“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” —Dorothy Nevill
Throughout human history, words have been used to understand the universe, conjure up stories, and even make the fantasy come alive. In the case of businesses, we’ve seen a slight shift in how a brand talks widen its world and help differentiate it from its competitors.
But, what is brand language? Brand language is a collection of words, terms, and phrases that a company uses to describe itself and its products. Closely associated with content marketing, it is a marketing strategy used to help consumers identify and strike a meaningful conversation with the users.
One of the crucial elements in the brand strategy, it frames the entire experience of the customers. While everything might look simple and pretty straight forward on paper, the question remains: What does a brand do differently to develop a language? And most importantly, how can you create your brand marketing language?
In this article, we will discuss brands that have developed their unique brand language and how you can do it too.
Amul
Amul is one of India’s most well-known dairy corporations that single-handedly spurred the White Revolution in India. Although the company was formed in 1946, the brand has come a long way in terms of approach, visual design, and ambience. What once started with just a mascot has today become one of the leading powers in being a social commentator to current political, cultural, International climate, but with a dash of humour.
Today, it has developed its language popularly called ‘Hinglish’ that connected well with the North Indian Hindi speaking belt. For other regions, they tweak their brand language, keeping the essence the same through the vernacular press.
Zomato
If there is any brand that knows its customers and nails the brand language simultaneously, it is Zomato. It started as a food ordering app and eventually expanded to form a digital directory to find the best restaurants around. But besides their app and other customer services, Zomato has excelled in pulling out a foodie in everyone.
Equally hilarious and relatable on all platforms- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube, it has won hearts through effective content – videos, TV ads, infographics, social media campaigns, and tweets. In their content, they say what they exactly feel about food and found a knack to engage with the audience.
BMW
BMW is an iconic example when it comes to visual brand language. Regardless of your economic status, social standing, profession, or whether you are a fan or not, people recognize BMW cars instantly not only by the logo but by specific design elements that have been developed through history.
As a premium luxury automotive brand, BMW might not say a lot through words but it chooses the few with care. Words like intelligence, luxury, exploration, thrill, and adventure are often used in their copies. The makers of BMW know what makes a BMW a BMW. Building a loyal customer base for several decades, the brand has become a symbol of quality, reliability, innovation, and trust, a major win for its brand language.
The mission of a brand language is to create recognition and form a brand identity, BMW has successfully shown it to the world merely through a glimpse of their logo.
Disney
If there is one brand that has mastered the art of brand language, it would be none other than Disney. Synonyms with magic, adventure, heartfelt story, and positive outlook, it has quickly won the hearts and minds of children and adults alike with the beautiful image it has put out. This persona is not limited to its movies, you could see it in their ads, social media channels, and even amusement parks. For a lot of people around the world, Disney is perceived as the happiest place on Earth because the brand has developed its brand language to portray the same.
The other contributing factor to its beloved image is all the touching stories and characters that have become an inseparable part of our lives. Disney’s language is happiness and magic, and everyone needs a bit of magic in their lives, Disney knows it well.
Tinder India
Tinder’s entry into India was surprising, considering its conservative market and centuries-long history in arrange marriage. But with its collaborations, social media campaigns like #SingleNotSorry & #SwipeStories, witty tweets, and topical posts to start conversations, prompting people to give it a try for maximum engagement.
Tinder has now established its brand language as casual, fun, and quirky. With its topical commentary, it mirrors the lives of its users and how they would react and voice their thoughts on certain topics. The brand knows millennials’ sentiment about dating, the struggle to find love, and the quirks of being in a relationship, and it leverages the same emotions to create conversations that amplify the reach of the brand.
How To Develop Your Brand Language?
By this time, you are well-equipped with the concept of branding and the importance of brand language. Along with that, you know what the biggest players in the business are up to. So, it’s time to learn to develop one for yourself.
Before delving into the process, it is important to understand that a great brand language isn’t created overnight. It is a continuous process that takes hard work, consistency, and a talented copywriter.
Understand Your Business:
That being said, before diving into branding and marketing, it is vital to evaluate your company’s vision and mission. Doing this will help you uncover the true emotions behind starting the business and why your audience connects with you. Aligning your brand language with that of your target audience will help you communicate efficiently and efficiently. If you are an established business take a hard look at your content and whether it is in line with the language you want, if not, it is time to find a new one.
Sit Down & Define Your Voice:
After evaluating your brand values and business goals, it’s time to get creative. You get to create a unique voice matching your company values. The idea is to get 3-5 adjectives that evoke the essence of your brand. Are you funny and flirty? Our friendly yet professional? This minuscule exercise will help you determine how to wish the brand to be perceived and create your brand language accordingly.
What Do You Want To Emote:
Maya Angelou, once said, “People don’t always remember what you say or even what you do, but they always remember how you made them feel.” Your well-crafted words, phrases, and mostly brand language will play a large role in shaping how your customers feel about your brand. The bigger question however is, is it the feeling you hope to evoke and emote as a brand? Emotions are crucial to any business and should flow flawlessly from the tone and voice of your brand. So, what are the emotions you wish to emote? Is it safety and security? Trust and fondness? Or Empowerment?
Weave Message Into A Story:
Words and phrases are building blocks of a language, hence, it is important to choose them wisely. Identify the keywords and phrases you wish to associate with the brand and pepper it naturally across the digital media channels. When you weave a message into your brand story, always remember to stay true to those words and give the customers the promise.
Observe, Engage, Evolve:
By this time, you have a fair idea about your language, it’s time to put your plan into action. Since, creating or changing a language impacts the whole business, always keep your employees and stakeholders in the loop. Remember that brand language like any other language is constantly evolving. Our tip to you is to observe the market, engage with the audience, and evolve with time.
If you are a startup wishing to build a brand or someone looking for a fresh start, rebrand your own business whether it is a logo design, a website design, tailored messaging, or a complete brand makeover, it’s time you get in touch with professional branding agencies like Vowels to make your vision come true. We specialize in brand consultancy, strategy, brand guidelines, CI manual, brand presentation, and corporate branding.
Also read – Brands That Sell Human Connection Sell Faster & Last Longer
Contact Us
Check out our work at Vowels
We are always available at hello@vowels.ae.
Want to get in touch over a call?
(+91) 97858 40004
