming candidates for trademark application
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Sufficient amount of name candidates for our new brand/product-lineup launching in US
Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?
River + Wolfe is very punctual and genuinely very involved / interested in their client’s project. Although our company and team does not speak English as first language, River + Wolfe always surpassed this barrier by resonating with us and deeply understanding what messages we want to convey. Through this partnership we had the expected deliverables on time.
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?
They always endeavor to give the best solution. Brand, naming strategies are on point. They deeply care for the client. Like giving advice and introducing other professionals on some matters not included in the work scope. Overall, it was a pleasure working with their team.
Are there any areas for improvement or something River + Wolf could have done differently?
None.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
4.5
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Branding for Home Appliance Company
BrandingMarketing Strategy
$50,000 to $199,999
Nov. 2021 - Feb. 2023
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
4.5
"We were impressed with the team's dedication, knowledge, and involvement."
Mar 13, 2023
Global Brand Manager, Versuni
Veronika Skorobogatko
Consumer Products
Netherlands
5,001-10,000 Employees
Online Review
Verified
River + Wolf was hired by a home appliance company for branding services. The team came up with new company names for the client to choose from, and created a new verbal identity and branding guidelines.
River + Wolf stayed on track and delivered everything on time. The team went above and beyond for the client and supplied valuable services and inputs throughout the project. River + Wolf provided clarification when needed, an accommodating attitude, and was open to any changes the client had.
The client submitted this review online.
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.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
4.5
NPS
New Company Name for Software Consulting Agency
$10,000 to $49,999
Dec. 2022 - Jan. 2023
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"It was impressive how much the team truly knew about naming and how they incorporated that into the process."
Feb 10, 2023
Founder, Geode
Zach Langbert
Consulting
Portland, Oregon
1-10 Employees
Online Review
Verified
River + Wolf helped a software consulting firm develop a new company name. The team facilitated a process that involved information gathering and discovery exercises until they came up with a suitable name.
Company stakeholders were pleased with the new name, which spurred great excitement for the company's overall brand direction. River + Wolf facilitated regular check-ins to ensure project alignment and proved responsive whenever the firm needed to reach them. Overall, they provided a great service.
The client submitted this review online.
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.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Rebranding for Impact Fund Services Company
Branding
$10,000 to $49,999
Dec. 2022 - Jan. 2023
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"From the start, they understood what we needed and how to get us there."
Jan 23, 2023
Senior Marketing Manager, New Markets Support Company
Ariel Hargrave
Financial services
Chicago, Illinois
11-50 Employees
Online Review
Verified
River + Wolf provided branding services for an impact fund services company that wanted to change their name. After reviewing some information, they presented various company names to choose from.
By engaging with River + Wolf, the company successfully chose a new name and became on track to complete their rebranding project. The client appreciated the expressive and inspirational vibe of the branding. River + Wolf communicated effectively through email, proving their efficiency.
The client submitted this review online.
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.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Naming Services for Surgical Robotics Company
Branding
$10,000 to $49,999
Aug. - Sep. 2022
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"We really liked working directly with Margaret — she was very accessible, creative, and clearly good at naming brands."
Nov 11, 2022
Director Strategy & Development, Surgical Robotics Company
Anonymous
Hospitality & leisure
Durham, North Carolina
51-200 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
River + Wolf helped a surgical robotics company develop a name for their new product. After being given an overview of the product, the team came up with several names for the client to select from.
The client was satisfied with the brand name. By managing through a single contact, River + Wolf offered a personal touch when addressing their client’s needs. The team communicated via Zoom, met all deadlines, and stayed on budget. They were also knowledgeable, skilled, and creative.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
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.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Brand Name Creation Services for Publishing Company
Branding
$10,000 to $49,999
May - July 2022
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"I was impressed by Margaret's personal investment in this project, wealth of knowledge, and expertise in naming."
Sep 23, 2022
Senior Editor, Publishing Company
Michael Campbell
Publishing
New York City, New York
11-50 Employees
Online Review
Verified
River + Wolf created a brand name for a publishing company's new brand. The team came up with names and ensured they didn't have an exact match with existing businesses. Two teammates worked on the project.
A new brand name was successfully created, and the firm was able to start the trademarking process ahead of schedule. River + Wolf delivered great services. Their workflow was effective, and their members communicated promptly with the client through emails. The team was experienced and committed.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and your position there.
We are an independent publisher based in New York City with a 20-year history and 10,000+ books published. I'm a senior editor here.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf, and what were your goals?
We are launching a new imprint (a subsidiary brand) devoted to publishing professional and personal development books. We needed to create a brand name that both captured our character and unique value proposition and would distinguish from the competition us in a crowded industry.
SOLUTION
How did you select this vendor?
We requested proposals from multiple teams and boutique organizations in the area. We evaluated proposals based on time and cost; we needed a provider who could complete the job within a couple months and at a price that a small, independent publisher could afford.
Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.
The naming team created a number of recommendations in a few different categories of character. They provided preliminary screening for those names to make sure they were not exact matches with existing businesses. We joined the team on a call to narrow the choices, where they guided us through exercises to winnow the choices. From there, the provider offered selected vendors with discounted pricing to do a comprehensive trademark screening and create a logo, which we ultimately performed in house.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
One, the founder and chief creative officer.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Our name was chosen and a trademark application started within 6 weeks, ahead of the initial estimate.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.
Prompt communication via email.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
I was impressed by Margaret's personal investment in this project, wealth of knowledge, and expertise in naming. Margaret took the time to understand the project and our goals, and she had some previous experience with the publishing industry, and so fully immersed herself in the project and our competitive landscape. She was personally accountable for delivering a quality name on time and on budget, and our sole point of contact and doing so. I felt very comfortable in her knowledge and expertise, her understanding of our industry, and the quality of the options she provided us. She held us accountable to our timelines, too, and was flexible with her normal rates to accommodate us.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
No
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Rebranding for Maritime AI Company
Branding
$10,000 to $49,999
Feb. - June 2022
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
4.5
Willing to Refer
5.0
"We were impressed with their integrated legal and creative process as well as the quality of their work."
Sep 9, 2022
Managing Partner, Maritime AI Company
Anonymous
Other Industry
Strassgang, Austria
Phone Interview
Verified
River + Wolf provided branding services for a maritime AI company. The team headed the client’s rebranding efforts, including the creation of a new company name.
River + Wolf led an organized process to ensure a seamless and delay-free experience. Moreover, they took the time to fully understand the business, allowing them to come up with outputs that align with the client’s vision. As a result, the client received positive feedback on their new branding.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a shareholder and managing partner for a maritime AI company. We have a couple of subsidiaries located in France, Portugal, and the US. I’m responsible for the business management side, including marketing, finance, and HR-related matters.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?
Our company is a tech company that was founded by engineers, so the entire branding setup was not adequate or professional. At the same time, the company operates in an industry where branding is relevant, so we couldn’t allow this to continue. If you don’t have a really strong brand identity, no one is going to remember you. Hence, we hired River + Wolf to help with our rebranding efforts and find a new name for our company.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
River + Wolf mainly worked on producing a new name for our company. We kept in contact with them throughout the rebranding process that was handled by our vendors within our existing German network. We liaised and aligned with River + Wolf so that they were integrated in that process.
Their team also did a lot of research to understand the world that we work in. They then ran an integrated process with the creative and legal teams. Since the legal side can sometimes be quite difficult, they created a wealth of name options that we could choose from. When they delivered the final versions, I got my partner involved so that we could make the final decision together. They assisted with purchasing our website domain as well.
What is the team composition?
We were always in touch with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative). She had her own team working behind the scenes.
How did you come to work with River + Wolf?
We had done an unsuccessful project with some freelancers before. After that, we went with a German advertising agency, but we didn’t like their proposals. For this particular project, we needed creative English speakers, so we started searching online for an American agency and found River + Wolf. They had a great website and impressive examples of their previous work that resonated with us.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent over $20,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together on this project from February–June 2022.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
A sign of success for us was that we found a solution that was worth going through the effort of rebranding our entire company. It was a solution that was widely accepted within the company. Overall, the initial feedback was extremely positive, and we’re looking forward to our relaunch.
How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?
At the beginning of the project, they gave a clear project plan, stuck to it, and met all deadlines; there were no delays from their side. In the decision-making stages, there were a couple of delays, but that was entirely on us because we had so many good alternatives to choose from. Overall, River + Wolf always delivered on time.
The project wasn’t too complicated, so we didn’t need to use project management tools. We communicated with them via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and email.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We were impressed with their integrated legal and creative process as well as the quality of their work.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I don’t think so. They did a wonderful job.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Work with them. If I were to do the project again with their team, I wouldn’t do anything differently because the way they managed the process was great. As their client, you can basically follow their lead in running the project.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
4.5
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Branding for Spa & Craft Beer Bar
Branding
$10,000 to $49,999
June - July 2022
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"They were highly professional and put in a lot of work in regard to researching the naming options they provided."
Sep 1, 2022
Co-Founder, Spa & Craft Beer Bar
Anonymous
Other Industry
Denver, Colorado
11-50 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
River + Wolf provided naming services to a wellness concept of a spa and beer bar. After a thorough discovery phase, the team proposed a wide variety of naming options, including their reasons and messages.
While the name that River + Wolf delivered hasn't been implemented yet, the company was still happy with the team's professionalism, adherence to timelines and budgets, and cost-effective solutions. Though the client was particularly impressed with their wealth of experience and flexibility.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the co-founder of a new wellness concept that combines a day spa and a craft beer bar into one.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?
We were looking to rebrand our company as part of our expansion, so we needed a new company name.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
The main focus of our engagement was the branding and naming, where they walked us through the process that included timeframes, budget, and background information.
We filled out a straightforward and thoughtful questionnaire to get more information about our company, goals, and expectations, which was followed by proposing a wide variety of naming options. They explained the reason behind every name, where they come from, and what message they convey.
What is the team composition?
We mainly interfaced with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative).
How did you come to work with River + Wolf?
We vetted about 5–10 different branding companies and ended up hiring River + Wolf because of their strong linguistics background and understanding of the cultural implications of naming.
How much have you invested with them?
We invested roughly $10,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from June–July 2022.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We haven’t implemented the name yet as we’re still creating all our other brand assets such as the logo. We loved partnering with them because they were highly professional and put in a lot of work in regard to researching the naming options they provided.
How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?
They performed well from a project management standpoint and strictly adhered to the agreed-upon budget and timelines — which they were highly conscious of.
They worked in tandem with a trademark lawyer and found cost-effective strategies to complete their tasks.
What did you find most impressive about them?
We were impressed with Margaret’s personality, as she made the process very approachable. We also like her experience and knowledge of working with well-known international brands, as well as their flexibility to accommodate smaller businesses.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can’t think of anything they need to improve on as the process was very well-structured from beginning to end.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
I would advise you to put the time and thought into completing their questionnaires and clearly understand your expectations before approaching River + Wolf.
"They were incredibly kind and helpful. I was very impressed with their speed of work."
Jul 22, 2022
CEO
Anonymous
Consumer Products
New York City, New York
1-10 Employees
Phone Interview
Verified
River + Wolf facilitated a naming process for their fashion industry client. Eliciting personal and professional characteristics via a questionnaire and discovery phase, they provided a shortlist of names.
Advising the client on possible branding and visual opportunities of name options, River + Wolf delivered a viable name for the client. They responded quickly to questions and provided a comfortable time frame. Their speed of work stood out, as did the unanimously positive responses to the new name.
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this
client over the phone. Below is an edited
transcript.
BACKGROUND
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the founder and creative director of a fashion business that specializes in handbags and jewelry.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
What challenge were you trying to address with River + Wolf?
I was looking for a new name and didn’t like any of the options I was coming up with on my own.
SOLUTION
What was the scope of their involvement?
To start, I provided product details to show them the creative soul of the company, and they responded with a brief that highlighted their first steps. I also filled out a questionnaire for them detailing some of the names I’d already come up with, as well as some personal information about myself.
After a few days, they came back with a great list of possible names. After refining it to a shortlist, they used their in-house counsel to run a copyright screen to see which names were available compared to my competitors in the fashion industry. In terms of the legal steps, I only asked them to do a preliminary search, as I wanted to have my internal IP lawyer do a deeper analysis.
Finally, Margaret (Founder) sat down with me and had a conversation about my chosen name after running a risk assessment on it. In terms of the legal steps, I only asked them to do a preliminary search, as I wanted to have my internal IP lawyer do a deeper analysis. She also had me run through a quick description of the company based on the name to see if it worked. It was a bit like going on a podcast and giving an introduction for my company. Finally, I chose my ultimate selection and moved forward.
They also gave me a lot of branding advice along the way. As part of the naming process, Margaret made sure I thought about how the name would go with the visual look of the brand. I come from an engineering background, and I mix a lot of engineering elements into my designs. I was also a literature major in school, however, so I wanted to mix those styles. Margaret was very comprehensive in terms of which names would represent that combination best.
What is the team composition?
I only interacted with Margaret, who acts as the firm’s creative director.
How did you come to work with River + Wolf?
They had great reviews, and I really liked Margaret (Founder) when I talked to her.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked together from June–July 2022.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
I can’t disclose the name yet, as we’re waiting on the legal steps, but River + Wolf was extremely organized.
I don’t have the full specifics yet, as I’m about to register a domain name and trademark, but I have run some qualitative experiments with my friends and family, as well as my IP lawyer, and they’ve all yielded positive reviews. My lawyer confirmed that, if I liked the name, I should go full steam ahead with it. The other people in my life like how the name reflects my interests, specifically the intersection between engineering and art. The name is very clever, and I’m very happy with the results.
How did River + Wolf perform from a project management standpoint?
Margaret doubled as our project manager. She was incredibly responsive, answering our questions within a few hours with comprehensive discussions.
In the beginning, they laid out all the steps for me, including the timelines we were looking at. Everything went according to plan. I especially liked how they added a buffer in case some resources weren’t available.
We had a phone call at the beginning, and then we worked mostly through email. There was a final presentation over Zoom for an hour or two.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They were incredibly kind and helpful. I was very impressed with their speed of work and the quality of their results.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I can’t think of anything. I was very impressed.
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
Branding Name for Video Game & Software Dev Company
Branding
Confidential
May - June 2022
5.0
Quality
5.0
Schedule
5.0
Cost
5.0
Willing to Refer
5.0
"The most impressive part is that their creative director does not only give straightforward advice but is also reasonable."
Jul 1, 2022
Director & CEO, Video Game & Software Development Company
Anonymous
Software
Los Angeles, California
1-10 Employees
Online Review
Verified
River + Wolf provided a full range of branding names for a video game and software company. They were able to create 40 names and supported the client with logo design and trademark screening and legal issues.
Though the client didn't change their brand names, they have a list of names that they can use whenever they can, thanks to River + Wolf. The team mainly communicated via email and used Zoom at times. Overall, their professionalism and expertise impressed the client.
The client submitted this review online.
BACKGROUND
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the director and CEO of a video game and software company. We produces both tabletop and video games that focus on quality and novel experiences for hardcore gamers. We develops software tools that effectively convert ideas to content for game creators. We provides consulting services for small-to-medium-sized companies to enhance their knowledge base and improve workforce productivity.
OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE
For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf, and what were your goals?
We are about to ship our first product, which is a video game. We'd like to re-evaluate our company name before we debut. Our goal is either verify our current name is a good name or have a new name that meets all the requirements.
SOLUTION
How did you select this vendor?
We found 15 compines online after ccomparing reviews and ratings. We contact the best 10 of them and have their proposal. We went with our vendor because of their professionalism, communication skills and costs.
Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.
Steps: To start, they interviewed key members of our team to know what our company is. This includes our products, our target audience and our company values etc. Then they gather the requirement of our ideas of a good name. This includes the meaning, presence, and sounds etc. Once they had a firm understanding of our company and requirements, they created a naming breif document which contains the detailed infomrmation and their insights with it.
Then they run a name creation process to create new names base on the naming brief document. When the process is done, they present us the new names in three categories. They carefully walk through each name, introduce its idea, background, and how it can meet our requirement. After that, they also provide additional support on trademark screening, logo design and trademark related legal issues. Deliverables: 40 new names which meet our requirements in different aspects.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
We worked directly with their chief creative director. Their naming specialists also support different stages of the work.
RESULTS & FEEDBACK
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Because of the project, we get several new names that we think fits our company. In addition, we have a clear mind that our current name is also good enough. In order to avoid the risk, we decided to postpone the name chaning process after shipping our first product.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.
We set up a zoom meeting if we needed. We mainly communicated over emails. They replied email very fast. Everytime when we have questions, they can always answer them in a fast and effeciency way. They finish works in our expected timeline.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Their chief creative director is very knowledgeable, professional, thoughtful, and enthusiastic. She reply our email in a very fast and detailed manner. Our questions were always answered very detailed. The most impressive part is that their creative director does not only give straightforward advice but is also reasonable. At the beginning, she point out several negative points to our current name. But after we explain the ideas behind it, she accepted it and understood why we took this name.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
We think they are doing very well!
RATINGS
5.0
Quality
5.0
Service & Deliverables
Schedule
5.0
On time / deadlines
Cost
5.0
Value / within estimates
Willing to Refer
5.0
NPS
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