6.0 ADDENDUM
Using the brand
TONE OF VOICE
BACKGROUND
WITH
PLYMOUTH
UNIVERSITY
POSITIONING OUR TONE OF VOICE
Every organisation has a tone of voice whether
it likes it or not. The way we write and use certain
turns of phrase creates an instant impression on
the reader. Unsure? Old-fashioned? Confident?
Creative? Subtle differences in our language
make a difference to how our audience
perceives us. We’ll analyse some examples that
demonstrate this on the pages that follow.
Using the brand
Plymouth University
Brand guidelines
6.1
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
COUNT
Look at the difference between
these two university homepages
on the right.
University of Oxford homepage
Oxford’s tone is understated,
exudes tradition, intelligence and
self-confidence. As a university that
enjoys global renown, it doesn’t
feel the need to sell itself. While it is
sophisticated and assured, it is not a
particularly distinctive personality.
University of Portsmouth homepage
Portsmouth draws from the
language of advertising to fuel
readers’ aspiration in a similar way to
Nike’s “Just Do It.” Portsmouth does
not have the universally recognised
reputation that Oxford does, so has
to work harder to attract interest.
Using the brand
Plymouth University
Brand guidelines
6.2
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
WHAT DIFFERENCE DO
WORDS MAKE?
It’s always useful to look outside
our sector to see what we can
learn from other organisations
that are doing things well. When
it comes to use of language, the
following examples give us some
food for thought.
ALDI
Ten years ago, Aldi was just a budget
German supermarket with a brash
bargain basement-style approach
to its communications. When the
recession hit, they realised the huge
potential new market by attracting
the cash-strapped middle classes.
They became more savvy with the
way they spoke to appeal to a more
educated audience – adopting a
more confident tone, playing with
words and double meanings, adding
in a splash of wry humour. Aldi’s
recent ‘Like brands. Only cheaper.’
campaign saw their sales surge by
31.7%, increasing their market share
to a record 3.8%. Their products
were the same. Their stores were
the same. The difference? The
tone they used to appeal to their
target customers.
MACMILLAN
Macmillan went through a massive
brand overhaul a few years ago to
see how they could stand out in the
crowded, cancer charity market and
bring their values and vision to the
fore. They identified that while other
cancer charities focus on cancer,
they should focus on living –
because helping people to live
with cancer is what their nurses and
services are all about. Life became
the fundamental difference for
Macmillan and it came through
powerfully in their words. So they
stripped away conventional
cancer jargon, kicked back
against negativity and became
conversational, approachable,
relatable and real. They stopped
talking about ‘patients’, and started
talking about ‘people living with
cancer’.
And it did them proud. Their brand
and their brand language is now one
of the most recognisable in their
sector and they stand head and
shoulders above their competitors,
with a visual and verbal brand
identity that resonates with their
values and connects with their target
audience.
PATAGONIA
“Patagonia grew out of a small
company that made tools for
climbers. Alpinism remains at the
heart of a worldwide business that
still makes clothes for climbing – as
well as for skiing, snowboarding,
surfing, fly fishing, paddling and trail
running. These are all silent sports.
None requires a motor; none
delivers the cheers of a crowd. In
each sport, reward comes in the
form of hard-won grace and
moments of connection between
us and nature.”
For the people behind Patagonia, the
key to expressing their values has
always been in subtlety. They don’t
have to shout about it from the
rooftops, or brag about their
credentials – it’s quiet, well mannered
and heartfelt as a result. They use
clear, simple language, grammar
that allows sentences to build to
give added value with each word,
and vocabulary which feels courteous
and thoughtful. They blend this with
contemporary, colloquial language
appropriate to their target
demographic and sector, so the
brand feels young and current.
KICKSTARTER
A crowdfunding platform that has
revolutionised the way people get
ideas off the ground, Kickstarter
has pioneered a revolution in micro
investment, providing the space for
inventors, thinkers and doers to
share what they’re planning and
find like-minded souls to back them.
Kickstarter isn’t alone in this sector,
but it has risen above the rest. In a
marketplace crowded with services
all talking about innovation,
creativity, empowerment and
community, Kickstarter has created
a cohesive brand and a unique voice
which says something different.
Kickstarter puts growth at the heart
of its vision. Using vocabulary that
implies a sense of growth, focusing
on active verbs and using examples
that demonstrate that Kickstarter is
constantly moving forward, it creates
a sense of momentum that’s
impossible to ignore. Kickstarter
isn’t claiming to have invented
something new, it’s just suggesting
that it has evolved and developed
a better approach – and its language
reinforces this.
Using the brand
Plymouth University
Brand guidelines
6.3
EXAMPLES OF WRITING
THAT GIVE A NEGATIVE
IMPRESSION
Here are some examples from
different sectors and our own,
illustrating the associations and
preconceptions words can
generate.
From dyslexiaaction.org.uk
“Five in six children in every
classroom struggle to read. If you
cannot learn to read, you cannot
read to learn and will be seriously
disadvantaged throughout life.”
By focusing on how much of a
‘struggle’ having dyslexia is, Dyslexia
Action’s tone is overwhelmingly
negative. Yes, it wants to change
things for the better, but by
highlighting how bad things are for
dyslexics it panders to a
preconception that is already
dominant in society. Not only
does Dyslexia Action refer to
dyslexia in negative terms, with
words like ‘suffering, difficulty,
hidden, damage and barrier’ rife
throughout the site, there’s subtle
negativity in every sentence.
Simply by using negatives in copy,
from ‘don’t’ and ‘cannot’ to ‘lack’ and
‘loss’ – even if the connotation isn’t
deliberately negative – a seed is
planted in the mind of the reader and
an association is built between that
organisation and a negative outlook.
From smeguk.com
“The product range includes a vast
choice of Italian inspired cooking
appliances - ovens, hobs, range
cookers and extractor hoods – as
well as an ever expanding range of
refrigerators, and washing
machines. A wide selection of
appliances can be viewed at Smeg’s
Abingdon showroom.”
This copy isn’t particularly negative
– it’s just dull. It doesn’t inspire the
reader to experience the benefits of
Smeg’s products. It uses clichéd
phrases (ever expanding, wide
selection, extensive), doesn’t talk
directly to the reader and is very
passive – the appliances ‘can be
viewed at…’ Fine, but why would I
want to?
Jargon and overcomplicating things
Closer to home…
‘Plymouth University is a community
of learning, underpinned by the
principle that students and staff are
partners in enhancing the student
experience here.
Our Students as Partners agreement
is devised by students, staff and
representatives from our Students’
Union, to place enterprise at the
heart of everything we do and
develop an innovative and creative
student experience that empowers
people.’
This tone of voice is pompous and
pushes people away. We want to
draw students in as partners and
collaborators. Using over-complicated
language and higher education
jargon does not reinforce what is
being said. On the contrary, it locks
the reader out instead of inviting
them in.
Using the brand
Plymouth University
Brand guidelines
6.4
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
HIGHER EDUCATION
SECTOR
Have a look at some of Plymouth
University’s competitors in the
higher education landscape. How
do they talk about themselves?
How does this reflect their values
and vision? There’s a lot to learn,
good and bad.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
Standing firmly on its heritage
(‘EST 1824’ is a key element in the
university’s logo) Manchester looks
to the future. Its tone of voice is built
around its core values: influential,
straight-talking, approachable and
dynamic.
The words ‘intelligent’, ‘credible’,
‘authority’, ‘gravitas’, ‘sincere’ and
‘decisive’ all appear high up in their
tone of voice positioning statement,
warmed up a little with words like
‘inclusive’, ‘friendly’, ‘social
conscience’, ‘positive’ and ‘assured’.
Manchester is a serious red brick
institution and its tone of voice
reflects this. The writing suggestions
included in its tone of voice
positioning document are all valuable
devices that make writing more
engaging for the reader. But these
suggestions are more the ‘brilliant
basics’– useful to most organisations
– than stand-out approaches that
give the university a distinct
personality or communicate its
values in a memorable way. You
would probably read Manchester’s
words and be impressed, but an
hour later you might not be able to
remember if it was Manchester or
Exeter or Bristol University you were
reading about.
Still, the document highlights some
useful points that we can learn from:
Be specific: use facts and figures to
communicate benefits, rather than
vague sales talk that has nothing to
back it up.
Look to the future: it’s how
audiences can get involved and
become part of our story. Use the
present and future tense, and talk
about past achievements in the
context of what we’re doing today
and will do tomorrow.
Consider: Manchester recommends
using the same tone of voice for all
audiences to keep its identity strong
and fixed. Is this is a good idea?
THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
With a rich history based on
accessibility and distinction, Leeds is
keen to position the way it writes to
reflect these key, founding principles.
Drawing on its heritage of openness,
the university identifies collaboration,
generosity, excellence and being
challenging as the traits that make
it unique.
In its tone of voice guide, the
institution lays out its plans to imbue
language with these principles. It
suggests using words that reflect
each of these values in their everyday
communication, with ‘inventive’,
‘caring’, ‘share’, ‘cooperation’ and
‘ambitious’ highlighted.
The tone of voice guide also attempts
to weave aspects of Leeds’ unique
personality into its communications:
straightforward, friendly, imaginative
and confident. This translates into a
way of writing that’s clear, accessible
and human, eschewing jargon and
making sure language has an
everyday feel to it.
But, in practice, Leeds’
communications often rely on
convoluted sentences and stilted
academic words that go against the
very key principles of the institution
and the voice and personality it
wants to project.
While the everyday language that
Leeds has decided to pursue might
not be right for all universities, there
are still some great tips we can
borrow from them:
Get moving: using the passive voice
is less direct, more formal and a lot
more impersonal. By using the active
voice you’ll be injecting movement,
creating a picture of a thriving
institution as opposed to a dated,
dry and stilted university.
We/you: it’s not all about what you
can give students, it’s also important
you include them in the mix. Instead
of ‘The University has an active
relationship with students’, say, ‘You
can get involved’. The emphasis here
is on ‘we’ and ‘you’ rather than ‘we,
we, we’. Remember it’s about what
our readers want to know and not
just what you want to tell them.
Back up your words: Words like
‘freedom’ and ‘inspirational’ can
seem vague. It’s not enough to say
that you’re inspirational if you
haven’t got the credentials to back it
up. Ground your statements in reality
and they’ll have more effect.
Consider: How can we strike the
balance between academia and
approachability to ensure everyone
in our institution is on board with our
new tone of voice?
Using the brand
Plymouth University
Brand guidelines
6.5
THE UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG
A modern Australian university that
holds a strong position in the higher
education sector, Wollongong is
worth noting because of its bold and
distinguished identity, one shaped
by a distinct use of language.
Its recent brand revamp pinpointed
‘connection’ and ‘excellence’ as key
to the ethos of the institution.
Wollongong has woven these
successfully into all of its
communications.
Brimming with intent and purpose,
its copy is fuelled by a distinctive
way of looking at the world which
works to build a unique and standout
personality. Using an active voice in
the present and future tense, its
copy creates movement and builds
an image of a bustling modern
university that is ever-evolving.
Wollongong’s content is heavily
progressive and focused on the
future. It speaks from a position of
understanding the world today, not
from an historical point of view. This
ensures that it remains relevant and
appealing to a new generation of
thinkers.
With the repetition of words such as
‘more’ and ‘connect’, it emphasises
its pioneering approaches to learning,
as well as staying close to their key
truths. Words like ‘beyond’ and
‘visionary’ also propel it into the
future forum of education. Proud,
contemporary and authoritative –
Wollongong has an opinion and is
bold enough to give it. Its copy is full
of confidence, uses bold statements
and has a tone of voice that legitimises
everything it says.
This is a great example of an institution
which has taken full advantage of
language as a tool to express its
beliefs and vision.
Things we can learn:
Boldness backed up: being
confident with language is a great
way of building a sense of authority
and leadership. However, boldness
can fall short if it fails to address the
issues that matter. When giving
confident statements, it’s important
to address the issues that count for
your audience and give steadfast
justifications for your assertiveness.
Dynamic: some academic
institutions project a staid and
antiquated picture of themselves.
By employing the active voice,
alongside words that instil a sense
of movement and pace like
Wollongong’s use of ‘boost’, you’ll
be projecting a lively, dynamic and
aspirational vision of yourselves.
Consider: Wollongong focuses on
’connections’ to show the benefits of
not being restricted to one specific
location. Plymouth also benefits
from having multiple locations
throughout Devon and Cornwall, so
how do you maximise this potential
in your language?
THE UNIVERSITY OF BATH,
SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
Bath’s School of Management has
clear and easily available brand
guidelines, which include a
comprehensive tone of voice.
And it’s all based around flex.
Useful learnings from Bath include:
It takes the school’s core values and
interprets them in a way that can be
carried through the copy. The tone
of voice pivots on a set of three
elements – being authoritative,
intelligent and warm – which it uses
in equal measure to create a distinct
feel to its copy.
Always think about your context and
reader: Your tone of voice can flex
and change depending on what
you’re writing and who you’re writing
for. Tone up or down the elements to
fit with platform and reader.
Bath stresses the importance of
context and reader and has built in
a flexibility that means different
aspects can be toned up or down for
different stakeholders. Copy might
become warmer for students, or
more authoritative for potential
business partners.
In its guidelines, the school focuses
on making sure copy doesn’t just
describe, but shows what Bath is
about. This emphasis on experiencedriven analogies, opinions and
stories works well. Self assured
confidence through clear
substantiated statements is also a
solid way to make an impact.
The overall effect of this in action is a
tone that’s accessible but smart,
clear but still engaging.
Be values driven: use your brand
values and vision to define your tone
of voice and make sure all values are
equally balanced and carried
through copy.
Be bold but always substantiate:
confidence is valuable, but only it
if can be backed up with a story,
analogy, quote or fact.
Using the brand
Plymouth University
Brand guidelines
6.6
READING OR SCANNING?
We scan for relevance. If it is not
relevant, we won’t read it.
We are inundated with
information. By scanning pages,
picking out individual words and
sentences, we assess whether to
engage further or not.* This is as
true of the way we read print as it
is of how we read webpages.
Scanning text is an extremely
common behavior for higherliteracy users; recent eye
tracking studies further validate
this finding.
ON THE WEB
On the average webpage, users
have time to read at most 28% of the
words during an average visit; 20% is
more likely.
Research conducted by the Nielsen
Norman Group also shows that
credibility is important for web users,
since it is unclear who is behind
information on the web and whether
a page can be trusted. Credibility
can be increased by high-quality
graphics, good writing, and use of
outbound hypertext links. Links to
other sites show that the authors
have done their homework and are
not afraid to let readers visit other
sites.
Users also disliked “marketese” – the
promotional writing style with
boastful, subjective claims (“hottest
ever”) that is currently prevalent on
many websites.
Web users are busy: they want to get
the straight facts and quickly. So be
sure to give them what they’re
looking for, as clearly as possible.
ATTENTION SPANS
Source: The Associated Press
Research Date: 28.04.2013
Attention Span Statistics
Data
The average attention span in 2012
8 seconds
The average attention span in 2000
12 seconds
The average attention span of a goldfish
9 seconds
Percentage of teens who forget major details of close friends and relatives
25%
Percentage of people who forget their own birthdays from time to time
7%
Average number of times per hour an office worker checks their email inbox
30
Average length watched of a single internet video
2.7 minutes
Internet Browsing Statistics (taken from 59,573 page views)
Percentage of page views that last less than 4 seconds
17%
Percentage of page views that lasted more than 10 minutes
4%
Percentage of words read on webpages with 111 words or less
49%
Percentage of words read on an average (593 words) webpage
28%
Users spend only 4.4 seconds more for each additional 100 words
Source: Harald Weinreich, Hartmut Obendorf, Eelco Herder, and Matthias Mayer: “Not Quite the
Average: An Empirical Study of Web Use,” in the ACM Transactions on the Web, vol. 2, no. 1
(February 2008), article #5.
www.statisticbrain.com/attention-span-statistics
Please refer to our User Guide for
tips on how to structure your writing
for maximum readability online.
*Research conducted by the Nielsen Norman Group reveals 79% of users always scanned any new page they came across; only 16% read word-by-word.
http://www.nngroup.com/reports/how-people-read-web-eyetracking-evidence/