Cookies Preferences
Sometimes our writing can be purely functional. We just need to clearly communicate. But sometimes there is an opportunity to really stand out from the crowd; your website, creative campaigns, emails, social posts etc. Even small micro interactions can be an opportunity to do something that stands out and stays with people. We’ll create guidelines that allow your brand personality to shine in everything you say or do including:
To make a reader sit up and listen, speak to their heart not their head. Anyone who’s seen Pixar’s Inside Out knows that there’s at least 5 emotions inside all our hearts (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust). Psychologists have suggested that there’s upwards of 27 emotions. So, is there a feeling you can own? An emotional safe space you can inhabit?
Brands need to be better ‘storytellers’. But there are millions of different stories out there, so how do you know which kind to tell? Christopher Booker suggests seven classic narratives that you can use as the basis for your storyline:
Some brands speak from on high. Some get down in the trenches. How you come across can be massively shaped by how close or distant, how aloof or familiar you are with your reader. So, when you’re trying to inject your words with energy, think about where you stand.
There’s an old saying that goes: When you stand for nothing, you fall for everything. This saying speaks to the idea that struggle and conflict are central to existence and shape our purpose. So, to write with passion, single out your enemy (whether that’s a person, a product or a principle) and use what’s wrong with them to highlight what’s right with you. Are you against an oppressor? A norm? A stereotype?
The best kind of marketing is word of mouth. So who better to sound like than one of your own biggest fans? Many of today’s brands curate content, host communities and cater for different cultures. It hardly makes sense to speak like a corporate at all. So, why not try adopting the voice of the people? Are you a super-user? A passionate nerd? A pundit who tells it like it is?
Sometimes, we skirt around the real issues. We are sensitive, we are nice and we are…a bit bland. What some brands need is someone to come along and rip off the sticking plaster. Address the elephant in the room. Tell it like it is. So, if you’re in a category full of conventions, ask yourself: what is the unspoken truth that nobody has dared to mention? Is it something society considers taboo? Something a little rude or naughty? Or just something we all take for granted?
Location, location location. That’s what they say in property. But could it apply to brands? Some brands can stand out if they celebrate their mother tongue. They may have heritage, founders or a certain country of origin whose voice they can evoke. It’s worth keeping an ear out for a different worldview. A quirky turn of phrase. A unique accent or sense of humour.
Every great relationship starts with a conversation. We’d love to talk with you about your next project and answer any questions you might have about Shopify. But be warned… once we get talking about this stuff, it’s hard to shut us up!
