Have you ever said, “That doesn’t sound like them,” when someone attributes an out-of-character comment to a close friend or co-worker? Or maybe you’ve shouted, “Nana!” in disbelief when your sugar-sweet grandma told an off-color joke that made your jaw drop and your face turn red. If either of these scenarios (which may or may not be based on actual events) sounds relatable, you already know the importance of a consistent brand voice. 

What do good friends and grandmas have to do with branding? The way they communicate plays a big part in the emotional connection you form with them. Similarly, a memorable brand voice can build a strong connection between you and your audience. Let’s see why getting it right is critical for your brand identity. 

What Is a Brand Voice?

Your brand voice is the way your communication reflects your brand’s unique personality and values. It infuses your brand with human characteristics that make it more relatable. When you craft a clear, consistent brand voice across every platform, you forge an emotional connection with your customers — one that builds trust with every message and interaction. It’s so much more than just what you talk about on your website or social media posts. 

Does Brand Voice Really Matter?

Okay, let's be real. You're proud of your brand (as you should be!). It's tempting to shout about all its amazing features. But here's the thing: every other brand is doing the exact same thing. Consumers are drowning in a sea of sameness. If you want to be heard above the noise, you need something that makes you unforgettable. That's where your brand voice comes in. It's not just what you say — it's how you say it. Think of it as your brand's secret weapon.   

Brand Voice Examples

It’s one thing to talk about something like brand voice; looking at specific examples is even more helpful. Here are a few ways companies in various industries use their voice to stand out from their competitors.

Apple

If you have an iPhone in your pocket, an Apple Watch on your wrist, or a Macbook on your desk, you already know the power of Apple’s iconic brand voice. With clever headlines that give familiar phrases a fresh spin and messaging that feels as simple and efficient as their product designs, Apple's brand voice talks about technical innovation in a way that feels remarkably human. 

Brand voice:

Clever, Concise, Confident

Examples:

• Macbook: Light. Years ahead.
• Apple-designed chips: The kind of fast you can feel. 
• The iPhone 14 is more than just a phone. It’s a way to capture your memories, connect with the people you love, and explore the world around you.

Goodr

We all know sunglasses make a fashion statement. Goodr, a popular sunglasses brand, decided to make that statement far more colorful. From the intentional misspelling of their name to their unexpected product names (Whiskey Shots With Satan, anyone?), Goodr’s brand voice uses a good-natured blend of snark, humor, and conversational language to thumb its proverbial nose at all things posh and pretentious. And millions of Goodr fans love them for it. 

Brand voice:

Energetic, irreverent, playful 

Examples:

• Every product we create must speak to our F’s: fun, fashionable, functional, and ‘ffordable. (We like F words.)
• We are recklessly committed to fun … BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, sunglasses.
• The ultimate duo: business in the frame, party in the lens.

Simpliphy

Jazz legend Charles Mingus said, “Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.” Whether they were inspired by Mingus or not, the founders of Simpliphy found a way to make the complex field of physician compensation awesomely simple. And since their cloud-based software platform brought refreshing simplicity to such a complicated topic, they use a concise, upbeat (and decidedly non-techy) brand voice to convey their solution's astonishing simplicity. 

Brand voice:

Concise, energetic, encouraging

Examples:

• Healthcare can be complex. Paying doctors shouldn’t be.
• It’s not magic — but it sure feels like it!
• 100 doctors or 10,000 — it doesn’t matter. Simpliphy scales effortlessly, making calculation and communication surprisingly simple for healthcare organizations of any size.

YoungWilliams

Government services fill a critical need for millions of people and families across the country. Unfortunately, the delivery of those services can often feel impersonal and frustrating. YoungWilliams partners with government agencies to help them provide health and human services with a human touch. With a mission like this, they make sure their messaging stands out by using a brand voice that is professional, optimistic, and refreshingly personable. Less “next in line.” More “Hi, how can I help?”

Brand voice:
Confident, friendly, trustworthy

Examples:

• We make it easier to make a difference.
• When we serve people well, everything else falls into place.
• Government services delivered better every day.

The Core Elements of a Consistent Brand Voice

It’s important to use a brand voice that feels authentic to your brand’s identity. When you pay attention to your persona, purpose, word choice, and tone, your brand’s voice will flow naturally without feeling forced. That’s a big deal. 

Persona

You can’t know how you’d communicate if you don’t know who you are. That’s true in life, and it’s just as true in branding. The easiest way to think about this aspect is to imagine that your brand is a character in a movie, show, or book. With that in mind, think about how your character would carry themselves around others. Are you bold and brash? Quiet and thoughtful? Are you the life of the party — or a steadying influence in a world gone mad? Who you are will determine how you communicate. 

Note: If you need some help with this part, our Brand Archetype Quiz is a fantastic place to start.

Purpose

Knowing what you want to accomplish is as important as knowing who you are. What’s the goal of your messaging? Do you want to educate your audience? Are you there to entertain them? Are you trying to persuade them to try something new or reminding them to continue on the same path? When you know what action you want your customers to take, your message will be clearer — and clarity is key. 

Word Choice

Real talk: We almost called this point “Prose” for the sake of alliteration, but that felt a little uppity — and that’s not us. Not even close. Thankfully, our brush with a bad decision highlighted the impact word choice can have on brand voice. If you’re positioning yourself as a seasoned sage in an academic setting, it’s perfectly acceptable to demonstrate the voluminous expanse of your vocabulary. But if you’re setting your brand up as an irreverent jokester, big words will fall flatter than a lukewarm cup of last night’s beer. It takes work to balance the content of your messaging with your overall tone — but the work is always worth it. Speaking of tone …

Tone 

While your persona, purpose, and word choice are critical, your tone of voice is what really brings your brand voice to life. Why’s that? Because choosing the right tone allows you to communicate effectively in various situations while still sounding like you. An example? You got it. Let’s say you’re a tech brand that prides itself on the almost magical ability to transform impossibly complex processes. There’s a good chance you’ll infuse most of your communication with a showman’s enthusiasm, using optimistic phrasing and a high-energy tone. That’s perfectly acceptable. However, if you respond to a customer complaint with “Shazam! Watch us pull a solution out of this hat!” — well, let’s just say your customer probably won’t be as amazed as you hoped. In that instance, you can dial back your tone to show empathy without changing your overall brand voice. (We’re so sorry that happened. Let’s make this problem disappear, shall we?” is a much better option.) Varying your tone is your chance to read the room and respond accordingly. 

Make Every Interaction Count

Depending on your business model and your brand offerings, your target audience is going to interact with your company on multiple platforms. Your website and social media accounts are the most obvious, but there’s so much more to consider. Print ads, digital campaigns, packaging, customer support calls, in-store signage … you get the point. If you have a compelling brand voice on your website, but your product packaging is boring, the unboxing experience is going to feel off. (Remember our “That doesn’t sound like them” example from the intro? Yeah, it’ll feel like that.) If your ads are vibrant and engaging, but your tech support reps sound monotone and scripted, you’ve missed an opportunity to reinforce your brand voice. 

Note: If you’re going to vary your tone for shock value (looking at you, Nana), make sure you let your audience in on the joke after you’ve gotten their attention. 

Your brand voice should stay consistent at every touchpoint. That’s why it’s helpful to look at every piece of messaging through the brand voice you’ve established. If something feels off-brand, this step will let you correct it before your customers see it. It’s much easier to change messaging before it goes out than to walk back a headline or comment that didn’t sound like you in the first place. 

The Case for Brand Guidelines

Unless you’re a solo business owner, there’s a good chance more than one person will be responsible for your brand voice. Creating it is one thing. Maintaining it is something else entirely. To keep everyone on the same page, you’ll need clear brand guidelines that outline how the brand should communicate. These can be as simple as a summary statement that sets guidelines for your company's communication, or they can grow into a multi-page document that outlines everything from preferred verbiage to comma usage. The key is making sure everyone who crafts messaging for your brand follows the guidelines. With every message. On every platform. Every time. 

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the conversation between your brand and your customers. By crafting a brand voice that’s clear, consistent, and engaging, you’ll make the kind of connection that keeps the conversation going — and turns your competition’s cries for attention into background noise. 

Searching for Your Brand Voice?

If you’re trying to find the perfect brand voice for your business — one that gives your brand a distinctive, ownable personality — our team is here to help. Send us a message, and we’ll set up a time to talk.