Knō

When Knō was first created, it was known as Testy Test, but the name didn’t embody the right persona; more importantly, “Testy Test” didn’t connect with its target demographic (sexually active, safety-conscious young adults). With that in mind, our strategists mined the landscape for inspiration and opportunities for ​​differentiation, groundwork that helped us facilitate accelerated naming and branding workshops.

We started the naming workshop by asking the age-old question: What makes a good name? For Testy Test, it needed to be approachable, memorable, meaningful, inclusive, easy to say and spell, and distinct in its industry. Testy Test also wanted its new name to function as both a noun and verb; similar to how finding information through a search engine is considered “Googling,” an action-oriented name can be used as branded language in future messaging and communications. Guided by a few central themes (sex positivity, empowerment, responsibility, transparency, and health), we explored names inspired by ancient Latin words, Greek and Roman mythology, and characteristics that Testy Test wanted its new brand personality to emanate.

While our namestorm netted options that ranged from the literal to the abstract, Knō came out on top. Knō is a clever, and versatile name that can be used phonetically to denote “know,” and its spelling and use of the macron makes it feel unique and branded, spotlighting the idea that it’s better to knō(w) your status and your partner’s. 

STD and STI testing can be a sensitive subject, but Knō wants to promote open and honest conversations. The company felt its brand personality should convey the importance of safe sex and regular testing while simultaneously making the experience more enjoyable and less awkward to discuss. 

Our earlier naming workshop ended up serving another purpose. As we brainstormed what Knō’s name needed to exude, we realized our top descriptors — honest, secure, flirty, and affirming — could apply to the brand itself, eventually doubling as its brand pillars. Knō is inclusive and dependable, building trust by addressing its customers and its purpose with empathy and authenticity. Its educated and supportive approach is balanced by its wit and cheekiness, adding a sense of playful intimacy to every interaction and experience.

For Knō’s visuals, Big Human designers had to find a careful ratio of sexy and clinical, merging the brand’s flirtatious spirit with the seriousness of its product offering. Knō was looking for something safe and comforting, so we leaned into soft, intimate colors reminiscent of the ones found in common aphrodisiacs, like figs and oysters. To give structure to a brand that sways toward playfulness, we set all designs on a grid and opted for strategically organized layouts on both the website and app. The brand’s typography mimics this balance as well, pairing a serif in headlines with a sans-serif in all body copy. Knō’s photography has an organic, romantic style that avoids the overly explicit. Photos showcase mature, tasteful moments between consenting adults from a wide range of sexual identities, gender expressions, and ethnic backgrounds.

When it came to Knō’s logo, our design team kept it simple and minimal since the wordmark needed to be legible in small sizes. Should users want to display their testing status on their dating profiles in the future, the brand’s app icon doubles as an easily recognizable badge. Our final brand guidelines included specifications for acceptable logo colorways and usage.