Catchword

Catchword

Leading branding agency specializing in naming, brand strategy, and brand identity development with creative focus.

About Catchword

Catchword is a branding agency that provides naming, branding, and visual identity services to clients worldwide. With over 25 years of experience, they create impactful brand names and visual identities for companies of all sizes, from startups to Fortune 500s.

Editorial Review

Our take on Catchword

Catchword has built a strong reputation as a branding agency with particular expertise in naming and brand strategy. Based in San Francisco, the agency receives consistently positive feedback for innovative approaches and strategic thinking.

Their focus on naming distinguishes them in the branding landscape—company and product naming requires specialized skills combining linguistic creativity, trademark awareness, and strategic positioning. Catchword brings dedicated expertise to this specialized discipline.

Beyond naming, Catchword offers comprehensive brand strategy and identity development services, ensuring that name choices integrate with broader brand positioning and visual systems. This integrated approach produces coherent brand expressions.

For organizations at naming-critical moments—launches, rebrands, or product introductions—Catchword offers specialized expertise that generalist agencies may not match. Their track record demonstrates ability to create distinctive, protectable names aligned with brand strategy.

Badges & Credentials

Verified credentials and recognition earned by Catchword

5 badges

Verification

Verified

This agency has a verified website presence.

LinkedIn Verified

This agency has a verified LinkedIn company page.

Recognition

Top Rated

This agency has an exceptional AgencyCluster score of 80+.

Experience

15+ Years

Established in 1998. Over 15 years of experience.

Company

Small Team

Small (11-50)

Awards & Recognition

Rankings earned on AgencyCluster

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About Catchword

Common questions about Catchword.

Where does Catchword rank on AgencyCluster?

Catchword has earned rankings on 2 AgencyCluster lists: Top 10 Branding & Creative Design in California, Top 50 Branding & Creative Design. Their highest AgencyCluster Score is 86/100. Rankings are merit-based and determined by evidence across six evaluation pillars — agencies cannot pay for higher positions.

What are Catchword's strengths according to AgencyCluster?

In our evaluation for Branding & Creative Design, Catchword scores 86/100 overall. Their strongest areas are Reputation, Category Fit, Credibility, Proof of Work & Outcomes, Delivery Maturity, Freshness. A high Outcomes score means they have verifiable case studies with measurable results — the most heavily weighted factor in our methodology.

How long has Catchword been in business?

Catchword was founded in 1998, giving them over two decades of experience in branding & creative design. In an industry where many agencies are less than 5 years old, 28+ years of sustained operations signals stability, client retention, and the ability to adapt through multiple technology cycles. Today, the team is small team.

What does a typical branding & creative design project cost with an agency like Catchword?

A comprehensive brand identity project (strategy + design) costs $30K–$150K. Logo and visual identity alone ranges from $10K–$50K. Brand guidelines and asset system creation costs $15K–$60K. Enterprise rebrands can exceed $250K. These are industry benchmarks for branding & creative design agencies at the level AgencyCluster curates. Actual pricing for Catchword will depend on project scope, timeline, and complexity — contact the agency directly for a custom quote.

Is Catchword a verified agency?

Yes. Catchword has been vetted and verified by AgencyCluster's editorial team through a rigorous, multi-factor review process. Unlike self-serve directories, AgencyCluster does not accept automated submissions — every agency is evaluated manually before being published. Our vetting covers identity verification (website, LinkedIn, domain age), business legitimacy (years of operation, team size, registered presence), evidence of work (case studies, portfolio, client outcomes), reputation checks across third-party platforms, activeness and freshness of their online presence, and screening for red flags including misconduct, fraud, or misleading claims. Agencies that fail any critical check are not listed. For Catchword, verified signals include a functioning website, LinkedIn company profile, 28+ years of operating history (founded 1998), 2 earned rankings on curated top lists.