A brand is a personality that has a voice and characteristics that differentiate it from the competition. It is made to serve specific needs and so designing it demands extensive research.
First of all, we have to lay the foundations; what kind of brand is it, what are its values and its target audience? This information is necessary in order to design a brand that will make it in the market.
In order to understand what we mean what we say that brands have a tone of voice, we can try to picture each brand as a different person. A person has a name, a personality, values, goals and preferences that, when combined, shape a unique identity. Everyone is different.
The voice of the brand is one of the most distinctive characteristics. It's what differentiates the brand's communication with its audience in a sea of different products.
We can find a brand's voice by asking the following questions:
- If the brand was a person, what kind of personality would it have?
- What kind of relationship would it have with the target audience?
- If the brand was a person, what would he look like?
- If the brand was a person, how would it say “hi” to its customers?
The brand voice reflects the brand's feelings. For example, the brand may feel free; independent; premium or luxurious; local or international; cheap or expensive. This way, the brand can speak the language of the customers who identify with those same feelings.
The brand voice reflects the brand's personality - that means it never changes. However, the way we address the target audience can change. That's what we call the tone of voice.
Tone of voice refers to the emotional nuances in our communication, adapting based on the recipient. This adjustment evokes specific feelings that can influence a person's demeanor.
Understanding the brand's values and objectives is crucial for determining the appropriate language and tone. The tone of voice adapts based on the type of customer being addressed. Even within a group, each customer possesses a unique personality, necessitating tailored adjustments to the tone of voice.
We could say that our persona is the element that defines the tone of voice of our brand.
Of course, when we say "adjustments" we don’t mean that we create different tones of voice for each customer. What we mean is that we adjust the tone of voice according to the platform that we're using. Whether it's social media, the packaging, or the website of the brand, our voice remains the same, but our tone adjusts.
The tone of voice may be friendly, aggressive, jolly, encouraging, imposing, formal and more.
Most successful brands have an established voice and tone. They manage to preserve the values and timelessness while remaining connected with people. Thus, their relationship with their audience is authentic and strong.
At S & Team, we become familiar with the brand’s values, its personality and its purpose, before we start creating the brand voice and specify the target audience.
Our goal is to find the right words for the brand,to communicate it to the people, to differentiate it from the competition and connect it emotionally with its target audience.