Brand-Aid.io’s Post

Having a defined Tone of Voice is crucial for any brand. But have you really nailed it down and documented it? A brand is much more than colours and visuals. It's the consistent use of every element – from the style of photography to the way it communicates – that builds authenticity and memorability. Tone of Voice guides how the brand speaks. And the more specific you are, the more consistent it will be. Here’s what to include: ✔ Guidelines on sentence structure and length. Some brands like to never use commas so everything sounds pointed and efficient. Others, like us, welcome them to sound more chatty. ✔ The desired tone. Like “fun” - but what kind of fun? Like a pleasant game of Uno, or the kind of fun that involves waking up with a traffic cone on your head? ✔ Whether to use contractions. Some do, some don’t. ✔ Punctuation, capitalisation and grammar preferences. Maybe your brand can go rogue and put an “And” at the beginning of a sentence… 👀 ✔ Legal considerations. If your industry is regulated, how can you say what’s compulsory, but in a different way? ✔ Examples! These show other people in your team the parameters they need to follow: ➡ Approved vocabulary and phrases to use (or avoid). Maybe you have “customers”, or “service users”. Perhaps “clients”? ➡ Key messages that capture your brand's essence Defining your Tone of Voice starts with understanding your audience and brand values. These values shape how you want people to feel when engaging with your brand. With this foundation, you can craft a Tone of Voice that resonates. #branding

Consistency is key. Is your brand’s visual identity uniform across all platforms? When people scroll their social media or the internet, what makes them stop? A colour? Some shape? Your tone of voice? All of the above. Your brain creates recognition patterns. So you want your content to show your visual identity. On social, the last thing you want to be is a damn chameleon. Show your logo. Use your brand colours. Shape your content a certain way. You want people to know instantly that it’s your brand. Make your own and always use those distinctive elements. Stop camouflaging your brand. Then stay consistent. People will know, and see you. PS: Are all your social media aligned with your brand? Please, let me know in the comments. Share and repost if you find this insightful.

Get to know Smiling Surface
 Aren’t you curious? ** What’s in a name? The name Smiling Surface was inspired by observing clients’ reactions at the presentation stage. Smiling is the universal human reaction of pleasure, recognition, and approval. ** What do we do? We sculpt brand personalities by transforming businesses into stand-up brands. We are your strategic partner in visual communication. We collaborate with long-term clients in the financial industry on their visual identity, strategy, and collateral. ** What RESULTS & OUTCOMES do we bring to the table? - Bring life and clarity - Own a brand that distinguishes you from the competition - Make your visual messages come to life - A feeling of pride towards your brand - A Visual Brand Playbook ** What makes us unique? With our unique blend of unwavering optimism and grounded realism, we breathe life into projects, infusing them with hope and practicality. We are dedicated to creating work that represents our clients’ unique visions and values. ** You can Make a Difference? Keep smiling to strangers, on the phone, and even at your pet. Your smile can help someone in that moment, and it’s good for you, too.

What happens when three visual brand concepts are all loved by the client, but only one can be chosen? In the case of Pause Collective, choosing the concept helped them to define their brand tone of voice. See all three concepts > https://lnkd.in/gbxeEXHB

Recently, I attended an event and I noticed one of the speakers wasn't well-dressed. His clothes were a bit rough, and his shoes weren't shinning. I concluded in my mind that he wouldn't speak well or provide much value compared to the other speakers who were smartly dressed. but to my surprise I was pleasantly surprised when he spoke fluently and excellently. I already formed a wrong impression about him by just judging from his appearance, but it turned out I was wrong. Just as I misjudged the speaker, it's important to consider that the way a brand presents itself can influence how it is perceived by others. How a brand looks and where it shows up can influence what people think about it. This is why the role of an eye catching design can not be overly emphasized when it comes to attracting people. You need to build the right impression in the mind of your audience in order to attract them. Do you want to build the right impression in the mind of your audience via your design, kindly send the word DESIGN, to get started.

Now that you’ve got your visual identity down, it’s time to complete the other aspects of your brand. Here’s my three things to help you and your team be equipped with the right tools you need to communicate: ✅ Identify Your Core Brand  This is who you are and what you believe in. What do you stand for? Why do you exist? What future do you want to help create? Answer your why, your what, and your how. Combined, these elements will provide you the right footing you need to make better business decisions, build stronger relationships, and create a shared culture. ✅ Find your personality and voice Your brand voice is the attitude your business is showing not only through words but also visuals. Establish your tone, and align everything with your chosen style. When people interact with your brand, what emotion do you want them to feel? What adjectives would you use to describe your brand? If you would put a person as your brand voice, who would you take inspiration from? This helps you be different from your competition and connect with the right kind of audience. ✅ Be Clear About Your Brand Messaging Think about how you will communicate who you are, what you do, what you offer in a compelling way. When you can successfully articulate your brand in simple, powerful language, you can communicate effectively with the people you’re trying to reach, and ultimately, convert them into customers. Your content tells your brand story. You need to tell your story consistently across all touch points, in every piece of content, to make the most impact. People do not buy purely because your services are good. People buy because of the story that is behind your service and the trust and relationship you’ve built with them.

Telling a Story Without Words A well-designed visual speaks volumes. Whether it's a company’s branding or a product’s packaging, design communicates values, emotions, and personality at first glance. You don’t need a thousand words when a smart visual can do the talking!

Brand Tone of Voice; what a concept. It saddens me to see that so many brands are abandoning the concept of a strategically set Tone of Voice in favor of other communication pillars, such as the visual appeal, which is what is most frequently observed these days. While I do agree that an attractive visual direction is what gives a brand the intended allure, let us not forget that the tone of voice is what truly gives it personality. You cannot rely solely on one or the other. After all, we collectively agree that it would be rather shallow to chase after looks alone, don't we? 😉 #branding

Brand guides are definitely about consistency, but they're even more (at least for us) about visual communication. Every aspect of our brand from our messaging to our color palette was built with intention - including the waves at sunset that inspired our brand colors! The warm oranges convey optimism, confidence, and enthusiasm, while the cool blues add depth, trust, and sensitivity. Everything you interact with is an opportunity to communicate.. What are you saying to the world?

I am passionate about creative direction and helping brands tell there visual stories better. ↳ I study the latest trends in commercial branding. ↳ I plan every detail to ensure visual impact. ↳ I guide brands through the entire creative process. I know many creative directors feel the same way. And perhaps, this is the price we pay for innovation. But I've learned to thrive in this evolving landscape: ↳ I stay updated with industry best practices. ↳ I focus on authenticity in every project. ↳ I ensure seamless post-production for lasting impressions. And most importantly: I've been able to help brands evolve and stay relevant in a competitive market. Creative direction is about understanding trends and applying best practices. Prioritize authenticity and visual impact. Even when the industry is constantly evolving.