Background & Challenge
As NBCUniversal and Comcast reimagined their portfolio for a rapidly evolving media world, they made a bold move: spinning off a powerhouse suite of cable and digital brands into a standalone company to sharpen strategic focus and boost agility. The new entity would house some of the most iconic names in entertainment, news, and lifestyle — USA, CNBC, MSNBC, E!, Syfy, Oxygen, Golf Channel, Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, SportsEngine, and more — reaching 70 million U.S. households. But with that legacy came the challenge of naming a company rooted in cultural relevance yet poised to lead the next wave of innovation. The name had to resonate with investors, creatives, partners, and employees — signaling strategic vision, modernity, and creative strength. NBCU tapped Catchword to meet the moment.
Naming the Brand
Versant, coined from versatile and conversant, signals a brand that’s both adaptable and deeply fluent in media. It evokes a company that listens, responds, and evolves, and is deeply engaged with its audiences, partners, and culture at large. Sleek and confident, Versant is semantically open-ended by design, able to scale and stretch with the industry’s shifts, while staying anchored in its core strengths: premium storytelling, essential news, and live moments that move millions. Because at its heart, media is conversation — and Versant is fluent.
