Since launching indigo murphy on 31 March this year (yes, it's our two-month anniversary today no less), the question I'm asked most often is: "why did you choose 'indigo murphy' as a name?"

The truth is, I wanted to build something that would stand out in a crowded market. Looking at the agencies I most admire - Burson, Ogilvy, Edelman (of course) - they all benefit from their founder-focused legacy. There's something powerful and truly accountable about putting your name behind your work, even if it sits uncomfortably with my natural introverted happy place.

Beyond the power of personal branding, I've always been fascinated by how the best company names carry both emotional and strategic weight, perhaps simply with the addition of a colour that evokes sentiment. Think BlackRock (sophistication, strength, authority), or Red Bull (energy, passion, excitement). These brands understand that a name isn't just a label; it's a promise, a feeling, a cultural connection that strengthens over time.

The blue period

So, speaking of colour, my instinct was to gravitate toward blue. It's dominated both my wardrobe and business thinking for years - a colour I associate with trust, depth, and reliability. But "Blue Murphy" presented some obvious challenges. The domain was taken, and frankly, it risked being mistaken for something far removed from senior business advisory services and more akin to an adult novelty store from the outskirts of Dublin.

Enter indigo

Then indigo emerged from the creative process, a deep, rich blue that throughout history has been associated with creativity, intuition, and wisdom. These are exactly the qualities I want clients to experience when working with indigo murphy.

But there's also something more visceral about the word itself.

Say it out loud.

Indigo! IN-DI-GO!

There's an almost onomatopoeic quality to it - like 'energy released' as you let your dog off the lead with a surge of determination to tackle complex challenges head-on (in my dog Freddy's case – see enclosed - it's to get to the frisbee in the surf before I do). This energy embodies what I want the business to represent: passionate, focused work that cuts through the noise to deliver real results with a bit of antipodean mongrel thrown in for good measure.

Beyond the name

Ultimately, the name indigo murphy isn't about me or the senior folk I work with. It's about the work. High-calibre, no-fluff outcomes that help solve real problems for real businesses.

Two words that serve as a commitment, designed for staying power in client conversations whilst evoking creativity, insight, wisdom, and of course a bit of mongrel.

Now that we've covered the 'why', it's time to focus on what really matters, and in true communications parlance, that's the ‘how’ and the ‘what’ behind the work we do and the challenges we help businesses navigate.

Curious about how we approach problem-solving? I'd be interested to hear about the challenges you're working through.