A few years ago, I worked on a small startup project. The company had a great product but needed help connecting with its audience. Its website felt disjointed, its social media posts were all over the place, and its messaging was confusing. It was clear that it had something valuable to offer, but it wasn't telling its story in a clear and easy way for users to latch onto.
One evening, after another brain-numbing strategy session, I had a realisation. I sat in my living room, reflecting on the brands I connected with. What did they have in common? They all told a compelling story. Their values, mission, and personality came through clearly in everything they did. It wasn't just about what they were selling; it was about the story they were telling and how it made me feel. That moment clicked for me: brand messaging is all about storytelling.
Like a captivating story, a well-crafted brand message engages people, making them feel connected and invested in your words. This is where brand messaging comes into play. It's not just about what you say; it's about creating a voice that's unmistakably yours and resonates with your audience on a deeper level.
Effective brand messaging is the foundational layer of a strong brand identity. It ensures that every communication, whether a social media post, website copy, or email newsletter, consistently reflects your brand's values and mission.
In this post, we'll explore the essential parts of brand messaging and why they matter. From defining your brand voice to crafting a compelling value proposition, we'll uncover what makes your brand's message effective. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your existing strategy, understanding these elements will help you create a cohesive and powerful brand presence that stands out and connects with your audience.
Brand Messaging & its moving parts
Brand messaging defines how your brand communicates its values, mission, and promises to your audience. It’s the words, tone, and imagery you use to show off your brand's personality and positioning. Nail this, and you’ll create a cohesive and consistent experience across all brand assets, building recognition, trust, and loyalty among your customers.
First, you need to know that brand messaging is all about defining how your brand communicates and not leaving it to chance. Here are the key pieces of brand messaging:
Brand Voice: This is your brand’s unique tone and style in all communications. It reflects your brand's personality and values, whether you’re formal, friendly, authoritative, or playful.
Value Proposition: A clear statement that explains what benefits your brand offers, how it solves a problem, and what makes it stand out from the competition.
Tagline/Slogan: A catchy phrase that encapsulates the essence of your brand, often used in marketing and advertising.
Key Messages: Core messages that convey your brand’s primary benefits and values. These are used across various platforms to ensure consistency in communication.
Mission Statement: A declaration of your brand's purpose and primary objectives, providing direction for all messaging efforts.
Positioning Statement: This defines how your brand is perceived in the market and what sets it apart from competitors.
Why does it matter?
How many websites have you been on where the copy is dreary, uses overly repeated words or phrases and doesn’t create any emotional response? Heaps I bet. Conversely, what’s the emotional response you feel when your problem has been articulated better than you ever could and the combination of words & identity that packs a punch? Most of us know that brand is for us when we have this feeling.
Defining your brand messaging has two major benefits;
A narrative framework focuses the brand to be very specific in the way it talks to its core audience for maximum cut-through and attention
Encouraging everyone in your company to be consistent about each brand asset or creative output, so that your voice always shows up with clarity
There’s also been a significant amount of research and quantifiable data that backs up the importance of your brand narrative
Consistency is key: Consistently presented brands see an average revenue increase of 23%.
Brand recognition: 94% of customers are likely to show loyalty to a brand that offers complete transparency.
Consumer trust: 81% of consumers say that they need to be able to trust a brand to buy from them.
Emotional connection: Brands that create a meaningful, emotional connection with their customers outperform their competitors' sales growth by 85%.
Increased engagement: Consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by up to 33%.
Brand messaging importance: 86% of consumers say authenticity is a key factor when deciding what brands they like and support.
Influence on buying decisions: 64% of consumers cite shared values as the main reason they have a relationship with a brand.
So, what makes a brand message effective?
Brand messaging isn’t simply a case of putting pen to paper and dribbling out some copy. Your messaging recipe should have these key ingredients;
Clarity and Simplicity: Each brand message is clear, concise, and easy to grasp. By keeping your messages simple and laser-focused, you’ll be more memorable and impactful, helping you stand out.
Emotional Connection: Killer brand messages should trigger emotions and strengthen the target audience's bond. By addressing the audience’s needs, desires, and concerns, your brand messages should hit home and inspire fierce loyalty.
Alignment with Brand Values: Effective brand messages sync perfectly with your company’s core mission and values. This alignment reinforces the brand’s identity and helps create a rock-solid, cohesive brand image.
Consistency: The most successful brand messages are consistent across all marketing channels and assets. This consistency ensures that the brand’s key messages are communicated effectively and that the brand’s image remains unified and instantly recognisable.
Examples of brands doing it right
The Numbersmiths
What’s to like?
Ushering in a ‘new era for numbers’. Sounds very edgy and future-focused
Simplifying and demystifying financial literacy
They take risks in the copy, and it’s got a nice touch of dry wit
Non-standard words & phrases you don’t hear every damn day
Blackbird
What’s to like about it?
VC are often dry and very corp speak, Blackbird breaks away from this
Clear value proposition, put across with personality
They speak the language of founders because they are founders themselves
Helpful and inclusive language, no barbed wire abrasiveness to be found
Nailing your brand's personality is key to making your brand heard. Craft a clear, consistent, and emotionally charged brand message, and you'll stand out from the sea of blandness. It's not just what you say, but how you say it. Get your brand voice on-point and you'll notice how quickly your ideal customer magically appears.
Sources:
Lucidpress, "The Impact of Brand Consistency"
Label Insight, "Transparency ROI Study"
Edelman, "2019 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: In Brands We Trust?"
Harvard Business Review, "The New Science of Customer Emotions"
SDL, "Millennials Expect Seamless Channel Integration"
Demand Metric, "The Impact of Consistent Branding"
Stackla, "Consumer Content Report: Influence in the Digital Age"
Harvard Business Review, "The Importance of Brand in the Consumer Decision Making Process"
