The way a brand sounds is just as important as the way it looks.
It’s said that whenever you read something silently, your mind creates a tone and personality based on how you think the text is meant to sound.
So, how can you be sure that you’re giving people the correct impression of your brand?
Three words: tone of voice
What is Tone of Voice?
Tone of Voice or Brand Voice expresses your brand personality and core values through the words you use and how you use them whenever you are communicating with your audience.
Let’s explore three of the famous brands who totally nailed their tone of voice and how it helped further establish their brand identity and personality on social media:
If you can’t tell from the brand name, Calm speaks to its audience in a tone of voice that is soothing, inspirational, and motivational.
For those who are familiar with the brand, you’ll definitely know that their tone of voice on social media perfectly reflects the feeling you get when you use their meditation app!
Complementing the incredibly fun and playful visual style of their social media content, Oatly delivers a friendly, sarcastic, and quirky tone of voice to the audience.
Thanks to their clever choice of tone and words, this brand has successfully communicated and influenced the audience to eat better and live healthier lives while advocating for a sustainable planet without coming across as off-putting or intimidating!
Red Bull’s tone of voice is active, adventurous, and rebellious.
Paired with adrenaline-fuelling visual content, the cult-favourite energy drink’s tone of voice is definitely on point with their brand promise “Gives you wings” – a reference that suggests allowing you to be a higher-performing dare-devil version of yourself, especially during adventure, sports and other exciting experiences.
Developing your brand’s tone of voice
Looking at the example we’ve mentioned, each brand has its own unique tone that ties consistently with the characteristics of its brand personality. Here’s how you can figure out your own brand’s tone of voice:
- List adjectives that describe your brand- avoid using descriptions that contradict the other
- Imagine your brand as a person- how would they talk to your customers?
- Trial and Error – work out what’s the best fit for your target audience
At the end of the day, words bring impact to your brand’s identity. When used effectively, they can shape the way your brand is perceived.
Keep in mind that your tone of voice serves to deliver and embody already existing characteristics of your brand’s personality. You will find that many successful businesses’ brand guidelines include a special section for the tone of voice to make sure that they communicate across all marketing channels consistently.
Now that you’re aware of how much tone of voice matters, take that next step to find yours!