
Catchword
Your Partner In Distinctive Branding Strategies
3645 Grand Avenue, Suite 206, Oakland, California 94610, United Stateshttps://catchwordbranding.com
Catchword Overview
- Number of Employees
- Under 49
- Minimal Budget
- Inquire
- Average Hourly Rate
- $250/hr
- Year Founded
- 1998
We believe the best work arises when blue-sky thinking is grounded in serious analysis and open-minded exploration complements time-tested process. At this intersection of rigor and intuition, amazing brands are born.
Our client engagements range from quick-turnaround projects with startups to retainer relationships with international Fortune 500s. Whether you're just getting off the ground, rebranding your company, or launching a new product, our goal is the same: to develop a timeless brand that resonates fully and authentically with target audiences and makes a mark in the world. Whether in the supermarket, at CES, or opening the New York Stock Exchange, the brands we help create tell enduring stories that become part of the very culture around us.
Catchword has received countless industry awards, including Hermes Creative Awards, MUSE Creative Awards, Transform Awards, MarCom Awards, Creative Communication Awards, and London International Awards (LIAs).
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Catchword Services
Branding Expertise
- Brand Design
- Brand Messaging
- Brand Positioning
- Brand Strategy
- Naming
Graphic Design Expertise
- Visual Communication
Industries
- Software & IT Services
- Health Care
- Consumer Goods
- Fintech
- Food and Beverage
- Finance
- Corporate Services
- Automotive
- Media & Communications
- Transportation & Logistics
Client Types
- Startups
- Medium Businesses
- Enterprise / Corporate
Catchword Portfolio

Logo Design
Refreshing Macmillan Learning's Visual Identity
- $20K - $100K
- 4 Months
- 2025

Branding
New Name & Identity for a Fintech Company
- $20K - $100K
- 1 Month
- 2024

Naming
Naming Rivian's Micromobility Spinoff Company
- $20K - $100K
- 3 Months
- 2025

Branding
Naming Intel’s revolutionary technology

Branding
Company & product platform naming

Branding
Naming wearable fitness trackers for Fitbit

Branding
Car naming for Volkswagen

Branding
Rebranding an educational publishing division of EDC

Branding
Company naming for Elance & oDesk

Branding
Beverage platform naming for Starbucks

Branding
Technology naming for Corning

Branding
Retail naming for Gymboree

Branding
Rebranding a leader in commercial insurance solutions

Branding
Naming a premium confectionary product

Branding
Leading cyber-security company renaming

Branding
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 Reviews
Reviews from Google Maps and DesignRush are available on this profile.
All reviews
- All reviews
- Google reviews
- DesignRush reviews
Our company required a distinctive name for an innovative platform we are introducing to the veterinary technology field. Given our own emphasis on structure and efficiency, Catchword proved to be an excellent match. They posed thoughtful questions and grasped our objectives quickly and thoroughly. We were very pleased not only with the caliber of the naming options presented but also with the entire experience. The project was managed smoothly, delivered on time, and stayed within budget. We are so pleased with the experience that we plan to recommend their services to other divisions of our company. "Project Name: IDEXX Labs: Platform Naming
- Project Type:
- Branding
- Company size:
- 5,000 & Up
- Industry:
- Veterinary
Catchword has been our primary naming partner, as we have worked with them since 2000. Their cultural and linguistic expertise enables our clients’ names to achieve global resonance while avoiding potential challenges in the important U.S. market. They contribute innovative, U.S.-grounded perspectives, and their branding acumen ensures their guidance is both strategically sound and practically applicable. Professional, responsive, and deeply committed, they are a valued partner. "Project Name: Ongoing US Naming Partner
- Project Type:
- Branding
- Company size:
- 50 - 99
- Industry:
- Marketing and Advertising
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. "Project Name: Lumerate - umbrella company naming
- Project Type:
- Branding
- Company size:
- 100 - 249
- Industry:
- Computer Software
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 [the] 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. (Verified via email) "Project Name: Witsby - naming a digital content delivery platform
- Project Type:
- Naming
- Company size:
- 250 - 499
- Industry:
- Education Management
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 [was] impressed by the proactive project management and clear and engaging presentations. "Project Name: Tivly - company rebranding
- Project Type:
- Branding
- Company size:
- 100 - 249
- Industry:
- Insurance
International customer experience leader HGS planned to spin off its healthcare unit and hired Catchword to develop a name for the new company and create a brand story. Catchword did a deep dive into the client's business and culture and worked closely with the client team to create three different viable name candidates and brand narratives. The client was especially pleased with the Catchword team's responsiveness, expertise, creativity, and smooth project management. "Project Name: Sagility - spinoff branding
- Project Type:
- Branding
- Company size:
- 5,000 & Up
- Industry:
- Hospital & Healthcare
Denim (formerly Axle Payments) provides factoring services and a financial platform for freight brokers and intermediaries. The company was growing beyond trucking and needed a new name and brand to reflect its evolution. The client hired Catchword to develop the new name (including an exact .com domain), branding brief, and visual identity. The Denim team is thrilled with its new name and look. They commented that the Catchword team [is] truly [an expert] in branding with excellent insights. "Project Name: Denim - company rebranding
- Project Type:
- Naming
- Company size:
- Under 49
- Industry:
- Financial Services
Antech engaged Catchword to name several diagnostic tools and applications. Each project included an initial discovery phase to learn about the product, competitors, and the market and develop a naming brief. Catchword then created and presented two rounds of creative work using the brief as a guide. The client was impressed with the broad selection, strategic aptness, and creativity of the name candidates. "Project Name: Diagnostic product naming
- Project Type:
- Naming
- Company size:
- 1000 - 4,999
- Industry:
- Veterinary
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 [were] refreshing and that the team was supportive of [the] client's goals and mindful of timelines. (Verified via email) "Project Name: Brand Strategy, Naming and Tagline Development for Eggland’s Best New Packaging
- Project Type:
- Naming
- Company size:
- 50 - 99
- Industry:
- Food & Beverages
Catchword guided the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health through [a] 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 Centers work to assist the client with marketing. The client is extremely happy with the creative output, the Catchword teams ability to listen, and the efficiency of the process. "Project Name: Naming and Naming Architecture for Stanford Global Health Women’s Initiative
- Project Type:
- Naming
- Company size:
- 5,000 & Up
- Industry:
- Education Management
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. "Project Name: Brand Strategy & Renaming for Tulsa Federal Credit Union
- Project Type:
- Naming
- Company size:
- 50 - 99
- Industry:
- Financial Services
Catchword helped a leading wet wipes producer determine a naming approach and develop a name for a new product technology. [The] client was very pleased with how well the Catchword team understood the nature of the technology and how it worked on a practical level. The client felt the Catchword team [was an excellent communicator] and established a great workflow. Ultimately, the client liked so many of the names that Catchword provided they had a hard time choosing finalists. "Project Name: Brand Strategy & Naming for Personal Care Product Technology
- Project Type:
- Naming
- Company size:
- 1000 - 4,999
- Industry:
- Consumer Goods
Catchword developed a new name for a company that had outgrown its existing brand. They escorted the client through a challenging project with an extremely smooth project management style. The client was particularly impressed by how deeply Catchword immersed themselves in the client’s business and differentiators. The client is thrilled with the final candidates, now in legal review. "Project Name: Brand Renaming for Cloud Infrastructure Company
- Project Type:
- Naming
- Company size:
- 50 - 99
- Industry:
- Information Technology and Services
The client is impressed by the speed and quality of Catchword's work [in] naming a high-profile new technology. The Catchword teams detailed SOW and timeline helped [the] client feel on track and grounded throughout, while the open and transparent communication guided the work. They built a strong partnership wherein the client feels truly listened to and eager to work with them again. (Verified via email) "Project Name: Brand Strategy & Naming for an Interventional Medical Device
- Project Type:
- Branding
- Company size:
- 5,000 & Up
- Industry:
- Medical Devices
Catchword created the perfect name for our new life sciences company, uniting five brands into one. They captured our culture, value, and global vision, as well as delivering fast, with outstanding communication and stakeholder management. From thousands of ideas to the final choice, the process was seamless. Employees, clients, and prospects alike love the new name. "Project Name: Brand & Name Creation for Life Science Services Platform
- Project Type:
- Branding
- Company size:
- 1000 - 4,999
- Industry:
- Pharmaceuticals
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.
Catchword Clients
Catchword Awards









