The right words change everything.

We help you find them.

The Work

Defining and expressing a new vision of pediatric healthcare.
Building a beauty brand as bold as the mission.
Rebranding insurance with authenticity and character.
Unifying a hospital network with a name.
Signaling creativity and innovation with a new name and voice.
Simplifying and streamlining customer communications.

What we do

Naming

From companies to products to pharmaceuticals, we craft creative, ownable ideas that stand out, and stand the test of time.

Brand Strategy

We help organizations define who they are and drive growth, through positioning, architecture, and storytelling.

Verbal Identity

We drive consistency and confidence with brand identities designed to be lived, not just written, including AI toolkits.

Learn More

Activations

An exhibit. A speech for a global summit. A LinkedIn strategy. Merch that people actually want. We love to create it all.

Get the words right,
and the rest will follow.

Words First brings a bespoke, highly creative focus to meaningful projects especially in the healthcare and non-profit spaces.

We’re proud to partner with leading agencies including Sidlee, Clarke, DeSantis Breindel, Interbrand, 1HQ, Publiq, Sterling, and Boudica to provide seamless brand strategy and verbal identity expertise on larger projects.

Katherine Knowles, Creative Director

I’m a Creative Director, Brand Strategist, and writer with 15+ years’ experience leading brand strategy, verbal identity, and storytelling for organizations across health, corporate, and social impact. Before founding Words First in 2019, I worked at Interbrand, specializing in Health.
When working with me you can expect deep commitment, care, creativity, flair, jokes, opinions on pizza, and plentiful cups of tea.

"Kate is a brilliant strategic partner for Clarke. We value the insights her experience brings, and working with her on projects is always productive, creative, and genuinely enjoyable."

Michael Clarke, Founder and Creative Director, Clarke
"Collaborating with Kate is always the highlight of any project. She is an exceptionally talented partner who has supported me in naming assignments of all sizes and complexities, ranging from new corporate identities to sub-brands and technology call-outs. Her process is swift, thorough, and effortless, and she excels both behind the scenes and when presenting to clients."

Amanda Wittenberg, Senior Client Director, Sterling
"Kate helped shape our brand from the beginning, codifying our voice, defining our mission, vision and values, and crafting the language that still guides the Elevate Prize today. It’s always a pleasure to work with her."

Megan Bambino , Chief Program Officer, The Elevate Prize
"Kate is an excellent partner - you get far more than you bargain for. Not only is she an exquisite copy writer, she's also full of ideas, creativity, good humour, and true thought partnership. Working with Kate multiplies and amplifies our work."

Lauren Jones, Founder, Brand by Boudica

The right words change everything.

We help you find them.

Defining and expressing a new vision of pediatric healthcare.

Building a beauty brand as bold as the mission.

Rebranding insurance with authenticity and character.

Unifying a hospital network with a name.

Signaling creativity and innovation with a new name and voice.

Simplifying and streamlining customer communications.