Verbal Identity
What you say, before anyone sees a thing.
Ask five people in your company what you stand for and you'll get five answers, four of them decent, none of them the same. That's not a people problem. That's a missing sentence. Verbal Identity is where we write that sentence: your brand strategy, brand positioning, brand story and pay-off, stripped down until there's one single promise left.
What is a verbal identity?
Your verbal identity is everything your brand says and how it says it. The promise you make, the story behind it, the name on the door, the line under the logo, the tone your people use in a proposal at eleven at night. Most companies have bits of it scattered over a pitch deck, a website and the founder's head. We pull it together into one foundation.
How we look at it
Foundation first. We don't design anything until we know what it has to say (which is annoying if you came in for a logo, we know). Every brand already has a hook, something true and specific that was there all along. Our job is to find it, name it precisely and build everything from that single brand thought. The test is simple: your promise should fit on a cupcake. If it doesn't, it isn't done yet.
A razor sharp verbal identity works in three directions. It's a compass for your board, a standard for your floor and a guard at your door.
What you walk away with
Brand positioning: who you're for, what you promise and why anyone should believe it
Brand story: the narrative behind the promise, in words your team can actually retell
Pay-off: one line that stands on its own, no explanation needed
Naming (when needed): a company, product or project name that sounds like it always existed
Tone of voice: how the brand sounds, with rules that still work on a Tuesday
How it goes
Deepdive. Workshops with the people who know the business best, usually not just the board. We listen more than we present.
Concept. Three sketch directions, each a different answer to the same question. You pick one, or we argue a bit and then you pick one.
Positioning. The chosen direction worked out into positioning, brand story and pay-off. The foundation for everything that comes after.
FAQ
What's the difference between brand strategy and brand positioning?
Brand strategy is the bigger plan: where the brand is going and why. Brand positioning is the sharp end of it, the place you want to own in someone's head. We do both, but we always end on the positioning, because that's the part people remember.
Do I need a verbal identity if I already have a logo?
Probably more than you think. A logo without a promise behind it is a nice drawing. Most of our clients come in with a visual identity that looks fine and says nothing in particular.
How long does it take?
Usually six to ten weeks, depending on how many people need to agree (and how quickly they do).
Got a BIG story? Let's make it short.
Next: Visual Identity →