brand naming
Maistro Mentor
When Anna-Vija McClain, founder and CEO of Piccolo Marketing, came up with an idea for a new company she wanted to build, she knew her idea was strong, but had no clue what to name it. That’s where Smudgepot came in. The purpose of the company was to improve the internship experience for both college-age students and the businesses with whom they worked, making both parties feel invested in and genuinely appreciative of the internship. It took an intensive discovery process, weeks of researching and “noodling,” and plenty of playing around with words, but eventually — and to the client’s delight — Smudgepot delivered Maistro Mentor and it stuck. From there, Smudgepot went on to create brand messaging guidelines, write website copy, and design the company’s website as well.
“Smudgepot has been a Strategic Partner with Piccolo for the last two years. During that time, we have seen a dramatic increase in client satisfaction around our website development projects, as well as a reduction in project completion time. Maddie has a unique ability to find clarity at the heart of a client’s strategy, and transition it into eloquent and engaging brand messaging. Her work sets the tone for our content creation, ultimately making all of our work more efficient, and connecting better with customers”
