Vikki Ross’s technique for developing an engaging brand tone of voice, with and without AI.
Characters > Guidelines
In this article, Vikki Ross gives a great tip for developing brand Tone of Voice guidelines:
“When we find or create a character – or use their founder (think Steve Jobs for Apple, Gabrielle Chanel for Chanel, and Richard Branson for Virgin) – to represent a brand, we find it easier to write with them in mind. We can imagine what they’d say, how they’d say it, and what words and phrases they’d use. All this helps define a brand, and differentiate one from another.”
Brilliant, right?
Instead of only giving boring TOV guidelines like:
• Conversational: Relaxed, everyday language style that feels like a natural conversation.
• Witty: Capture the relatable aspects of life’s complexities without being judgmental.
• Authentic: Maintain a genuine emotional core, allowing for transitions from humor to more heartfelt moments.
• Fourth-Wall Breaking: Acknowledge the audience directly to add an extra layer of engagement.
You can simply say: write like Jim Halpert from The Office.
And now with AI
It works with ChatGPT too. If you’re sick of its “Hello sir, I hope this email finds you well” tonality, simply add this snippet to your prompts:
[Write like [Character]. Focus solely on his/her distinctive writing/talking style. Emphasize the unique elements of their writing/speaking, such as tone, complexity, formality. Avoid references to specific works, characters, or notable events associated with them.]
Cheat Sheet
And here are 100 different characters that you can use to define your writing tonality, sorted by brand archetypes.
