Speak up and stand out – Inspiring cases of effective brand voice
In the competitive marketing world, developing a distinctive brand voice and tone is essential for creating a lasting impression on your target audience. A strong brand voice embodies and expresses your brand personality and core values through the words you use to communicate with your audience.
This month, our team at Vantage will explore 6 brand voice examples of companies that have mastered the art of brand identity. These brands have crafted a unique identity and established a strong customer connection. Let us dive in and discover what makes their brand voices stand out from the crowd.
What is a brand voice?
Brand voice is a consistent way of conveying your message to the audience. It is a part of the brand expression that defines your brand identity with more tangible visuals.
Research suggests that 75% of people recognize a brand by its logo, 60% by its visual style and 45% by the brand’s signature color and 25% by its unique voice. Your brand voice shapes your business and how people see it.
The way a brand looks is just as important as the way it sounds.
In addition to visuals, words also play a vital role in establishing your brand identity and influencing how it is perceived.
Determining how your brand communicates is crucial, which is why defining a consistent style of writing and speaking, known as tone of voice, is essential.
Starbucks
Starbucks has clear and concise brand guidelines available online, with a section dedicated to its tone of voice.
The Starbucks voice is functional and expressive.
Starbucks provides a comprehensive set of brand voice guidelines, including numerous examples for designing various applications.
The functional tone is used primarily for way-finding or ordering with the goal of keeping the copy clear for maximum legibility.
While the expressive voice is used to tell a passionate coffee story, wherever possible.
Using functional and expressive tones allows the brand to create more space for relevance, connection and joy.
Sometimes the copy will make you smile, other times it will clearly guide your purchasing experience.
Uber
The brand voice of Uber expresses the brand’s essence signaling what the brand is and what it stands for.
The Uber brand voice is considerate, simple, bold and consistent.
Considerate here defines that the brand voice used by Uber is audience-first.
Simple and direct refers to writing in a straightforward and easy-to-understand way.
A consistent brand voice unites the experience across all departments, countries and languages.
All the elements together create consumer sentiment: “That sounds like Uber.”
Uber’s voice & style guide is much more comprehensive than Starbucks. You will also find a supportive tone of voice, additional tools and editing tips.
MailChimp
MailChimp speaks to its customers in a tone that is usually informal, but not inappropriate and never snobbish.
MailChimp’s brand voice is clear, genuine and with a bit of humor.
MailChimp’s brand voice guidelines brilliantly focus on using offbeat humor and conversational voice for empowering content.
Clear means that MailChimp strips away all that jargon, hyperbolic language and value clarity above all.
A genuine voice helps the audience to relate to small businesses and their challenges in a warm, familiar and accessible way.
According to the MailChimp content guidelines, if you want to make a joke, be careful – forced humor can be worse. So, if you are unsure, it is better to keep a straight face.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is one of the best brand tone of voice examples of consistent brand voice.
Coca-Cola brand voice is positive, friendly and down-to-earth.
Coca-cola is always successful in showing us the concepts of what a happy life looks like accompanied by a positive voice.
Coca-Cola has been in the market for over 130 years, but its voice remains consistent with the only purpose to bring happiness.
In their marketing campaign, you will see the concept of a happy life. There are polar bears, family gatherings, friends dancing and smiling (and a Coca-Cola).
Coca-Cola helps its audience connect positive feelings with its drink-through evocative images and a perfect brand voice.
Tiffany’s & Co.
Tiffany’s is not just about the shade of baby blue but also about brand personality.
The Tiffany’s voice is witty, classic and elegant
At Tiffany’s, the content team and social team, work simultaneously to maintain the voice consistency between social posts and branded content.
Tiffany’s also has a strong brand voice and is big on social media and marketing. As a result, people are willing to pay much more for a Tiffany product than some equivalent product without a Tiffany’s logo.
The audience is attracted to pay for a logo, design and the small blue box that holds the jewelry. Without a logo and a strong brand voice, selling high-quality (often overpriced) jewelry would not be possible.
Think of your brand voice acting as a filter for the words you use to write copy for your marketing materials. Check out the Brand Assessment Matrix at Vantage as a part of your Brand Strategy Guide.
Create your own brand with Vantage!
These 6 brands serve as excellent examples of effective brand voice and tone. Each brand has successfully carved out a unique identity and used its voice to authentically connect with its target audience. Remember that the tone of voice is not the actual brand messaging – the difference between both is that your tone is how you say it, not the exact words to use.
Whether it is Tiffany’s elegance, Coca-Cola’s positivity, Uber’s straightforwardness, or Starbuck’s expressive nature, these brands demonstrate the power of a consistent and well-crafted brand voice. By understanding and developing your brand voice, you can create a distinct and compelling identity that resonates with your customers and sets you apart from the competition.
Unlock your brand’s unique voice with Vantage and make a lasting impact in the marketing world. Let us help you convey a clear and consistent brand message that sets you apart from the competition! Dial +91 7874440404 to learn more about social media marketing, content marketing, digital advertising and strategies for brand management.