We were StokeSignals. Now we are Prequel. Yep. We've renamed our naming agency.
How's that for meta?
There was nothing wrong with our old name. We liked it. A lot. We own the trademark. We have a great domain name. Clients and partners have known us by that name - for 10 years. So… we decided to change our name.Makes total sense, right?
Check out our rather wordy site and let us know what you think.
YOU
( already )
have
a STORY;
Now you need a brand that helps you tell it...
or sell it.
or sell it.
Prequel: before the beginning
Strategically architected brands and names tell clear stories. And clear stories sell.
Whether you need help developing a new brand, upgrading an old brand, or figuring out what to do with multiple brands, you're in the right place.
We're a strategic naming shop. We handle the strategy, the structure, and the wordy parts of branding. Naming is not just a creative exercise - it starts with business needs, and should always be outside-in: thinking about what we are communicating to the customer with this brand or system - and how that drives value for the business.
But why "Prequel"? What's the information WE want our customers to know?
Well, we're almost never involved with a client in the very beginning. Instead, we're brought in later - when there's already a story to tell and a business strategy to execute. (Or a mess to clean up.) So it's our job to create the prequel - a unique, trademarkable name which makes telling your story easier, and/or a naming system and brand architecture which makes selling easier, too.
We have worked on
From Cars
To Cookies
To Crypto
1915
24Watts
2SeventyBio
3Keys
66Degrees
Altium
Altria
Arctos
Aviator
BrightPoint
Brightside
Broadline
Catalynt
Chisel
ClockwiseMD
Collage Rehab
Constellation Brands
Copient Health
Corus
Cycology
DetermiNation
DragonFly
Drive
Earth Spring
Eclectrics
EcoNex
Eversmith
Evive
Forth
GoTo
Gone Rogue
Gruuv
Kaleido
Kinsmith
My Choice
Oscity
PocketPaks
PowerBreak
Prosper
Quiq
Radius
Revelo
RidgeWorth
Sagent
Scipher
Sculpture
Selfish!
Sightline
SingleStone
Tactiq
Tandem Bank
Torch
TransArmor
Trilith
TruTV
TurnPoint
V8 VFusion
Verafirm
Verity
Vertex
Vyne
WatchPoint
WayForth
Wink
WiselyWell
Zentripy
Zeteky
1915
Pepperidge Farm’s first entrant into the premium juice category
The founding date, a nod to the old ways of farming
24Watts
A new kid-centric technology and education entertainment platform
Named for the energy a bright young brain generates
2SeventyBio
Renamed cancer research division of BlueBird Bio
The maximum speed of translating human thought into action
3Keys
Rosalyn Carters’ passion project; housing for mentally challenged individuals
Based on the three founding principles: Housing, Help & Hope
66Degrees
Google cloud engineering and cloud development company
Inspired by the temperature range in which clouds form
Altium
Renamed Consolidated Container; $1B packaging manufacturer
The element of peak performance
Altria
Formerly Philip Morris
Borrowing from the Latin word for height and growth
Arctos
New name for ACC Aerospace; defense technology and manufacturing
Inspired by Arktos, the Great Bear Constellation
Aviator
Ford Motor Company; a Lincoln SUV
The smaller, nimbler sibling to the Navigator
BrightPoint
Formerly John Tyler Community College
Celebrating a place of learning and of change
Brightside
Pepperidge Farms breakfast on the go
Wake up on the bright side of the bed
Broadline
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health’s flea and tick treatment for cats
Protects your cat from a broad range of parasites and diseases
Catalynt
Formerly TRInternational, chemical supply chain and manufacturing
A talented team, dedicated to making change happen
Chisel
Formerly KnoteAI; an AI, ML, NLP development technology firm
The art of uncovering information in data
ClockwiseMD
Scheduling platform for ER and urgent care facilities
The smarter way to manage time
Collage Rehab
Formerly ReMeD Rehab
Distinct elements bound together to create something beautiful
Constellation Brands
Formerly Canandaigua Brands; largest manufacturer of spirits in the U.S.
A collection of stars
Copient Health
Surgical operating room management technologies
The state of abundance; alludes to many options and optimal outcomes
Corus
An array of nonprofit organizations and businesses, united to drive change
Inspired by "chorus" and "core" + "us"
Cycology
A bike shop
I ride; therefore I am
DetermiNation
American Cancer Society's event endurance program
Speaks to the characteristics and community of cancer survivors and supporters
DragonFly
Monitored home security system
Dragonflys are territorial and possess amazing vision
Drive
The Atlanta TGL golf team
A play (pun intended) on a common golf term
Earth Spring
A botanical body wash from Yardley
Highlights the natural ingredients and uplifting experience
Eclectrics
Hamilton Beach's upscale line of kitchen appliances
They're eclectic electrics!
EcoNex
A new composite technology from Wabash
Eco-friendly and technologically advanced
Eversmith
A holding company focused on services for commercial buildings
Always building
Evive
A community of brands that help people live and thrive
From the root word for "life"
Forth
High quality CBD products from EAS
Forth leads the way to life improvement with quality you can trust
GoTo
Rebrand for a multi-billion dollar company
A portfolio of "go to" fast casual dining options; formerly Focus
Gone Rogue
Protein-centric snacks from Land O' Frost
Bold, tasty, and powerful - snacks like no others you've experienced
Gruuv
A sneaker from Ecco with very distinctive soles
The sole is groove-y, and you'll feel groovy wearing it!
Kaleido
Courses, templates, coaching, and resources from HealthDataViz
Put together, our offerings will help you see the pictures emerge from the data
Kinsmith
A family of financial businesses
Focused on building real relationships, we make finance feel personal
My Choice
A program name for UPS
Because sometimes the simple, straightforward names are the best
Oscity
CBD products
From forming word part '-ocity' - because CBD makes it possible
PocketPaks
Those little disolvable Listerine strips
Now you can carry your mouthwash in your pocket
PowerBreak
Lance Crackers' high-protein snack
Take a break and refuel
Prosper
A global INGO
Helping people prosper, in every sense of the word
Quiq
Communication platform for businesses connecting with customers
Smarter, faster communication
Radius
A new name for 100-year-old company Schnitzer Steel
Reflects a move toward recycling; at the center of the circular economy
Revelo
A revolutionary new electric meter for Landis Gyr
Uncovering energy insights every day
RidgeWorth
A global investment management firm (has since been acquired)
A nod to prosperity; a name with gravitas
Sagent
A new name for Clover telecom
Introduces the company cause: "know what your network knows"
Scipher
The data-based software platform from Utopus Insights
It's more than knowledge - it's knowledge deciphered
Sculpture
A new name for an old hospitality company
Clarity of vision combined with hard work
Selfish!
A self-improvement app
Ironic play on the word "selfish", striking just the right tone
Sightline
Ethos Risk's software solution
A clear line of sight from previously disparate data
SingleStone
Rebrand for an engineering firm
Every single action has a ripple effect
Tactiq
A software company for DSD users
Providing smart and tactical solutions
Tandem Bank
A regional retail bank
We work one on one with our clients
Torch
A software platform to fight crime
Shine light in the dark places; be a beacon of hope and change
TransArmor
Payment protection product developed by Fiserv
Your transactions are shielded and protected
Trilith
Formerly Pinewood Studios; largest film studio in the U.S.
Metaphor for a gateway – supporting the story that here, anything is possible
TruTV
Formerly Court TV; owned by Warner Bros
Not reality - actuality
TurnPoint
A new name for a roll-up of local services businesses
We turn bad days into good ones
V8 VFusion
A new product from Campbell's V8 brand
A fusion of vegetable and fruit juices
Verafirm
Microsoft certification program
Verifying the standard
Verity
From MackeyRMS to Verity - research management, data, and analytics software
Trusted to provide absolutely accurate information, always
Vertex
A revolutionary electric motor for East West
Small, powerful, and flexible - a turning point for what's possible
Vyne
End-to-end electronic communication management platform
Connecting disconnected data; strong and flexible
WatchPoint
National at-risk registry
Complete visibility from any point
WayForth
Move management services for home and business
Helping you find the way forward, getting you (and your stuff) from here to there
Wink
A condom brand targeting GenZ
Playful and fun - NOT your typical Trojan or Durex vibe
WiselyWell
A nutrition brand paving the way in the "food as medicine" space
Clearly communicates product benefits yet is alliterative and pleasing
Zentripy
Insurance company specializing in international and travel insurance
Coined from "zen", "trip", and (the opposite of) "entropy"
Zeteky
A technology company specializing in real-time monitoring and alerts
Named for a bright yellow frog with excellent communication and “warning” skills
NO
bait and switch,
junior talent,
outsourcing.
When you hire us,
you get...
US
We like to describe ourselves as the team you thought you were getting the last time you hired that big New York City firm. You've probably noticed that there's not much in the way of design on this page. That's because we work with words. We are a strategic naming agency, full stop. We do one thing, and we do it well.
A simple naming engagement, from kickoff to completion, can be done in as little as three weeks. More extensive brand architecture, naming strategy, and naming systems projects can take a little longer.
We're not lawyers, but we do speak
trademarkese.
And that
matters.
For every naming project, we'll generate hundreds of names, then select 16-20 to present.
EVERY NAME
we share
IS PRE-SCREENED
for potential trademark and common law conflicts.
Honestly, this is probably the most important part of our job - though not the most fun.
Expanding into a new geography or product/service line?
We can help you evaluate the trademark implications of that, too.
It's not the sexiest part of planning for growth, but talking to us is a whole lot less painful than a cease-and-desist letter.
We can help you evaluate the trademark implications of that, too.
It's not the sexiest part of planning for growth, but talking to us is a whole lot less painful than a cease-and-desist letter.
Enough about us...
let's talk
about
you
A potential client with a need for naming
Renaming an existing company or naming a new company or product? Need help developing a naming system for a growing product portfolio? We can do that.
PE firm building a platform brand
From takeover to tuck-in, we'll help you make brand architecture and naming decisions that reduce friction and add value.
Agency looking for a naming team (sometimes)
We'll get in, handle the naming, then get out. Need us to help pitch, present names, or talk to trademark lawyers? We got you.
Our clients say some pretty nice things about us.
Are you our next testimonial?
Work with us
in one of three ways
we're a strategic naming shop. Here's how we help.
01
Your naming questions, answered
Description
Does it even need a name? If so, what kind of name? Is this name idea we have any good? Do we need a whole new name and brand for the holdco, or will one of these names work? What do we do with acquired brands? What do I need to know about trademarks? Our naming system is coming off the rails; how do we fix it? What are the risks associated with renaming? How can brand architecture support our exit strategy?
We'll listen to your situation and use our decades of experience to provide you with simple, actionable advice.
We'll listen to your situation and use our decades of experience to provide you with simple, actionable advice.
02
Strategic naming systems
Description
If you have multiple brands to bring together or a product/service portfolio that has grown increasingly unwieldy, now's the time to fix it. We'll come in, evaluate the situation - taking into consideration practical and logistical concerns, brand equity, growth goals, exit planning, and more - and provide you with options and a recommendation.
Then we'll give you the tools to execute - and to KEEP executing after we're gone. We can also help bring stakeholders along... being an outsider does have its advantages.
Then we'll give you the tools to execute - and to KEEP executing after we're gone. We can also help bring stakeholders along... being an outsider does have its advantages.
03
The names and everything else, too
Description
We'll guide you through the process, attend meetings with key stakeholders, evaluate existing brands or equity, interface with your trademark attorneys, create and present a list of pre-screened names for your consideration, help your team make a decision, advise on transition planning, etc.
Basically, we'll do what it takes to get your naming project across the finish line.
Basically, we'll do what it takes to get your naming project across the finish line.
A peek at the naming
process
{ Phase 1 }
Discovery
{ Steps }
1
Discussion with the core team
2
Stakeholder interviews
3
Competitive and category naming audit
4
Identify the point of differences and brand benefit
5
Establish the role of the name
{ Phase 2 }
Brief
{ Steps }
1
Discussion with the core team
2
Stakeholder interviews
3
Competitive and category naming audit
4
Identify the point of differences and brand benefit
5
Establish the role of the name
If you've made it this far, we'd love to chat. No high pressure sales conversations, we promise - in fact, we sometimes (often?) talk people OUT of working with us. If you don't need a strategic naming agency, we'll tell you!
Talk wordy
/ ˈwər-dē /
... If we think you need a super simple descriptive name or don't need a name at all, we'll Let you know.
to us
The story begins here
In 2024, we decided that we needed to refresh our memories and experience for ourselves what our clients experience when naming or renaming their company. We documented every emotional high and low and every practical and logistical detail along the way - and there were LOTS - of all of them. Ultimately, we love our new name, and we learned a few things that we think will help us help our clients.