The power of metaphor
Caribou are real animals, reinforcing the brand’s authentic, warm personality, intuitive processes, and human scale. They’re beautiful, strong—able to survive harsh winters—and elegant, further supporting the brand’s position as friendly and approachable yet serious about helping clients from start to finish. Caribou is the North American term for reindeer, an animal whose image is fondly linked with happy holidays and magical transportation. As migratory herd animals, caribou move and work together, just as the company coordinates seamlessly with partners and guides its customers on their journey to independence.
The client is delighted with the name and its immediate embrace by customers, partners, and media. They even renamed their employees the Caribou Crew and have leaned hard, and playfully, into the theme on social media.
"So many of the names made us smile, both because they were so personable and relatable (a quality we were going for in our new name) and also because of how surprising they were—i.e., they were ideas that we wouldn’t (and didn’t!) think of ourselves!"
Sara Bonner | Senior Brand Marketing Manager, Caribou
