Zinzin

I am CMO of a B2B vertical SaaS company focused on delivering solutions to global professional services organizations.

We retained Zinzin to help us create a new company name following the Q421 merger of two suppliers in our space. Both suppliers had well known and respected company names and brands in the industry.

We developed a list of leading naming / branding agencies using various data sources and referrals. We generally focused on agencies focused on naming and with considerable technology company experience. We then narrowed the list down to three target companies and engaged each to discuss our project and how they might work with us, including general methodologies / approaches, timing, costs, etc. We really liked Zinzin's thought leadership and conviction around great company naming. Also, they proposed a highly structured and timely approach that appealed to us given some of the unique challenges we faced given that we were bringing two companies together in merger that previously were competitors.

The work scope was to identify the go-forward name for the company, including evaluating using one of the two existing names. Zinzin followed a structured, iterative process over roughly forty-days that started with a creative brief and marketscape analysis and proceeded through multiple rounds of name ideation and progression. The final deliverables was a short-list of possible company names, from which we would select our go-forward name (ideally).

We’ve primarily worked with Jay (CEO & Creative Director) and Martin (Creative Director).

The primary outcome is that the project did result in a selection of a new, go-forward name for the company and this new name and corresponding brand / visual identity was successfully launched in May. With Zinzin's help, we went from project initiation to a full-name and brand launch in roughly four months. We didn't think this timing was possible when we started, but we did set this goal and were able to hit it.

As mentioned, Zinzin has strong convictions around good company naming and also the best processes for creating a new company name. This fact was a key positive for us since it increased our confidence in our ability to work towards a new name that met our high expectations and tight timelines. Zinzin progressed the project as outlined so they followed what they pitched. Communications where timely and clear throughout.

We were drawn to their strong beliefs about what makes a great name (and what makes a bad name) and what to do (and not do) in creating a new name. These beliefs were what drove us to select them and they executed accordingly in delivering against our project.

Given that we had a very successful outcome from this work, I would say no.

I’m one of the co-founders as well as the head of design at a B2B SaaS company that guarantees that their enterprise customers’ data is secure, both in rest and in motion through our SaaS product.

We were an early-stage company with three founders and were preparing to launch after taking on a round of funding. It became clear that we wanted to reconsider our name around now having more clarity around our market and product.

They were very helpful in providing a framework for how to work with them and what the project would look like. We initially gave them a set of value propositions, tones, and qualities that our customers expressed about us and our product. Zinzin helped us create a creative brief that included all these characteristics as information we wanted to instill in our company.

We’ve primarily worked with Jay (CEO & Creative Director) and Martin (Creative Director).

I believe that they were either referenced in a New York Times article or we found them through our own research. They were a boutique option based in California, meaning they were more local to us. There was also a previous connection with the CEO and another team we’d worked with. Their unique experience with startups got us on the phone.

We've spent around $20,000–$40,000.

We worked together from November–December 2021. They were able to start the project fairly quickly, which was good, as we were on a time crunch.

We were really pleased with the name, and there were a lot of other great options on the shortlist. I don’t think we would have been able to come up with such a great choice without Zinzin’s expertise and experience. They were able to reframe how we were thinking, which was helpful, as we come from a more technical background.

They did a great job of scheduling regular meetings and establishing a structured process to give feedback through. We were able to move through a large number of options with speed.

They did a great job of generating great ideas on a short timeframe. Zinzin guided us through the process very well.

I would definitely recommend them; I’m very glad we worked with them.

I’m the head of customer success at a workflow and patient management software company. We sell to community oncology practices — nurses and administrators can use the software to engage with cancer patients, whether it’s their symptoms or questions about their treatment. It’s a way to connect the two sides of the patient/provider journey.

Initially, we were looking to change the name of the company. Our primary concern was to rebrand the company into something more representative of who we are that could support what we do today and expand to our intended impact going forward.

We started with open-ended conversations about who we were as a company, our mission, and what we were hoping to accomplish in the future. Zinzin understood our ethos, culture, products, and the impact we desired to make. Then, we told them we wanted a name that matched all those components and could carry them out to the market to represent us.

We worked with three people, including a project manager and the CEO. We had a ton of high-level involvement, which was fantastic.

I wasn’t involved in the selection process. I believe that we were referred to them by an investor or a friend of our company who had used them previously and had a good experience.

We spent $25,000.

We started working with them in early December 2021 and wrapped up our engagement in February 2022.

Internally, they brought expertise, which we really appreciated. When they came to the table, they brought on great ideas and experience on the process and approach. Zinzin guided us through how we should think about things because we’d never named a company before.

We had a timeline to see how the project would unfold and have a clear map of our expectations. We met for two-hour Zoom calls on a weekly or biweekly basis. In between those calls, we’d receive follow-ups or preparation materials to look over things and come to the calls prepared. The CEO was very communicative throughout the entire process, ensuring that we had what we needed.

It was great to work with them. Their expertise was outstanding — we could just tell that they were season professionals. They’d done this before for incredibly successful companies, so Zinzin would come to the table with great ideas. Moreover, they shaped how we thought about picking the name, which was invaluable. They taught us a lot, so we not only accomplished the mission but also learned a lot along the way.

I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. We had an excellent experience working with them.

Follow their lead. Although it might not seem like a type of practice you’d want to run, their process works. Go through the whole process; they know what they’re doing.

I’m the account manager and one of the co-founders of First Person, a San Francisco-based creative storytelling company that focuses on the intersection of design and technology.

We needed Zinzin for their naming services.

We’ve relied on Zinzin’s naming services for our brand identity, projects, and architecture over the course of our partnership. They spearhead several naming efforts for our business units and events as well.

We mainly collaborate with Jay (Founder & Creative Director).

Unlike the previous agencies we’ve worked with, we’ve found our collaborative chemistry with Zinzin to be more agreeable and organic, so it’s always been easy for us to rely on their team for naming- and content-related projects.

We spend an average of $30,000 for each project. We’ve already done 5–6 projects with their team throughout our engagement.

We kicked off our partnership with Zinzin in November 2016, and it’s still ongoing.

Zinzin has an indisputable reputation as a naming agency, so it’s no surprise that they’re committed to delivering spot-on names and reports that never fail to please our clients. Every naming project that we’ve assigned them with has been successful in that the submitted name actually comes to fruition and is used by the client.

We communicate via phone calls and emails, while we hold regular meetings via Zoom. Zinzin doesn’t overpromise and underdeliver, they always commit to the promises and deadlines they set. Our collaboration feels more like a real partnership rather than a mere client-vendor relationship.

Zinzin is a small but mighty team — their proven field experience and expertise unceasingly result in creative, out-of-the-box solutions. They’re keen on identifying what names would and would not work for a project or business, and that sets them apart from others.

I don’t have anything constructive to say about their team and their services.

Trust their talented team to deliver the results that you need. Additionally, it would help if you come up with a strong business narrative to bring more customers in and help Zinzin analyze the core message you want to put out there.

I was the VP of corporate marketing at a company focused on security for app services.

We hired Zinzin to name one of our up-and-coming products. We were new to product naming.

The output of the scope of work that Zinzin was responsible for was a product name that we could take to market. They did a lot of research auditing industry competitors as well as brands we look up to.

We worked with two people, including the founder of the company.

I did a Google search and looked at my network. Once I found their website, they listed referral customers. I reached out to those people to see if they’d be willing to talk to me about their experience, and they all came back with very positive reviews for Zinzin.

I believe the project was $20,000–$40,000.

The project was from April–June 2018.

We acquired a company toward the end of the naming process, and their existing product line influenced what we ultimately ended up naming the product. Although we favored three of the names Zinzin proposed and got them through legal, we didn’t end up using those.

Zinzin was responsive. If anything, they went above and beyond because we were so busy pivoting.

Zinzin’s experience distinguishes them from other providers. Having looked at their website and called their referrals, I know that they have a lot of experience naming different products and companies. They have deep experience in thinking about how a potential product or company name could impact go-to-market strategy.

I just wish we could’ve brought their suggestion to market. I really enjoyed working with them and would work with them again.

Bring your business objectives to the table. They operate very well when they know exactly what your business goals are and what you desire to achieve. If you can’t bring those to the table, it’s going to be hard for anybody to help you.