Human Interest
The Problem:
Hard to take the name seriously
What do you do exactly?
When Captain401 first started, the vision behind the name and the brand was a guiding force that steered employers through the muddy waters of 401(k)s. However, this story wasn’t as easy for their audience to grab a hold of. Reactions from new clients were typically along the lines of a ‘oh that sounds like’ series of names akin to Captain Crunch, Captain Underpants, and Captain America. Behind these associations lurked an underlying theme: Why should I take you seriously? Not an ideal first impression to get from potential customers.
Captain401 felt vague, generic, and — after all the PG-rated associations of their name — limiting. Having 401 in the name didn’t help with their plans to branch out into other investment vehicles and personal finance later on. The team decided it was time for a change.
The Fix:
Focus on the audience
Evoke a guiding, helpful hand
Get to the heart of the matter
What Captain401 actually does is help small businesses set up and administer 401(k)s. They deal with all of the paperwork and answer employee questions directly so that employers have more time to do what they love and are best at. It’s often costly and tedious for smaller businesses to set these things up, and Captain401 solves all these pain points.
The team wanted the name to reach their two audiences, as it’s a B2B2C situation where both employers and employees benefit. They wanted the name to feel down-to-earth and stay away from stodgy, buttoned up investment names.
Human Interest fit the bill perfectly. It’s a tongue-in-cheek play on accruing interest, focusing on the people who are taking their future seriously and the employers who want to help them. The name takes a good look at what small businesses actually want in a 401(k) and what the employers and employees need in a financial service tool. It feels sincere and playful at the same time — bringing life and a new story into the world of finance and 401(k)s.
“We expected that working with a naming agency would be a good experience when it came to having creative discussions about possible new names, but we were also pleasantly surprised at the thoughtfulness that went into understanding how this renaming fit our greater business goals. They were great at sticking to deadlines, having a structured process, managing stakeholders, learning about our limitations, and adjusting their work based on our feedback. They also pushed back when necessary, based on their experience and expertise, which was great — they know a lot about names!” – Margarette Jung, Head of Marketing
Drop us a line if you’re looking for a good name for a finance company
More you say?
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