Whether you scroll, search or simply walk down the street, you’re going to come across branded content. We’re talking brightly coloured, splashed with bold typefaces and practically gyrating with graphics galore. Visual identity might be how a brand grabs your attention but words bring the message home. Here, Immy Smith dives into verbal identity and uncovers five brands that do it best.

What is verbal identity? 

As people, we all have a verbal identity. Think of your group of friends. You might have a friend who’s known for being the life and soul of the party; they speak at full volume and they’re constantly brimming with things to say. Your other friend is softly spoken and tends to stay on the periphery of the conversation. Our verbal identity is basically the way we sound when we speak and it’s the same for brands. 

Verbal identity is a combination of what a brand says (the messages) and how it says it (the tone). It acts as a set of guidelines shared internally so everyone in the team can communicate the brand consistently and effectively to the wider world. Some brands, including Starbucks and Monzo, publish their verbal identity guidelines online, giving customers full transparency about why they sound the way they do. 

A brand’s verbal identity should seep into every communication, whether it’s the wording on the homepage, a cookies policy pop-up or the packaging. It works alongside the visual identity to create an overall impression of the brand, one that is ultimately distinct enough to stand out. 

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Why is verbal identity important? 

Having a strong verbal identity is one of the core building blocks of a successful brand. Without it, a brand is more or less mute and likely to be drowned out in the noise. 

Developing a powerful verbal identity helps to create brand personality. It’s an opportunity to add texture and vibrancy to otherwise dull-sounding FAQ pages. Take Ace Hotel New York as an example. 

The tone is casual, unfussy and to the point. Like an efficient traveller who has no time for unnecessary hold-ups at check-in but is more than happy to wander idly through the streets of Manhattan. 

Just as with people, you’re not going to question someone who speaks confidently and clearly. A brand that knows what it’s doing has authority, which gives customers a clear sense of direction. A brand constantly changing its ethos and tone prompts doubt among its audiences, which can be damaging.

Ultimately, verbal identity is an important way of strengthening a brand from the inside out. 

The five fundamentals of a powerhouse verbal identity 

If we dive deeper into what a verbal identity actually is, we can break it down into five parts : 

Brand backstory (how the brand came to be) 

We have a whole blog post dedicated to the importance of a brand’s backstory. In short, a backstory describes the journey from starting a brand to where the brand is today. It’s also a chance for brand founders to explain why they do what they do. A well-delivered backstory is a force to be reckoned with; it has the power to win customers over and to keep them coming back for more. Nudie Jeans’ founder Maria wrote a whole book on how her little company became a global brand, while we also like Desmond & Dempsey’s meet-cute backstory.   

Brand voice (what customers hear when a brand speaks to them) 

Brand Voice is a brand’s personality. Unlike brand tone, it doesn’t change; it’s the same whether you’re speaking to +4k followers via an Instagram Live or replying to a customer complaint. Your brand voice is the way your brand expresses itself through its content, copy, and overall language. It’s the nuanced grammatical choices and specific turns of phrases that all play into the overall brand voice. One way to identify your brand’s personality, as a tip from the Learning Innovation Company, maestro, is to start by listing 3-5 character traits e.g. witty, charming, worldly. Then write why each of these descriptors accurately represents your brand. 

Brand tone (helps customers relate to a brand) 

Tone communicates a brand’s attitude, personality and mood. It should be consistent but it can (and should) change depending on the circumstances. Mastering brand tone is all about clearly understanding who your talking to, how they’re feeling and which medium you’re using to communicate, without compromising on your brand’s voice. It’s not just about what you’re saying, but how you’re saying it. 

Brand grammar (We’re talking CAPITALISATION, exclamation marks!!!! Short sentences.)

Often brands will look to an established style guide like the Guardian and Observer Style Guide,  for a consistent and correct set of grammar rules, while leaving a little wiggle room to add their own creative touches. There are a handful of brands that throw caution to the wind when it comes to grammar. They disrupt the rules; adopting abbreviations and eschewing conventional punctuation to get noticed and for some, it pays off but this maverick approach does require practice and extensive customer research to really understand what will land. 

Brand language (“what we say vs what we don’t say”) 

Having a “what we say and what we don’t say” list provides a framework for communicating properly and in a way that sounds truly authentic to your brand’s voice and values. When compiling this list, think about how you refer to your customers and colleagues, i.e. do you prefer guests or clients? Team or people? How do you talk about your industry? How do you talk about your services? Do you talk about world events or religious holidays? All of these choices help ultimately shape how your audience perceives your brand.

Stuck not knowing what to say?

Learn from the best: 5 brands with a strong verbal identity

1. Daye: Meet the period-positive brand that’s on a mission to overcome the gender pain gap with innovation and straight-talking empathy on topics no one else will touch. 

EXAMPLE: Product description 

“Fully-sustainable organic tampons with a no-shed protective sleeve and an optional CBD coating for the days when your period is cramping your style.”

WE LOVE IT FOR: Fearless talking and total consistency from the packaging to the website microscopy.

3. Graza: makes high-quality, extra-virgin cooking olive oil made completely from fresh olives. The biggest takeaway? Always eat ice cream with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a splash of olive oil.

EXAMPLE: Instagram post

Just like the master behind this delicious vinaigrette*, you should 10/10 have a jar of this deliciously bright but simple dressing in your fridge on hand for entertaining at *all* times. Drizzle over your summer salads and grain bowls to take them up a notch, or even as a dipping sauce for your pizza crust 🍋

WE LOVE IT FOR: Playful, educational and simple. Graza makes you want to whip up a storm with its high-quality, ‘Drizzle’ and ‘Sizzle’ olive oils.

2. Reformation: this straight-talking American clothing brand known for silky slip dresses with sweatshirts, puff-sleeve blouses and a solid stance on sustainable fashion. 

EXAMPLE: Email newsletter

“We want to wear tweed sets so we’re moving on. Just like we did with our ex after they posted a BeReal with the person they told us not to worry about.”

WE LOVE IT FOR: Irreverent, deadpan and in your face, you can practically hear the writer’s eyes rolling skywards as they hit send. 

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) is a charity that exists to prevent suicides. It doesn’t shy away from saying it as like it is, provoking conversations and putting a middle finger up to living miserably. 

EXAMPLE: What we do

We’re the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) and we’re taking a stand against suicide. That means standing against feeling shit, standing up to stereotypes and standing together to show life is always worth living.

WE LOVE IT FOR: Not tip-toeing around the hard-hitting stuff. This is concise, punchy copy that cuts through the noise while speaking to a universal audience.

5. Mailchimp: is a one-stop-shop marketing platform. It’s focus is on “healthy contact management practices”, visually engaging campaigns and robust data analysis

EXAMPLE: Mailchimp 101

Just by bringing all your contact data into Mailchimp, we can start to show you helpful insights about your audience. We’ll help you find new ways to talk to people who love your brand—and new ways to reach people who are likely to.

Even if you don’t have contacts to market to yet, you can always log in and start playing around with our design tools. In fact, we recommend it.

WE LOVE IT FOR: More than just email marketing, Mailchimp empowers users to design, create and manage professional-looking email campaigns. It also has a brilliant style guide. 

Cooking up your own verbal identity 

Creating a verbal identity is a bit like a recipe; several key ingredients to prepare, measure and whip together. From an Insta post to a customer response email, it takes time to practice and get it right. Once you do, your audience can’t help come back for more.

Need a hand with words? Get in touch.