What is brand voice and brand message?
WRITTEN BY GEMMA EDWARDS
Here’s the mistake I see brands making time and again; they don’t have a voice. Here’s another one; they don’t have a clear message. Just as Fliss will tell you that branding is “how you communicate your purpose in a way that’s relevant to your audience”, I’ll tell you that you can’t do that well, without a brand voice and brand messaging. So what are they? In short, your message is what you say and do, and your voice is how you say it.
Why does brand message and brand voice matter?
As humans, we like consistency. We use brands when we know what we can expect from them. It's all got to add up - and it’s not just the visuals. If a brand looks traditional, tells you they work with forward-thinking thirty-somethings and use loads of Gen Z slang, you’re left wondering who the heck this is actually for. Consider the brands you buy from on a regular basis. You do it because you know exactly what you’re going to get when you make a purchase.
Think about Marks and Spencers food. What springs to mind? Quality and luxury. It’s those immediately recognisable slow-motion ads with something delicious looking slowly being poured over something even more delicious looking, while a soothing well-spoken voice tells us that “this is not just food, it’s M&S food”. And guess what? They back that message up with their product. How do we know it works? Their UK food sales outperformed the market this year.
Every aspect of your brand should support and reinforce the rest of it. It’s this consistency that makes people - the right people - feel connected enough with your brand to buy from it.
Where do I start with brand voice and brand messaging?
To make a real impact, your voice and messaging need to be one simple thing - true. Do not fall into the trap of telling your audience what you think they want to hear, because if it’s not genuine, your words won’t match your actions, and you won’t fool your buyers more than once. You’ll set an expectation you won’t meet, and they’ll be disappointed. And that’s not good.
The place to find your truth is in your brand values. Understand what’s really important to you and the brand. I hear marketing directors and marketing managers struggle with this a lot, because they believe they’re not the brand. And that’s true - but if you’ve been attracted to work for this brand, you’ll share values. Values are what drive people to take action, and taking a job is included in that action list. Look at the actions the business takes, and you’ll know what matters to them.
Finding your brand voice and refining your message is your first step to being clear, consistent and memorable. And if you’re still not sure that a clear message matters, I’ll leave you with this thought; 46% of people will leave a website because of a lack of a clear message. Don’t wave goodbye to almost half the people that check out your brand. It’s time to figure out your brand voice and your brand message.
Gemma Edwards is a Copywriter and Content Director at the small but mighty brand voice agency, So Contented.
So Contented believe that’s not just about what you say, it’s about how you say it. The words you choose matter. They help their clients find the right words to communicate with their customers in a meaningful, impactful way.