Brand Voice Skill

Frameworks for documenting, applying, and enforcing brand voice and style guidelines across marketing content.

Brand Voice Documentation Framework

A complete brand voice document should cover these areas. Use this framework to help users define their brand voice or to understand an existing brand voice configuration.

1. Brand Personality

Define the brand as if it were a person. What are its defining traits?

Example: "If our brand were a person, they would be a knowledgeable colleague who explains complex things simply, celebrates your wins genuinely, and never talks down to you."

2. Voice Attributes

Select 3-5 attributes that define how the brand communicates. Each attribute should be defined with:

• What it means in practice
• What it does NOT mean (to prevent misinterpretation)
• An example demonstrating the attribute

3. Audience Awareness

• Who the brand is speaking to (primary and secondary audiences)
• What the audience cares about
• What level of expertise the audience has
• How the audience expects to be addressed

4. Core Messaging Pillars

• 3-5 key themes the brand consistently communicates
• The hierarchy of these messages (which comes first)
• How each pillar connects to audience needs

5. Tone Spectrum

How the voice adapts across contexts while remaining recognizably the same brand.

6. Style Rules

Specific grammar, formatting, and language rules. See the Style Guide Enforcement section below.

7. Terminology

Preferred and avoided terms. See the Terminology Management section below.

Voice Attributes

Common Voice Attribute Pairs

When defining brand voice, it helps to position attributes on a spectrum. Here are common attribute spectrums:

Defining an Attribute

For each chosen attribute, document it in this format:

[Attribute name]

• We are: [what this means in practice]
• We are not: [common misinterpretation to avoid]
• This sounds like: [example sentence demonstrating the attribute]
• This does NOT sound like: [example sentence violating the attribute]

Example:

Approachable

• We are: friendly, clear, jargon-free, welcoming to beginners and experts alike
• We are not: dumbed-down, overly casual, or lacking substance
• This sounds like: "Here's how to get started — it takes about five minutes."
• This does NOT sound like: "Yo! This is super easy, even a noob can do it lol."

Tone Adaptation Across Channels and Contexts

The brand voice stays consistent, but tone adapts to context. Tone is the emotional inflection applied to the voice.

Tone by Channel

Tone by Situation

Style Guide Enforcement

Common Style Rule Categories

When reviewing content, check for consistency in these categories:

1. Punctuation:

• Use of the Oxford comma
• Use of em-dashes vs. en-dashes
• Punctuation inside or outside quotation marks
• Use of exclamation points (e.g., "max one per piece")

1. Capitalization:

• Headline case vs. sentence case for subheadings
• Capitalization of job titles
• Capitalization of product features or specific brand terms

1. Formatting:

• Use of bold for emphasis
• List formatting (bullets vs. numbers)
• Date and time formats
• Number formatting (e.g., spelling out one through nine)

1. Perspective:

• Use of first person ("we", "us")
• Addressing the reader directly ("you")
• Use of third person ("the company", "users")

Terminology Management

Preferred Terms

Words that align with brand voice and category positioning.

Avoided Terms

Words that are off-brand, overly technical, or used by competitors.

"Forbidden" Words

Specific terms that should never be used (e.g., "cheap", "best-in-class").

Pronunciation and Spelling

Guidelines for brand-specific names or technical terms.