Ah the joys of jargon. As a copywriter, I spend a fair bit of time trying to coax clients away from jargon, but we’re as bad as anyone when it comes to throwing around terminology that seems designed to confuse.

So let’s cut the chat and get to the good stuff. Here’s my (very short) guide to brand voice, tone of voice, verbal identity and brand identity. Happy reading!

What is brand voice?

Brand voice describes how your brand ‘speaks’.

It’s the way your brand personality shines through in your words – a voice that’s present in every piece of copy you put out there.

It’ll probably include a description of the voice along with tips that help you capture that voice in your writing, and some examples to get you started.

What is tone of voice?

A LOT of people use ‘tone of voice’ when they mean ‘brand voice’ – so much so that ‘tone of voice guide’ is probably the most accepted term out there for a brand voice guide.

But if you want to get picky (and I do), tone of voice is a part of a brand voice guide which looks specifically at how you vary the tone of your brand voice in different contexts.

You and I both have a ‘voice’ – a way we speak as individuals. But we’d vary the tone of that voice differently depending on the situation we’re in. You wouldn’t greet me the same at a funeral as you would in a nightclub, for example – or at least I hope you wouldn’t.

Brands are the same. They vary the tone of their brand voice depending on context (think ads vs legal policies). That might mean flexing the mix of the different aspects of your brand voice, or it might be as simple as dialling one aspect up or down. Mostly, I find myself gently reminding people who have a humorous or punny voice that they might want to tone that side down if they’re dealing with a complaint…

What is verbal identity?

Your verbal identity defines how your brand expresses itself in words. At its simplest, verbal identity is a combination of your brand messaging and your brand voice.

Brand messaging + Brand voice = Verbal identity

We’ve covered brand voice above, but brand messaging is the other half of a verbal identity. It summarises the key things your brand says (those things you want your audience to understand and remember).

What is brand identity?

Your brand identity is the central guide to how your brand portrays itself to the outside world. It includes everything that puts across your personality, from colour palette, logo, typography and other visuals (AKA visual identity) to how your brand ‘speaks’ and expresses itself verbally (AKA verbal identity).

To put it simply:

Words and language should be (but often aren’t) as crucial to your brand identity as your colour palette, logo and typeface. Together, they create your brand identity.

All clear as mud?

If you’re still confused, but think you might need help with the wordy side of your brand, or if you’re crystal clear and have a project that needs words, get in touch.

And if this has given you a taste for definitions of copywriting jargon, you might like my A-Z.