A classic example of the innocent TOV

We ummed and erred about including this one, if we're honest.

Because we're huge fans of what innocent did for brand voice.

And this post has some genuinely brilliant copy in it. We love "the innocent department of seasonal straw-clutching".

But the innocent-ification of brand copy is something that has us conflicted. Wackaging was the bane of the copy game for a good decade, and innocent is where it started.

So. Buckle up for a nuanced take.

This bit of copy is so good at doing what innocent do.

It's self-aware, playful, not selling but selling, being charming... basically, everything they've been doing since they launched in 1999. And it works for them.

But in the last decade, so many brands have tried to copy this voice and failed.

Even though it’s easy to copy innocent's brand voice on a technical level (the jokes, the tone, the self-awareness), the reason it falls flat is because innocent's voice isn't just a style. It's an extension of their big brand belief that getting more fruit and veg should be fun.

Look at any of the brands that really nail their brand voice and you’ll see that their voices only work so well because they have something to say.

• Nike: Belief: “If you have a body, you’re an athlete.” So their voice is: Empowering, bold, inspirational.
• Oatly: Belief: “The dairy industry is broken. Oat milk is the future.” So their voice is: Playful, provocative, rebellious.
• Monzo: Belief: “Banking should be transparent, user-friendly, and humane.” So their voice is: Straightforward, empathetic, and conversational.

All the stylistic elements of their voice are a direct result of their distinct point of view. They’re all born of that something that only they can say.

Of course, that something differs from brand to brand.

Some have things to say about the state of the world, others have something to say about how we can live better lives and others just have something to say about the industry they’re in.

But at their core is the same thing: a central, outspoken belief in something that guides everything they do. And that’s the central idea that their voice is built around.

And customers respond to that.

So take a look at your copy and ask yourself:

👉 What does our brand believe in?

👉 What does our brand stand for?

👉 What do we give a shit about?

Then ask: is your voice helping your brand send the right signals? Is it helping to communicate your Big Idea that your brand gives the biggest of shits about? Is the way you write copy an extension of your brand values and mission, or is it just a style you plaster over the top?