Some brands are weird. In such a good way that their character is immediately recognizable after just a couple of sentences.
Are you on a mission of crafting a truly unique and different tone of voice?
- Seek inspiration from rule-breaker brands.
- Find out what resonates with your specific audience.
- Make a joke, paint pictures with words.
- Experiment. Then experiment more.
- Don’t be afraid of being weird, be afraid of being boring.
Why Go Unconventional?
While defying conventions is not for everyone, I've seen many brands that have built their identity around disruptions and have reaped very nice fruits from it.
What are the benefits of unconventionality of tone?
It allows your brand to:
- Build a unique identity that stands out from the crowd.
- Create an emotional connection with customers, making your brand more memorable.
- Challenge expectations and redefine industry standards.
- Encourage loyalty by giving consumers something fresh and intriguing.
The problem is you can’t create an unusual tone of voice by following a certain pattern.
Unlike friendly or formal tone which you can master by following the standard in the industry, unconventionality, by definition, is a detour from the norm.
In other words, each unconventional brand is unconventional in its own way. Let’s look at some of the most special and unusual tone of voice examples — not to copy them, but to serve as a great source of inspiration.
Teenage Engineering: Playful Innovation
Teenage Engineering, a Swedish electronics company, has embraced a whimsical, slightly eccentric tone.
They often describe their products — synthesizers and audio devices — in a way that feels more like an adventure than a technical manual.
Their tone plays up the fun and experimental nature of their products, connecting with creatives who appreciate technology with a twist.
Look at the description of their latest product, a “Medieval beat machine”:
Hurdy gurdys, lutes, gregorian chants, thundering drumsand punishing percussive foley fx. The ep-1320 is the first of its kind: featuring a large library of phrases, play ready instruments and one-shot samples from an age where darkness reigned supreme, the instrumentalis electronicum is the ultimate, and only, medieval beat machine.
Both the visuals and the tone of the description is as unusual as the product itself, which is exactly what you would expect.
After reading the texts and watching the video, I scroll down to the section where they showcase sound demos ¬— and I promise, even if you have never used a synthesizer before, you’ll be tempted to “summon your inner troubadour”.
What can you learn from Teenage Engineering?
- Embrace the weird and don’t be afraid to break the mold of your industry’s typical tone.
- Use humor and creativity to add personality to product descriptions or brand messages.
- Speak directly to your audience’s passions by using language that inspires curiosity and experimentation.
Hermès: Luxurious Yet Offbeat
Though Hermès is synonymous with luxury, their tone has evolved to reflect a refined quirkiness.
Look at this description of Lanternes, Ballons et Cocardes scarf:
Imagine the cacophony that must have reigned on Noah’s Ark, between the roars of the lion, the braying of the zebra, the honking of the penguin, the grunts of the giraffe. In Katie Scott’s version the animals are less agitated, and a little more ostentatious.
Give them some light and they flaunt their silhouettes like glowing lanterns, some round, some oval, cylindrical or diamond-shaped, according to their mood… the shape doesn’t matter, as long as it’s flat!
Their profusion of multicolored geometrical shapes makes a dazzling spectacle.
This small piece of text is one of my favorite marketing copies of all time. It makes you not just visualize; it makes you even hear the scarf!
Detailed, poetic, and slightly mysterious, this product description draws readers into a narrative rather than simply listing features.
This creates a sense of discovery and wonder. Hermès often plays with language in their copy to offer an unexpected twist, keeping their audience intrigued.
Their storytelling feels high-end, yet their approach is often a bit playful, offering a refreshing contrast to the more serious tones you might expect from a luxury brand.
What can you learn from Hermès?
- Balance sophistication with wit. Even if your brand is in a high-end industry, allow room for playful storytelling.
- Focus on the experience your products deliver, weaving a sense of mystery or exclusivity into your tone.
- Highlight craftsmanship or expertise in a way that feels personal and evocative rather than formal.
Ikea: Straightforward with a Twist
Ikea is known for its practical, affordable furniture. While its tone is rooted in simplicity, it’s far from boring.
They frequently inject a sense of playfulness and humor into their messaging, creating an engaging and memorable experience for customers.
This playfulness can be found in everything from product names to their famous “Start Something New” campaign, which encouraged people to see their homes as works in progress.
The campaign video is one of the most touching and inspirational ads ever made. If you’ll watch one thing today — watch this one!
IKEA’s use of humor is subtle and light-hearted, never sarcastic or edgy. It often takes the form of witty observations about everyday life or clever wordplay.
This helps to humanize the brand and makes their products feel accessible and fun, even when the thought of assembling a wardrobe from scratch might seem daunting.
Another classic example is the campaign titled "Lamp," where they ran a video (directed by Spike Jonze!) showing a forlorn old lamp being discarded, only to have an actor say,
“Many of you feel bad for this lamp. That is because you’re crazy. The lamp has no feelings, and the new one is much better.”
The ad was funny, but it also cleverly reinforced IKEA’s philosophy of practicality — while poking fun at the emotional attachment we sometimes have to objects.
What can you learn from Ikea?
Use wit to ease uneasiness. Inject humor into everyday language — it can help convey even unappealing messages.
Speak in your audience’s voice. Be relatable by addressing common needs and challenges in a straightforward, accessible way.
Emphasize practicality while allowing space for a playful edge in your brand’s tone.
Foundations Of Unconventional Marketing Communication
While there is no recipe for creating a unique and unusual tone of voice, there are three general principles rule breaker brands follow:
Know your audience. Understand the people you're speaking to and what excites, amuses, or inspires them.
Experiment with language. Play with words, humor, and storytelling techniques to create an unexpected experience.
Balance creativity with authenticity. Your tone should reflect your brand’s core values while offering something fresh and different.
Understanding who you're speaking to is the foundation of an unconventional tone.
While crafting something edgy or quirky, it’s vital to ensure it lands well with the audience.
What excites or inspires them? Are they drawn to humor, or would they appreciate a more philosophical, reflective tone?
Another example is Oatly, the Swedish oat milk brand.
It has a tone that’s witty, irreverent, and humorous — but this works because they know their target audience well: health-conscious, environmentally aware consumers who value transparency and a good laugh.
Oatly’s packaging and advertisements often feature self-aware, almost sarcastic messaging like “Wow, no cow!” — and the video featured the company’s CEO, not an actor, which is also an unusual approach.
Or “This carton is 100% recycled, just like the copy on the back.”
Their customers appreciate this clever play on words because it aligns with their values of sustainability and innovation.
How You Can Apply This Principle?
- Research your audience. Understand their sense of humor, preferences, and emotional triggers.
- Tailor your message. The quirkiness or unconventional tone should feel relatable, not forced. It’s only effective if your audience “gets it.”
Playing with words, storytelling, and unconventional phrasing is key to standing out. This could mean inventing new terminology, using colloquial language, or blending different tones—like being serious with a dash of humor.
The goal is to keep your audience on their toes, surprised and delighted by what they read.
Mailchimp, a mailing automation platform, uses a casual, almost goofy tone to make complex tasks seem approachable.
Their error messages are full of personality, like “Oops, looks like something went wrong. We’ll fix it, promise!” instead of something robotic and cold.
This injects a sense of fun and reliability into their brand, making them more approachable than typical SaaS companies.
How You Can Apply This Principle?
Play with voice and tone. Try different combinations — mix formality with fun, or blend humor with a more serious message.
Use creative storytelling techniques. Write product descriptions or brand messages in a narrative style, or tell your brand’s story in an engaging, unexpected way.
Take inspiration from brands like Innocent Drinks, who make their website and packaging copy sound like a personal chat with a friend.
While being unconventional is about pushing boundaries, it must still feel genuine. Creativity should enhance your brand’s core values, not overshadow them.
Authenticity is crucial for maintaining trust with your audience, so make sure the tone you adopt reflects who you are and what you stand for.
Patagonia, the outdoor clothing and gear brand, speaks in a tone of voice that is straightforward and minimal, much like the products they sell.
Yet, they infuse creativity by being refreshingly honest. For instance, during their "Don’t Buy This Jacket" campaign, Patagonia ran an ad encouraging consumers to buy less and consider the environmental impact of their purchases—a highly unconventional message for a retail brand.
This move resonated because it was true to Patagonia’s mission of sustainability.
How You Can Apply This Principle?
Root your creativity in your values. Don’t just be different for the sake of it—ensure your tone complements your brand’s mission.
Keep it human. Whether you're using humor, storytelling, or a daring tone, always let your brand's authenticity shine through. Your audience can sense when something feels disingenuous.
Can You Automate Uniqueness?
Crafting an unconventional means walking a fine line between creativity and authenticity, but when done right, an unconventional, different tone of voice can turn your brand from just another name into a memorable, beloved entity.
In a world where audiences are bombarded with similar messages every day, don’t be afraid to take risks.
Whether through humor, irreverence, or unexpected storytelling, developing a unique tone of voice will help your brand rise above the noise and connect with your audience in lasting ways.
At Writitude we’ve created a playground for the bold and the brilliant. Are you a brand itching to break the mold?
The automated tone of voice guide "Vivid and unconventional" is ready for your experiments.
Sign up for a Writitude account, and even our free “Basic” plan hands you the keys to our pre-set tones. Ready to shake things up?
Our “Vivid and unconventional” tone isn’t just a label. It’s a manifesto with 14 razor-sharp rules. No boring noun strings. No discriminatory nonsense. Cool unusual metaphors and collocations. Pure, unfiltered creativity.
But why stop there? Personalize your tone. Add your brand’s secret sauce. Ban words that don’t vibe. Sprinkle in must-have keywords. Make it yours.
Want to share your tone guide with your team? Upgrade to Premium. It’s your golden ticket to AI-generated drafts in your custom tone.
Explore Writitude. Embrace the unconventional.
P.S. The last section of this blog post was crafted with a Writitude Premium account, using the AI-generated draft in the "Vivid and unconventional" tone.
