When the leader of a pair of fast-growing U.S insurance companies saw an opportunity to bring their innovative property, casualty and specialty products to international markets, he understood that their current names would need to change.

In an industry filled with names that felt either generic or stodgy and old-fashioned, Alan Kaufman wanted a single name that would convey energy and dynamism. In pursuit of that goal, we set out to develop a name that would take its place among other global insurance majors.

Simplicity, with a twist. To rename the USF and Cranbrook Insurance companies, part of Burns & Wilcox, the nation’s largest independent wholesale broker and underwriting manager, we confronted the classic challenge: finding a single, simple iconic word in a category that is heavily “owned” from a naming standpoint. In the end, we arrived at a solution that was clear and direct—with just enough of a twist also to be sticky and smart: Atain. Says Atain President Daniel Kaufman, “We selected a name that conveys to our clients that we can “attain” all of their specialty insurance needs.”

To rename is to reset—for an entirely different level of business or perception.

Matthew Kruchko