Whether you’re branding at a large agency, a small boutique studio or in-house at Google, brand attributes are almost always on the menu. They are handy devices for defining the personality of a brand. They provide specificity and nuance to your language. They are meant to differentiate your brand from other brands. Which brings us to the problem: most brands are using the same attributes to describe themselves. And we wonder why everything starts to look and sound the same?
Let’s start by killing the most egregious of all attributes: human. Yep, I said it. Writing like a human is bottom barrel copywriting and not something your brand should aspire to. Not to mention, there are a lot of shit humans out there (and some pretty cool robots IMO). So in the spirit of providing specificity, this attribute fails on all fronts. So what should you use instead? Literally anything. But let’s dive into some ideas.
If you talk to your customers like they are the only person that matters, try personal.
If your brand is warm and friendly, try neighborly.
If you anticipate your customers' needs and always stay one step ahead, try attentive.
The key here is to try. Dig a little deeper and see what surfaces. We like people with depth, and people like brands with depth.
While we’re on the topic of attributes, let me reveal my full hit list of attributes that need to go. To be clear, nothing is wrong with these words per say. We’ve all used them and abused them (guilty).
But as attributes, they have played past their prime.
Approachable → breezy, good-natured, familiar
Authentic → original, genuine, natural, curious
Friendly → helpful, cheerful, delightful, outgoing
Innovative → fresh, creative, unexpected, daring, inventive
Warm → welcoming, casual, laid back, social
Bold → gutsy, loud, spontaneous, forward
I’m curious to know what you all think. Is there an attribute that really grinds your gears or excites you? Should I be canceled for canceling the words in everyone’s strategy deck. Maybe? But I won’t go quietly.
Written by Carissa Justice, Founder & Creative Director at Nimble Creative
Whether you’re branding at a large agency, a small boutique studio or in-house at Google, brand attributes are almost always on the menu. They are handy devices for defining the personality of a brand. They provide specificity and nuance to your language. They are meant to differentiate your brand from other brands. Which brings us to the problem: most brands are using the same attributes to describe themselves. And we wonder why everything starts to look and sound the same?
Let’s start by killing the most egregious of all attributes: human. Yep, I said it. Writing like a human is bottom barrel copywriting and not something your brand should aspire to. Not to mention, there are a lot of shit humans out there (and some pretty cool robots IMO). So in the spirit of providing specificity, this attribute fails on all fronts. So what should you use instead? Literally anything. But let’s dive into some ideas.
If you talk to your customers like they are the only person that matters, try personal.
If your brand is warm and friendly, try neighborly.
If you anticipate your customers' needs and always stay one step ahead, try attentive.
The key here is to try. Dig a little deeper and see what surfaces. We like people with depth, and people like brands with depth.
While we’re on the topic of attributes, let me reveal my full hit list of attributes that need to go. To be clear, nothing is wrong with these words per say. We’ve all used them and abused them (guilty).
But as attributes, they have played past their prime.
Approachable → breezy, good-natured, familiar
Authentic → original, genuine, natural, curious
Friendly → helpful, cheerful, delightful, outgoing
Innovative → fresh, creative, unexpected, daring, inventive
Warm → welcoming, casual, laid back, social
Bold → gutsy, loud, spontaneous, forward
I’m curious to know what you all think. Is there an attribute that really grinds your gears or excites you? Should I be canceled for canceling the words in everyone’s strategy deck. Maybe? But I won’t go quietly.
Written by Carissa Justice, Founder & Creative Director at Nimble Creative
Further Reading
