Brand Voice

Brand voice is a phrase that sounds simple to understand, but upon closer inspection, is quite ambiguous. We can’t say for sure what a brand’s voice consists of, but we know it when we see or hear it.

Great brands have personalities that remain steadfast in ways that are important to the organisation without being inflexible or rigid. It is a strategy that defines and guides the way an organisation communicates. Having a well defined strategy provides an effective way of conveying a brand’s personality and story.

Essentially, brand voice is a strategic tool to assist all members of an organisation tell the brand story of in a consistently compelling way. Establishing a recognisable, consistent brand voice is becoming all the more important as the number of organisations attempting to reach the eyes, ears and dollars of consumers is increasing.

Consumers are also interacting with and speaking to and about brands in more venues and touchpoints than ever before (through social media for example). This two-way communication requires a response from  brands, with the brand voice bringing value and identity to that dialogue by listening and responding in a way that brings a brands strategy to life.

Building a brand voice can be a difficult, confusing task but can be made easier by developing an understanding of the overall strategy of the brand – who it is, what it stands for and where it’s going, identifying communication tactics and providing staff with training on the brand voice and how to use it.

In the end, a brand will be judged on what it says. The way it speaks is a key to making sure the right consumers are listening to what a brand has to say.