C2A has tapped veteran namer and Catchword creative director Erin Milnes to serve on the Branding panel for its 2023 season, the fifth annual for the Creative Communication Award. A new subcategory of Branding, Verbal Identity encompasses brand name, tagline/slogan, brand positioning, and brand story—creative work that, before this year, had not had a home at C2A. Ms. Milnes petitioned the competition to create the subcategory and was instrumental in its launch.
“Kudos to C2A for recognizing the importance of verbal identity. Without a name, there’s no big idea, no campaign, no brand,” Ms. Milnes explained. “I’m honored to serve on the inaugural panel and can’t wait to see the creativity and talent of this year’s entries!”
A communications professional for more than 25 years, Erin Milnes has been creative director at Catchword since 2015. She leads projects for clients in every industry, including PwC, Intel, HP, Aetna, Dunkin’, Royal Bank of Canada, and The Home Depot. Brands she’s helped create can be found everywhere from supermarket shelves to the App Store to sponsoring the Indy 500. Her work has been recognized by competitions such as the Hermes Creative Awards and the Transform Awards, and she regularly publishes reviews of the lastest brand names.
The Creative Communication Award (C2A)—named for the Call To Action it ignites—celebrates the artists and visionaries who use language, images, audio, and video to create messages that move and inspire. The program aims to stimulate creatives to push the boundaries while also providing a platform for emerging talent to gain exposure and recognition. Categories range from branding and traditional advertising and marketing disciplines to digital and experiential for professionals and students. Entries in each subcategory are judged by a panel of experts based on design excellence, creativity and originality, impact, and strategy. Catchword received a 2022 C2A award for its work rebranding fintech company MotoRefi to Caribou.
Catchword is a world-leading branding firm with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and Denver. Since 1998, Catchword has partnered with companies in every sector to create brands that have helped shape our world—from Asana and Vudu to Upwork and Volkswagen Atlas. Through its comprehensive brand development services, including positioning, naming, and visual identity design, Catchword makes brands that make a mark.
