Catchword

Catchword

Leading Naming Agency in San Francisco and New York

409 13th Street, Oakland, California 94612, United States

Catchword Overview

Number of Employees
Under 49
Minimal Budget
Inquire
Average Hourly Rate
$250/hr
Year Founded
1998
Catchword is a naming and branding firm that has been helping industry-leading brands since 1998. From our offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Denver we help clients of every size and sector express who, what, and why they are. Well-known brands such as TikTok, Intel, Allergan, Boston Scientific, Starbucks, HBO, and VW look to us for naming and branding creativity and strategic insights.

Our client engagements range from quick-turnaround projects with startups to retainer relationships with multiple Fortune 500 clients. Whether you’re just getting off the ground or going through a full relaunch, our goal is always the same: to develop a timeless brand that resonates fully and authentically with your target audiences. We believe brands should be distinctive and memorable, but not different just for the sake of being different. The huge creative diversity of our portfolio reflects the many different cultures and business objectives of our clientele, versus a need to impose one creative style or philosophy on all.

Catchword has received more awards for naming work than any other agency, including Top Honors at the London International Awards (LIA), 1 Platinum Hermes Creative Award, 4 Gold Hermes Creative Awards, 3 Transform Awards, 3 Gold MarCom Awards, 2 Gold MUSE Creative Awards, and 3 Silver MUSE Creative Awards.
Headquarters
409 13th Street, Oakland, California 94612, United States
Other Locations
33 West 19th Street, 4th Floor, New York City, New York 10011, United States
1801 West Briarwoord Avenue, Littleton, Colorado 80120, United States
5411 Valentine Crescent SE, Calgary, T2A 2K7, Canada

Catchword Portfolio

  • Catchword - Car naming for Volkswagen
    Branding
    Car naming for Volkswagen
  • Catchword - Rebranding a financial solutions company
    Branding
    Rebranding a financial solutions company
  • Catchword - Naming Intel’s revolutionary technology
    Branding
    Naming Intel’s revolutionary technology
  • Catchword - Company & product platform naming
    Branding
    Company & product platform naming
  • Catchword - Naming wearable fitness trackers for Fitbit
    Branding
    Naming wearable fitness trackers for Fitbit
  • Catchword - Rebranding an educational publishing division of EDC
    Branding
    Rebranding an educational publishing division of EDC
  • Catchword - Company naming for Elance & oDesk
    Branding
    Company naming for Elance & oDesk
  • Catchword - Beverage platform naming for Starbucks
    Branding
    Beverage platform naming for Starbucks
  • Catchword - Technology naming for Corning
    Branding
    Technology naming for Corning
  • Catchword - Retail naming for Gymboree
    Branding
    Retail naming for Gymboree
  • Catchword - Rebranding a leader in commercial insurance solutions
    Branding
    Rebranding a leader in commercial insurance solutions
  • Catchword - Naming a premium confectionary product
    Branding
    Naming a premium confectionary product
  • Catchword - Leading cyber-security company renaming
    Branding
    Leading cyber-security company renaming
  • Catchword - Naming a blended beverage line for Peet’s Coffee
    Branding
    Naming a blended beverage line for Peet’s Coffee
  • Catchword - Naming a self-powered blockchain company
    Branding
    Naming a self-powered blockchain company
  • Catchword - Software naming for Adobe
    Branding
    Software naming for Adobe
  • Catchword - Naming innovative retail technology for HP
    Branding
    Naming innovative retail technology for HP
  • Catchword - Financial naming for Wells Fargo
    Branding
    Financial naming for Wells Fargo
  • Catchword - Naming a new health insurance company
    Branding
    Naming a new health insurance company
  • Catchword - Naming personal insurance products
    Branding
    Naming personal insurance products
  • Catchword - Educational game naming for LeapFrog
    Branding
    Educational game naming for LeapFrog
  • Catchword - Product line naming for Dreyer’s
    Branding
    Product line naming for Dreyer’s
  • Catchword - Private-label beverage naming for Ahold
    Branding
    Private-label beverage naming for Ahold
  • Catchword - Pharmaceutical glass naming for Corning
    Branding
    Pharmaceutical glass naming for Corning
  • Catchword - Ongoing naming strategy and architecture
    Branding
    Ongoing naming strategy and architecture
  • Catchword - Naming a new company for Hitachi
    Branding
    Naming a new company for Hitachi
  • Catchword - Global health nonprofit naming and strategy
    Branding
    Global health nonprofit naming and strategy
  • Catchword - Naming an innovative healthcare app
    Branding
    Naming an innovative healthcare app
  • Catchword - Naming a home-grown American beer
    Branding
    Naming a home-grown American beer
  • Catchword - Lifestyle product naming and strategy
    Branding
    Lifestyle product naming and strategy
  • Catchword - Consumer tech company and product naming
    Branding
    Consumer tech company and product naming

Catchword Team Bios

  • Partner & Executive Creative Director
    Maria Cypher
    Partner & Executive Creative Director
    Founder and Executive Creative Director of Catchword, Maria oversees all creative work at Catchword. She has created names for Starbucks, Fitbit, Wells Fargo, Unilever, Intel, and hundreds of other clients.
  • Partner & Senior Account Director
    Mark Skoultchi
    Partner & Senior Account Director
    Head of Catchword's East Coast operations, Mark leads all projects on the right coast, including projects for Volkswagen, McDonald's, PwC, BIC, Unilever, and countless others.
  • Senior Strategist & Linguist
    Laurel Sutton
    Senior Strategist & Linguist
    Linguist, strategist, and co-founder of Catchword, Laurel oversees the agency's naming strategy and architecture work and global linguistic screening practice. She has managed projects for Cisco, Plantronics, Corning, and many others.
  • Creative Director
    Erin Milnes
    Creative Director
    Erin has overseen creative development and contributed to strategy on countless projects for Catchword, including work for Walgreens, HP, Michelin, BIC, Intel, and The Home Depot.
  • Account Director
    Leena Mehta
    Account Director
    Leena spent many years in brand management at Estee Lauder and Bare Escentuals before joining Catchword almost a decade ago. Whether it's naming initiatives or strategy and architecture projects, she brings her CPG marketing experience to clients like Corning, Chobani, and Johnson & Johnson.
  • Senior Naming Manager
    Stevie Belchak
    Senior Naming Manager
    A brand strategist for the last 10 years, Stevie has laid the steady foundation and necessary groundwork for companies large and small, working with the likes of Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, AT&T, and more.
  • Senior Strategist
    Helen Gould
    Senior Strategist
    There are few, if any, naming professionals with as much naming strategy experience as Helen. With a linguistics degree from Harvard and an MBA from Stanford, she has led verbal branding departments for two global branding agencies and in-house at eBay and PayPal.
  • Copy Boss
    Chuck Guest
    Copy Boss
    Chuck started at Hal Riney & Partners on the account side, if only to justify his marketing degree from Santa Clara University. Creative was a better fit, and he went on to develop award-winning work at Chiat\Day and Young & Rubicam for well-known brands such as Gallo, Clorox, and Chevron.

Catchword Clients

  • Intel
  • Starbucks
  • Fitbit
  • Dunkin'
  • The Home Depot
  • PwC
  • General Motors
  • Uber
  • Corning
  • NBCUniversal
  • Unilever
  • Aetna
  • Amazon
  • Volkswagen
  • Hitachi
  • HP
  • Allergan
  • GE Healthcare
  • Michelin
  • AT&T

Catchword Awards

  • Catchword - Award 1
  • Catchword - Award 2
  • Catchword - Award 3
  • Catchword - Award 4
  • Catchword - Award 5
  • Catchword - Award 6
  • Catchword - Award 7

Catchword Reviews

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  • Pete Bastedo

    Pete Bastedo

    CEO at Lumerate

    Lumerate - umbrella company naming
    Project Type: Branding
    Review Date: 29 November, 2022
    A Canadian company specializing in business and industry intelligence tools engaged Catchword to develop an umbrella company brand. After a detailed exploration of the company's business, culture and industry. Catchword guided the client through two rounds of name development followed by visual identity design. The client noted that Catchword routinely went the extra mile, including the development of brand exhibits to help with brand launch and is delighted with the company’s new name and look.
    Rating:
    • Work Quality:
    • Timely Delivery:
    • Responsiveness:
    • Overall Costs:
    • Your Satisfaction:
    • Willing To Refer:
    A Canadian company specializing in business and industry intelligence tools engaged Catchword to develop an umbrella company brand. After a detailed exploration of the company's business, culture and industry. Catchword guided the client through two rounds of name development followed by visual identity design. The client noted that Catchword routinely went the extra mile, including the development of brand exhibits to help with brand launch and is delighted with the company’s new name and look.
  • Penny Reinart

    Penny Reinart

    Deputy Executive Director at ASCD

    Witsby - naming a digital content delivery platform
    Project Type: Naming
    Review Date: 18 August, 2022
    Leading education organization ASCD engaged Catchword to name its new digital content delivery platform for K-12 professional learning and credentialing. The client wanted to be sure that the new name would stand out in a crowded market while communicating the benefits of the platform and personality of the brand. The client was delighted with the outcome as well as the process, particularly the step-by-step guidance and high level of communication.
    Rating:
    • Work Quality:
    • Timely Delivery:
    • Responsiveness:
    • Overall Costs:
    • Your Satisfaction:
    • Willing To Refer:
    Leading education organization ASCD engaged Catchword to name its new digital content delivery platform for K-12 professional learning and credentialing. The client wanted to be sure that the new name would stand out in a crowded market while communicating the benefits of the platform and personality of the brand. The client was delighted with the outcome as well as the process, particularly the step-by-step guidance and high level of communication.
  • Kim Read

    Kim Read

    General Manager at Tivly (formerly Commercial Insurance.Net)

    Tivly - company rebranding
    Project Type: Branding
    Review Date: 16 August, 2022
    CINET (Commercial Insurance.Net, one of the industry's best lead generators for businesses looking for insurance) engaged Catchword to develop a new company brand to express its growth beyond insurance. Catchword created new brand positioning, name, and visual identity. The client was delighted with how Tivly (positively, actively) speaks directly to the “Yaysayers” culture of the company and impressed by the proactive project management and clear and engaging presentations.
    Rating:
    • Work Quality:
    • Timely Delivery:
    • Responsiveness:
    • Overall Costs:
    • Your Satisfaction:
    • Willing To Refer:
    CINET (Commercial Insurance.Net, one of the industry's best lead generators for businesses looking for insurance) engaged Catchword to develop a new company brand to express its growth beyond insurance. Catchword created new brand positioning, name, and visual identity. The client was delighted with how Tivly (positively, actively) speaks directly to the “Yaysayers” culture of the company and impressed by the proactive project management and clear and engaging presentations.