Verbal Identity

Branding. It’s what we do. It’s a term we all know and use. Definitions range, but one thing we can all agree on is its power. Importance. And creativity and consistency are at its core. Brands pour time and energy into how they look, crafting their logo, deliberating over colour palettes, and refining the icon library – and quite rightly.

But one vital brand element that’s often missed, or left on the server, is the brand’s verbal identity – how it sounds, speaks and engages its audience every day.

We recently spent some time with author and brand evangelist Chris West. In a one-hour session organised by The Marketing Society, we explored verbal identity through a series of copy comparisons, helicopter analogies and hard facts.

Chris boldly sites that copy is the fastest, smartest and cheapest tool at a brand’s disposal. And you know what, we agree – alongside co-creating with customers.

Figures don’t lie. A quick study of leading brands shows that copy converts. As Chris sites, Oatmilk is Oatmilk. But while Oatly is worth billions, Rude Health isn’t. We’re sure it comes down to a few factors, but you can’t deny Oatly’s copy is smart and packs a punch of authentic personality. Other brands that spring to mind include Brewdog, Apple and Mailchimp.

So how do you use copy to explode your brand? Our principle of DOC.

Make your copy distinctive, ownable and compelling. By doing this, you can use your brand personality and mood to differentiate. Establish your voice to cut through. Nudge behaviour in the right direction.