Erin Milnes (A88) loves to create new words.
Not words to be added to the dictionary, but brand names for new products and companies.
Milnes is the creative director for Catchword Branding in Oakland, California. The company has named more than 1,000 products for hundreds of clients over the past two decades. Milnes has been creative director for two-and-a-half years.
Milnes leans heavily on the language skills she acquired at St. John’s—translating Greek and studying French—as she creates new brand names for clients. She used those skills in previous jobs during her 25-year communications career, too.
“The translating we did (at St. John’s) gave rise to a higher level thinking about language,” she says.
Milnes works with businesses in every sector, from technology startups in nearby Silicon Valley to automotive, lifestyle and food and beverage companies. Catchword’s clients include Corning, Starbucks, Walgreens and Wells Fargo.
Companies often come to Catchword when they haven’t been able to create brand names on their own.
“A brand name is a very, very short story,” Milnes says. “It’s a handle, an avatar, a vessel for your audience’s relationship with you. It is a powerful tool that can resonate with (or turn off) the people you want to reach.”
Erin Milnes (A88) loves to create new words.
Not words to be added to the dictionary, but brand names for new products and companies.
