What we're up to
Fine tuning your brand identity
Say it loud and say it proud with a characteristic brand voice
In today’s multimedia world, it’s as important to adopt a powerful brand voice as it is visual branding. With the rise of social media and curated editorial content, companies are constantly thinking of new ways to stand out through its use of language. So why is a brand voice important? It generates consistency among employees and helps brands distinguish themselves from their competitors. It injects individuality and makes a brand appear more human. Communicating as a friend or a knowledgeable figurehead enables companies to balance information and communication and build a rapport with consumers thereby increasing engagement, trust and loyalty.
Smoothie connoisseur Innocent is renowned for its brand voice, injecting a quirky tone to its editorial content, social media and packaging. From its strapline ‘We make natural, delicious drinks that help people live well and die old,’ to random blog posts such as ‘What is a penguin?’ Innocent is perceived as fun, conversational and entertaining. A world apart in terms of approach, sporting giant Nike also has an excellent brand voice. It uses inspirational language to motivate its audience and make them feel part of a community, from the renowned slogan ‘Just do it’ to the campaign hashtag #findgreatness.
Example: Innocent Smoothies
New company Eve, self-proclaimed makers of the ‘world’s best mattress’, is pretty difficult to miss right now. Whether it’s quirky tube advertising that pokes fun at coffee chains serving ‘double-shot venti mochadoozie’, or job openings that list ideal candidates as being able to adopt various sleeping positions such as soldier, starfish and the spoon, the brand has managed to forge a voice that is humorous, personable and confident.
Most importantly what these companies, and other successful brands, all have in common is that they use branded content to exercise their voice. This is where 3CC can come in. But how?
Example: Eve
Get your priorities sorted
Prioritising is the process of asking a lot of questions. Does a client want to be personable, fun or formal? We think about how consumers would describe the brand and how the client wants to be perceived. How does it want to differentiate from the competition? What emotions does it want its audience to feel? All of this helps us decide what language to use before embarking on the content. This system was crucial when developing Compass magazine for London estate agents Greene&Co, which resulted in a publication that balanced local lifestyle content with property reports and listings with a neighbourly tone of voice.
Example: Compass Magazine
Be a human
We think of a brand as a person with its own values, personality and emotions. This allows us to build a brand voice that communicates with other businesses or consumers on a human level. And the same goes for 3CC itself. Our website and social media channels uses colourful, informative language that reflects 3CC’s reputation as a creative agency with clout.
Example: 3CC's Social media
Get crafty
It’s all about crafting content and selecting the right medium through which to cater to the unique needs of each client. For French fashion retailer La Redoute’s AW15 collection we fused video footage, hand-drawn illustrations and impactful copy to achieve a shareable fashion film. Meanwhile for Toni&Guy we produce a print and digital magazine teaming with stories that appeal to the brand’s audience, such as trend reports and hair how-tos, using a conversational, entertaining and in-the-know voice.
Example: La Redoute Fashion Film
Spread the message
Whether it’s a newsletter, blog post or social media, we select most effective way of disseminating our branded content to the intended audience. From bite-sized text on Twitter and punchy visuals on Instagram that add value and incite action, customers are always enticed to find out more.
Of course, we realise social media isn’t for everyone. We recognise that homeowners in their late thirties and forties would rather open an email than scroll through their mobile phones. After each issue of Compass magazine goes to print we pick out the top news and feature articles and compile them into a handy email format that is then sent to a curated customer database.
Now that’s definitely something to shout about.
