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
Naming a blended beverage line for Peet’s Coffee
Branding
Naming a self-powered blockchain company
Branding
Software naming for Adobe
Branding
Naming innovative retail technology for HP
Branding
Financial naming for Wells Fargo
Branding
Naming a new health insurance company
Branding
Naming personal insurance products
Branding
Educational game naming for LeapFrog
Branding
Product line naming for Dreyer’s
Branding
Private-label beverage naming for Ahold
Branding
Pharmaceutical glass naming for Corning
Branding
Ongoing naming strategy and architecture
Branding
Naming a new company for Hitachi
Branding
Global health nonprofit naming and strategy
Branding
Naming an innovative healthcare app
Branding
Naming a home-grown American beer
Branding
Lifestyle product naming and strategy
Branding
Consumer tech company and product naming
Catchword Team Bios
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Brand Strategy, Naming and Tagline Development for Eggland’s Best New Packaging
Project Type: Naming
Review Date: 2 May, 2022
Catchword helped a leading egg producer determine brand strategy, name, and tagline for its new packaging concept. The client needed guidance as to how to introduce the new look and feel while maintaining brand equity. The client is very pleased with the work and the process and notes that the quality and professionalism of the interactions was refreshing and that the team was supportive of client goals and mindful of timelines.
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Catchword helped a leading egg producer determine brand strategy, name, and tagline for its new packaging concept. The client needed guidance as to how to introduce the new look and feel while maintaining brand equity. The client is very pleased with the work and the process and notes that the quality and professionalism of the interactions was refreshing and that the team was supportive of client goals and mindful of timelines.
Shereen Bhan
Acting North America Program and Global Leadership Development Director at WomenLift Health (program of Stanford Global Health)
Naming and Naming Architecture for Stanford Global Health Women’s Initiative
Project Type: Naming
Review Date: 29 April, 2022
Catchword guided the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health through naming strategy for the parent organization and developed a name for a new initiative that empowers women to be healthcare leaders worldwide. In addition, Catchword developed an extensive terminology list around the Center’s work to assist the client with marketing. The client is extremely happy with the creative output, the Catchword team’s ability to listen, and the efficiency of the process.
Rating:
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Catchword guided the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health through naming strategy for the parent organization and developed a name for a new initiative that empowers women to be healthcare leaders worldwide. In addition, Catchword developed an extensive terminology list around the Center’s work to assist the client with marketing. The client is extremely happy with the creative output, the Catchword team’s ability to listen, and the efficiency of the process.
Alisha Bratt
Creative Services Manager at WeStreet Credit Union
Brand Strategy & Renaming for Tulsa Federal Credit Union
Project Type: Naming
Review Date: 12 April, 2022
Catchword resolved a midsized credit union’s brand confusion through distinctive brand positioning and then developed a memorable new name and tagline to express the new strategy. The client described the engagement as a pleasure—professional, well-managed, high-quality—and plans to work with Catchword again.
Rating:
Work Quality:
Timely Delivery:
Responsiveness:
Overall Costs:
Your Satisfaction:
Willing To Refer:
Catchword resolved a midsized credit union’s brand confusion through distinctive brand positioning and then developed a memorable new name and tagline to express the new strategy. The client described the engagement as a pleasure—professional, well-managed, high-quality—and plans to work with Catchword again.
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