River + Wolf

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

We are a spirits company

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf?

Naming of a new beverage product

What were your goals for this project?

We were looking for a premium yet playful and unique name for a new product

SOLUTION

How did you select River + Wolf?

We selected River + Wolf because we felt they were both creative and willing to work closely within our project parameters and quick turnaround time

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We had an initial discovery call during which they asked us a number of questions to fully understand the details of our product as well as our broader goals.

After reviewing the proposed project scope and timeline, they also asked questions to understand what our internal approval process would look like.

Our scope included two rounds of naming as well as initial TM searches to understand the risk level of proposed names.

What was the team composition?

We worked closely with one of the principles of the company

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We concluded the project with two very strong name options, both well received by our stakeholders.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Communication was very clear, and each step of the process included an in-person (zoom) session to review the results together. We were very impressed by how quickly their team was able to work in order to meet our deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The research they did in order to explore various routes for naming options was apparent. The team is also highly creative, with a gift in creating beautiful names and words out of different elements of language.

Are there any areas for improvement?

We were very happy with the entire process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the marketing specialist at FLEx Lighting. We make low-power displays that are viewable in all lighting conditions.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

There is another company with a very similar name. Although we provide different products, we are in similar industries, so to someone unfamiliar with our specific industry, it could be confusing. We also want a name that more accurately described the brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They sent us a form to fill out, which probably took us a few hours to complete because we wanted to send them the right information. Once they received that, they took control of the project. They presented a bucket of names and we narrowed it down to our top 6­–7. After that, they did some legal research and came back with a risk assessment, which helped us narrow down the list even further.

What is the team composition?

I worked directly with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative), and she managed the rest of the team on our project.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

I searched for top naming agencies on Google. I came across Clutch and found River + Wolf along with a few other companies. I visited a few sites that were listed and reached out to them directly. Margaret got back to me quickly, and I could tell that she has a lot of experience.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2020 and just made our final naming decision in November 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

One of our investors has worked with naming companies in the past, so she was involved with the process and was very impressed with how they operated.

I also shared our top four names with our sales director and she thought any of them could be a good fit. River + Wolf really hit the nail on the head and provided us with the quality names we were looking for.

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

The project was much easier than I anticipated. They were very responsive and I never had to worry about hearing back from them. It was a smooth and easy process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were, by far, more responsive than any other service provider I’ve worked with. Margaret has a great personality and was wonderful to work with.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t think of anything they need to improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Try to get as much information as you can by asking questions. They also might not know much about your business when you first begin, so you should share as much as you can. That will help them provide an appropriate name for your business.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Untrodden is a travel company built to use immersive experience to connect the world back to nature, doing so in a way that empowers and benefits the local communities. I am cofounder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf?

We hired River and Wolf for a renaming project.

What were your goals for this project?

The goal was to come up with a new name for Untrodden.

SOLUTION

How did you select River + Wolf?

We did a deep market search, interviewing more than a dozen naming agencies.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

She really drew the name out of us, taking time to deeply understand our goals and intentions... not only understanding our aspirations for the name, but also for our company.

Not only did the process help us come to a name, but it also deepened our understanding of what it is that we are trying to build. She came up with hundreds of wonderful names, and shepherded us through the process of selecting the perfect name for our company.

What was the team composition?

Margaret took it all on. We worked with her closely from A-Z. In the end, she had trademark lawyers and front end designers on deck to help us through the next steps of the journey.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Our new name is Earthtones! We believe this is the perfect brand for our company, and are unified behind it.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow could not have been more efficient. Margaret was always willing to be flexible around timing and scheduling, and was kind yet efficient and action-oriented.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

She, by far, had the most soul of any naming agency we interviewed. Throughout the process, we felt empowered and heard. I couldn't be more impressed or satisfied with the process.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nope! It was flawless... she's a pro.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the founder of a startup healthcare business. We provide telemedicine services to patients.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire River + Wolf?

We are a startup company that needed a creative name that separated us from our competitors.

What were your goals for this project?

Our goal was to secure a company name that would be memorable to potential clients/patients. We wanted a name that could be trademarked and also have a desirable domain.

SOLUTION

How did you select River + Wolf?

I reviewed Clutch rankings, looked at previous clients, and their pricing was competitive. After a consultation with the firm, I was confident they would be a good choice.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The process began with several sessions to brainstorm my company values, name styles that I did and did not like, as well as a host of other things. I was asked to fill out a form which guided me through naming styles and how I felt about them.

What was the team composition?

I worked directly with the founder of the firm.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

River and Wolf provided about 40 names at the end of the project.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Workflow was aligned, no issues.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The hands on nature of the founder and her ability to probe you with questions that get you to think about what you really like in a name.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of a consulting business. We do data science for private equity funds.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

I needed to create a name for my company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped with the naming of my company. We did a rather short project that lasted two weeks or less. We had discussions around what I was looking for and what I was doing. They sent me a questionnaire that got me thinking about what I thought the brand should be like, what I did, who our competitors were, etc. We had a discussion around what I had written down to make sure they understood correctly and also to challenge me. They did one round of naming. We discussed the different names, and I chose one.

What is the team composition?

I worked with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative).

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

I found them on Clutch. There were three companies I had discussions with, but I connected with River + Wolf the best. They understood what I was doing, what my industry was like, and what I was looking for. They had case studies and ideas that resonated well with me. The others were a bit more mechanical.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from June–July 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I haven’t had the time to launch the new name yet, but I’m very satisfied with River + Wolf’s process and their work. Margaret found something that is really good for me and corresponds to what I’m doing. The quality of the discussions was really great.

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

We communicated mainly via email. For heavier discussions, we did Zoom video calls. Everything went well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re very organized, and they follow through. They’re very good.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing I’d have them improve.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Follow their process and lead. It’s hard to do naming, and they’re experts in it.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief marketing officer of three higher education tech companies that are merging together.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking for a partner who could help us come to market with a new brand.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The project was in three phases. The first phase was establishing what our attributes were for the new brand. River + Wolf dove deep into the language, words, and descriptors. The next phase involved looking at those attributes and identifying company names that best supported them.

We got down to 8–9 finalists. Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative) then put together presentations and helped us think about how to talk through the brand with my peers at the new company. She also helped me steward the process with my executive team.

She helped us get down to two final choices and assisted with the trademarking process to make sure that we weren’t bringing names that already existed. The third phase was defining the logo and its look and feel and getting to a tagline. 

What is the team composition?

Margaret was my main point of contact. 

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

After using Clutch to find partners, five different people responded, and we selected River + Wolf.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from February–June 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We haven’t launched internally or externally yet, so we’ve only received feedback from our executives. We wanted to have an approachable but confident brand, and we wanted it to look neither like a startup nor a huge corporation. 

The feedback so far is that River + Wolf hit the nail on the head, and they developed a thoughtful brand that will revolutionize the higher education market. 

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

Margaret was extremely knowledgeable. She was the kind of person you can talk to for hours and hours about branding. There are some people on our team who don’t understand branding, so it was great to have her as a resource to reinforce some best practices.

She was great at keeping the project moving, and she was always available, even late at night. She knew we had to get the project done in a much shorter timeframe, so she always met our deadlines.

We had planned to meet her in person, but because of the pandemic, that couldn’t happen. So, we worked with River + Wolf primarily through video conference calls and email. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve worked with Fortune 50 companies in the past, and we talked to a vendor who was in the same category. What I found is that we got the top experience and expertise from River + Wolf at a reasonable cost, which you don’t always get with top agencies. We got just as good a product, if not better, because Margaret was so intimately tied to everything we did.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I wish we had met with them in person because brainstorming is typically better in person, but it wasn’t possible. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be very open and specific with your expectations. Margaret is excellent at taking direction, but just like any relationship, the more open and honest you are, the better it’s going to go. Make River + Wolf a partner, not just a vendor, and have them work as an extension of your team. That’s how you’re going get what you want.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of a food and beverage company called CV Brewing LLC. The main product that we’re bringing to market this year is a fermented flavored malt beverage: spiked coconut water drink, which will be sold in New Jersey and Pennsylvania within six months. We have two employees, one of which is myself and the other co-founder. We met at the Wharton School in Philadelphia and started this company out of the entrepreneurial ecosystem there in September 2019.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We were looking for a naming agency. We have the strategic belief that we’re a small player in the drink space, but we’re entering a new category; if we're successful at getting people comfortable with the concept of coconut water with alcohol in it, larger players, like Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Mike’s Hard, will want to enter the space. We see brand as a very specific value add or competitive advantage that we can have on those companies, so we’ve been sparing no expense on name and brand. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We worked with River + Wolf on the creation of what we thought the brand personality could be and a name that would fit that. They were extremely involved in a month-long process. We filled out a 4–5-page questionnaire to provide our founders’ perspective and what the brand could be through our eyes. We evaluated 30–40 names of competitor brands, considering what we liked or didn’t like about their names. We gave River + Wolf some inspirational things, such as music and art that we liked, that we wanted the brand to reflect.

They put together a creative brief, and we approved it. Then, they did a week-long sprint on the names. I believe Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative) presented 67 names to us, and we winnowed that on our side to about a dozen; then, we worked with her on what we liked and didn’t like, and got that list down to five. From there, we surveyed consumers on the names and chose two. Finally, our founding team made a decision on which one we wanted to go forward with. Margaret was extremely involved in getting the list down to a dozen; after that, her involvement was more informal. 

What is the team composition?

We primarily worked with Margaret. There were a couple of people from her team on emails, and I know she had legal support in terms of preliminary trademark screening. 

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

We searched Clutch for a naming agency, set up calls, and met the heads of six naming agencies. We evaluated them based purely on the fit between our company and theirs. I felt like Margaret saw the vision of our company the most of those six; they were all pretty good and impressive, but Margaret really got what we were going for, and she was competitive on price. We did about two months of relationship-building over email and a bit over the phone just learning about them and what they do.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first meeting with Margaret was in early October 2019. That was just a fact-finding call to learn about what they might cost. Then, our work together spanned February–March 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

I was extremely impressed by the work that they did, the speed at which they did it, and the ability with which they were able to come up with a creative way to meet our budget. In terms of value add, we liked about 20 of the 67 names enough to put it on a can; a 1/3 hit rate was really good. We ended up losing around 2/3 of the names when we did the trademark screening, but we still ended up with six names we would’ve been very happy to have gone to market with. 

I was super happy with the work Margaret did. She is a very supportive partner in our business. For instance, she is speaking at Wharton next week on branding, and she’s having us give a bit of a presentation on our process with her, which is a good advertisement for our business. She also helped us find our design partner. We were really struggling to find a design agency, and she set us up with a frequent collaborating partner of hers.

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

She responded to every email I sent very quickly. I’d say she pretty consistently exceeded the deadline that she put forth in the project scope; if anything, we were keeping her waiting. It was pretty easy. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their thoroughness stood out to me. Our brand is heavily inspired and infused with South Asian culture and vibe; also, at that point, we thought we might be sourcing our main ingredient from Brazil. Margaret considered including Brazilian names. Every time she wanted to go down a particular avenue and spend time and resources on finding names in a particular domain, she asked us first. She was extremely thorough about the way she did that, and I really appreciated that.

The other thing is their expertise. Margaret is really good at what she does. I’d read a lot that she was a best-in-class naming partner, and I found that to be very true. I doubt that many people are doing this in the world who are better than her.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, not really. 

Any advice for potential customers?

Providing River + Wolf with a limited or rushed scope or creative brief would probably result in a little bit of tension because Margaret is the type of person who leaves no stone unturned. We had considered every possible avenue and type of word construction, ampersands, long names, short names, made-up names, etc. Go into it expecting to work hard and really put a lot of thought into it; she’s a very detail-oriented partner.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of technology and strategy development of an engineering company. I’m responsible for new products that we’re building and general strategic direction around technology development.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We’ve just finished building a few new products and we needed River + Wolf to help us name the products.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

These new products align with some of our existing products, as we’re beginning to expand our portfolio from one product. To start, they gathered as much information from us as possible through a detailed questionnaire, phone calls, and discussions after the first draft. They then spent around three weeks creating names, shortlisting them, and vetting each for trademark and legal needs. 

From there, they proposed 10 names for each product. Together we decided which names we liked best for two of our products, along with an all-encompassing name for the system of all of our products working together. 

What is the team composition?

We worked directly with Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative, River + Wolf), along with two others. 

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

I started searching for companies online and used Clutch. I came up with a list of four companies, two of which were dedicated naming companies, one of which was a local marketing team, and one was a consulting company. After seeing reviews on Clutch, I had a phone call with River + Wolf and one other naming company to hear their process. After seeing their proposal, we selected River + Wolf. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $30,000–$40,000 on this project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The whole project started and was completed in January 2020; it was quite a short project. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

We went into the project without a good sense of what we wanted for these products, and we finished with three great names that we’re happy with. We’re now able to use those names as a part of our bigger story and show how everything fits together. The small part of our internal team that saw the work was pleased. 

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

They performed very well. They were pleasant to work with, giving us everything we needed quite quickly. During that first week with the questionnaire, we had some good back and forth discussions and the ball was in our court. As soon as we sent them something, they reviewed it right away and gave us further questions, so they were very responsive. Their team was quick and professional. 

When we shifted to their side of the project, I got an appropriate amount of updates from Margaret. She kept me in the loop, so I always knew about their progress—they were prompt, professional, and easy to communicate with.

Everything was right on budget and within our timeframe. It was great to hand the work off to them for a few weeks and come back to discuss it. We had the option of doing one more round, but we opted not to do it since we were happy. Overall, it was a good experience. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were able to understand our needs and our market well enough to pursue the job. We find that a lot of marketing companies don’t understand our space since it’s quite technical in nature. Understanding our customer’s needs was important and gave us confidence that they’d deliver the work successfully. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t think there’s anything—I was really happy overall.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Use the questionnaire to explain your needs and market as exhaustively as you can. It helps them do their job better and get good results. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CMO of a cloud staffing and talent creation business.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We needed to rename our holding company to encompass two more divisions. One of those was our core staffing business and the other involved talent creation. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They provided the brand naming service. Our team needed a name that would start to rank quickly if people were searching for us. We handed over the entire project to the team, and they delivered in an incredibly short period of time.

Their team explained the difference between suggestive and descriptive names, for instance. They came to us with several naming options that we’re able to be trademarked in multiple locations across several industries to encompass everything we do as a company. 

What is the team composition?

There were 3–4 people working on our account.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

I found them on Clutch while looking for naming service providers with the best reviews. Afterward, I made a shortlist of US-based companies because many of our clients are in the United States. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $25,000–$30,000 on the project. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted a week in December 2019.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

They were able to deliver something that I wouldn’t have thought possible given the timeframe. The name was well-received and encompassed everything that our business wants to be seen as. I’m personally happy with the outcome, and my team is as well. It’s still too early to tell how it’s working in the market, though.  

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

Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative, River + Wolf) moved mountains to make sure that things got done on time and to my satisfaction. I’d definitely engage with them again. They were available to us for feedback 24/7. Their team worked on an aggressive timeframe to make this work. The process was clearly explained, so our expectations were managed upfront. We communicated by phone and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were knowledgeable and expert in the naming industry. The names that they created resonated with me and matched our style. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I can’t think of anything. I was happy with the engagement. They delivered earlier than we expected. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Spend the time up front to listen to their processes and communicate your requirements. I liked their logical process.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO of a fundraising product platform company that focuses on nonprofit organizations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

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

We wanted to name an app we were launching, and then eventually rename our company.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The team at River + Wolf provided naming creation services with a rationale and an initial legal review. The engagement started with a creative brief that we created. They provided clear instructions for each phase. During two rounds, 50 names were brought forward. Throughout the rounds, we commented on what we liked and didn’t like and determined specific requirements.

What is the team composition?

Margaret (Founder & Chief Creative, River + Wolf) was our primary contact. From their side, we worked with two people in total.

How did you come to work with River + Wolf?

We researched the marketplace of naming agencies. After doing an RFP, their team was chosen. The team at River + Wolf was the best fit because of their strong response time and experience. Margaret was on top of it during that entire phase.

How much have you invested with them?

The naming services cost between $35,000–$45,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January–February 2020.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

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

Through the transparent process, we had great conversations that lead to an excellent outcome. They met our aggressive timelines.

Everybody thought that River + Wolf had a good grasp of our business. The team did a nice job of understanding what we were looking forward to, which limited any wasted time. The direction was clear throughout the efficient engagement. The team at River + Wolf brought a lot of value to the table.

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

From a project management standpoint, they were good. We didn’t have any hiccups or delays. Email was the prime form of communication. We had video conference calls, as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

River + Wolf knows the naming business, including all of the legal ramifications that go into it. They guide their clients in a way that manages expectations. We have our own lawyers, but Margaret was clear about the entire legal review, providing real-life examples to gage expectations while bringing specific ideas forward. She also provided insights on how to circumvent the system in an effort to give us what we wanted, even though there might be some trade-off involved.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I think it went well.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be as clear as possible upfront. Drive clarity for their team. You get out of it what you put into it.