Margaret Wolfson

Last updated
Margaret Wolfson
Born
Detroit, Michigan
Education Indiana University
New York University (MA)
Occupations
  • Branding executive
  • Entrepreneur
  • Performance artist
  • Writer
Years active1983 - Present
TitleFounder and chief creative officer
River and Wolf
Websiteriverandwolf.com

Margaret Wolfson is an American branding executive, entrepreneur, and writer. The founder and chief creative officer of River and Wolf, a New York-based branding and brand naming agency, [1] Wolfson began her career as a storyteller and performance artist.

Contents

Education

Wolfson was born to Esther (Evans) Wolfson and Lester Wolfson, a professor of literature who in 1969 became the first chancellor of Indiana University South Bend. [2] She received a bachelor's degree from Indiana University's Independent Study Program, where she studied with poet Mary Ellen Solt and an M.A. from New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study with a focus on literature and communication arts. [3]

Career

1982-2014: Performance

In the 1980s Wolfson founded Fire Plume Theater, a storytelling and music ensemble; a review in the Los Angeles Times described a 1989 performance as "dark and strange and brushed with eloquent melancholy" with Wolfson "creating images with words, silence and graceful body movements." [4] Later known as World Myth and Music, the ensemble toured throughout North America, Europe, and Asia with flutist Paula Chan Bing and other musicians, appearing at venues including the Sydney Opera House, the National Theatre, the United Nations, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music in addition to museums and universities worldwide. [5] [6]

In 1999, Wolfson collaborated with composer Michael Ching to create Psyche and Eros, which premiered with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra in 2000. [5] A later version of the work was performed at the Abu Dhabi Festival and the Lincoln Center Summer Institute program in West Memphis. [7] Wolfson also collaborated with composer/musician Simon Shaheen on two theatrical events: Majnun Layla in 1989 and The Epic of Gilgamesh in 2011. [8] Majnun Layla premiered at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater. [9] [10] [11]

1996-2011: Workshops and writing

Between 1996 and 2001, Wolfson wrote four illustrated books based on folklore and myths, including Marriage of the Rain Goddess: A South African Myth. [12] "A flowing, incantatory text, inspired by a fragment of a Zulu myth, is encrusted with poetic epithets," [13] it was published by Barefoot Books in 1996. Danish, Korean, and Swedish translations were later published. The Patient Stone: A Persian Love Story, released in 2001, was also published by Barefoot Books. [14] '

Wolfson held storytelling residences and led workshops in the US as well as in the United Arab Emirates. [15] She was a consultant for The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, [16] and the director of the Myth Project at CalArts. [5]

2008-present: Naming, River and Wolf

Although she continued to perform, Wolfson became a brand naming and creative consultant for the naming agency Namebase in 2008; the New York Times noted that she "split her time between naming and performing one-woman shows around the world in which she recites classical myths." [17] In 2014, she founded her own naming agency, River and Wolf. She has since created brand names for companies including Calvin Klein, Maison Ferrand, Micro Medical Instruments, Philips and Samsung and developed product names for the technology, financial services, entertainment, food and beverage and consumer packaged goods industries. [18] [19] [20] [21]

Wolfson is frequently interviewed on subjects related to branding, marketing, and naming. She has been quoted in publications ranging from AdAge [22] to New York Magazine, [23] Fast Company [24] and the Wall Street Journal . [25] In 2021, she launched Names of Distinction, a digital gallery that highlights brand names and offers naming tips and techniques. [26] [27]

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artemis</span> Goddess of the hunt and the wild in ancient Greek religion and mythology

In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. In later times, she was identified with Selene, the personification of the Moon. She was often said to roam the forests and mountains, attended by her entourage of nymphs. The goddess Diana is her Roman equivalent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympia Dukakis</span> American actress (1931–2021)

Olympia Dukakis was an American actress. She performed in more than 130 stage productions, in some 60 films, and in approximately 50 television series. Best known as a screen actress, she started her career in theater. Not long after her arrival in New York City, she won an Obie Award for Best Actress in 1963 for her off-Broadway performance in Bertolt Brecht's Man Equals Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nizami Ganjavi</span> Persian poet (c. 1141 – 1209)

Nizami Ganjavi, Nizami Ganje'i, Nizami, or Nezāmi, whose formal name was Jamal ad-Dīn Abū Muḥammad Ilyās ibn-Yūsuf ibn-Zakkī, was a 12th-century Muslim poet. Nizami is considered the greatest romantic epic poet in Persian literature, who brought a colloquial and realistic style to the Persian epic. His heritage is widely appreciated in Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Iran, the Kurdistan region and Tajikistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Moore (poet)</span> American poet

Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore was a U.S. poet, essayist and librettist. In 1970 he converted to the Sufi tradition of Islam and changed his name to Abdal-Hayy. He then created works such as Ramadan Sonnets (1996) and The Blind Beekeeper (2002), most works being self-published. In early adulthood Moore traveled widely, living in Morocco, Spain, Algeria, and Nigeria as well as in Santa Barbara in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Layla</span> 1970 song written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon

"Layla" is a song written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, originally recorded with their band Derek and the Dominos, as the thirteenth track from their only studio album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970). Its contrasting movements were composed separately by Clapton and Gordon. The piano part has also been controversially credited to Rita Coolidge, Gordon's girlfriend at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star-crossed</span> Pair of lovers whose relationship is thwarted by outside forces

The terms "star-crossed" and "star-crossed lovers" refer to two people who are not able to be together for some reason. These terms also have other meanings, but originally mean that the pairing is being "thwarted by a malign star" or that the stars are working against the relationship. Astrological in origin, the phrase stems from the belief that the positions of the stars ruled over people's fates, and is best known from the play Romeo and Juliet by the Elizabethan playwright William Shakespeare. Such pairings are often said to be doomed from the start.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pattie Boyd</span> English model and photographer (born 1944)

Patricia Anne Boyd is an English model and photographer. She was one of the leading international models during the 1960s and, with Jean Shrimpton, epitomised the British female look of the era. Boyd married George Harrison in 1966, experiencing the height of the Beatles' popularity and sharing in their embrace of Indian spirituality. She divorced Harrison in 1977 and married mutual friend Eric Clapton in 1979; they divorced in 1989. Boyd inspired Harrison's songs "I Need You", "If I Needed Someone", "Something" and "For You Blue", and Clapton's songs "Layla", "Bell Bottom Blues", "Wonderful Tonight", and "Have You Ever Loved a Woman".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galatea (mythology)</span> Nereid from Greek mythology

Galatea is the post-antiquity name popularly applied to the statue carved of ivory alabaster by Pygmalion of Cyprus, which then came to life in Greek mythology.

Kinuko Yamabe Craft is a Japanese-born American painter, illustrator and fantasy artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goddess movement</span> Modern revival of divine feminine or female-centered spirituality

The Goddess movement is a revivalistic Neopagan religious movement which includes spiritual beliefs and practices that emerged primarily in the United States in the late 1960s and predominantly in the Western world during the 1970s. The movement grew as a reaction both against Abrahamic religions, which exclusively have gods who are referred to using masculine grammatical articles and pronouns, and secularism. It revolves around Goddess worship and the veneration for the divine feminine, and may include a focus on women or on one or more understandings of gender or femininity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anarkali</span> Legendary courtesan of Mughal India

Anarkali is a legendary lady said to be loved by the 16th-century Mughal Prince Salim, who later became Emperor Jahangir. According to some accounts, Anarkali was the nickname of the courtesan (tawaif) Sharf-un-Nisa, though scholars hold varying opinions.

<i>The Penelopiad</i> 2005 novella by Margaret Atwood

The Penelopiad is a novella by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It was published in 2005 as part of the first set of books in the Canongate Myth Series where contemporary authors rewrite ancient myths. In The Penelopiad, Penelope reminisces on the events of the Odyssey, life in Hades, Odysseus, Helen of Troy, and her relationships with her parents. A Greek chorus of the twelve maids, who Odysseus believed were disloyal and whom Telemachus hanged, interrupt Penelope's narrative to express their view on events. The maids' interludes use a new genre each time, including a jump-rope rhyme, a lament, an idyll, a ballad, a lecture, a court trial and several types of songs.

Merrell is an American manufacturing company of footwear products. It was founded by Clark Matis, Randy Merrell, and John Schweizer in 1981 as a maker of high-performance hiking boots. Since 1997, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Wolverine World Wide. Products currently commercialized by Merrell include hiking boots, athletic shoes, sandals, jackets, knit caps, gloves, t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, and socks. Other accessories include backpacks, stuff sacks, and bags.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbie Hughes</span> American artist

Debbie Hughes is an American artist specializing in science fiction and fantasy illustration. Her work has appeared in over 150 publications.

Layla bint Abullah ibn Shaddad ibn Ka’b al-Akhyaliyyah, or simply Layla al-Akhyaliyyah was a famous Umayyad Arab poet who was renowned for her poetry, eloquence, strong personality, and beauty. Nearly fifty of her short poems survive. They include elegies for her lover Tawba ibn Humayyir, lewd satires she exchanged with al-Nabigha, and panegyrics for the caliphs Uthman and Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan;

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia True Boardman</span> American actress

Virginia True Boardman was an American actress of the silent era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norse mythology</span>

Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology, is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia as the Nordic folklore of the modern period. The northernmost extension of Germanic mythology and stemming from Proto-Germanic folklore, Norse mythology consists of tales of various deities, beings, and heroes derived from numerous sources from both before and after the pagan period, including medieval manuscripts, archaeological representations, and folk tradition. The source texts mention numerous gods such as the thunder-god Thor, the raven-flanked god Odin, the goddess Freyja, and numerous other deities.

<i>Layla and Majnun</i> Romantic narrative poem by Nizami Ganjavi

Layla and Majnun is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century Arabic poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his lover Layla bint Mahdi.

<i>Leyli and Majnun</i> (ballet) 1969 Azerbaijani ballet by Gara Garayev

Leyli and Majnun a classic Azerbaijani story of love couple; it is a one-act ballet by Azerbaijani composer Gara Garayev. The libretto is based on Nizami Ganjavi's poem Layla and Majnun. The choreographer of the original production was Nelya Nazirova. The premiere, conducted by R. D. Abdullayev, took place on 25 May 1969 at the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in Baku, with V. N. Pletnev as Majnun and T. N. Mamedova as Leyli. Nazirova's production was the basis of the ballet film In the World of Legends that was filmed by the creative association Ekran in 1975.

The Aesop Prize and Aesop Accolades are conferred annually by the Children's Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society upon English language books for children and young adults, both fiction and nonfiction.

References

  1. ↑ Canivel, Roy (August 9, 2023). "Business Names, According to an Expert". Inc. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Former Chancellor Lester Wolfson Dies at 93". Indiana University South Bend. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  3. ↑ Gortmaker, Chris (2022-05-12). "Mary Ellen Solt: Concretizing 1968". Nonsite.org. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  4. ↑ Heffley, Lynne (May 11, 1989). "Old Tales for the Young". The Los Angeles Times.
  5. 1 2 3 Beck, David L., "Myth Could be a Hit: S.J. Chamber Orchestra Premieres New Take on Psyche and Eros", San Jose Mercury News, (May 19, 2000), page: 36
  6. ↑ "Metroactive Music | San Jose Chamber Orchestra". www.metrosiliconvalley.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
  7. ↑ "A Night with a Storyteller". Abu Dhabi Festival. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  8. ↑ Chris Rohmann (November 13, 2012), "Two's Company - Performers come in pairs on Valley stages", The Valley Advocate, Arts & Entertainment
  9. ↑ Del Sesto, Christina (February 26, 1989). "An Arabian Love Story". The Washington Post.
  10. ↑ Shteir, Rachel (1989). "Theater in New York: The Insanity of Passion: Margaret Wolfson's Majnoun Layla". Theater. 20 (2): 91–94. doi:10.1215/01610775-20-2-91.
  11. ↑ "San Francisco Classical Voice". 2015-09-24. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  12. ↑ "Marriage of the Rain Goddess: A South African Myth". Publishers Weekly.
  13. ↑ MARRIAGE OF THE RAIN GODDESS | Kirkus Reviews.
  14. ↑ "Wolfson, Margaret WorldCat Identity". WorldCat Identities. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  15. ↑ Kennedy, Philippa (2010-06-27). "Acting the part". The National. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  16. ↑ Becker, Arielle Levin, (August 1, 2003) The Hartford Courant Page: B3
  17. ↑ Gabler, Neal (2015-01-15). "The Weird Science of Naming New Products". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  18. ↑ Klein, Michael (28 April 2021). "These Wharton grads invented spiked coconut water in a Philadelphia apartment. They hope it's a billion-dollar idea". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  19. ↑ "Madécasse rebrands as Beyond Good | 2019-11-14 | Candy Industry | Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery". www.snackandbakery.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  20. ↑ LaMantia, J. (November 1, 2015). "An $8 billion giant rebrands: North shore-LIJ outgrows its name." Crain's New York Business, p.31
  21. ↑ "99 "Limit Breaking Female Founders" Share The Most Important Lessons Learned From Their Experiences". HuffPost. 2018-01-14. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  22. ↑ "Renaming Weinstein Company Won't Be Easy". Ad Age. 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  23. ↑ Sicha, Choire (2021-08-23). "What Is Up With the Brand Name for Pfizer's COVID Vaccine?". Intelligencer. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  24. ↑ Paynter, Ben (July 20, 2016). "No One Wants To Donate To Pay For Overhead–So We Need To Call It Something Sexier". Fast Company. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  25. ↑ Zweig, Jason (5 November 2021). "Donald Trump's Ageless Advice for Mark Zuckerberg". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  26. ↑ "Meet the Experts: How to Create a Brand Name with Margaret Wolfson". Envato. 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  27. ↑ "Choosing the Right Brand Name". Wharton Magazine. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.