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Why is tone of voice so important in advertising?

What is tone of voice exactly? Is it the way in which we speak when we are hitting on someone in a bar, (a distance memory now) or the words you use when typing an email to your boss asking for some time off? Us as advertisers know that tone of voice refers to the use of images, lighting and copy to create a specific tone. Sounds simple right? In fact to brands it is one of the hardest factors when it comes to expressing themselves. The way a brand looks is important, but the way they sound is equally if not more important. We have to remember that, tone isn’t what the brand is saying, but how they are saying it. It wasn’t until the 1900’s that ads became more personal and engaged audiences. If a brand is clever with their tone, they have more of a chance of getting the audience on their side, which will also give the audience a chance to gain an insight into the brand as a whole. But why does tone of voice matter? It's mostly about the trust between the brand and consumer. Imagine you was meeting someone for the first time, if you speak in an uninviting tone they are likely going to form a bad image of you. This is the same when a brand is portraying itself to their target audience. Daisy Akinson wrote an article about, how brands always seem to forget about tone of voice. She suggests that ‘getting into character is what you have to do to get the brands voice right.’ Telling us that, advertising in some ways is like playing a role in a play. After interviewing Eve Young from the agency Social Chain, she stated that, the reason why tone is so important on social media is because, ‘there is so much noise out there and it’s extremely tricky for a brand to cut through that.’ Suggesting that, brands on social are finding it harder to be heard, they are not just competing with other brands but also, celebrities, influencers, friends, family and meme pages. Good tone of voice allows a brand to stand out from the crowd and get themselves heard. A brand will also have to understand what type of tone to use when advertising on different platforms or speaking to diverse audiences. For example, TikTok wouldn’t be the best place to target a middle aged man. (Unless you're into that sort of thing). People are changing the way they speak and so should brands. Something as simple as putting a full stop at the end of text can change the whole meaning. You may be thinking, “yes but online messaging isn’t advertising.” Correct, but a brand has to understand the way their audience are speaking to know how to communicate in adverts. Although the brands tone of voice has to be the same throughout their advertising, different platforms require different types of tone. For instance, when advertising on a billboard, although it may be targeting a specific audience, a range of audiences will see it. On social it is different again, brands can be more casual with their tone, but have to make sure that the same tone is being portrayed on all social platforms. Diverse tone can lead to audiences being confused. Tone of voice will be a challenge for brands and some will get it and some won’t, but that is why they need us. German Psychologist Friedrich Nietzche once said, ‘we often refuse to accept an idea merely because the tone of voice in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us.’

I am yet to try the famous Little Moons that have been taking over my For You Page on TikTok, they do look YUM! However, Little Moons have claimed that their fame was not intentional. Ross Farquhar new Creative Director of Little Moons, decided it was best to write a 12 month strategy for the brand. Things were good for Little Moons even through lockdown. When a new graduate set up a TikTok account for Little Moons the brand saw a massive rise in it's popularity. Article in Marketing Week stated "By January of this year, the product had gone viral on the platform, as young users discovered the joys of bite-sized Japanese ice cream treats. Soon there were over 15,000 Little Moons-themed TikTok videos, boasting over 500 million views. And Little Moons’ sales skyrocketed by 2,000%." I thought this was CRAZY! This really shows that if a brand gets it right they can really do well on TikTok. I personally believe that if you can get your brand noticed on TikTok it is better than it getting noticed on the other social platforms. Videos are more likely to get noticed and go viral on TikTok. Brands should plan for the unexpected, I'm sure Little Moons never knew they would becoming this famous, but they were prepared. During lockdown brands have been forced to cut costs, rethink strategies and find new ways to adapt to a changing retail landscape. Farquhar believes that if brands have a well thought-out strategy there is no need to worry. "When TikTok began to pick up pace among consumers, Farquhar and his team were able to take a punt on the platform, to see what they could do with it and bring that narrative into a more mainstream setting." Little Moons have noticed what people/brands are doing on the platform to make themselves popular and found a place where they can fit in perfectly. People were buying Little Moons just to make a TikTok of them eating it. If that doesn't say 'Mum I made it' I don't know what does. They have gone from nothing to something in the space of weeks. However, trends are trends and what will Little Moons do after they aren't on trend. The postive they have is that lots and lots of people have tried their product, therefore if they do love them, Little Moons will be part of their weekly shop, but will that be enough loyal consumers? Of course no one can have a plan for every little thing in your life, but its good to have some sort of plan incase the unexpected happens, like you become the most famous ice cream on the internet. The key message I have learnt from this is plan for the unexpected!