Not long ago, Tore Nelson of Video Network Incorporated approached Powell & Associates with a request and a project. To review their brand image and take whatever directions were deemed necessary. “[T]he name’s generic quality wasn’t helping us much in the marketplace,” Nelson said. Customers and employees often referred to the company as VNI suggesting that the name may be too long. Prompted by this, they conducted several weeks of market research to find an effective position. Powell was retained to evaluate positioning and the corporate brand. Powell President, Doug Powell acted as Project Lead and began by meeting with members of VNI’s senior management team.

Powell enacted Renoun, a team oriented, six step naming process. The market positioning seemed to emphasize focus, speed, and efficiency. With these ideas in mind, a final list of fourteen names was selected from a list of several thousand alternatives. The decision was a unanimous one. Pathfire, the new name, was made public by the company’s CEO, Mike Eckert who also announced the company’s $66 million round of venture capital funding. Of their new name, Eckert said, “Pathfire speaks to our ability to distribute content and also to our ability to surround that content with applications and services that make it more valuable.”