Selected Case Studies

Overture Time flies
  • Naming
  • Brand Strategy
  • Brand Story
  • Website Copy
  • Promotional Copy

OVERTURE is a 55-seat supersonic passenger jet designed to go Mach 2.2. An overture is an introduction, in music and now in flight. Considering this will be Boom’s first commercial aircraft, it says this is just the beginning. The name also has “over” in it, signaling that the jet will literally be 30,000 feet above the competition.

What we did

We worked with Boom’s senior leadership team alongside our design partner, Manual, to develop a unified communication strategy, a name for the jet, and a series of writing deliverables to bring Overture to life on the Boom website, in print, and at trade shows.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

Fairly easy because not a lot of people make airplanes and most people who do name them alphanumerically or after birds of prey.

The decision

We took 4 names into deep legal screening with Boom’s trademark counsel. All names passed the test. In the end, Overture was the CEO’s favorite name.

Definite Articles Back to basics
  • Naming

Definite Articles is a performance apparel brand that is entirely biodegradable. The fashion industry wastes 2.4 billion pounds of textiles annually. Biodegradable apparel is an important step in closing the loop. 

What we did

Definite Articles is a term borrowed from grammar. In English, it’s the word the. But in the context of clothing and fashion, the term takes on new meaning. Calling clothing articles makes them feel valuable and considered. Definite Articles feel durable and confident. This acts as a fitting counterbalance to the idea of biodegradable clothing—as if to say “This clothing is built to last.” That is, of course, until you’re done with them and pop them in the compost.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

Definite Articles received an A grade in preliminary trademark screening and didn’t run into any issues during the registration process. This is thanks in no small part to it being a longer, two word name. In a world where everyone wants something short, longer names definitely stand out.

URL

The team at DA registered definitearticles.com. Again, having a longer name was very helpful here.

The decision

Definite Articles was the fourth name presented in the first round. We do a lot of groundwork before presenting names to ensure that our early options can be winners.

Miro Work as art
  • Renaming

MIRO is an excuse to think of your workday as a collaborative canvas. Derived from Joan Miró, the Spanish painter and sculptor who painted bright, bold murals of surreal amoebic forms. His vibrant, energetic work was a perfect metaphor for bringing ideas to life. Miro can also be considered as an empty vessel name with a connection to the Spanish word for “look” or “watch.”

What we did

When we began the project, Miro (then RealTimeBoard) had offices in San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Perm. We were lucky to be able to meet with the majority of the team in San Francisco to demo the product and work through our intake process. The team wanted a short, unmistakable name that spoke to creativity and visual collaboration.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

Names were screened in the US and EU.

URL

Not a project priority but the team was able to acquire miro.com

The decision

After legal review, we met with the leadership team in San Francisco and worked through the final contender names one by one. It rarely happens this way but we actually made a decision as a group, in the room.

Chuck’s Takeaway Order Up
  • Naming

We like the classic feeling of a sandwich shop with the proprietor’s name on it: Ted’s, Rhea’s, Michael’s, Kelly’s. If we stopped with “Chuck’s” there would be a chance of going unnoticed so we wanted to modify the name with something ownable that wasn’t just window dressing. “Takeaway” fits the bill by setting an expectation and an attitude.

What we did

We worked with Charles Phan and the leadership team at Slanted Door Group to name a neighborhood sandwich shop in San Francisco’s Mission District that’s attached to Slanted Door’s commissary. Chuck was Charles’ nickname in college and Takeaway lets you know that there isn’t much room for seating. Simple enough.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

We conducted a preliminary trademark screening in the US. Restaurants are notorious for common law conflicts so deeper legal screening was important as well.

URL

URL wasn’t a driver of the project because these are physical restaurants that are part of an existing restaurant group. Chuckstakeaway.com was available.

The decision

We worked alongside design partner Moniker to bring these names to life. Chuck’s happened really fast because an opening date was set. When we presented the name it got the strongest reaction from almost everyone.

House Numbers You’ve arrived
  • Naming

House Numbers is the first financial advisor for the home, helping homeowners build wealth while lowering the cost of home-ownership. The team liked the double meaning here as House Numbers are a fixture on the front of nearly every home and a way to communicate, quite literally, the amount of money a home is worth.

What we did

We worked with a small team of stakeholders from the worlds of real estate, finance, and tech. This breadth of experience helped us see the naming opportunity from multiple backgrounds and perspectives.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

Names were put through a preliminary screening for conflicts in the US. Despite having the word “house” in it, this name proved to be unique enough to own.

URL

We shared a variety of URL options for the final name. The team was open to alternate TLDs and ultimately went with housenumbers.io.

The decision

Among the participants, there were two key decision makers. We had a call with them at the end of the process to discuss the short list of contenders. After weighing the options, they moved forward with a name we all agreed was the strongest.

Ostro Easy breezy engagement
  • Naming

Ostro helps life sciences brands engage with healthcare providers and consumers in more impactful ways. Their products bridge the gap between “Ask your doctor about…” and real action, all with the goal of better health outcomes. Ostro, an Italian word for a southerly Mediterranean wind, is also a metaphor for natural pathways and a seamless flow of information.

What we did

We were summoned by our partners at Mucho who were spearheading the rebrand of the company (formerly known as RxDefine). Pivoting away from pharmaceutical language, Ostro was a poetic alternative ready to be imbued with new meaning. Its visual symmetry opened up a world of possibilities for Mucho’s design.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

We conducted our preliminary screening in the US, and Ostro’s relative obscurity earned it a B grade.

URL

Being open to simple suffixes, the Ostro team was able to secure ostrohealth.com.

The decision

Ostro was a definite favorite from the first round of names—and remained so throughout the process. The co-founders were aligned and made the decision with the support of Mucho and yours truly.

Understory The future of protein
  • Naming

Understory is a brand of supplements and proteins derived from Antarctic krill. The name was born out of a desire for the parent company, Aker Biomarine, to share a rich story about the importance of aquaculture nutrition and highlight krill’s vast range of sustainable nutrients.

What we did

We worked with a diverse group of decision makers from Aker, with expertise ranging from biology to B2B partnerships. To find Understory, we dove deeplooking for a connection to the abundant nutrition beneath the waves. Understory is typically associated with surface plant life but takes on new meaning in the context of marine-based biotech.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

Aker Biomarine needed to conduct preliminary trademark screening in the US, Japan, and Korea. All three countries are large markets for krill protein and protein manufacturing. Understory and several other names received good marks in these territories, and Aker’s internal counsel conducted the final deep legal screening before registration.

URL

Being open to a suffix in their url, the team was able to acquire understoryprotein.com without any trouble.

The decision

Even though there were a variety of perspectives on the name, the Aker team was able to come together—ultimately selecting for extensibility and shared appreciation for what lies beneath.

Lyric Supply chain building blocks
  • Naming

Lyric is an AI-first software approach for supply chain management. Having witnessed firsthand the logistical chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lyric’s team aims to create harmony where there was discord and volatility. Initially known as ChainBrain, most of the senior team felt this placeholder name sounded too old, literal, and limited.

What we did

We worked with key stakeholders including the founder/CEO, CMO, and head of engineering to find more fresh and figurative alternatives. Happily, they all agreed on the most important naming objective: inspiring supply chain adjacent businesses to create. They saw Lyric as an industry outlier in terms of style and concept, channeling the idea that each part of the supply chain could connect and flow along in unison.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

Lyric received a B in the preliminary U.S. screening and made it through deeper legal diligence.

URL

Being open to non-traditional domain endings, the team was able to purchase lyric.tech.

The decision

Lyric stood out amongst other names that had stronger supply chain references—feeling lighter, more colorful, and giving space for harmonious creation. Its creative, atypical energy supported the team’s passion for carving out a new category. Singing a different tune in their rapidly growing industry gives Lyric a chance to stand out from the crowd.

Eero Home is where the Wi-Fi is
  • Naming
  • Naming Architecture
  • Product Naming

EERO was the first wireless router to bring design sensibilities to setting up and using a Wi-Fi network. The name Eero, inspired by the life and work of architect and designer Eero Saarinen, positions the product as an extension of the hearth and home.

What we did

We worked with the founding team to develop a name for the company that could also work as the name of their product. Years later, we worked with their marketing team to develop a strategic naming architecture for their expanding product line.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

Their placeholder name when they first came to us had trademark challenges. It also didn’t quite work with their positioning. We conducted preliminary trademark screening in the U.S. and the deeper legal clearance was conducted by their legal counsel.

URL

While it was not a driving factor in our process, they were able to acquire eero.com

The decision

If given the right conditions, the unexpected always seems to find a way. In this case? The CEO happened to attend elementary school in a building designed by none other than Saarinen himself.

Wild Common Nothing added, nothing lost
  • Naming

WILD COMMON imbues the raw elements of nature with a sense of community and gathering. The name captures the essence of what the founder was inspired to create with his line of tequilas and mezcals—a near-spiritual connection to the products conjured from the earth. It was important that his brand not feel aggressive or gimmicky, as he wanted to speak to active, driven people who care about the products they bring into their lives—and their bodies.

What we did

Our team developed names that reflected his commitment to growing a sustainable business, working with a team of mindful experts, and creating a fresh line of additive-free agave spirits.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

Wild Common had made it through our preliminary screening and cleared deep legal clearance as well.

URL

Longer names tend to make for easier URL acquisition, and the team was able to purchase wildcommon.com.

The decision

Wild Common was the favorite out of a group of three finalists. It made a strong impact and remained memorable and interesting. Ultimately, its pleasant blend of natural and communal themes made for a well-balanced name. 

Groundcover DevOps monitoring, under control
  • Naming

Groundcover is any plant that grows over an area of ground and provides protection of the topsoil from erosion and drought. The Tel Aviv-based team loved the name as an easy metaphor for their DevOps monitoring platform that installs in a flash, stamps out issues, and recedes to the background when things are running smoothly.

What we did

Our team worked directly with the co-founders so we got up to speed quickly and decisions were made swiftly. Once they landed on Groundcover the team built a lovely, playful brand identity, and have found success at every turn.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

This was a standard software search in the US and Israel.

URL

URL wasn’t as much of a concern and they’ve managed to acquire the .com.

The decision

After one round of names the team liked nearly half of what we shared, mulled the names over for a short while, then emailed us with the good news: they’re were going with Groundcover.

Tempo Commuting in rhythm
  • Naming

Tempo is a bus that’s pretending to be a train. AC Transit, the Oakland-based public transit agency, reached out to us as they started planning a new bus rapid transit (BRT) line to serve communities in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, stretching from the San Leandro BART station to downtown Oakland. The bus line is designed to function more like light-rail with buses every ten minutes, bus-only lanes, and new traffic signal technology allowing buses to bypass traffic.

What we did

With that regular, uninterrupted service in mind, the name Tempo was a clear favorite, setting a quick and regular pace for life along East 14th and International Boulevard.

What was the deal with…
Trademark

We conducted preliminary trademark screening in the U.S. and the deeper legal clearance was conducted by their legal counsel.

URL

Leadership knew this name wouldn’t require a standalone URL as it would live as a part of AC Transit’s existing site.

The decision

Their leadership made a decision as construction began on the lanes. A few years later, Tempo buses started taking on passengers.

Imbue AI with purpose

    Imbue is an AI systems company creating practical AI agents capable of complex reasoning. They believe that AI has the potential to make life better for people, offering the time and space to live happier lives.

    What we did

    When we first met with the team they were still operating under their original name: Generally Intelligent. While we appreciated the humor of the pun on “artificial general intelligence,” most people thought the name was a lot to process and maybe a little too frivolous. We were able to work directly with the founders, including the passionate and thoughtful CEO. We progressed through several rounds of naming, refining our directions, style, and tone along the way.

    What was the deal with…
    Trademark

    Imbue received a B in the preliminary U.S. screening and passed all deeper legal diligence.

    URL

    The team had funds allocated for a domain name purchase and were thrilled to be able to acquire imbue.com.

    The decision

    Imbue received uniform praise from the project participants in our third round of naming. The name felt magical, distinctive, lively, warm, and artistic. They all appreciated that the name could indicate  “imbuing computers with intelligence and human values.” After a long search it was nice to find a name that felt right for their purpose and their personalities.

    Heyday Technology, but make it fashion
    • Naming

    HEYDAY is Target’s in-house brand of tech accessories. The name speaks to the ability for the brand to capture an individual’s sense of style. This is a name that says tech accessories have just as much to do with fashion as they do with electronics.

    What we did

    We worked closely with the brand team at Target, alongside the design team at Collins, to develop and present a wide range of names that were energetic, playful, and bold.

    What was the deal with…
    Trademark

    We worked closely with Target’s in-house counsel to conduct legal screening on all names shared with leadership.

    The decision

    The leadership team made the decision based on a variety of factors both creative and strategic.