River + Wolf

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a senior associate at a wealth management firm.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to break free from traditional company names and devise a new name that represents our brand better.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I had an initial call with River + Wolf to ask about their naming and branding process and work with their team on finalizing our project scope. After two weeks, they called back to present the list of potential company names that they came up with — they explained the meaning and branding impact behind each name to guide us in choosing the right name for our team. River + Wolf then offered to help us with trademarking after we selected the best name option, but our board of directors decided to handle that phase.

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact was Margaret.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

We found them on Google while searching for potential naming firms to onboard for this project. Apart from topping the search results, they also had an appealing website and areas of service. We then reached out to Margaret and immediately liked her responsive and transparent nature.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $15,000–$20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The entire process took place in September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

River + Wolf generated insightful, fresh, and striking ideas and delivered a promising list of company names. Their exemplary presentation skills also highlighted their trusted expertise, which our boss particularly appreciated. 

Overall, we were impressed with what their team delivered, and our clients shared positive feedback about our new name — we’re also hoping to reach a wider audience and leave more positive impressions in the future.

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

River + Wolf had seamless project management skills that expedited the entire process. Margaret communicates each phase clearly and sets realistic timelines. I encountered a minor technical issue when she emailed the final presentation, but it wasn’t a factor that impeded the process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

River + Wolf had the passion, knowledge, and creativity needed to make a naming project work — I understood through their work why a lot of companies with naming and branding needs continue to approach them.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I didn’t encounter any areas for improvement throughout the process.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have an open mind and trust their team to deliver the results you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of Yazara. We’re a technology and software development company. We develop payment solutions to turn mobile devices into point-of-sale devices. Our software is mostly for banks, financial institutions, and that type of industry.

The company was founded initially in Turkey, and we received some investment from some US companies. The new ownership decided to do a spinoff with the better part of the company, and now our headquarters are in New York.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to create a new and attractive identity that leveraged the history of the previous company. We’d hired another agency in Turkey to provide a name, but they weren’t successful. We went through five rounds without getting anything we liked.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially focused on naming. River + Wolf provided 10–20 names in the first round, and we could’ve perfectly stayed with 4–5. Then, we continued with branding. We hired two other companies — one is the trademark attorney, and the other is the designer. We just completed the brand identity and logo.

For the name, we wanted something that included the word “pay” because our mother company had it. They did 50% of the names following that direction and 50% more creatively.

What is the team composition?

Most of our interactions were with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative), but another person worked with her.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

We just browsed through some review sites. We were looking for a small agency that cared about what we did and could get more involved.

We called River + Wolf, and Margaret answered. She was very engaged and enthusiastic from the beginning. He asked us about the company, and she seemed genuinely interested in helping us.

Then, they sent us a quote. We had a limited budget and staff, so I was going to have a hard time getting it approved by the board. However, they were very empathetic and cut off a bit of the pricing. With that, I was able to get the budget approved quickly, and we started to work.

How much have you invested with them?

The naming engagement was around $20,000–$25,000, and there was some extra for the logo.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together between July–August 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We just finished the brand identity, and we were extremely happy with their work. We actually registered two names. We didn’t know what we’d do with it, but we liked it.

Also, we thought the name evolution was incredible. They came up with a way to put our Turkish background into it. The team identified the name for cash register in Turkish and took the first part to make it sound Turkish and Arab. In the end, we went in their direction because the abstract name was stronger and more appealing.

Everybody that has heard the name has provided positive comments, even Turkish people. They’ve said that the name makes sense and it sounds fresh, intriguing, and cool.

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

They were on top of it. There weren’t any delays, and we would’ve finished even faster if it was up to them. We juggled a lot of things, but it was on our side. Margaret responded to emails at 10:00 o’clock on a Friday, so I don’t think anybody can do better than that.

We mostly communicated through emails and phone calls. We talked a lot with Margaret, so we just got on the phone.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They got what we needed. We talked several times about what we were looking for, and they certainly got it right. Their combination of creativity and experience was impressive, and they were able to capture what we wanted and turn it into an outstanding name. Not only did they deliver, but they probably over-delivered.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Margaret can be tough about delays or missing something she expected us to provide, but that’s just her personality. It’s what needed to be done at that point. We honestly didn’t have any complaints or issues at all.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Get closer, explain your business and what you want, and communicate well with them. They were thankful for our personal relationship, and I think we got good results thanks to our interaction with Margaret. She got to know a bit of me, the company, and our goals and ambitions, which got her excited about what we were building.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing at a family-owned bakery. We’ve been in the business for 25 years, and we distribute our goods among major retailers across North America.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed a brand name for a product category that we were launching.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

River + Wolf helped us come up with a list of names to choose from for our product category’s brand name. We kicked off the engagement with a brainstorming phase wherein we discussed our project goals, identified the requirements, and provided their team with some background information about the brand and what we aimed to represent.

Upon gathering their findings and concepts from the initial phase, we came up with an initial list of names and started utilizing these along with the brand scope document to examine them from a consumer’s perspective. We then came up with additional names and included them in the list.

Once we were satisfied with the number of potential brand names we collated, we proceeded with the screening process. We originally planned to narrow down the list further but didn’t progress with the succeeding stage as we already liked what we came up with.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Margaret (Founder) and a project coordinator.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

One of our board members who worked with Margaret in the past recommended River + Wolf to us. We liked the team’s pricing and experience in brand naming, so hiring them was an easy decision to make.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $25,000–$50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from April–June 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

While River + Wolf’s work for us was completed, we’re now in the process of trademarking, so there aren’t a lot of quantitative results to share yet. We did consumer feedback research, and their team’s name suggestions secured four out of the top five slots. From these results alone, we could definitely say that their efforts were well received. The external members of our leadership team also thought that River + Wolf’s work would help elevate our products.

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

River + Wolf had a concise work approach — they met all our deadlines and remained receptive to our feedback. We saw their genuine interest in our project through their extra efforts during the brainstorming sessions, and that was enough to conclude that their team exceeded our expectations.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The initial brief they generated was an integral part of the project’s success. They were really good at kicking off our project with a precise scope and equally precise solutions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I worked with other naming agencies before, and I could say that River + Wolf was the easiest team to work with. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Identify your goals well — you have to make sure that these are well aligned with what your stakeholders want because naming a brand or a product is an integral business strategy.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the communications manager for the Partnership for Working Families. We’re a national network of labor and community coalitions around the country.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

During our rebrand, we hit a roadblock in the naming process. We brought on River + Wolf to help us find our name.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We had an initial consultation, and their team created a naming questionnaire for us. Once we returned the questionnaire, River + Wolf generated 23 potential names. Their team then presented the names. They checked each of the names for an exact match and guided us through the process of ranking them into different tiers. Their team did more research and made recommendations according to trademark and IP (intellectual property) risk levels.

We later asked them for additional advice. They continued to support us by checking an additional name and giving insight into it.

What is the team composition?

We communicated with Margaret (Founder) and one of River + Wolf's attorneys.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

Our IP attorney referred us to a few different naming agencies. One company wasn’t taking new clients. Another agency didn’t fit. I asked in a Facebook group if any people had experience working with women-owned agencies or agencies owned by people of color. Someone recommended River + Wolf.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $10,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in February 2021, and Margaret gave the presentation in March. We closed the contract but then asked her for additional advice in April 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We had been working with a rebranding agency for the past year, so we gave them clear criteria and priorities. River + Wolf went above and beyond our expectations. Our rebranding committee felt that the options and information their team gave us were comprehensive.

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

We mostly communicated over the phone and by email. Margret also met with us on Zoom a number of times. We asked if they would be able to do this whole process in two weeks, so it was a quick turnaround. Their team streamlined the process and was very knowledgeable. They were also responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The fact that the agency’s founder was the main person on our account set them apart. Margaret was interested in our mission and supportive of our work. As a nonprofit, it was important that we found a partner that was excited about our mission.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t be afraid to call or email with follow-up questions because their team is responsive. Margaret was helpful in getting us unstuck at certain points.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a maternity undergarments company. It’s currently registered as White Peony Intimates.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We worked with River + Wolf to rename the company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started the project with a questionnaire that went through my background, the company’s background, and my vision for the company’s future. Their team then provided various names and conducted a presentation with a name index. From there, we organized my top 15 names into groups: the top five, the middle five, and the bottom five. We then narrowed the options to my top five names. Then, their team did a preliminary screening for those names within my industry. We actually went through two rounds of preliminary screenings because I changed my mind halfway through the first round. They then put me in touch with their patent lawyer.

What is the team composition?

My main point of contact at River + Wolf was Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative).

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

I did a lot of research and referred to Clutch. I met with about 5–6 different agencies but Margaret stood out. She understood my brand and vision through and through. We connected on a different level and as a maternity undergarments brand, I valued having a team of women.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $15,000–$25,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

River + Wolf sent me the questionnaire in January 2021 and the engagement ended in February 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Although we haven’t launched yet, I sent the naming deck to colleagues, friends, and family. All the feedback has been extremely positive. From the beginning of our partnership, Margaret understood my brand. She understood what I wanted and presented many great options, which made it hard to choose a name.

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

We mainly communicated via Zoom calls. There was also a lot of email correspondence.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I can’t emphasize enough the quality of River + Wolf’s storytelling abilities. Margaret also personalized the process, which made it even more pleasant. For example, she recognized that I was a visual person. When I was reviewing my top 10 names, she recommended that I create a mood board to determine which names I liked more or less. That exercise changed my perspective and opinions about the names. Margaret understands people and their needs.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there’s honestly nothing River + Wolf should change. It was such a pleasant experience.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would highly recommend River + Wolf. They take the time to sit down and learn about your brand and your vision for it.